View source for Paradise Valley, Arizona

{{Short description|Town in Maricopa County, Arizona}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Paradise Valley, Arizona
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| motto              = "There is a reason we call this valley 'paradise'"<ref name="motto">{{cite web | url=https://www.yurkstyle.com/2015/06/part-2-phoenix-arizona-escape-in-glamour/ | title=Escaping in Glamour – Part 2: Phoenix, Arizona | author=Katy Suzanne | access-date=January 20, 2016 | archive-date=August 18, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818000410/http://www.yurkstyle.com/2015/06/part-2-phoenix-arizona-escape-in-glamour/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| image_skyline      = Welcome sign in Paradise Valley Arizona 5-30-2005.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Welcome sign
| image_flag         = Flag of Paradise Valley, Arizona.svg
| image_seal         = ParadiseValleyAZseal.png
| image_map          = Maricopa County Arizona Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Paradise Valley Highlighted 0452930.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in Maricopa County, Arizona
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_map        = USA Arizona Maricopa County#Arizona#USA
| pushpin_label      = Paradise Valley
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Arizona}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Arizona|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Maricopa County, Arizona|Maricopa]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of Paradise Valley|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Mark Stanton
| leader_title1      = [[List of vice mayors of Paradise Valley|Vice Mayor]]
| established_date   = 
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Arizona |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_place_04.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=May 12, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 39.90
| area_total_sq_mi   = 15.41
| area_land_km2      = 39.83
| area_land_sq_mi    = 15.38
| area_water_km2     = 0.07
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.03
| elevation_ft       = 1854
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US0452930&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Paradise Valley town, Arizona: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=May 12, 2022}}</ref>
| population_total   = 12658
| population_metro   = 
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_density_km2 = 317.77
| population_density_sq_mi = 823.02
| timezone           = [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]] (no [[Daylight savings time|DST]])
| utc_offset         = -7
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|31|52|N|111|56|34|W|region:US_type:city_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
| timezone_DST       = 
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 85253
| area_code          = [[Area code 480|480]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 04-52930
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2413114<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2413114}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://www.paradisevalleyaz.gov/}}
| footnotes          = 
| leader_name1       = Ellen Andeen-Keller
| unit_pref          = Imperial
}}

'''Paradise Valley''' is a desert and mountain town in [[Arizona]] east of state capital [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]. The town is known for its golf courses, resorts and restaurants, the  workshop of [[Paolo Soleri]], and close proximity to Scottsdale and Phoenix.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Community Profile for Paradise Valley, AZ |url=https://www.azcommerce.com/a/profiles/ViewProfile/92/Paradise+Valley/#:~:text=Principal%20Economic%20Activities,ventures%20outside%20of%20Paradise%20Valley. |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.azcommerce.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Corbett |title=Median home price down in Scottsdale |url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/1109sr-homesales1109Z8.html |newspaper=[[The Arizona Republic]] |date=November 9, 2006 |access-date=March 12, 2008}}</ref> According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 12,658.<ref name ="Census 2020"/>

The town's name comes from the expansive area known as Paradise Valley that spreads from north of the [[Phoenix Mountains]] to [[Cave Creek, Arizona|Cave Creek]] and [[Carefree, Arizona|Carefree]] on the north and the [[McDowell Mountains]] to the east. Resident children in the majority of the municipality attend schools in the [[Scottsdale Unified School District]].

==History==
[[Image:paradisevalleypanorama.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.15|Paradise Valley, looking east to Mummy Mountain]]

The town's history dates to a more [[agrarian society]]. After the initial European settlement, Paradise Valley was first used for cattle grazing. In the 1880s, when the land was being surveyed so it could be developed into agricultural lots, the name "Paradise Valley" first came into use, given by surveyors from the [[Verde River|Rio Verde]] Canal Company and its manager at the time, Frank Conkey.<ref>Will Barnes, ''Arizona Place Names'', revised and enlarged by Byrd Granger, University of Arizona Press, 1960, p. 190. http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000118510936;view=1up;seq=216</ref> The name may have been chosen due to the abundance of spring wildflowers and [[Parkinsonia|palo verde trees]].<ref name="ci.paradise-valley.az.us">”Town of Paradise Valley History”, http://www.ci.paradise-valley.az.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/223, accessed 4/7/15</ref> Mainly an agricultural area during the 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, the area began to be settled after World War II, on large {{convert|1|to|5|acre|m2|spell=in|adj=on}} lots for which it became known.

