Tolleson
Historic small city at I-10 and 91st Ave with a logistics engine 3x its resident base
Why People Move Here
Tolleson is a ~5.6-square-mile incorporated city at the I-10 and 91st Ave interchange in the West Valley, ringed by Phoenix and Avondale. Founded in 1912 by Walter G. and Alethea H. Tolleson and incorporated in 1929, it grew from a stagecoach stop on the Yuma road into a 20th-century produce-packing hub and, today, one of the nation's densest concentrations of refrigerated-warehouse and distribution jobs -- Fry's Food Stores of Arizona is headquartered here, and Amazon, Albertsons, PepsiCo, Bose, and Nabisco run major facilities inside city limits. The city carries a daytime population of 20,000+ workers against a resident base of roughly 7,200. Downtown centers on Paseo de Luces, a public promenade of sculptures, festival space, and free Wi-Fi, and the city runs its own public library, senior center, and Micro Transit Lyft/Uber program in place of fixed-route local buses.
Key Statistics
Data sourced from census records, school district reports, and local transit authorities.
Commute Times
School Districts
Tolleson Elementary School District
CServes western Maryvale
- K-8 district serving the City of Tolleson; ~2,833-3,511 students across district schools
- 18:1 student-teacher ratio
- Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary (Niche C-), Arizona Desert Elementary (Niche C), and Tolleson Elementary are the main neighborhood schools
- State test proficiency (most recent): ~19% math, ~26% reading
- Verify enrollment eligibility by address
Tolleson Union High School District (THUSD)
B#23 Best School Districts in Phoenix Area / #53 of 139 in Arizona (Niche 2025)
- 9-12 district spanning Tolleson, Avondale, Goodyear, and portions of Phoenix and Litchfield Park
- Tolleson Union HS (9419 W Van Buren St) is the neighborhood high school for most Tolleson addresses; 2,648 students (2024-25); Niche B
- University HS (district magnet) ranks #17 Best Public High Schools in Arizona (Niche 2025)
- Other district schools: La Joya Community HS, Copper Canyon HS, Sierra Linda HS (each Niche B-)
- Verify enrollment eligibility by address
FAQ — Tolleson
What is the median home price in Tolleson, AZ?
Redfin's April 2025 median sale price was $380,000 at $178/sqft, while the 85353 ZIP median was $415,000 in February 2025 (+3.6% YoY) and Homes.com's trailing-12-month median sale was $429,990 (+5% YoY). Zillow reported a 2024 typical home value of $388,700. Tolleson's total housing stock is small, so single-month medians can swing with thin transaction volume. New-construction homes were listing around a median of $363,000 as of spring 2025.
What schools and parks are in Tolleson?
Tolleson Elementary School District serves K-8 inside city limits (~2,833 students; Niche district grade C-; 18:1 ratio), with Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary (Niche C-) and Arizona Desert Elementary (Niche C) as two of the neighborhood schools. High school is Tolleson Union High School District (Niche B; #23 in Phoenix metro per Niche 2025), with Tolleson Union HS at 9419 W Van Buren St as the assigned comprehensive school (2,648 students, 2024-25). The district magnet University HS ranks #17 Best Public HS in AZ on Niche. Verify enrollment eligibility by address. Parks include Paseo de Luces downtown, Tolleson Veterans Park, Paseo Park, Estrella Park, and the Parks & Recreation Center at 9251 W Washington St; Estrella Mountain Regional Park is ~10 miles southwest.
What is the commute from Tolleson to downtown Phoenix?
Downtown Phoenix is approximately 10 miles east via I-10 -- about 15 minutes off-peak and 25-30 minutes in peak traffic. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is ~14.5 miles / ~17 road miles and 20 minutes off-peak. Loop 101 provides a ~15-minute run north to Glendale and Westgate. Valley Metro Routes 3 (Van Buren) and 83 (83rd/91st Ave) provide fixed-route bus service, and the Tolleson Micro Transit program subsidizes Lyft and Uber trips in place of the discontinued ZOOM local bus.
What is the history of Tolleson, Arizona?
Walter G. and Alethea H. Tolleson purchased a 160-acre ranch at 91st Avenue and Van Buren Street in 1910 and reopened the old 'Ten Mile Store' -- originally a stagecoach stop on the road to Yuma -- as the nucleus of the new town. The community was founded in 1912 and incorporated as a city in 1929. Through the 20th century Tolleson became a major fresh-produce packing and shipping center, and the 1980s arrival of Fry's Food and Albertsons distribution centers set the stage for today's Fortune 500 logistics concentration. The city's official motto is 'The City with a Mission.'
