Glendale, AZ
What Glendale is actually like
Glendale traces to 1891, when Burgess A. Hadsell, a Church of the Brethren colonizer, recruited roughly 70 families — many from Pennsylvania and the Midwest — to settle a "temperance colony" where liquor sales were banned. William J. Murphy, who had built the Arizona Canal between 1883 and 1885, platted the townsite in 1892. A beet sugar factory opened in 1906, earning the town the nickname "Sugar City," and Glendale incorporated on June 18, 1910, with a population near 1,000. Cotton, citrus, and sugar beet farming anchored the local economy for the next several decades before postwar suburban growth took over.
Glendale's population is estimated near 260,000, making it Arizona's sixth-largest city. Its biggest modern landmark is State Farm Stadium, home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and a multi-time Super Bowl host, alongside Desert Diamond Arena, the former home of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes before their 2024 move to Salt Lake City. The Westgate Entertainment District surrounds both venues with restaurants, hotels, and shops. Historic Downtown Glendale retains a walkable core of antique shops and early-1900s bungalows, while newer subdivisions spread north and west. Housing spans 1940s-era homes near downtown to 2000s-era stucco tract homes in outlying zip codes.
Home values in Glendale
Redfin (median sale price, 3-month trailing average) put the typical home value in Glendale at $434,782 as of July 2026, down 0.3% year-over-year.
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Explore Specialty Resources →Getting around
Glendale has no Valley Metro light rail as of September 2026. Glendale's own city council rejected a light rail route into downtown Glendale in 2017, and Valley Metro's current west-side priority — an extension toward west Phoenix along Thomas Road — is a separate project targeted for roughly 2037 and does not reach Glendale. Residents depend on Valley Metro local bus routes and, for most trips, cars.
Neighborhood FAQ
Is State Farm Stadium actually located in Glendale, not Phoenix?
Yes — State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals and a multi-time Super Bowl host, sits in Glendale's Sports & Entertainment District, not Phoenix.
Does Glendale still have an NHL team?
No. The Arizona Coyotes played at Glendale's Desert Diamond Arena until relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2024; the Valley currently has no NHL franchise.
Is there light rail service to Glendale?
Not as of September 2026. Glendale rejected a light rail route into downtown Glendale in 2017, and Valley Metro's current west-side extension toward west Phoenix (targeted around 2037) doesn't reach the city; residents rely on buses and cars.
What's the origin of Glendale's nickname "Sugar City"?
A beet sugar processing factory opened in 1906, becoming a major local employer and giving the young farm town its nickname.
Nearby alternatives*
North Central Phoenix
About 9 miles west via Bethany Home Road or I-17, typically 18-22 minutes. Redfin puts North Central Phoenix's median sale price at $437,000, about the same as Glendale's $434,782. Unlike here, North Central Phoenix has Valley Metro light rail service.
Peoria
About 7 miles north via Loop 101, typically 12-15 minutes. Redfin puts Peoria's median sale price at $509,663, above Glendale's $434,782. Peoria is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
Avondale
About 9 miles southwest via I-10 or Loop 101, typically 15-18 minutes. Zillow puts Avondale's typical home value at $398,215, below Glendale's $434,782. Avondale 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.