The Town FilesParadise Valley, Arizona
Town in Maricopa County · population 12,658 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $247,159
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 104°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 55.8
Paradise Valley is a town of 12,658 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more upscale than 100% of Arizona towns, better for families than 98% of Arizona towns, better for cycling than 91% of Arizona towns.
How Paradise Valley ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Paradise Valley is worth $2,000,001, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 8.1 times the median household income of $247,159, which is more affordable than 3% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 95.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paradise Valley | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $247,159 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.1× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 95.0% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.9% | — |
Who lives in Paradise Valley
| People | Paradise Valley | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.8 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.7% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.3% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.2% | — |
| Work from home | 25.5% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 88.0% |
Weather in Paradise Valley
July highs average 104.1°F and January lows 43.4°F. About 8.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 162 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paradise Valley since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on January 17, 1993 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 29, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on October 5, 2010.
Severe weather in Maricopa County since 1996
Maricopa County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Fire | FM-5501: Boulder View Fire |
| June 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5496: Rose Fire |
| June 28, 2023 | Fire | FM-5466: Diamond Fire |
| June 27, 2020 | Fire | FM-5315: Avondale Fire |
| June 23, 2020 | Fire | FM-5314: Aquila Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maricopa County
Maricopa County had 2,280,645 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,840 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Paradise Valley itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Paradise Valley
3 public schools with 1,351 students, about 18.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Elementary School | PK-5 | 673 | 18.7 |
| Kiva Elementary School | PK-6 | 562 | 14.8 |
| Montessori Academy (charter) | K-8 | 116 | — |
Towns near Paradise Valley
- Phoenix, AZ7.5 mi · 1,608,139 people · home $420,700
- Scottsdale, AZ10.8 mi · 241,361 people · home $789,800
- Tempe, AZ11.4 mi · 180,587 people · home $455,400
- Guadalupe, AZ12.8 mi · 5,322 people · home $271,300
- Glendale, AZ13.2 mi · 248,325 people · home $387,500
- Fountain Hills, AZ13.4 mi · 23,820 people · home $622,900
- Mesa, AZ17.6 mi · 504,258 people · home $408,000
- Tolleson, AZ18.4 mi · 7,216 people · home $306,400
Paradise Valley questions
Is Paradise Valley, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paradise Valley scores better for retirees than 80% of Arizona towns and quieter than 59%. 32.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.8).
How much does a house cost in Paradise Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Paradise Valley is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $247,159, so homes cost about 8.1 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Paradise Valley?
July highs average 104.1°F and January lows 43.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Paradise Valley get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paradise Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on January 17, 1993. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)