AZ · #14 by population

Buying a home in Arizona

In Arizona, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $427,600 (Census ACS 2025); there is no state transfer tax, and owners pay a median $1,879 a year in property tax (0.48% effective rate).

In short

Arizona has no real estate transfer tax, does not require an attorney at closing and imposes only limited seller disclosures. It allows both court and out-of-court foreclosure and is a community property state.

Key figures for Arizona

  • Median home value: $427,600, owner-occupied homes, Census ACS 2025; $438,200 in the city of Phoenix. Compare
  • Price trend: The FHFA House Price Index shows Arizona prices up 0.6% and Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler prices up 0.8% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.
  • State transfer tax: none. Compare
  • Median property tax paid: $1,879 a year, 0.48% of the median value (U.S.: 0.94%), Census ACS 2020-2024. By county
  • Cities covered by Payotte: 16 in Arizona.

Calculate for Arizona

If you buy

Arizona state transfer tax

Arizona has no real estate transfer tax. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$427,600
State transfer tax$0
Share of the price—

Default price: the Arizona median value of owner-occupied homes, $427,600 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: No tax is levied on the price. The $2 fee is flat and already part of the $30 recording fee. Who pays: Section 11-1132 says the recorder collects the $2 before recording but does not say which party pays; it appears in the recorder's charge on the closing statement. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Arizona transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Arizona state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Cities in Arizona

  • Phoenix main city of Arizona on Payotte, 10th largest U.S. metro area
  • Tucson 52nd largest U.S. metro area
  • Mesa 517,151 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Gilbert 288,790 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Chandler 281,231 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Glendale 258,143 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Scottsdale 246,170 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Peoria 199,924 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Tempe 190,114 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Surprise 167,564 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Goodyear 118,186 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Buckeye 114,334 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • San Tan Valley 109,189 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Yuma 103,559 residents, Yuma, AZ metro area (218th largest)
  • Avondale 96,609 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)
  • Queen Creek 83,781 residents, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (10th largest)

Sectors of Phoenix

How Phoenix is divided: 10 most populous of 15 urban villages.

Buying in Arizona: frequently asked questions

What is the median home value in Arizona?

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Arizona is $427,600 (Census ACS 2025), and $438,200 in the city of Phoenix. These are owner estimates, not sale prices. The FHFA House Price Index shows Arizona prices up 0.6% and Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler prices up 0.8% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.

Median home value in all 50 states

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Arizona?

Arizona charges no percentage transfer tax on a home sale. The Arizona Constitution bars new transfer taxes and fees, and the only per-sale charge is a $2 fee included in the $30 per instrument county recording fee.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

What closing costs does Arizona law set?

Arizona has no official typical closing-cost total. It charges no transfer tax, the county recorder charges $30 per instrument, and title insurers must charge their filed rates.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

How is property tax calculated in Arizona?

Arizona taxes a home on its limited property value, which can rise at most 5% a year, and owner-occupied homes are assessed at 10% of that value. A Phoenix example at 2026 Maricopa rates totals 12.6252 per $100 of assessed value, about $4,419 on a $350,000 limited value.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

How much property tax do homeowners pay in Arizona?

Owner-occupants in Arizona pay a median $1,879 a year in property tax on a median home value of $394,500, an effective rate of 0.48% (U.S.: $3,119, 0.94%), per Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates.

Property tax by county in Arizona

What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Arizona?

In Arizona, file a petition with the county assessor within 60 days after the Notice of Valuation was mailed, stating your opinion of value and a method. If the assessor denies it, appeal within 25 days to the county board of equalization or superior court.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Arizona?

Arizona law does not require an attorney to buy or sell a home. Instead an escrow agent must hold a state license (A.R.S. 6-813), and a licensed broker or salesperson handles most transactions.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

What must a home seller disclose in Arizona?

Arizona has no statewide seller disclosure form in the statutes reviewed. A.R.S. 32-2156 bars lawsuits over failure to disclose a death, felony, HIV or AIDS exposure, or a nearby sex offender. Specific disclosures apply only in certain cases such as HOA documents and rural parcels.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

How does foreclosure work in Arizona?

Most Arizona foreclosures are non-judicial trustee's sales under a deed of trust, and the earliest sale date is the 91st day after the trustee records the notice of sale.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

What first-time home buyer programs does Arizona offer?

Arizona has no single state down payment program: the Arizona Industrial Development Authority's Home Plus offers up to 4% in down payment and closing cost help, forgiven after 5 years, for incomes up to $155,386.

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

Is Arizona a community property state?

Arizona is a community property state: property either spouse acquires during marriage is community property, and both spouses must sign any deed or mortgage on community real property (A.R.S. 25-211, 25-214).

Full Arizona guide · Compare all 50 states

Which natural hazards affect home insurance in Arizona?

Maricopa County recorded 430 heat-related deaths in 2025, down from 608 in 2024. Flood is the hazard standard insurance leaves out, and flood insurance is required only in high-risk zones with a federally backed mortgage.

Full Arizona guide

How much tax when you sell a home in Arizona?

The federal rule is the same in Arizona as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. Arizona income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

Arizona guides

Professionals in Arizona

Sources

Data as of . Figures are computed from these sources.

All states · Federal guides