I'm a New Yorker who spent 2 days in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. 8 things surprised me about Arizona's wealth hub.

I'd been to Phoenix many times, but I had never ventured 15 miles east to Arizona's millionaire enclave until April 2024.

I flew from my home in NYC to the familiar Southwestern city to spend 48 hours in two nearby suburbs — Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.

Scottsdale is America's fastest-growing wealth hub, with a 125% increase in millionaire residents between 2014 and 2024, according to the 2025 USA Wealth Report by Henley & Partners.

Nestled between Scottsdale and Phoenix, Paradise Valley is the richest municipality in Arizona by per capita income, according to the US Census Bureau. The desert mountain town of grand estates and billionaire residents is known as the "Beverley Hills of Arizona."

Real-estate agent Shawn Shackelton, who has been selling luxury homes in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale for over two decades, told Business Insider in 2024 that incoming residents are typically entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, medical professionals such as doctors and PAs, and young retirees.

I spent one night in each Phoenix suburb. After seven years of calling NYC home, I couldn't imagine ditching the big-city life, but Scottsdale and Paradise Valley surprised me in many ways. Some of those surprises made me think I could get used to the luxury desert lifestyle.

Coming from NYC, I was surprised by how quickly I could get from Phoenix to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.

I grew up in a New York City suburb, and every trip to the airport took at least an hour.

So, I was thrilled when my cab ride from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Downtown Scottsdale took only 20 minutes.

And when I was headed to the airport on my way home from my hotel in Paradise Valley, it only took 15 minutes. It was easy to see the appeal of living near an international airport.

I took both cabs around noon, so traffic was minimal. However, according to Google Maps, commuting between Phoenix and Scottsdale or Paradise Valley can take 30 minutes or longer during rush hour.

Ultimately, I found that the three areas were close enough together to navigate easily throughout my trip. While staying in Paradise Valley, I grabbed dinner in Scottsdale, which was less than 30 minutes away by car. Back in New York, getting to nearby cities can take over an hour, depending on which borough you live in.