Gilbert, AZ
What Gilbert is actually like
Gilbert traces to 1902, when landowner William "Bobby" Gilbert donated a railroad right-of-way to the Arizona Eastern Railway for its Phoenix-to-Florence line; the resulting siding took his name. After the Roosevelt Dam and expanded canal system arrived by 1911, the surrounding farmland boomed, and Gilbert earned the nickname "Hay Shipping Capital of the World," a title it held into the late 1920s. The town incorporated on July 6, 1920, but stayed a small agricultural community — cotton, hay, and citrus — for decades. Not until the 1970s, when town leaders began annexing county land ahead of neighboring cities, was the ground laid for the rapid suburban growth that followed.
Gilbert is now the most populous incorporated town in the United States, with an estimated 287,285 residents in 2025 — a striking figure for a place that was mostly farmland into the 1970s. It's built almost entirely of newer subdivisions, master-planned communities, and big-box retail corridors, and it consistently ranks among the safest and most family-oriented suburbs in the Valley, with about half of adult residents holding a bachelor's degree. The old farm town survives in the Heritage District downtown, anchored by the color-changing Gilbert Water Tower, while the rest of the town has filled in with the kind of subdivisions and schools that draw young families from across the country.
Home values in Gilbert
Zillow Home Value Index put the typical home value in Gilbert at $570,915 as of July 2026, down 0.6% year-over-year.
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Explore Specialty Resources →Getting around
Gilbert has no Valley Metro light rail service. The town relies on Valley Metro Bus regional routes (including service along major corridors like Val Vista Drive) plus park-and-ride connections; residents heading downtown for light rail typically drive to the Main Street/Gilbert Road terminus station just across the border in Mesa.
Neighborhood FAQ
Is there light rail in Gilbert?
No. Gilbert has no Valley Metro light rail; residents use Valley Metro buses or drive to the Gilbert Road/Main Street light rail station just over the border in Mesa.
How big is Gilbert?
Gilbert is the most populous incorporated town in the U.S., with an estimated 287,285 residents in 2025.
What district are Gilbert's public schools in?
Mostly Gilbert Public Schools, though some neighborhoods are zoned to Chandler Unified, Mesa Public Schools, or Higley Unified.
What's the median home value in Gilbert?
Zillow's Home Value Index put Gilbert's typical home value at $570,915 as of July 2026, down about 0.6% year-over-year.
Nearby alternatives*
Mesa
About 8 miles south via Gilbert Road, typically 15-18 minutes. Zillow puts Mesa's typical home value at $433,754, below Gilbert's $570,915. Unlike here, Mesa has Valley Metro light rail service.
Chandler
About 7 miles west via Ray Road or Loop 202, typically 12-15 minutes. Zillow puts Chandler's typical home value at $520,582, below Gilbert's $570,915. Chandler is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
Queen Creek
About 9 miles southeast via Val Vista Drive or Power Road, typically 15-18 minutes. Zillow puts Queen Creek's typical home value at $626,700, above Gilbert's $570,915. Queen Creek is more car-dependent, with little to no fixed-route transit.
*We're not ranking these — every neighborhood has real trade-offs, and which ones matter is up to you.