McCormick Ranch vs Scottsdale Ranch: What the 2026 Numbers Say
BY THE NUMBERS
built 1979 · 35 days
built 1986 · 48 days
Single family sales, Nov. 2025 to Nov. 2026, ARMLS.
I send relocation clients to both of these, and they get compared constantly. They sit about 3 miles apart, both were master planned around man-made lakes, and both feel like classic Scottsdale. The numbers are where they split. Here is what the last 12 months of MLS sales say.
The short answer
For a 2,000 to 2,500 square foot home, you will pay about the same in either one. The difference is at the top end and in the age of the homes. McCormick Ranch is older and more central, and its large homes sell for far more per square foot. Scottsdale Ranch is newer, has more large homes, and gives you more house for the money above 3,000 square feet.
What does a home cost in each?
| Single family, last 12 months | McCormick Ranch | Scottsdale Ranch |
|---|---|---|
| Homes sold | 157 | 138 |
| Median sale price | $1,240,000 | $1,362,500 |
| Middle half of sales | $960K to $1.64M | $910K to $1.73M |
| Median price per sq ft | $538 | $476 |
| Median size | 2,331 sq ft | 2,456 sq ft |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1986 |
| Median lot | 9,994 sq ft | 10,470 sq ft |
| Median days on market | 35 | 48 |
| Sold under $1M | 28% | 30% |
| Sold at $2M or more | 13% | 15% |
| Highest sale | $3,300,000 | $4,262,000 |
Source: ARMLS, single family closed sales from Nov. 14, 2025 to Nov. 13, 2026, pulled Nov. 14, 2026. Leases removed. Days on market is cumulative. McCormick Ranch excludes Gainey Ranch and Paradise Park.
Notice the trap. Scottsdale Ranch has the higher median price, but McCormick Ranch has the higher price per square foot. Scottsdale Ranch homes are simply bigger on average.
Which one gives you more house for the money?
Compare homes of the same size and the picture gets clearer.
| Home size | McCormick Ranch | Scottsdale Ranch |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2,000 sq ft | $872,500 $487/sf · 28 sales | $765,000 $437/sf · 29 sales |
| 2,000 to 2,500 sq ft | $1,182,500 $533/sf · 62 sales | $1,150,000 $518/sf · 42 sales |
| 2,500 to 3,000 sq ft | $1,375,500 $499/sf · 32 sales | $1,400,000 $510/sf · 15 sales |
| 3,000 sq ft and up | $2,050,000 $605/sf · 35 sales | $1,855,000 $467/sf · 52 sales |
In the middle of the market, these two are basically the same price. The gap shows up at both ends. Smaller homes cost about $100,000 less in Scottsdale Ranch. Homes over 3,000 square feet run about $140 more per square foot in McCormick Ranch. On a 3,500 square foot home, that is close to $480,000.
My read: most of that premium is location and remodels. McCormick Ranch sits between Scottsdale Road and Pima Road, closer to Old Town, and a lot of its big homes are full renovations on golf course or lake lots. Scottsdale Ranch also has more large homes to choose from, 52 sales over 3,000 square feet versus 35.
How old are the homes?
McCormick Ranch started building in the early 1970s. The median home was built in 1979, and 57% of the homes that sold were built before 1980. Scottsdale Ranch came later. Its median is 1986, and none of the homes in this data were built before 1982.
That matters more than any other number here. In McCormick Ranch, the spread between an original home and a remodeled one is huge, which is why the middle half of sales runs from $960,000 to $1.64 million. Price per square foot means nothing unless the condition matches. If you buy an original home, budget for the roof, plumbing, windows and HVAC before you budget for the kitchen.
How fast do homes sell?
McCormick Ranch moves faster. The median home sold with 35 days on market, and 27% sold in 14 days or less. Scottsdale Ranch came in at 48 days, with 19% in 14 days or less.
In both, about 1 in 4 homes took more than 90 days. That is the overpriced group. Priced right and presented well, homes in either community sell. Priced on hope, they sit.
What is it like to live in each?
McCormick Ranch covers about 5 square miles from Indian Bend Road north toward Shea Boulevard, between Scottsdale Road and Pima Road. It has 7 man-made lakes totaling about 130 acres, the McCormick Ranch Golf Club, and the Indian Bend Wash greenbelt paths running through it. You are a short drive from Old Town.
Scottsdale Ranch sits east of the 101, from 96th Street to 108th and 112th Streets, between Shea Boulevard and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Lake Serena is the centerpiece, with over 42 acres of water and more than 5 miles of shoreline. The master association assessment is $485 a year, and many neighborhoods have their own sub-association on top of that.
Both have master associations and sub-associations. Always check the dues and rules for the specific home, not just the community.
Which one should you pick?
Pick McCormick Ranch if you want a central location, golf and greenbelt access, and you are fine buying a remodel or doing one.
Pick Scottsdale Ranch if you want a newer home, a bigger floor plan for the money above 3,000 square feet, or a lake lot, and you do not mind being a few minutes farther east.
Either way, price the home against the same floor plan in the same neighborhood. That is how I run every offer and every listing, and it is the only comparison that holds up.
Moving to Scottsdale?
Both of these made my list of 5 favorite Scottsdale communities. Get my free relocation guide with the full list, or search homes for sale. Own in either community and thinking about selling? Get your home value. Also see Grayhawk vs DC Ranch and Gainey Ranch vs McDowell Mountain Ranch.
FAQ
Is McCormick Ranch more expensive than Scottsdale Ranch?
Per square foot, yes. McCormick Ranch sold at a median of $538 per square foot over the last 12 months, versus $476 in Scottsdale Ranch. The median sale price is lower in McCormick Ranch ($1,240,000 vs $1,362,500) because its homes are smaller on average.
Which community has newer homes?
Scottsdale Ranch. The median home that sold there was built in 1986. In McCormick Ranch it was 1979.
Do both communities have HOAs?
Yes. Both have a master association, and many neighborhoods inside them have a sub-association. The Scottsdale Ranch master assessment is $485 a year. Check the total dues for the specific home before you write an offer.
How fast do homes sell in each?
The median was 35 days on market in McCormick Ranch and 48 days in Scottsdale Ranch, based on single family sales from Nov. 2025 to Nov. 2026.
Do these numbers include condos and townhomes?
No. These are single family homes only. Townhomes and condos price differently and would skew the comparison.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Phoenix or Scottsdale?
If you’re starting to think about your next move, the most important step isn’t rushing into something smaller—it’s making sure the next home actually fits your life.
Because everyone’s situation is different.
And the right strategy can save you from making a move you’ll regret later.
If you want help exploring your options—or figuring out what “right-sized” looks like for you—we’re here to help.
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