Scottsdale’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Scottsdale.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Arizona thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Scottsdale. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Scottsdale neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Scottsdale hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Scottsdale area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Sonoran Regional Core ranks way above the rest.
We examined 10 of Scottsdale’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Scottsdale’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Scottsdale for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Downtown looks to be the worst neighborhood in Scottsdale.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Scottsdale that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Scottsdale For 2024
1. Downtown
Population: 3,235
Median Home Value: $499,157 (4th worst)
Median Income: $74,871 (3rd worst)
2. Indian Bend
Population: 54,912
Median Home Value: $254,493 (worst)
Median Income: $59,712 (worst)
3. East Shea
Population: 4,542
Median Home Value: $602,794 (6th worst)
Median Income: $103,339 (7th worst)
4. Via Linda Corridor
Population: 7,609
Median Home Value: $602,794 (6th worst)
Median Income: $84,623 (4th worst)
5. McCormick Ranch
Population: 15,572
Median Home Value: $444,853 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $93,496 (5th worst)
6. Resort Corridor
Population: 4,133
Median Home Value: $377,981 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $95,047 (6th worst)
7. Monterey Arcadia
Population: 23,972
Median Home Value: $708,552 (8th worst)
Median Income: $72,681 (2nd worst)
8. West Cactus
Population: 8,039
Median Home Value: $768,685 (10th worst)
Median Income: $104,811 (8th worst)
9. Airpark
Population: 2,352
Median Home Value: $733,439 (9th worst)
Median Income: $118,978 (9th worst)
10. Sonoran Regional Core
Population: 3,921
Median Home Value: $672,914 (7th worst)
Median Income: $128,895 (10th worst)
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Scottsdale neighborhoods in 2024
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Scottsdale:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Scottsdale, Arizona for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Scottsdale.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Scottsdale.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 10 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Scottsdale
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Scottsdale with Downtown landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Scottsdale are Downtown, Indian Bend, East Shea, Via Linda Corridor, McCormick Ranch, Resort Corridor, Monterey Arcadia, West Cactus, Airpark, and Sonoran Regional Core.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Scottsdale aren’t all bad. Sonoran Regional Core takes the cake as the best place to live in Scottsdale.
The best neighborhoods in Scottsdale are Sonoran Regional Core, Airpark, West Cactus, Monterey Arcadia, and Resort Corridor.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Scottsdale For 2024?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown | 3,235 | $499,157 | $74,871 |
| 2 | Indian Bend | 54,912 | $254,493 | $59,712 |
| 3 | East Shea | 4,542 | $602,794 | $103,339 |
| 4 | Via Linda Corridor | 7,609 | $602,794 | $84,623 |
| 5 | Mccormick Ranch | 15,572 | $444,853 | $93,496 |
| 6 | Resort Corridor | 4,133 | $377,981 | $95,047 |
| 7 | Monterey Arcadia | 23,972 | $708,552 | $72,681 |
| 8 | West Cactus | 8,039 | $768,685 | $104,811 |
| 9 | Airpark | 2,352 | $733,439 | $118,978 |
| 10 | Sonoran Regional Core | 3,921 | $672,914 | $128,895 |