City comparison
Glendale, AZ is about 20 miles (30 km) from Scottsdale, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 27 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Glendale, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Glendale has a population of 248,083, vs 240,537 in Scottsdale — about the same size. By land area, Scottsdale covers about 185 sq mi vs 67 sq mi for Glendale.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Glendale | Scottsdale | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,268/mo | $1,768/mo | 39.4% higher in Scottsdale |
| Median home value | $310,000 | $651,800 | 110.3% higher in Scottsdale |
| Median household income | $66,375 | $104,197 | 57.0% higher in Scottsdale |
| Groceries index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 96.2 | 96.2 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 104.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Glendale, you'd need $101,383 in Scottsdale to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Glendale, AZ is about 1.4% cheaper overall than Scottsdale, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Scottsdale than in Glendale. If you earn $80,000 in Glendale, you'd need about $81,107 in Scottsdale to keep the same standard of living.