Cave Creek
Western-themed historic town at the Tonto National Forest edge
Why People Move Here
Cave Creek is the Valley's Old West holdout: a working-Western town settled in the 1870s as a cavalry remount station between Fort McDowell and Fort Whipple, incorporated only in 1986, and still defined by a dirt-lot rodeo arena, three saloons on one block, and horses tied up outside weekend brunch. It sits at 2,198 ft on the high Sonoran Desert shelf where suburban Phoenix ends and Tonto National Forest begins, which translates to cooler nights, darker skies, and direct trail access from town limits into the 2,154-acre Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and the 2,922-acre Cave Creek Regional Park. The housing stock runs from 1960s ranch homes on in-town lots to custom desert contemporaries on four- and ten-acre parcels with private arenas and stalls.
Key Statistics
Data sourced from census records, school district reports, and local transit authorities.
Commute Times
School Districts
Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD #93)
B+#28 Best School Districts in Arizona (Niche 2026)
- ~4,214 students PK-12 across 5 schools
- 18:1 student-teacher ratio
- Cactus Shadows High School (B+ Niche, #137 AZ public HS), Sonoran Trails Middle (grades 6-8 as of July 2025), Black Mountain Elementary, Horseshoe Trails Elementary, Desert Willow Elementary
- Cactus Shadows 93% graduation rate, 76% AP exam pass rate
- Verify enrollment eligibility by address -- CCUSD boundaries extend into parts of N. Scottsdale and Carefree
FAQ — Cave Creek
What is the median home price in Cave Creek?
Zillow's typical home value is $923,200 in early 2026, down 4.7% year over year. Redfin's most recent-month median sale price is $1.1M with price per square foot at $438 (+22.7% YoY), while the rolling 12-month median is $825,000 (+1% YoY per Movoto). Equestrian acreage estates commonly trade in the $1.5M-$3M range; older in-town lots can start in the mid-$600Ks.
What schools and parks are in Cave Creek?
Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD #93) serves the town with ~4,214 students across 5 schools: Cactus Shadows High School (B+ Niche, #137 AZ public HS, 93% graduation rate), Sonoran Trails Middle School (grades 6-8 as of July 2025), and three elementaries (Black Mountain, Horseshoe Trails, Desert Willow). District is rated B+ overall, ranked #28 in Arizona for 2026. Verify enrollment eligibility by address. For parks, Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area (2,154 acres) and Cave Creek Regional Park (2,922 acres) bracket the town with multi-use trails, plus direct access into Tonto National Forest to the north.
What is the commute from Cave Creek to downtown Phoenix?
Downtown Phoenix is about 32 miles south, roughly 35 minutes off-peak and 50-55 minutes in peak traffic via Cave Creek Rd and SR-51. Sky Harbor (PHX) is ~35 miles at 40 minutes off-peak. Scottsdale Airpark is ~22 minutes via Scottsdale Rd/Pima Rd, Mayo Clinic Phoenix is ~20 minutes via Loop 101. Valley Metro Route 90 runs along the lower Cave Creek Rd corridor but does not reach the historic town core -- a private vehicle is required.
What is Cave Creek known for?
Cave Creek is the Valley's Old West town: settled in the 1870s as a cavalry remount station between Fort McDowell and Fort Whipple, incorporated as a Town only in 1986, and still organized around a Western-themed Cave Creek Rd downtown of saloons (Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse, Harold's Corral), art galleries (20+ studios), and the PRCA-sanctioned Cave Creek Rodeo Days (running continuously since 1977). The town sits at 2,198 ft at the edge of Tonto National Forest, giving direct trail access to Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, Cave Creek Regional Park, and Bartlett Lake.
Is Cave Creek a Dark Sky community?
Cave Creek's General Plan supports dark-sky lighting practices, and a grassroots organization (Cave Creek Dark Sky) is pursuing formal certification through DarkSky International. Adjacent Carefree holds a full IDA International Dark Sky Community designation. The town's higher elevation (2,198 ft) and location at the edge of Tonto National Forest produce noticeably darker skies than central Phoenix. Stargazing events are regularly held at Spur Cross Ranch.
What are the crime statistics in Cave Creek?
CrimeGrade rates Cave Creek in the 83rd percentile nationally for safety with an A- overall grade. Violent crime is reported at 194.9 per 100,000 residents (49% below the national average) and property crime at 393.8 per 100,000 (79% below the national average). The overall crime rate is ~14.45 per 1,000 residents in a typical year. Law enforcement is contracted to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
What healthcare and accessibility options are in Cave Creek?
HonorHealth Medical Group operates two primary care offices serving Cave Creek: the Cave Creek office at 20330 N Cave Creek Rd (M-F 8-5, internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine) and the Dynamite office at Tatum and Dynamite. Abrazo Cave Creek Emergency Center is a freestanding ER inside town. The nearest full-service hospital is HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center (~15 minutes north in Anthem), and Mayo Clinic Phoenix is about 20 minutes south via Loop 101. Town Hall, Desert Foothills Library, and the Cave Creek Rd gallery/dining district are ADA-accessible.
What equestrian and horse-property options are in Cave Creek?
Cave Creek is one of the Phoenix metro's densest concentrations of horse properties. LandSearch lists ~40 equestrian properties for sale with an average list of $1.9M (~$215K/acre), ranging from 1-acre residential parcels with stalls to 10-acre estates with roping arenas. The town allows keeping horses on residential parcels under zoning minimums, and Spur Cross Ranch / Cave Creek Regional Park / Tonto National Forest all permit equestrian use on most trails. Rancho Manana and several private boarding stables operate in and around town.
What is the climate like in Cave Creek?
Cave Creek has a Koppen BSh steppe climate, transitional between Phoenix's hot desert (BWh) and higher-country semi-arid zones. Temperatures typically range from 41 degrees F to 101 degrees F across the year, with extremes of 33 degrees F and 107 degrees F being rare. Annual precipitation is ~11.9 inches (302 mm) with February the wettest month. Elevation of 2,198 ft is about 1,100 ft higher than downtown Phoenix, which translates to roughly 10 degrees F cooler summer nights. Approximately 300 sunny days per year.
What are the property and sales tax rates?
Median effective property tax rate is 0.40% per Ownwell / Maricopa County records, with a median annual bill of ~$2,147. Combined sales tax is ~9.3% (5.6% Arizona state + 0.7% Maricopa County + 3.0% Town of Cave Creek) per Avalara 2026 data. Arizona levies a flat 2.5% state income tax as of 2023. HOA fees vary significantly: older in-town large-acreage parcels often have no HOA, while newer master-planned subdivisions such as Saguaro Trails charge in the $150-$400/month range.
Compare Communities
Other communities in North Valley.