Avondale, AZ
What Avondale is actually like
Avondale began in the late 1860s when farmer William "Billy" Moore settled along the Agua Fria River and called his community Coldwater. A post office opened in 1896 took the name of a nearby ranch instead, and Coldwater became Avondale. The Gila and Salt River Meridian survey marker on Monument Hill, set in 1851 and formalized in 1865, still anchors Arizona's land-measurement grid a few miles from downtown. Agriculture shaped the town for decades. Avondale incorporated as a town in December 1946 and became a city in 1959, growing alongside the West Valley's postwar irrigation and highway expansion.
Avondale's population has grown from about 89,300 at the 2020 census to an estimated 96,600 today, driven by new subdivisions along Loop 303 and I-10. Housing runs mostly single-family, from 1990s-2000s tract homes near the city core to newer construction toward the west side. Avondale is best known regionally as the home of Phoenix Raceway, which draws NASCAR race weekends each year. The city hosts Valleywise and Phoenix Children's outpatient facilities, though residents typically drive to Goodyear or Phoenix for hospital-level care. It remains a young, family-heavy, working- and middle-class community typical of the West Valley.
Home values in Avondale
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put the typical home value in Avondale at $398,215 as of June 2026, down 1.8% year-over-year.
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Explore Specialty Resources →Getting around
No light rail. Valley Metro provides local bus routes and a ZOOM express service through Avondale, plus circulator service in parts of the city; most daily travel is by car.
Neighborhood FAQ
Does Avondale have NASCAR racing?
Yes — Phoenix Raceway, located in Avondale, hosts NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series race weekends on the 2026 schedule.
What's the median home value in Avondale?
About $398,000 as of June 2026 per Zillow's Home Value Index, down roughly 1.8% year-over-year.
What school districts serve Avondale?
Avondale Elementary and Littleton Elementary school districts feed into Agua Fria Union High School District; Tolleson Union High School District also serves part of the city.
How far is Avondale from downtown Phoenix?
About 15 miles east via I-10, roughly a 20-25 minute drive outside rush hour.
Nearby alternatives*
Glendale
About 9 miles southwest via I-10 or Loop 101, typically 15-18 minutes. Redfin puts Glendale's median sale price at $434,782, above Avondale's $398,215. Glendale is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
Goodyear
About 6 miles east via I-10, typically 10-12 minutes. Redfin puts Goodyear's median sale price at $478,755, above Avondale's $398,215. Goodyear is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
Laveen
About 9 miles east via I-10, across the Salt River, typically 15-18 minutes. Redfin puts Laveen's median sale price at $393,000, about the same as Avondale's $398,215. Laveen is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
*We're not ranking these — every neighborhood has real trade-offs, and which ones matter is up to you.