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Glendale, AZ

A town of about 252,833 people in Maricopa County, part of the Phoenix area. Resident comments and photos are about Glendale; job numbers cover the wider area.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Glendale

Glendale Downtown Glendale
Glendale Downtown Glendale · Photo: Tony the Marine ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Glendale arena
Glendale arena · Photo: Unknown, CC BY 2.0
Glendale Glitters
Glendale Glitters · Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0
State Farm Stadium
State Farm Stadium · Photo: Troutfarm27, CC BY-SA 4.0
Westgate At Night
Westgate At Night · Photo: Jward145, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
Glendale
Glendale in Arizona
Arizona in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Glendale's center.

36
grocery stores
182
restaurants
35
coffee shops
200+
parks
200+
playgrounds
7
libraries
4
movie theaters
2
live theaters
4
museums
8
bookstores
29
gyms
26
bars
35
pharmacies
3
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Glendale.

Bike lanes and bike paths
144 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
102 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 35,923 rented homes in Glendale, 82% rent for under $2,000 a month and 98% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 18%
$1,000 to $1,499: 40%
$1,500 to $1,999: 24%
$2,000 to $2,499: 12%
$2,500 to $2,999: 4%
$3,000 or more: 2%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Glendale rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Arizona

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Arizona DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Arizona voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

56 public school districts in this county, with about 575,074 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Peoria Unified School District (4237) · Glendale
36,527 students · 19.2 students per teacher · 44 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Washington Elementary School District (4260) · Glendale
19,328 students · 16.6 students per teacher · 33 schools · grades Pre-K to 8
Glendale Union High School District (4285) · Glendale
16,535 students · 22.4 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades 9 to 12
Glendale Elementary District (4271) · Glendale
9,450 students · 22.8 students per teacher · 14 schools · grades Pre-K to 8
Mesa Unified District (4235) · Mesa
58,343 students · 16.4 students per teacher · 78 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Arizona keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$270/week
about $14,000 a year
$180/week
about $9,400 a year
Toddler (2)$210/week
about $10,900 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$210/week
about $10,900 a year
$171/week
about $8,900 a year
School-age$175/week
about $9,100 a year

For an infant at a center: $270/week here, $253 across AZ, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 15% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Arizona →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

18 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Glendale. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe
Public, 4-year · 79,593 students · $12,051 in-state, $32,193 out-of-state
Arizona State University Digital Immersion · Scottsdale
Public, 4-year · 66,062 students · $11,421 in-state, $13,625 out-of-state
Rio Salado College · Tempe
Public, 4-year · 18,631 students · $2,358 in-state, $8,958 out-of-state
Mesa Community College · Mesa
Public, 2-year (community college) · 16,624 students · $2,358 in-state, $8,959 out-of-state
Chandler-Gilbert Community College · Chandler
Public, 2-year (community college) · 14,725 students · $2,358 in-state, $8,959 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$442,078
What a typical home sells for across the Phoenix area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
27 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $2,344 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in AZ. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Very High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
3 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
39.6 per 100,000 people a year
1850 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. AZ average: 37.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 20.8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 9,734 people without housing in the Phoenix, Mesa/Maricopa County area: 4,527 in shelters and 5,207 outside, up from 9,435 in 2024. AZ: 20.1 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$85,518
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.47% of home value a year
About $470 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.50%
AZ's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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