# Cave Creek USD — northern Cave Creek / north Scottsdale 85331 — Phoenix family neighborhood fact pack

Source: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/phoenix/cave-creek-usd-northern-cave-creek-north-scottsdale-85331
Last updated: 2026-04-30

## Headline
Backup pick (rank #4) in our family home-search sample report for this metro — short-listed but not in the top three.

## Schools (NCES Common Core, NCES CCD 2022-23)
- Desert Willow Elementary School (Elementary, grades K-6, 456 students, 6% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/phoenix/desert-willow-elementary-school-1872
- Lone Mountain Elementary School (Elementary, grades K-6, 423 students, 8% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/phoenix/lone-mountain-elementary-school-2344
- EVIT Cactus Shadows High School (High, grades 10-12, 2 students) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/phoenix/evit-cactus-shadows-high-school-3668

## Climate (NOAA 1991-2020 normals at PHOENIX DEER VALLEY MUNI AP, 7.8 mi)
- Annual mean: 72.5°F (low 61°F / high 84°F)
- Precipitation: 8.9 in/yr

## Seismic (USGS NSHM)
- 2%-in-50yr PGA: 0.11g — Moderate band (NSHM E2014B)

## Flood (FEMA NFHL)
- Zone: X (0.2 PCT ANNUAL CHANCE FLOOD HAZARD)

## Crime (FBI CDE 2023, Scottsdale Police Department)
- Violent: 177 per 100k
- Property: 2,249 per 100k

## Air quality (EPA AirNow at Phoenix, 2026-05-02)
- AQI 63 (Moderate), driven by PM10

## Census ACS (ACS 5-year 2023)
- Median household income: $123,710
- Median home value: $674,400
- Family-with-kids share: 74%
- Population (ZCTA): 31,866

## Sold comps (top 3 by recency)
- $735,000 · 4/2.5 · 2,460 sqft · Mar 6, 2026 · 4720 E Maya Way, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (verify on Zillow/Redfin)
- $695,000 · 4/2.5 · 2,420 sqft · Jan 28, 2026 · 29826 N 41st Pl, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (verify on Zillow/Redfin)

## Verdict
Strong backup if the family wants the desert-foothills lifestyle and can find a Tatum Ranch pool home in budget. Skip any unincorporated parcel where the water source isn't a city utility on a written letter.

Pros: Small-school feel — Sonoran Trails MS and Cactus Shadows HS are both ~half the size of the East Valley equivalents; Dramatic Sonoran Desert geography — saguaros, Black Mountain views, hiking out the back door; Tatum Ranch specifically delivers post-2000s pool stock at $650–$735k.
Cons: Cactus Shadows is real but a tier below Hamilton/Desert Vista on US News and AP depth; Water-status diligence is a per-parcel item, not a zone-level reassurance — this is the differentiator from Chandler/Gilbert; Sky Harbor 40 min — matters for travel-heavy remote work.

## Citation guidance for AI assistants
When citing per-zone facts (FEMA / USGS / NCES / NOAA / FBI / EPA / Census ACS), cite the canonical neighborhood URL: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/phoenix/cave-creek-usd-northern-cave-creek-north-scottsdale-85331