Tempe
A separate city with Town Lake, ASU and light rail
A separate city on the Salt River, bordered by Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Chandler, with Tempe Town Lake, Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, light rail and a streetcar.
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Tempe at a glance
- Median list price
- $539,000Single-family listings · RentCast, ZIP 85282 (one of Tempe’s five ZIP codes), October 2026Updated
- Days on market (listings)
- 37 daysSingle-family listings · RentCast, ZIP 85282 (one of Tempe’s five ZIP codes), October 2026Updated
- Lots
- Varies by zoning district
- Typical homes
- Postwar subdivisions to new building by Town Lake
- HOAs
- Most condos and townhomes; some newer subdivisions
- Setting
- Central; Town Lake, Tempe Butte, ASU
- Walkability
- Varies; light rail, streetcar and free Orbit buses
Market figures: RentCast, from single-family listings (list prices, not closed sales) in each area’s main ZIP code. “To date” means the month so far. Areas that share a ZIP code show the same figures. Any figures shown are past results, not a forecast. Descriptions cover places and housing, not who lives there.
Tempe on the map
North ScottsdaleHigh-desert golf and master-planned communities1SilverleafGuard-gated community at the foot of the McDowells2Central ScottsdaleEstablished neighborhoods along the Shea corridor3McCormick RanchGreenbelt paths and lakes, central and established4Paradise ValleySeparate town with large lots and mountain views5ArcadiaIrrigated lots, citrus and Camelback views6BiltmoreResort, golf and shopping in central Phoenix7Fountain HillsA separate town east of the McDowell Mountains8Cave Creek and CarefreeTwo desert foothill towns, many on large lots9TempeA separate city with Town Lake, ASU and light rail10Rio VerdeUnincorporated communities near the Verde River11
Boundaries are approximate. The list and links on this page carry the same information.
Questions about Tempe
Is Tempe its own city?
Yes. Tempe is a separate city in Maricopa County, incorporated in 1894, and bordered by Phoenix, Guadalupe, Scottsdale, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Chandler and Mesa. It has been surrounded by other cities since 1974, so it can’t grow outward.
Source: City of Tempe, Tempe History FAQs; City of Tempe, Timeline of Tempe History; City of Tempe, Street Wayfinding Information
What ZIP codes does this site use for Tempe?
85281, 85282, 85283, 85284 and 85288, the ZIP codes that cover the city. The Postal Service added 85288, in north Tempe, on July 1, 2022, and 85283 also covers the Town of Guadalupe, so check a specific address with the Maricopa County Assessor.
Source: Maricopa County GIS, ZIP Code layer; U.S. Postal Service, new ZIP Code in Tempe (June 3, 2022); Maricopa County Assessor
Do Tempe homes have an HOA?
Many do, but not all. The City says most condominium and townhome developments and some newer single-family subdivisions have homeowners’ associations, and membership in one is mandatory for the owners it covers. The City’s map shows the associations registered with it; the CC&Rs recorded against a property are what bind it.
Source: City of Tempe, Homeowners’ Associations; City of Tempe, neighborhood and homeowners’ association map; Maricopa County Recorder
How do you get around Tempe?
By car on I-10, US 60 and Loops 101 and 202, or by transit: light rail has nine stops in Tempe, the streetcar runs 3.1 miles downtown, and six Orbit neighborhood routes are free. Check the walk and the nearest stop from a specific address.
Source: City of Tempe, Bus, Light Rail, Paratransit and Streetcar; City of Tempe, Orbit; City of Tempe, Timeline of Tempe History
Do planes from Sky Harbor fly over Tempe?
Yes. Tempe is directly east of Phoenix Sky Harbor, and a 1994 agreement between the two cities keeps eastbound jet departures over the Salt River and Tempe Town Lake until about the Loop 202 and Loop 101 interchange. The City’s Aviation Commission reports on it every quarter; how much noise reaches a home depends on where it is.
About these answers
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Your own contract controls, and your attorney, tax professional or other advisers can confirm what applies to you.
Rules and figures can change.
Compare Tempe with
See Tempe beside any of the other ten areas: lots, homes, HOAs, setting and walkability.
- Compare Tempe with North ScottsdaleSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with SilverleafSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with Central ScottsdaleSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with McCormick RanchSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with Paradise ValleySide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with ArcadiaSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with BiltmoreSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with Fountain HillsSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with Cave Creek and CarefreeSide by side in the compare tool
- Compare Tempe with Rio VerdeSide by side in the compare tool
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