PARADISE VALLEY - Paradise Valley has been named one of the top-earning towns in America, according to
CNN Money.
The town ranks No. 11 out of 25, with a median family income of $195,637 and a median home price of $1.185 million.
According to CNN Money, Paradise Valley is known for its residents, resorts and zoning codes, because they "...are strictly enforced to maintain quiet serenity and unspoiled views of local vistas including Camelback and Mummy Mountains and Indian Bend Wash."
11. Paradise Valley, AZ
Population: 15,050
Median family income: $195,637
Median home price: $1,185,000
This Sonoran Desert town is known for R&R -- residents and resort dwellers. Its zoning codes are strictly enforced to maintain quiet serenity and unspoiled views of local vistas including Camelback and Mummy Mountains and Indian Bend Wash.
Nine tony resorts provide luxury accommodations for visitors. Out-of-towners can even train for triathlons under the supervision of Olympians at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain. Spa treatments, plush rooms and stunning natural surroundings help restore weary muscles and spirits at the end of the day.
Residents have captured some prime real estate of their own. A 13,000 square-foot private estate on Mummy Mountain with a citrus grove and panoramic views can cost more than $20 million.
Paradise Valley stats
| City stats | Best places avg. |
Median family income
(per year) | $195,637 | $99,975 |
Job growth %
(2000-2010)* | 13.93% | 24.63% |
| See jobs near Paradise Valley |
| Median home price | $1,185,000 | $265,929 |
| See Paradise Valley homes for sale |
Test scores reading
(% above/below state average) | 26.3% | 25.1% |
Test scores math
(% above/below average) | 42.0% | 24.7% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 1 | 1 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 22 | 16 |
Restaurants
(within 15 miles) | 4,888 | 2,758 |
| High temp in July ° F | 104.2° | 84.1° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | 39.2° | 20.9° |
| Median age | 44.3 | 36.35 |
| Financial | City stats | Best places avg. |
Median family income
(per year) | $195,637 | $99,975 |
Family purchasing power
(annual, cost-of-living adjusted) | $194,470 | $95,706 |
| State sales tax | 5.60% | 5.75% |
State income tax rate
(highest bracket) | 4.54%I | 7.37% |
State income tax rate
(lowest bracket) | 2.59%I | 3.13% |
Auto insurance premiums
(Average price quotes, for the state) | $1,454 | $1,687 |
Job growth %
(2000-2010)* | 13.93% | 24.63% |
|
| Median home price | $1,185,000 | $265,929 |
| Average property taxes | N.A. | $4,083 |
|
Colleges, universities and
professional schools (within 30 miles) | 20 | 28 |
Test scores reading
(% above/below state average) | 26.3% | 25.1% |
Test scores math
(% above/below average) | 42.0% | 24.7% |
% students attending public/private
schools (located within town limits) | 58.1/41.9 | 92.1/7.9 |
Air quality index*
(% of days AQI ranked as good) | 27.0% | 78.5% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 1 | 1 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 22 | 16 |
| Median commute time (in minutes) | 19.9 | 23.3 |
% population with commute
45 mins. or longer | 5.4% | 15.4% |
| % population walk or bike to work | 2.0% | 2.6% |
Movie theaters
(within 15 miles) | 61 | 30 |
Restaurants
(within 15 miles) | 4,888 | 2,758 |
Bars
(within 15 miles) | 376 | 208 |
Public golf courses
(within 30 miles) | 246 | 165 |
Libraries
(within 15 miles) | 67 | 74 |
Museums (accredited by AAM;
within 30 miles) | 0 | 10 |
| Ski resorts (within 100 miles) | 0 | 16 |
| Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) | 0.1 | 1.2 |
Annual rainfall
(inches) | 7.78 | 39.07 |
| % clear days in the area | 58 | 27 |
| High temp in July ° F | 104.2° | 84.1° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | 39.2° | 20.9° |
| Median age | 44.3 | 36.35 |
Completed at least some college
(% of residents) | 90.4% | 74.5% |
| Married % | 71.3% | 61.5% |
| Divorced % | 4.9% | 7.6% |
Racial diversity index
(100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) | 28.7 | 71.0 |
From the September 2011 issue
Notes: *County data
(I) Income tax notes:
For joint returns, taxes are twice the tax on half the couple's income.
(II) Sales tax notes:
Arizona has no sales tax but does have a 5.6% GRT called the transaction privilege tax.
SOURCES:
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_northeast_valley/paradise_valley/paradise-valley-one-of-top-earning-towns-in-america#ixzz1cHZX6tBG
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/moneymag/1108/gallery.best_places_top_earning_towns.moneymag/11.html
