Neighborhood
Central City
Phoenix, Arizona US
Central City, Phoenix, Arizona is a high-priced, walkable urban market with a low-income yield profile and a moderate risk reading. Prices are about 125% above the city median and 134% above the state median, while gross yield is 2.3%. The Red Flag score is 56, walkability is 99, and education is in the 9th percentile. The main strength is exceptional walkability; the main risk is the combination of elevated pricing and a low yield.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
21.28 mi²
ZIP Code
85034
County
Maricopa County
State
Arizona
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$684,797
YoY+30.6%
Gross Rental Yield
2.3%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
Moderate
56 / 100
Walkability Score
99
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
9 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
32
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Central City Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Central City, Phoenix.
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Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $684,797 | +30.6% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $598/sqft | +96.9% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $1,335/mo | -5.0% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 2.3% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 3 / 100 | Low |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 1 | -80.0% |
Is Central City Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Arizona crime context.
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Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Appreciating market — +30.6% sale-price YoY
Highly walkable neighborhood — score 99/100
Dense amenities — 212 dining & 63 grocery options nearby
Heat risk is Very High (100/100)
Flood risk is Very High (80/100)
Insights are generated from Central City's live DistrictScore metrics.
Central City Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Arizona-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Air Quality — PM2.5
2015–20246.5 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-14.5% since 2015
EPA 9WHO 5
20152024
Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Central City centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 69% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Arizona Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22.1 | 4.2 | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 23.6 | 4.3 | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 25.1 | 4.5 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 25.4 | 4.3 | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 27.1 | 4.8 | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 28.8 | 4.5 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Central City inherits the Arizona figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 2
Zone 2 — Moderate potential · Central City
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSSuperfund (NPL)0.0 kmVery High
Industrial odor23 nearbyVery High
Aviation noise60 dBModerate
Point-source screening near Central City: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in Central City
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI99
Walker's Paradise
Walkability Score
63
Grocery
212
Dining
43
Schools
13
Universities
46
Hospitals
12
Pharmacies
57
Parks
33
Rail Transit
4
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Central City's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Central City vs Phoenix vs Arizona
How Central City benchmarks against its city and state medians.
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Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Arizona tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.43% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
State income tax up to 2.5%; rental income is taxed at these rates.
State Capital Gains
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: flat $2 per deed.
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents7
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
1031 State Conformity
The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Arizona property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Central City Real Estate FAQ
Central City, Phoenix, Arizona has a mixed investment profile. Prices are about 125% above the city median and 134% above the state median, gross yield is 2.3%, and the Red Flag score is 56. Walkability is 99, which is a clear strength, while the yield is comparatively low.
Neighborhoods near Central City
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