As the neighboring settlements of Phoenix and [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]] began to grow and annex adjoining areas, the residents of what became Paradise Valley were concerned that the qualities they most valued would be lost if they were consumed by their larger neighbors.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.paradisevalleyliving.com/about/ | title=Paradise Valley Living }}</ref> These residents formed the "Citizens Committee for the Incorporation of The Town of Paradise Valley, Arizona", which collected enough signatures to take to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The supervisors granted the petition, allowing the town of Paradise Valley to be incorporated on May 24, 1961.<ref name="ci.paradise-valley.az.us"/>

Today, Paradise Valley is one of Phoenix's wealthiest suburbs.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Clancy|first=Michael|title=Paradise Valley still wealthiest place in Arizona|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2014/09/12/arizonas-wealthiest-place-paradise-valley/15525563/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=The Arizona Republic|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wealthiest Zipcodes in Metro Phoenix|url=https://www.zipdatamaps.com/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=Zipdatamaps.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/morning_call/2014/10/no-surprise-arizonas-most-expensive-zip-codes-are.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141012013955/http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/morning_call/2014/10/no-surprise-arizonas-most-expensive-zip-codes-are.html| archive-date = October 12, 2014| title = No surprise: Arizona's most expensive Zip codes are in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley - Phoenix Business Journal}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has an area of {{convert|15.4|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.03|sqmi|2}}, or 0.18%, is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/>

[[Mummy Mountain (Arizona)|Mummy Mountain]] dominates Paradise Valley's central terrain. Other landmarks include [[Camelback Mountain]] on the southern border and the [[Piestewa Peak]] mountainous area on the western border.

[[File:Camelback Mountain 2.jpg|thumb|[[Camelback Mountain]]]]
[[File:Paradise Valley-Barry Goldwater Memorial-1.JPG|thumb|Barry Goldwater Memorial]]

Several historical sites are within the town, including the Harold C. Price, Sr. House, McCune Mansion/Hormel Mansion, and Barry Goldwater Memorial Park.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 6637
|1980= 11085
|1990= 11773
|2000= 13664
|2010= 12820
|2020= 12658
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}

As of the 2020 [[census]] the town had a population of 12,658, consisting of 5,728 households.

From the 2000 census: The population density was {{convert|881.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 5,499 housing units averaged 354.8 per square mile (137.0/km<sup>2</sup>). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the town was 95.6% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.0% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. About 2.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 5,034 households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.1% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were not families; 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was distributed as 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 18.8% from 25 to 44, 35.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $150,228, and for a family was $164,811. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $52,302 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $81,290. About 1.9% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2012, the ''Forbes'' magazine named Paradise Valley's zip code, 85253, the 71st-most expensive in the United States. This ranking also makes it the most expensive in the state of Arizona.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/special-report/2012/1016_zip-codes.html |title=America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes |magazine=Forbes |access-date=May 18, 2014}}</ref> In February 2024, ''[[Business Insider]]'' highlighted how the city was seeing a notable increase in the number of wealthy transplants from [[California]]. ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' described this trend a year earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/ |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brandt |first=Libertina |title=Why Are Millionaires From All Over the Country Moving to This Little-Known Arizona Suburb? |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-are-millionaires-from-all-over-the-country-moving-to-this-little-known-arizona-suburb-11643904785 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |work=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Government==
Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner, first elected in 2018, began his third term as [[List of mayors of Paradise Valley|mayor of Paradise Valley]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner {{!}} Paradise Valley, AZ - Official Website |url=https://www.paradisevalleyaz.gov/583/Mayor-Jerry-Bien-Willner |access-date=January 23, 2023 |website=www.paradisevalleyaz.gov}}</ref> The mayor and six town council members are the elected representatives of the Town of Paradise Valley. The council has six members, who are elected to serve four-year staggered terms. In 2010, voters approved direct election of the mayor. Scott LeMarr became the first directly elected mayor in 2012. The council still selects its vice mayor from among its members.

The Town's accredited police department<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paradise Valley Police Department now an accredited agency |url=https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/paradise-valley-police-department-now-an-accredited-agency,212340 |access-date=January 23, 2023 |website=The Daily Independent at YourValley.net |language=en}}</ref> is led by Chief Freeman Carney.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 17, 2022 |title=Paradise Valley police chief steps down, successor to begin in December |url=https://ktar.com/story/5295942/paradise-valley-police-chief-steps-down-in-house-successor-to-begin-in-early-december/ |access-date=January 23, 2023 |website=KTAR.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2012, citizens gathered 500 signatures on a petition requesting that the council reconsider the issue of direct election of the mayor. In June 2012, the council voted to return the question of direct election of mayor to the people.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Help Center - The Arizona Republic|url=https://help.azcentral.com/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=help.azcentral.com}}</ref> Residents voted to keep direct election of the mayor.

