Beliefs vs. Truths: Scottsdale, Arizona

When people talk about Scottsdale, Arizona, there’s a number of beliefs and understandings about the city attached to its name. From its residents’ recollections to outsiders’ opinions, people always have something to say about what the city is actually like.

People say Scottsdale is known for being wealthier than the rest of the Phoenix metropolitan area, that it's just a dense suburb of Phoenix proper, and that the nice weather and expensive homes lend the area to high earning families and retirees settling there.

How do these beliefs connect to the factual truths about the people and places that make up Scottsdale? This analysis seeks to take these beliefs and challenge them against demographic statistics, from income size to the impact of corporate headquarters on the population of the area.

Wealth and Income in Scottsdale

The belief that Scottsdale is wealthy is one that doesn’t stray far from the truth.

The average household income in Scottsdale is $200,911, but since that is skewed by extra large incomes, it’s better to analyze the median: $111,993 per household. This is significantly higher than the median household income in the United States ($80,734) or in Phoenix ($81,332).

In conjunction, the estimated per capita income in Scottsdale is $100,085, which is over double the per capita income in the US at $44,673. The income per capita in Phoenix is $41,981.

While this is true for Scottsdale overall, it isn’t a uniform average across the entire city. The map below shows that the higher household incomes of $200,000+ are more in the middle of Scottsdale, where northern and western Scottsdale fall closer to the median in the $100,000 to $150,000 range, and southern Scottsdale is a mix, including pockets of $75,000 to $100,000 and even less than $75,000 overall.

Population of Scottsdale

The population in Scottsdale is 259,644 people. As seen in the map below, this is spread across a large area, stretching from just above the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport all the way past Cave Creek.

In comparison to the rest of Phoenix, it’s less dense than the city, but still maintains a relative amount of people closer to Tempe and Phoenix proper and up through to western Scottsdale. The density fizzles out from there and transitions into a much lower density the farther north the city goes.

The ages of those who live in Scottsdale ranges, with a roughly equal percentage of the core workforce (aged 30-59) and retirees (aged 60+) at 36% and 35% respectively.

While the density pictured above might help explain the belief of Scottsdale being home to many retirees looking for a home for the winter, the actual concentration of the 65+ age range shows that the amount of people in these areas is low, mostly ranging from 10% to 25% in west and south Scottsdale and 25% to 50% in the middle of Scottsdale.

The age range of 20 to 49, or the young workforce to core workforce, is densest in south Scottsdale. This makes sense, as this area has a lower average household income and a higher density of apartments and general housing.

While one of the common beliefs about Scottsdale is that the city is home to many families, the average household size in Scottsdale is just 2 people. Only 16.7% of households have children at all.

This is further reflected in the percentages of people based on age range. As previously mentioned, 35% (or 89,653 people) in Scottsdale are over 60 and 36% (or 94,634 people) are aged 30-59. Children make up 17%, or 44,607 people.

Scottsdale is solidly a city with families in mind, which is seen in their high-ranked education system and safety ratings, but these percentages display a reality where there is an equal amount of single people and families living in Scottsdale.

The final group of people in Scottsdale are those from age 20 to 29. These young professionals make up just 12%, or 30,750 people in Scottsdale. While this is the smallest portion comparatively, this number does pair with the corporate headquarters described below.

Labor Force and Corporate Headquarters in Scottsdale

The biggest unremarked upon statistic and reality about Scottsdale is that it is home to many corporate headquarters and campuses that find their homes in the greater Phoenix area.

Twenty of Scottsdale's corporate headquarters and campuses’ sites are in the dense pockets in the map above. These companies include headquarters such as: ASM America, Axon, HonorHealth, Blue Yonder, Lifestance Health, Anuncia, APL Logistics, Harkins Theaters, Kahala Brands, Taylor Morrison, Troon, Discount Tire, and P.F. Chang’s as well as campuses such as: Nationwide, CVS Health, Indeed, Traffic Tech, Mindbody, Mayo Clinic, Vanguard, and Choice Hotels.

Most of these companies fall within Scottsdale’s key industries: Finance and Insurance/Financial Services, Healthcare (including BioMed and BioTech), Tech/Software Design, Logistics Management, Tourism, and Business Services.

These HQs and campuses are most dense in a pocket of west Scottsdale, with a solid number also in southern Scottsdale. Almost all 20 of these listed companies are found within these two parts of Scottsdale.

These pockets of west and south Scottsdale also further show how middle and north Scottsdale are more home to the dense suburbs that the city is known for having.

The unemployment in Scottsdale is lower than in Phoenix proper, at only 1.6%. This is reflective of a city that has a good job market, both in retaining current employees and for new hirers.

Combining Scottsdale’s low unemployment, key industries, and the age 20-29 population in Scottsdale lend to the idea that Scottsdale is a good midsized city for young professionals looking to relocate.

Scottsdale is also primarily home to white collar work, which aligns with the large density of corporate work.

80.6% of all workers, or 106,535 working people in Scottsdale are white collar workers.

While the belief that Scottsdale is home to exclusively wealthy people with children is only partially accurate, it is true that the source of work for most people living in Scottsdale is within professional business environments.

