Why Greater Phoenix?
There’s more to life here.
More sunshine. More room to explore. More ways to spend your time — and more opportunity to build what comes next. Discover why more than 5 million people call Greater Phoenix home.
AT A
GLANCE
![ANWTC Icon Master Library [Converted]_Residents.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9915f3_b2867c4d7b144fee91de565cfcf357fc~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_89,h_111,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/ANWTC%20Icon%20Master%20Library%20%5BConverted%5D_Residents.png)
EDUCATION & HEALTH
![ANWTC Icon Master Library [Converted]_Sunshine.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9915f3_c47ec962e7054eeea4de4fc1cdb75fea~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_89,h_111,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/ANWTC%20Icon%20Master%20Library%20%5BConverted%5D_Sunshine.png)
SPORTS & OUTDOOR RECREATION
![ANWTC Icon Master Library [Converted]_Hiking Trails.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9915f3_31a04c78bb4d4d8995db36101061fff8~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_89,h_111,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/ANWTC%20Icon%20Master%20Library%20%5BConverted%5D_Hiking%20Trails.png)
ARTS,CULTURE
& ENTERTAINMENT
ACCESS & GROWTH
Make Yourself at Home
One region. So many ways to make it yours.
Greater Phoenix brings together distinct communities, each with its own pace, personality and sense of place. From vibrant urban neighborhoods and historic districts to established suburbs, master-planned communities and homes framed by mountain views, there’s no single way to live here — just more ways to find what feels like home.
AT A GLACE
The everyday reality behind the reputation.
The numbers that shape life in Greater Phoenix.
Climate & Daily Life
300+
days of sunshine a
year
75°
average temperature
28 min
average commute
time
Geography & Demographics
5.01M
population
across 22
municipalities
14,500 mi²
37.9
median age
$90,133
median household
income (U.S.: $81,064)
roughly the size
of Delaware
EDUCATION & HEALTH
The systems that make staying here an easy decision
EDUCATION
More Ways To Learn
Arizona's open enrollment system lets families apply to public schools beyond their assigned neighborhood, while local districts offer specialized programs ranging from dual-language immersion and gifted education to STEM, International Baccalaureate, AP, and career and technical education. For students ready to turn an interest into a career, programs like EVIT and West-MEC pair classroom learning with hands-on, industry-aligned training — building pathways to professional credentials, college, and in-demand careers.
5/10
Of Arizona's top-ranked traditional public school districts call Greater Phoenix home.
Niche 2026 rankings
2
Language immersion pathways: Spanish + Mandarin
Offered across Greater Phoenix districts, including K–12 pathways in Scottsdale Unified
50
Career training programs at EVIT
Including aviation, healthcare, engineering, advanced manufacturing and skilled trades
37K+
Students served by West-MEC programs
Across 48 high schools in northern and western Greater Phoenix
Investing In Education
Arizona's FY 26 state budget included $297 million in new K-12 funding.
Making the Grade
Greater Phoenix is home to some of Arizona’s highest-ranked school districts.
14
Schools in Greater Phoenix earned an A rating
409
National Merit Scholarship in Arizona, 2026
HEALTHCARE & BIOSCIENCE
Greater Phoenix is home to some of the nation's most respected names in medicine. From routine care to highly specialized treatment, residents have access to Mayo Clinic, Phoenix Children's, and Barrow Neurological Institute — institutions advancing care in adult and pediatric medicine, neuroscience, research, and complex conditions.
Workforce pipeline
11,000+
#1
Hospital in Arizona: Mayo Clinic
for 14 consecutive years
#1
Children’s hospital in Arizona:
Phoenix Children’s
nationally ranked Best Children's Hopsital nationally 15 consecutive years
#1
Neurosurgery residency program in the U.S.:
Barrow Neurological Institute, for three consecutive years
#2
Pediatric neuroscience program in the nation:
The Barrow and Phoenix Children’s partnership, by patients treated
healthcare & bioscience
graduates, 2022
SPORTS & OUTDOOR RECREATION
Six pro teams, hundreds of trails, all close to home.
From professional sports to hundreds of trails, golf courses and lakes close to home, recreation isn't something you plan a getaway for - it's what you do after work.
PRO & COLLEGIATE TEAMS
Professional franchises
Arizona Cardinals
NFL
Phoenix Suns
NBA
Arizona Rattlers
IFL
Phoenix Rising FC
USL
Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB
WNBA
Phoenix Mercury
NCAA Division I programs
Arizona State University
Grand Canyon University
University of Arizona
Northern Arizona University
TENTPOLE & HOST EVENTS
CACTUS LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING
1.7M
fans / year
15
MLB teams training
10
host stadiums
237
games played
The Greenest Show on Grass
The WM Phoenix Open is the best-attended event on the PGA Tour, averaging more than 700,000 spectators.
Division I Traditions
The Cactus Bowl and Fiesta Bowl are both NCAA postseason fixtures with long histories of being played in Greater Phoenix.
Host City
Super Bowl
4x
NBA All-Star Game
4x
MLB All-Star Game
NCAA Men's Final Four
2x
WNBA All-Star Game
NCAA Women's Final Four
OUTDOORS
300+
golf courses statewide
400+
hiking trails in Greater Phoenix
6
lakes within 75 minutes of
downtown Phoenix
Downhill ski areas in Arizona
Arizona Snowbowl - Flagstaff, AZ #1 base elevation in the Southwest
Mount Lemmon Ski Valley - Tucson, AZ southernmost ski destination in the continental U.S.
