Fountain Hills, a planned community of more than 19,000 residents, sits tucked into the foothills between Scottsdale and Mesa. Founded in 1970, the tiny town is bordered to the north by McDowell Mountain Park, to the south by the Salt River Indian Reservation, to the east by the Ft. McDowell Indian Reservation, and to the west by the McDowell Mountains. The blueprints for the town were drawn by Charles Wood, Jr., the man credited with the original designs for Disneyland. The town is named for its landmark attraction, one of the world's tallest fountains, shoots a 560-foot plume of water into the sky from a lake in the center of the 30-acre Fountain Park. The fountain, which is 5 feet taller than the Washington Monument, is visible for many miles (watch for it when flying into Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport). According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of Fountain Hills is just shy of 25,000, and it was the eighth fastest-growing city or town in Arizona between the 1990 and 2000 census. In contrast to neighboring Scottsdale, homes in Fountain Hills are widely spaced in a more rural setting. Fountain Hills prohibits mobile homes and modular housing. The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce describes it as "an upscale  community with hometown character. The richness and quality of life here is evident the moment you crest the mountain pass leaving behind the hustle and bustle of Scottsdale and the rest of the Valley." Homes in Fountain Hills begin around $150,000 and range upwards of $2 million. The average estimated value of a home in Fountain Hills was $312,052 in March 2009. Return to Greater Phoenix Areas page. |