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South Chandler

General

This suburban area is home to some of the East Valley’s most well-known communities for retirees and families. Golf courses and big recreation areas are here. Several big shopping centers are nearby. The city’s airport is in this area. Close by are big casinos and other entertainment venues.

This neighborhood guide - like every one on Street Scout - was researched and written by experts from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. It's based on public records, census data and on-the-ground reporting. Our Emmy-winning photographers and videographers have brought images of each neighborhood to life. We know our neighborhoods. If you want to live here, you want to read this.

Transportation

This area is surrounded by Valley freeways.

School Map
Walk Score

Explore the 3 Areas of South Chandler

Ocotillo/Sun Lakes: 85248

Ocotillo/Sun Lakes is named after Chandler’s two most popular and well-known communities. Ocotillo has many man-made lakes and draws families. Sun Lakes is a retirement development with golf courses. The large Snedigar Recreation area is in the middle of this neighborhood.

Gila River: 85249

Gila River spans part of the Native American reservation its named after. The central part of this neighborhood is home to several golf course communities. Bear Creek Golf Complex is also here.

Tumbleweed/Chandler Airport: 85286

Tumbleweed/Chandler Airport is named after a popular park in the middle of this area. Chandler Municipal Airport is just east of the park. Several newer communities with large homes can be found here. Paseo Vista Recreation Area is also part of this neighborhood.

Housing

Housing

Both family and retirement communities are part of South Chandler. Most homes in this area were built after the 1980s. The area also has neighborhoods with large and custom homes. Apartments are available, and there are a few new complexes in the area. 

The Market

Ocotillo/Sun Lakes85248

Gila River85249

Tumbleweed/Chandler Airport85286

  • Home prices in South Chandler are higher than other parts of the city.

  • The typical house in this neighborhood sells for more than $300,000. Several custom-home neighborhoods can be found here.

  • New-home sales account for about one-fourth of all sales in this area. But Chandler is running out of large tracks of land. Ocotillo and retirement development Sun Lakes are two of this area’s biggest communities.

  • Rental homes can be found in both this area’s family and retirement communities.

Living Here

Living here

Look for both families and retirees in this suburb. There’s plenty to do outdoors with many recreation and golf courses here. Snedigar Recreation Center is a popular spot, with baseball and soccer fields. Lot of shopping is nearby in Central Chandler. Parts of this neighborhood are located in the Gila River Reservation. A large casino is close, too.

Things To Do

Ocotillo/Sun Lakes85248

Gila River85249

Tumbleweed/Chandler Airport85286

Main attractions

Living on the outskirts means plenty of room to stretch your legs. Enjoy the area’s golf courses including Bear Creek Golf Complex, a 36-hole public facility. For every other sport there’s Snedigar Recreation Center, a 90-acre sports complex with baseball fields, soccer fields, a full-size cricket field, a dog park and a skate park.

Out on the town

In your backyard is Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, a world-class gaming facility tricked out with showrooms, spas, lounges, pools and fine-dining establishments, including Don Shula’s American Steakhouse. For motorheads, there’s Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Spoil yourself with a shopping excursion at Phoenix Premium Outlets, where you’ll find deals on brand names like Armani, Coach and Kate Spade.

Main attractions

This is an ideal community to appreciate the outdoors. Get active at the area’s many parks and recreation facilities including Paseo Vista Recreation Area, which has a dog park, playground, disc golf course and archery range. There’s also Veterans Oasis Park, 113 acres of lush wetland. Enjoy diverse plants and wildlife, hiking trails, butterfly and hummingbird habitats, urban fishing and an environmental education center. Golf nuts will enjoy the area’s public and private courses, including Bear Creek Golf Complex and Lone Tree Golf Club.

Out on the town

In your backyard is Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, a world-class gaming facility tricked out with showrooms, spas, lounges, pools and fine-dining establishments, including Don Shula’s American Steakhouse. For motorheads, there’s Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Spoil yourself with a shopping excursion at Phoenix Premium Outlets, where you’ll find deals on brand names like Armani, Coach and Kate Spade.

Main attractions

There’s plenty of sporty family fun to be had at the area’s many parks and recreation facilities, including Paseo Vista Recreation Area. It has a dog park, playground, disc golf course and archery range. Then there’s Tumbleweed Recreation Center with a fitness center, indoor track, racquetball courts and classes and activities for all ages.

Out on the town

Chandler Fashion Center is nearby. It’s the city’s main retail and dining hub. There you’ll find major department stores, high-end retailers and discount favorites, as well as a 20-screen Harkins Theatre. One of the area’s unique gems is the Arizona Railway Museum, a charming non-profit dedicated to the railways of Arizona and the Southwest.

Explore the Outdoors

Outdoors

This large area is flanked by San Tan Regional Park to the east, with more than 10,000 acres of desert with trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. And then there’s South Mountain Park to the northwest with even more acreage and trails. Serious bicyclists and triathletes often use Highway 87 into Sacaton for long training rides. For kids and teens, the Chandler Bike Park at Espee Park to the north is a BMX bicycle facility that will get the heart pumping.

Stats & Facts

Ocotillo/Sun Lakes85248

Gila River85249

Tumbleweed/Chandler Airport85286

Who lives here

South Chandler residents rank above average for what they earn. People who live there also rank above average for years of school completed and having kids in private school. The Ocotillo/Sun Lakes neighborhood (85248) attracts noticeably older and less-affluent residents. None of the neighborhoods offers much racial or ethnic diversity.

5 Things To Know About Chandler

It’s bigger than people think.

According to a recent U.S. census, Chandler was Arizona’s fourth most-populated city, with 236,123 residents. Only Phoenix and Mesa have more residents.

Its downtown is historic.

Heritage Square in Chandler’s downtown area is lined with old buildings that house restaurants, bars, shops and offices. The area also includes the historic San Marcos Resort, which opened in 1913. Built by the city’s founder Dr. A.J. Chandler, it was Arizona’s first destination resort hotel.

It wants to help older neighborhoods.

The city of Chandler offers neighborhood academies for older neighborhoods. Residents can learn how to better connect with the city and organize their own clean-up and public-safety efforts.

It has different growth zones.

There are several different geographic regions within Chandler designated for new development or redevelopment. The Price Road Corridor is home to dozens of major employers. High-tech giant Intel employs more than 10,000 in Chandler. Other distinct areas include the downtown area along Arizona Avenue south of Chandler Boulevard, west Chandler, the Chandler Airpark area and north Chandler.

It has residents who play.

The national non-profit parks and recreation advocacy organization KaBOOM! has named Chandler a Playful City USA several times. About 250 cities that make playing a priority receive the designation each year. And there are several big parks and recreations areas across Chandler.