Sunrise Park Resort - Greer, AZ largest ski resort in Arizona
ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
Experiences that have grown with the region.
The kind of scene people assume you'd have to move to a coast for.
Michelin-recognized restaurants, James Beard kitchens, seven major concert venues, and a museum and gallery scene deep enough to fill a calendar year round. Whatever you're into, there's more of it here than most people expect.
CULINARY
CULINARY RECOGNITION, 2026
19
Michelin mentions
11
James Beard
semifinalists
4
James Beard winners
since 2022
75+
breweries in Greater
Phoenix
ARTS & CULTURE
Hundreds
Dozens
75
of art galleries
of performing arts
theatres
museums in Greater
Phoenix
Phoenix Art Museum is the largest art museum in the Southwest.
The annual Barrett-Jackson auction is billed as the world's greatest for car collectors.
Major concert venues (15,000+ capacity)
Mortgage Matchup Center
Desert Diamond Arena
Talking Stick Amphitheatre
Chase Field
Mountain America Stadium
State Farm Stadium
Phoenix Raceway
Annual Music Festivals
M3F
FORM Arosanti
Phoenix Lights
Decadance
Innings & Extra Innings Fest
Goldrush Music Festival
The Hondo Music Fest
Country Thunder
ACCESS & GROWTH
Proof this isn't just a moment. It's a trajectory.
The systems that move people and goods, the companies investing in the region, and the recognition that's followed.
ON THE MOVE
PHOENIX SKY HARBOR
51M+
passengers in 2025
1,300
flights daily
130+
domestic destinations
24
international destinations
Slated for a 2033 opening, Sky Harbor's new West Terminal features an 80-gate concept designed to help the airport handle the 90 million annual travelers it expects to see by 2050.
2M+
Mesa Gateway passengers in 2025
CORPORATE GROWTH
9
Fortune 500 headquarters in
Greater Phoenix
U.S. city for attracting new corporate headquarters in 2025.
ACCOLADES
Regional rankings
#1
Most Efficient City for Business Travel - SIXT Business
#4
Best Conference City - U.S. News & World Report
TOP 20
Best American Cities - Resonance Consultancy 2026
#6
National Boomtown - LendingTree 2026
#9
Best-Positioned City (pop. 500k+) - Merritt Research 2026
#8
Best Sports Business City - Sports Business Journal 2026
#1
State for Power Grid Reliability - Citizens Utility Board
#3
State for Infrastructure & Transportation - CNBC 2025
#2/#5
State Economic Performance / Outlook - Rich States, Poor States 2026
City-specific rankings
#8
Glendale, Best for Small Business Growth
#9
Scottsdale, Best for Small Business Growth
Scottsdale, Happiest Cities
#3
Chandler, Happiest Cities
#14
Gilbert, Happiest Cities
#9
Tempe, Happiest Cities
#20
More City Than You Think
Whatever you’re into, there’s more of it here.
A night out can mean a Michelin-recognized restaurant, courtside seats, a concert under the stars, an independent gallery opening or a drink on a patio in December.
Greater Phoenix has grown into one of the country's largest metropolitan areas — and the experiences have grown right along with it.
Taste it.
-
19 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants in 2026
-
11 James Beard semifinalists in 2026
-
75+ breweries
See it.
-
75 museums
-
Hundreds of galleries
-
Dozens of performing arts theaters
Cheer for it.
-
Six professional sports franchises
-
Cactus League Spring Training
-
WM Phoenix Open
-
Fiesta Bowl
-
Regular host of major national sporting events
Make a weekend of it.
-
600+ hotels and resorts
-
72,000 rooms
-
300+ golf courses
You get to live where other people come to vacation.
World-Class Care, Close to Home
Nationally recognized expertise when it matters most.
Greater Phoenix is home to some of the nation’s most respected names in medicine. From routine care to highly specialized treatment, residents have access to Mayo Clinic, Phoenix Children’s and Barrow Neurological Institute — institutions advancing care in adult and pediatric medicine, neuroscience, research and complex conditions.
#1
Hospital in Arizona: Mayo Clinic, for the 14th consecutive year
#1
Children’s hospital in Arizona:
Phoenix Children’s, nationally recognized for 16 consecutive years
#1
Neurosurgery residency program in the U.S.:
Barrow Neurological Institute, for the third consecutive year
#2
Pediatric neuroscience program in the nation:
The Barrow and Phoenix Children’s partnership, based on patient volume
More Ways to Learn
More choice. More pathways.
More ways to find the right fit.
In Greater Phoenix, education doesn’t have to follow one path. Arizona’s open enrollment system gives families the flexibility to apply to public schools beyond their assigned neighborhood, while local districts offer specialized programs ranging from dual-language immersion and gifted education to STEM, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement and career and technical education.
Greater Phoenix is also home to some of Arizona’s highest-ranked school districts. And for students ready to turn an interest into a career, programs like EVIT and West-MEC combine classroom learning with hands-on, industry-aligned training — creating pathways to professional credentials, college and in-demand careers.
5/10
Top traditional public school districts in Arizona
Are in Greater Phoenix in Niche’s 2026 rankings
2
Language immersion pathways: Spanish + Mandarin
Offered by Greater Phoenix districts, including K–12 pathways in Scottsdale Unified
50
Career training programs at EVIT
Including aviation, healthcare, engineering, advanced manufacturing and skilled trades
37K+
Students served by West-MEC programs
Across 48 high schools in northern and western Greater Phoenix