Fountain Hills AZ Neighborhoods:

The Town of Fountain Hills is an Arizona master planned community established in 1970 by McCulloch Properties (now MCO Properties, Inc.). Prior to 1970 the area was a cattle ranch and was part of one of the largest land and cattle holdings in Arizona. The land was purchased by Robert McCulloch in the late 1960’s and the Fountain Hills was designed by Charles Wood, Jr. (designer of Disneyland in southern California).

Located on nearly 13,000 acres of land, Fountain Hills is surrounded by McDowell Mountains and Scottsdale on the west, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation on the east, the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community on the south and the McDowell Mountain Regional Park on the north.

One of the community’s most desirable features is its natural beauty. Incredible views and natural desert terrain provide for a wide range of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, boating and golf. In fact, Fountain Hills contains some of the more challenging and picturesque golf courses in the State of Arizona. For those that love fishing and boating, you are within an hour drive of four major lakes.

The focal point of Fountain Hills is of course its beautiful fountain; one of the world’s tallest man-made fountains. It serves as a landmark for the community and attracts thousands of visitors each year. The fountain was built in 1970 and sprays water for about 15 minutes every hour at the top of the hour reaching a maximum height of 560 feet. The fountain shoots water from a concrete water lily sculpture in the center of a large man-made lake. When built, it was the world’s tallest fountain and held that record for over a decade.

Fountain Hills is home to nearly 100 pieces of publicly displayed artwork throughout its downtown and at public buildings. Art is a significant part of the Town’s heritage and culture. The eight fountains along the Avenue of the Fountains were the beginning of the public art collection.

Over the past two decades Fountain Hills has grown from 10,190 residents to a town of 22,489 in 2010. The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) estimates that the population of Fountain Hills will continue to grow to a build-out population of between 30,000 and 35,000. Although the rate of growth has slowed due to the economy, the Town continues to attract residents who are building large custom homes to take advantage of the scenic views surrounding Fountain Hills.

The Town offers a wide range of living accommodations; from small condominium complexes to large custom homes. Fountain Hills also offers recreational, cultural and retirement programs that meet the needs and lifestyles of active families as well as older adults.

The Town of Fountain Hills Land Use Analysis and Statistical report 2010 shows that the community consists primarily of 6,674 residential acres (51%); 3,960 acres (30%) of open space, golf-courses and parks; and 2,658 acres (20%) of remaining developable land. Fountain Hills has a total of 290 acres (2%) that are zoned commercial, 209 acres of which are developed and 81 acres of which are undeveloped. The Town has a total of 36 acres (.2%) that is zoned industrial, 34 acres of which are developed and two acres of which are undeveloped.

Based on abundant open space and playground equipment available for public use, Fountain Hills was designated in both 2010 and 2011 as a “Playful City USA”.

In 2006, Fountain Hills was named by Phoenix Magazine as the best place to live in the Valley of the Sun and was cited as “a welcome oasis on the outskirts of a metropolis.” The magazine measured the quality of life in 22 Valley communities, including the statistical analysis of each community’s population, income, home price, crime rate, miles to Sky Harbor Airport, and square feet of retail. The criteria used by the magazine in this ranking are similar to the priorities established in the Town’s Strategic Plan. The volunteer spirit and high level of involvement of the citizens and business representatives were highlighted.

Fountain Hills has also earned a top accolade from the magazine, Business Week. In its February 2009 edition, the magazine named Fountain Hills the “Best Affordable Suburb” in all of Arizona. They evaluated suburbs on a variety of factors but weighted affordability most heavily. They also considered lifestyle (short commutes, clean air, low crime, good weather, and green space), the quality of schools, and the strength of the local economy. None of the places evaluated had populations of more than 60,000 or less than 5,000. Only one suburb per state was selected.

Fountain Hills’ low population density is a major reason it is such a desirable place to live. Unlike other regions of the Valley one can dine, play, and commute, without congestion.