Scottsdale, Arizona

Introduction to Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale was originally settled in the late 1880's with the name Orangedale. The town's name was changed to Scottsdale in 1894. Scottsdale was not officially incorporated as a town until 1951. At that time it had a population of 2,000 people. Since then, Scottsdale has grown to become Arizona's fifth largest city with a population in excess of 215,000 people.

Scottsdale is located in south/central Arizona. It is about a twenty five minute drive northeast of Phoenix. Scottsdale is home to three Fortune 1000 Companies. Nearby Phoenix is home to seven more.

Scottsdale has twice been a finalist community for the National Civic League's coveted "All-America City Award". In 1993, Scottsdale was also named the "Most Livable City in the United States" by the United States Conference of Mayors.

Scottsdale has an arid climate that is characterized by some of the hottest seasonal temperatures anywhere. January is the coolest month of the year with an average daily temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. July is the warmest month of the year with an average daily temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Scottsdale is almost always sunny, and receives very little rain.

Scottsdale Arts and Entertainment

For a city of modest size, Scottsdale provides a good assortment of arts and entertainment offerings. Some of the more notable include:

• Casino Arizona at Indian Bend
• Casino Arizona at Salt River
• The Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Salado
• The Main Street Arts District
• The Marshall Way Arts District
• Old Town Scottsdale
• The Pueblo Grande Museum and Cultural Park in Papago Salad
• The Scottsdale Center for the Arts
• The Scottsdale Historical Museum
• The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Close proximity to Phoenix also gives Scottsdale residents and visitors easy access to all of the arts and entertainment offerings of Phoenix, Arizona's largest city.

For sports enthusiasts, nearby Phoenix provides enough sports attractions to keep the most avid sports fan happy. Professional sports offerings include Major League Baseball's (MLB) Arizona Diamondbacks, the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Phoenix Suns, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the National Football League's (NFL) Arizona Cardinals, the National Hockey League's (NHL) Phoenix Coyotes, and the national Lacrosse League's (NLL) Arizona Sting who play in nearby Glendale.

In addition, in the spring of every year, nine major league baseball teams come to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area for spring training. Scottsdale is also home to the FBR Open Golf Tournament held at the Tournament Players Club.

Nearby Cities and Towns

High Points

Scottsdale strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Arizona):

Category	Trophy
People in Middle Class or Better (vs. Peers)	Top 3%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. Peers)	Top 4%
Low Rate of Poverty (vs. Peers)	Top 5%
Median Family Income (vs. Peers)	Top 6%
Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers)	Top 6%
Low Violent Crime (vs. Peers)	Top 7%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 8%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 15%