Paradise Valley is in the [[Arizona's 1st congressional district|1st Congressional District]], which has been represented by [[David Schweikert]] since 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arizona's 6th Congressional District|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Arizona%27s_6th_Congressional_District|access-date=August 18, 2021|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}</ref> Despite the town's conservative lean, at the state level it has been represented by three Democrats since 2020. A part of [[Arizona's 28th legislative district|Legislative District 28]], it is represented by [[Christine Marsh]] in the [[Arizona Senate|State Senate]] and by [[Kelli Butler]] and [[Aaron Lieberman]] in the [[Arizona House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Member Roster|url=https://www.azleg.gov/memberroster/?body=H|access-date=August 18, 2021|website=www.azleg.gov}}</ref>

==Education==
Most of Paradise Valley is within the [[Scottsdale Unified School District]].<ref>"[http://susd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=100420&sessionid=45183e4428140eaa5f8c04249da47ca4&sessionid=45183e4428140eaa5f8c04249da47ca4 About Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203214705/http://susd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=100420&sessionid=45183e4428140eaa5f8c04249da47ca4&sessionid=45183e4428140eaa5f8c04249da47ca4 |date=February 3, 2013 }}." [[Scottsdale Unified School District]]. Retrieved on October 2, 2012.</ref> A small portion is served by [[Creighton Elementary School District]]<!--ELM 02430--> and [[Phoenix Union High School District]]<!--SEC 06330-->.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st04_az/schooldistrict_maps/c04013_maricopa/DC20SD_C04013.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st04_az/schooldistrict_maps/c04013_maricopa/DC20SD_C04013.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Maricopa County, AZ|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|pages=3, 7 (PDF pp. 4, 8/11)|access-date=2024-09-12}}</ref>

Several [[charter schools]] also are in the area including nearby [[Great Hearts Academies]], [[BASIS Schools]], and private schools such as [[Phoenix Country Day School]].

==Economy==
===Top employers===
According to Paradise Valley's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>[https://www.paradisevalleyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10014/2022-Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report Town of Paradise Valley ACFR]</ref> the top employers in the town as of 2020 were:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
| [[Omni Hotels & Resorts|Omni]] Scottsdale Resort and Spa
|331
|-
|2
| [[Sanctuary on Camelback]]
|324
|-
|3
| The Scottsdale Plaza Resort
|283
|-
|4
| [[Hermosa Inn]]
|202
|-
|5
| Mountain Shadows
|190
|-
|6
| [[DoubleTree|Double Tree Paradise Valley Resort]]
|160
|-
|7
| [[Phoenix Country Day School]]
|145
|-
|8
| Town of Paradise Valley
|109
|-
|9
| [[Camelback Inn]]
|97
|-
|10
| Early Learning Childhood Center
|82
|-
|}

==Confusion with other Paradise Valley designations==
The town is not to be confused with Paradise Valley Village, an official municipal designation, in northeast Phoenix. For instance, [[Paradise Valley Community College]], [[Paradise Valley High School]], [[Paradise Valley Mall]], Paradise Valley Golf Course, and the former [[Abrazo Scottsdale Campus|Paradise Valley Hospital]] are all several miles north of the town, in Phoenix. The Paradise Valley Unified School District does not serve the town of Paradise Valley either, only the areas north of it; its boundaries end a few miles north of the border.

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of people from Paradise Valley, Arizona}}
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Michael Bidwill]], businessman, prosecutor, and football executive; he is the principal owner, chairman, and president of the [[Arizona Cardinals]]
* [[Charles Boyer]], Franco-American actor
* [[Alice Cooper]], shock rock singer and co-founder of Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation 
* [[Sheryl Cooper]], dancer, dance instructor, and choreographer, and co-founder of Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation. Wife of Alice Cooper.
* [[Doug Ducey]], politician and businessman, [[List of governors of Arizona|governor of Arizona]]
* [[Barry Goldwater]], U.S. senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee
* [[Jay Grdina]], businessman and former pornographic actor
* [[Bil Keane]], cartoonist, creator of ''[[The Family Circus]]''
* [[Kliff Kingsbury]], [[Arizona Cardinals]] head coach
* [[Brooks Lennon]], soccer player who represented the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States national team]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Brooks Lennon |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/players/l/brooks-lennon |website=[[United States Soccer Federation]] |access-date=July 22, 2025}}</ref>
* [[G. Gordon Liddy]], [[Watergate scandal]] figure and [[Nixon]] appointee
* [[Leslie Nielsen]], Canadian-American actor
* [[Sandra Day O'Connor]], former Justice of the [[Supreme Court of the United States|US Supreme Court]]
* [[Michael Phelps]], former competitive swimmer and the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 28 medals
* [[Dan Quayle]], [[List of Vice Presidents of the United States|Vice President of the United States]] (1989–1993), [[List of United States senators from Indiana|U.S. senator]] from [[Indiana]] (1981–1989), and [[United States House of Representatives|representative]] of [[Indiana's 4th congressional district]] (1977–1981)
* [[William Rehnquist]], former Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court

{{Div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Arizona}}
* [[List of historic properties in Paradise Valley, Arizona]]
* [[Saint Barnabas on the Desert]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

==External links==
* {{official website|www.paradisevalleyaz.gov}}
* {{commons category-inline|Paradise Valley, Arizona}}

{{Phoenix Metropolitan Area}}
{{Maricopa County, Arizona}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Paradise Valley, Arizona| ]]
[[Category:Phoenix metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Maricopa County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1961]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Sonoran Desert]]