tim – stock.adobe.com
Watch out, Florida — there could be a new Sunshine State in town.
In the sun-scorched expanse of Arizona, a former farming outpost 22 miles southeast of Phoenix is quietly redefining itself as a Southwestern rival to Florida’s seasonal allure, according to Mansion Global.
Gilbert, a sprawling suburb of 72 square miles with a population topping 275,000, has shed its agrarian past — once dominated by dairy cows and hayfields — to emerge as a magnet for snowbirds.
With housing costs that undercut its glitzier neighbor Scottsdale and a climate delivering 300 days of sunshine annually, Gilbert is carving out a niche as the “new Florida” of the Southwest, blending affordability with a lifestyle that echoes the Sunshine State’s appeal.
The numbers tell part of the story.
Gilbert’s median home price hovers at $550,000, a bargain compared to Scottsdale’s $892,000, though luxury estates can climb as high as $25 million.
Entry-level townhomes start at $300,000, while single-family homes typically exceed $400,000.
Michael Steck, a Scottsdale-based agent with RETSY, sees the value proposition driving the shift.
“It’s definitely now becoming more of a target for snowbirds because of what you can get for the dollar,” he told Mansion Global.
Like Florida, Gilbert offers winter temperatures that rarely dip below the 40s, though summers sizzle at an average high of 97. Rainfall, a scant 9 inches annually, leaves room for the kind of outdoor living snowbirds crave — golf courses, walking trails, and soon, a 25-acre Cactus Surf Park set to open in September.
Beyond the weather, Gilbert’s transformation mirrors Florida’s evolution from sleepy backwater to retiree paradise.
Its agricultural heritage has left behind richer soil and more greenery than the surrounding desert, a visual respite akin to Florida’s coastal landscapes.
Upscale enclaves like West Lake Estates, with waterfront homes fetching millions, cater to second-home buyers, while neighborhoods like Agritopia and Morrison Ranch offer modern twists on farm-style architecture, diverging from the Southwest’s usual adobe aesthetic.
Add in outdoor malls like SanTan Village, a burgeoning downtown with historic buildings turned trendy eateries, and recreational hubs like Gilbert Regional Park, the parallels to Florida’s lifestyle grow sharper.
Yet Gilbert’s rise hasn’t been without turbulence.
The shadow of the Gilbert Goons, a gang tied to the 2023 killing of 16-year-old Preston Lord and designated a criminal outfit in 2024, briefly tarnished its image.
Still, local real estate veteran Kirsten Horchler, who grew up in Gilbert and now works with Compass, brushes off the episode as an anomaly.
“To classify it as the new Scottsdale or a mini Scottsdale is completely accurate,” she told Daily Mail, signaling the town’s broader appeal. While she notes Scottsdale remains a snowbird favorite, Gilbert is catching up, with flagship restaurants from Phoenix and Scottsdale opening outposts there.
Economically, Gilbert bolsters its case with a robust job market in tech, renewable energy and manufacturing, bolstered by proximity to Phoenix.
The cost of living exceeds state and national averages, but residents argue the trade-off — top schools, parks and a family-friendly vibe — justifies it.
Horchler emphasizes the draw for younger transplants, particularly Californians: “In my experience, it’s been families, young families, families with multiple children.”
As developable land dwindles, values are poised to surge, a dynamic Jon Cooper of Cooper Premier Properties LLC underscored to Mansion Global: “We’re pretty much out of land.”