Real Estate Investing in Tempe, Arizona (85284)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Maricopa County • Population: 19,696 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 85284 (Tempe, AZ)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (61/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Tempe, AZ (85284)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $716,405
Avg Monthly Rent $2,826
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $147,500
% Renters 17.1%

Market Analysis: 85284 Tempe

Investors eyeing 85284 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $716K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 85284 records the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Looking more closely, 85284 offers a low basis, the region around Tempe has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

The 85284 ZIP's population of 19,696 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that records the need for careful underwriting.

The 85284 ZIP fits a narrow investor profile — hands-on, patient, and willing to accept that the cap rate on paper is not the cap rate in reality.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Tempe:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.9× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+2.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $2,826/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
64 days
Average time to sell
Slow
11.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 85284

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
4.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+8.2% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$182,659/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $406,061 $2,550 4.5% +6.4% $203,031
3BR $547,977 $3,400 4.5% +6.5% $182,659
4BR $746,780 $3,770 3.6% +7.1% $186,695
5BR $1,047,324 +8.2% $209,465

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$769K$664K$559K$454K$350K$245KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,860$2,762$2,664$2,567$2,469$2,371Mar 2024May 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 85284 Compare?

Metric 85284 Tempe Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Arizona
Home Value $716,405 $507,710 N/A $419,643
5-Year CAGR 3.4% 2.6% N/A 6.5%
Avg Rent $2,826 $1,907 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.1% 2.9% - -
💡 Why Invest in 85284? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 85284 (Tempe, AZ). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 85284 (Tempe, AZ)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Property managers serving Maricopa County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Active Renter Property Management offers rental property management services in Phoenix, Arizona, including a 6-month tenant guarantee. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Arête Realty and Property Management, LLC offers property management services and real estate expertise in Glendale, Avondale, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Sun City, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and Peori summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Arizona Community Management Services offers a comprehensive suite of services for Association leaders, including board training, financial management, and covenants enforcement, with decades of exper summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.1%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.4%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $716,405
Monthly Rent $2,826
Price-to-Rent 21.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.7%
Cap Rate 3.1%
5-Year IRR 6.4%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +2.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +13.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.1%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
3.8%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.4%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 85284

Population: 19,696

💰 Median Household Income
$147,500
This area
$147,500
State
$66,355
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
17.1%
This area
17.1%
State
28.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.2%
This area
3.2%
State
-23.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
68.2%
This area
68.2%
State
-1.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
43.0 years
This area
43.0 years
State
11.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
3.8%
This area
3.8%
State
19.2%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 77.9%
Other/Mixed 11.7%
Hispanic/Latino 8.4%
Asian 7.8%
Black/African American 2.6%
👶 Under 18
18.8%
This area
18.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.4%
This area
17.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
2.6%
This area
2.6%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 85284

B Avg School Grade
8 Schools
16.1:1 Avg Class Size
$43,636 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

C I Waggoner School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
425 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$12,067 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Kyrene de la Mariposa School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
451 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$12,067 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Kyrene Digital Academy

📚 K – 08 School
👥
152 Students
👨‍🏫
10.4:1 Class Size
💰
$12,067 Per Student
B Good

Kyrene Middle School

📚 05 – 08 School
👥
725 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$12,067 Per Student
B Good

EVIT - Corona Del Sol High School

📚 09 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$268,451 Per Student
B Good

Kyrene de las Manitas School

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
440 Students
👨‍🏫
18.6:1 Class Size
💰
$12,067 Per Student
C Below Average

Center for Educational Excellence

📚 K – 08 School Charter Limited Data
👥
325 Students
💰
$9,788 Per Student
C Below Average

Corona Del Sol High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
2,668 Students
👨‍🏫
22.0:1 Class Size
💰
$10,517 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A Very Good

Aguilar School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 5800 S FOREST AVE, TEMPE
👥
419 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$14,452 Per Student
A Very Good

Fees College Preparatory Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 1600 E WATSON DR, TEMPE
👥
673 Students
👨‍🏫
12.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,452 Per Student
A Very Good

Frank Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 8409 S AVENIDA DEL YAQUI, GUADALUPE
👥
506 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,452 Per Student
A Very Good

Fuller Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 1975 E CORNELL DR, TEMPE
👥
513 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,452 Per Student
A Very Good

Rover Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
📍 1300 E WATSON DR, TEMPE
👥
352 Students
👨‍🏫
12.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,452 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby
C
Aveda Institute-Phoenix
202 students · 2.0 mi
C
International Barber College
30 students · 2.8 mi
D
University of Advancing Technology
960 students · 3.7 mi
D
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts
716 students · 4.1 mi
D
Empire Beauty School-Chandler
98 students · 4.3 mi
C
Studio Academy of Beauty
668 students · 4.5 mi
F
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe
1,246 students · 4.9 mi
D
Avalon Institute-Mesa
388 students · 5.2 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How high is vacancy risk in Tempe, AZ?

Tempe, AZ vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Is the tenant base reliable in Tempe, AZ?

Working renters make up the core of the Tempe, AZ tenant base. The pool is reasonable for investors targeting long-term holds.

How expensive is real estate in Tempe, AZ?

Typical homes in Tempe, AZ go for around $716K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% steady price movement.

What strategy should investors use in Tempe, AZ?

For Tempe, AZ, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

Is Tempe, AZ landlord-friendly?

Tempe, AZ operates under AZ law, which is landlord-friendly overall for landlords. Expect steady treatment in typical lease and eviction cases.

You know 85284 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 85284 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 85284 ranks in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 85284 (Tempe)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 85284 (Tempe, AZ).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.