Best Schools & Parks
Choosing where to live often starts with schools. We ranked all communities by their top school district’s Niche grade, then layered in parks and childcare data so you can see the full family picture.
42 communities · 8 regions
Rankings
Community Comparison
| # | Community | District | Grade | Parks | Childcare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chandler East Valley | Chandler Unified School District #80 (CUSD) | A+ | 8 | — |
| 2 | Gilbert East Valley | Gilbert Public Schools (GPS) | A | 8 | — |
| 3 | Anthem North Valley | Deer Valley Unified School District | A- | 7 | — |
| 4 | Peoria West Valley | Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) | B+ | 6 | — |
| 5 | Phoenix (Desert Ridge / Norterra) Central Phoenix | Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) | A | 6 | — |
| 6 | Paradise Valley Scottsdale Northeast | Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) | A | 6 | Very limited within town (residential-only zoning restricts commercial childcare operations) |
| 7 | Scottsdale Scottsdale Northeast | Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) | A | 8 | — |
| 8 | Mesa East Valley | Mesa Public Schools (Mesa USD) | B+ | 9 | — |
| 9 | Tempe East Valley | Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD) | A- | 10 | 150+ licensed centers within city limits (AZ DES Childcare Licensing) |
| 10 | Queen Creek Southeast Valley | Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) | A | 8 | — |
| 11 | San Tan Valley Southeast Valley | Florence Unified School District (FUSD) | C+ | 7 | — |
| 12 | Glendale West Valley | Glendale Union High School District (GUHSD) | A- | 9 | — |
| 13 | Phoenix (Ahwatukee Foothills) South Phoenix | Kyrene Elementary School District #28 (K-8) | A | 10 | — |
| 14 | Phoenix (Arcadia / Biltmore) Central Phoenix | Scottsdale Unified School District — Arcadia Learning Community | A- | 10 | Dense — KinderCare, Bright Horizons, Sunrise Preschools, La Petite Academy, Primrose Schools across 85016/85018 |
| 15 | Phoenix (Central) Central Phoenix | Phoenix Union High School District | C+ | 9 | Dense network across central Phoenix — KinderCare, Bright Horizons, Sunrise Preschools, La Petite Academy, Primrose Schools |
| 16 | Phoenix (North Mountain / Sunnyslope) Central Phoenix | Washington Elementary School District | C+ | 6 | — |
| 17 | Guadalupe East Valley | Tempe Elementary School District No. 3 (TESD) | B | 6 | — |
| 18 | Maricopa Southeast Valley | Maricopa Unified School District (MUSD) | B+ | 8 | — |
| 19 | New River North Valley | Deer Valley Unified School District No. 97 | A- | 6 | Limited within New River CDP; multiple options in Anthem (5-10 min S) |
| 20 | Avondale West Valley | Agua Fria Union High School District | A- | 6 | — |
| 21 | Goodyear West Valley | Agua Fria Union High School District (9-12) | A- | 10 | — |
| 22 | Litchfield Park West Valley | Litchfield Elementary School District (LESD-79) | A- | 7 | — |
| 23 | Surprise West Valley | Dysart Unified School District (DUSD #89) | B | 8 | — |
| 24 | Sun City Sun Cities | Dysart Unified School District | B+ | 14 | Minimal inside Sun City by HOPA design; nearby Peoria and Surprise offer standard daycare options |
| 25 | Fountain Hills Scottsdale Northeast | Fountain Hills Unified School District | B+ | 6 | — |
| 26 | Rio Verde Scottsdale Northeast | Cave Creek Unified School District No. 93 | B+ | 6 | — |
| 27 | Carefree North Valley | Cave Creek Unified School District | B+ | 7 | — |
| 28 | Cave Creek North Valley | Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD #93) | B+ | 6 | — |
| 29 | Sun City West Sun Cities | Dysart Unified School District No. 89 | B+ | 6 | None within community — age-restricted 55+ per HOPA means rare under-19 residents |
| 30 | Gold Canyon Southeast Valley | Apache Junction Unified School District | B | 8 | — |
| 31 | Buckeye West Valley | Buckeye Elementary School District #33 (BESD) | B | 7 | — |
| 32 | El Mirage Sun Cities | Dysart Unified School District (DUSD #89) | B | 8 | — |
| 33 | Youngtown Sun Cities | Dysart Unified School District #89 | B | 8 | — |
| 34 | Tolleson South Phoenix | Tolleson Elementary School District | C | 7 | — |
| 35 | Phoenix (Maryvale) Central Phoenix | Cartwright Elementary School District (CESD) | C- | 7 | Dense network of KinderCare, La Petite Academy, Children's Learning Adventure, plus numerous home-based and faith-based providers along 51st Ave, 75th Ave, Indian School Rd, and Thomas Rd corridors |
| 36 | Casa Grande Southeast Valley | Casa Grande Elementary School District (CGESD) | C | 8 | — |
| 37 | Eloy Southeast Valley | Eloy Elementary School District (EESD) | C | 6 | — |
| 38 | Phoenix (Laveen) South Phoenix | Laveen Elementary School District (LESD) | C+ | 6 | ~15 providers (9 centers, 6 home-based per Care.com aggregation) |
| 39 | Apache Junction Southeast Valley | Apache Junction Unified School District (AJUSD) | C | 10 | — |
| 40 | Coolidge Southeast Valley | Coolidge Unified School District (CUSD) | C+ | 7 | — |
| 41 | Florence Southeast Valley | Florence Unified School District (FUSD) | C+ | 10 | — |
| 42 | Wickenburg Sun Cities | Wickenburg Unified School District (WUSD) | C | 7 | — |
Common Questions
FAQ — Phoenix communities
How are school districts organized?
School districts don’t always follow city boundaries. A single community may be split across 2–4 districts. Always verify your district by entering your address on the district’s website.
What is a Niche grade?
Niche.com grades school districts from A+ to F based on academics, teachers, diversity, college prep, and parent reviews. It’s one of the most widely used school comparison tools in the U.S.
How do I verify which school district serves my address?
Enter your address directly on the school district’s enrollment page. District boundaries can change block by block, especially in communities served by multiple districts.