It’s also significant to note that Scottsdale is incredibly well-educated.

62.8% of people aged 25 and older, or 126,786 people, in Scottsdale have a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is just under double the national average of 35.7%.

The density of the most educated population in Scottsdale is mirrored in several maps above, including the corporate HQs and campuses, the 20-49 population, and white collar workers. These pockets of west and south Scottsdale continue to come up in secondary statistics when there’s a great combination of a younger workforce and a large number of corporate businesses who have locations in the area.

The significant number of educated people in Scottsdale is likely the draw (and retroactively, the reason) for the large number of corporate headquarters and campuses. Businesses that employ a highly educated workforce are more likely to place their location in a place where the workers within a 30 mile drive can be employed, and people are more likely to move to an area 30 minutes away from their employer.

Why Choose Scottsdale?

In this analysis, there were four main groups of people identified to have certain reasons to choose Scottsdale: businesses, families, retirees, and young professionals.

Businesses
The labor force in Scottsdale is incredibly educated, which lends itself to the clusters of corporate headquarters and regional campuses in west and south Scottsdale. Any business looking to relocate should consider this factor and the average 30-minute commute as reasons to choose Scottsdale for their next campus.

Families
The largest demographic of people that live in Scottsdale are those of working age, and after that comes children of grade school age. This is no coincidence. Scottsdale is great for families with their education, safety, and work opportunity all allowing working parents to have a place for their families.

Retirees
Scottsdale does have areas with a higher concentration of those over 65, which does connect with the belief in it as a home for snowbirds. While the density is strongest in west and south Scottsdale, the concentration in the middle of Scottsdale and farther north is indicative of the infrastructure benefiting and catering to the older demographic.

Young Professionals
While young professionals are the smallest demographic of people in Scottsdale, the increase and high density of corporate headquarters in the clusters of west and south Scottsdale are reasons to relocate to the city. It’s also important to note that these are the places where the projected household income is lower, and more along the lines of what young professionals are making on average. This adds another reason to live in the more apartment dense sections of south Scottsdale.

Do the beliefs about Scottsdale always ring true?

The beliefs about Scottsdale, as it is in most beliefs, come from a nugget of truth. This analysis shows that Scottsdale is a little bit of everything that most believe about it.

However, it is significant to not write off Scottsdale when there is so much more that the city offers. A growing base of corporate headquarters has both changed the economic landscape of the city, but it has introduced a reason for younger people to move to Scottsdale. The high percentage of people that have advanced degrees lends itself to businesses wanting to relocate there for a more educated labor force. (See our article on this topic here.) And yes, there will always be homes for high-earning families farther north, with easy commutes to the corporate hub in west or south Scottsdale.

There’s a place for all in the greater metropolitan area of Phoenix, and especially in the incredibly multifaceted Scottsdale, Arizona.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percent of the labor force in Scottsdale, AZ is educated? How many are white collar workers?
Of Scottsdale, Arizona’s population of 259,644 people, 62.8% (or 126,786 people) have a bachelor’s degree or higher. That is nearly double the national average of 35.7%. 80.6% (or 106,535 people) in Scottsdale are white collar workers. Scottsdale is a hub for corporate business headquarters and campuses, so the labor force is incredibly well-educated and employed.

Why should I relocate to Scottsdale?
Scottsdale is safe and has a great education system for families, it has a large number of corporate offices growing in South and West Scottsdale for young professionals, and it has a wealthy economy (and great weather) to support retirees looking to settle there.

Is Scottsdale a wealthy suburb of Phoenix?
Scottsdale has a high median household income of $111,993 compared to the national average of $80,734 or the Phoenix average of $81,332. The income per capita is also significantly higher at $100,085 compared to the national average of $44,673 or the Phoenix average of $41,981.

Sources and Citations

U.S. Census Bureau: Quick Facts - Scottsdale
Population, Labor Figures, and Economy Statistics in Scottsdale, AZ
Statistical Census Information about Scottsdale

U.S. Census Bureau: Quick Facts - Phoenix
Population, Labor Figures, and Economy Statistics in Phoenix, AZ
Statistical Census Information about Phoenix

U.S. Census Bureau: Income in the United States: 2024
Recent Income and Workforce Statistics in the United States
Income in the United States as of 2024

Choose Scottsdale
List of the Main Industries Featured in Scottsdale
Primary Industries in Scottsdale

Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce
More Industry and Specific Corporate Locations in Scottsdale
Business Development and Corporate Locations in Scottsdale

AZ Big Media
How Scottsdale is Ranked for Job Growth Compared to National Statistics
Scottsdale's Ranking for Job Growth

Phoenix Business Journal
How Scottsdale is Ranked Against Other Cities for New Job Potential
Scottsdale's Ranking for New Jobs

Niche
General Information for Rankings and Statistics in Scottsdale
Safety, Education, and Other Ratings about Scottsdale, AZ

& Additional Statistics and Maps with Density Figures Pulled From REGIS Online

Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only. It does not provide legal, financial, or investment advice.

Written by the Keyser Editorial Team