Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Paradise Valley
Fountain Hills
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 34%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs70 · Bottom 33%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Paradise Valley | Fountain Hills | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,611 | 23,789 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $247,159 | $112,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $164,581 | $69,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 820/sq mi | 1,173/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $622,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $1,890 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 95.0% | 84.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.3% | 50.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 81 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.3% | 42.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 104°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.7" | 8.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 55.8 | 61.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.61 | 13.41 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Paradise Valley
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Fountain Hills
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Paradise Valley
58
Your Score
54
Area Score
Fountain Hills
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Paradise Valley, AZ · Fountain Hills, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology