North Scottsdale, AZ
What North Scottsdale is actually like
What's now North Scottsdale was open range through much of the 20th century — Brown's Ranch and DC Ranch ran cattle and sheep across the desert north of the original townsite starting around 1916. Scottsdale annexed the land in stages as the city pushed toward the McDowell Mountains, and developer DMB Associates began transforming the DC Ranch cattle spread into a master-planned community in the 1990s. Golf-course development followed — Troon, Troon North and Pinnacle Peak among them — and TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course became annual host of the PGA Tour's WM Phoenix Open. The result is a patchwork of gated communities built decades after Old Town, on land that was still working ranchland within living memory.
North Scottsdale today is master-planned and golf-oriented, covering ZIP codes like 85255, 85259, 85262 and 85266 north of Shea Boulevard. Communities such as DC Ranch, Grayhawk, Troon and Silverleaf mix custom hillside estates with golf-course tract homes, drawing executives, retirees and second-home buyers rather than the renters and young singles clustered in Old Town. The area holds most of Scottsdale's trailheads into the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Pinnacle Peak Park, plus Scottsdale Airport and the WestWorld of Scottsdale equestrian and event grounds. It's part of the city of Scottsdale, not a separate municipality, so it shares the city's 2024 population of 245,231 rather than having a separately tracked count of its own.
Home values in North Scottsdale
Redfin (median sale price, North Scottsdale neighborhood) put the typical home value in North Scottsdale at $1,199,421 as of August 2026, up 11.1% year-over-year.
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Explore Specialty Resources →Getting around
No light rail anywhere in Scottsdale. North Scottsdale is outside the free Scottsdale Trolley's downtown loops and has only limited Valley Metro bus coverage along major arterials, so it is effectively car-dependent — most residents drive for any errand or commute.
Neighborhood FAQ
Does North Scottsdale have light rail?
No — Scottsdale has no light rail anywhere in the city, and North Scottsdale also lacks the downtown trolley service, making it essentially car-dependent.
What is North Scottsdale historically known for?
It was ranchland — Brown's Ranch and DC Ranch ran cattle and sheep here from around 1916 — before the city annexed the area and developers built master-planned golf communities starting in the 1990s.
What's the typical home value in North Scottsdale?
About $1,199,421 as of August 2026 per Redfin's median sale price for the neighborhood, up roughly 11.1% year-over-year.
What's the nearest hospital to North Scottsdale?
HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center on E. Shea Boulevard.
Nearby alternatives*
Old Town Scottsdale
About 9 miles north via Scottsdale Road, typically 18-20 minutes. Redfin puts Old Town Scottsdale's median sale price at $562,304, well below North Scottsdale's $1,199,421. Old Town Scottsdale has at least some Valley Metro bus service, more than you'll find here.
Desert Ridge
About 7 miles east via Loop 101, typically 12-15 minutes. Redfin puts Desert Ridge's median sale price at $660,000, well below North Scottsdale's $1,199,421. Desert Ridge is also largely car-dependent, with no fixed-route transit to speak of.
Fountain Hills
About 12 miles east via Shea Boulevard or the Beeline Highway (SR-87), typically 20-25 minutes. Zillow puts Fountain Hills's typical home value at $662,184, well below North Scottsdale's $1,199,421. Fountain Hills is also largely car-dependent, with no fixed-route transit to speak of.
*We're not ranking these — every neighborhood has real trade-offs, and which ones matter is up to you.