What is the population and area of Tolleson?
Tolleson had a population of 7,216 at the 2020 Census and was estimated at approximately 7,233 by the American Community Survey in 2023 -- essentially flat. The city covers about 5.56 square miles after expanding from roughly 1 square mile during the late-1970s West Valley annexation 'range war.' It is bordered by Phoenix and Avondale on nearly all sides at the I-10 and 91st Avenue interchange.
What are the property and sales tax rates in Tolleson?
The effective property tax rate is 0.59% (Ownwell / Maricopa County), below the national median of 1.02%. Combined sales tax is 9.10% (5.60% Arizona state + 0.70% Maricopa County + 2.80% City of Tolleson). Arizona levies a flat 2.5% state income tax (effective 2023+).
What are the crime statistics in Tolleson?
CrimeGrade's 2025 report lists Tolleson at an overall crime rate of 20.96 per 1,000 residents with a B- grade, placing the city in the 60th percentile nationally for overall safety. Violent crime is 2.72 per 1,000 (B-; 55th percentile) and drug-related crime is 2.177 per 1,000 (B; 63rd percentile). Incidents concentrate along the Van Buren corridor; the southeast sector has the fewest. Because Tolleson has roughly 7,200 residents, absolute incident counts are low and per-capita rates can swing sharply -- review source methodology (CrimeGrade aggregates FBI UCR and supplemental reporting).
What healthcare and accessibility options are in Tolleson?
Banner Estrella Medical Center at 9201 W Thomas Rd in west Phoenix (~5 miles north) is the nearest full-service hospital with a 24/7 emergency department. Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear (~8 miles west) is a Level 1 Trauma center with robotic surgery and stroke/vascular programs. Urgent-care operators include Alliance Urgent Care, Banner Urgent Care, and NextCare locations within 2-4 miles. Banner -- University Medical Center Phoenix and St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center are ~20-25 minutes away downtown, and Mayo Clinic Phoenix is ~30 minutes. The Tolleson Civic Center, Public Library, Parks & Recreation Center, and Senior Center are ADA-accessible.
What dining options are in Tolleson?
Downtown Tolleson's signature restaurant is Roma 23 Wood Fired Pizza & Beer, serving wood-fired pizza, pasta, and specialty cocktails. Independent Sonoran-style taquerias, carnicerias, and panaderias line W Van Buren Street and 91st Avenue, and Paseo de Luces rotates food trucks during city festivals. The Avondale dining corridor on Dysart Rd and McDowell Rd (~3-4 miles west) adds broader chain and independent options.
What transit options serve Tolleson?
Valley Metro Route 3 (Van Buren) runs east-west through Tolleson into downtown Phoenix, and Route 83 (83rd/91st Ave) provides north-south service. The Tolleson Micro Transit Program subsidizes on-demand Lyft and Uber trips within the service area in place of the discontinued ZOOM local bus; riders can contact transit@tolleson.az.gov or 623-478-8758. The Valley Metro Rail A Line light rail is ~9-10 miles east at the 7th Ave/Camelback station. I-10 is the primary commute artery, and Loop 101 and the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway provide ring-road access to the broader Valley.
What are the major employers in Tolleson?
Tolleson hosts one of the nation's highest jobs-to-residents ratios -- more than 20,000 jobs against roughly 7,200 residents. Fry's Food Stores of Arizona (a Kroger subsidiary) is headquartered at 500 S 99th Ave and operates 127 stores statewide. Amazon operates a ~320,000-square-foot fulfillment center at 10601 W Van Buren St with a robotic floor. Albertsons, PepsiCo, Bose, Nabisco, Weyerhauser, and McKelvey Trucking all run major operations in the city's industrial corridor. The City of Tolleson and Tolleson Union High School District are additional large public-sector employers.
What utilities serve Tolleson?
The City of Tolleson Utilities Department provides water and sewer service through approximately 60 miles of water lines, using a mix of groundwater and purchased City of Phoenix water (~4 MGD combined). SRP (Salt River Project) provides electric service, Southwest Gas provides natural gas, and the city handles trash and recycling. Residential internet is available from CenturyLink/Lumen (DSL and Fiber up to ~940 Mbps), Cox Communications (cable and fiber up to 2 Gbps), T-Mobile Home Internet, and Verizon 5G Home Internet.
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