Mattamy Homes is returning to Avondale with a $6.37 million purchase of 70 homesites in Del Rio Ranch. The investment adds another neighborhood to a city that has grown from an agricultural settlement into a West Valley community of more than 100,000 residents.
For buyers, homeowners, and rental investors, the announcement is a useful starting point for understanding Avondale: who lives here, how the city developed, and what its next round of housing means for the local real estate market.
What Mattamy is building at Del Rio Ranch
The purchase closed on May 18, 2026. Mattamy plans to build within the established Del Rio Ranch master-planned community, approximately two miles from Interstate 10.
- 70 single-family homesites.
- Six floor plans, including five single-story designs and one two-story design.
- Approximately 1,580 to 2,918 square feet.
- Two-car garages, with three-car garages available on select homes.
- An anticipated neighborhood opening in summer 2027.
Residents will have access to existing community amenities, including walking trails, exercise stations, sports courts, playgrounds, ramadas, and open space.
The May 26 Phoenix Business Journal report said construction had begun on two model homes. It also described why Mattamy selected the site: major infrastructure already reaches the development area, while the builder will complete internal utilities, streets, and lot grading.
That can reduce some of the cost and complexity of starting with raw land. It does not establish what buyers will pay; the announcement did not include home prices.
A brief history: from Coldwater to Avondale
Avondale’s modern settlement history traces to William “Billy” Moore, who settled near the Agua Fria River in 1880. He established a stage stop, general store, and saloon in a community known as Coldwater.
The settlement served travelers moving through the region. The Avondale name later became associated with the local post office near Avondale Ranch, replacing Coldwater. The community incorporated in December 1946, making 2026 its 80th anniversary year.
Ranching, the railroad, and cotton farming helped shape the early economy. Western Avenue became a commercial center, and today’s historic district preserves part of that small-town business heritage.
Subsequent residential and commercial development changed the scale of the city. Avondale now combines older neighborhoods and independent businesses with master-planned communities, medical facilities, and major recreation destinations.
Avondale’s demographic report
The population figures below come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial counts and July 2025 population estimate. Household, economic, and housing figures use the 2020–2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates. Median age is separately identified because it comes from the 2024 one-year ACS profile.
| Population and households | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population, 2010 Census | 76,238 |
| Population, 2020 Census | 89,334 |
| Population estimate, July 1, 2025 | 100,983 |
| Growth from the adjusted 2020 population base to July 2025 | 13.1% |
| Median age, 2024 ACS one-year estimate | 32.5 years |
| Households, 2020–2024 | 30,014 |
| Average household size, 2020–2024 | 3.07 people |
| Income, housing, and education: 2020–2024 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median household income, in 2024 dollars | $86,123 |
| Per capita income, in 2024 dollars | $32,917 |
| Residents below the poverty threshold | 10.9% |
| Owner-occupied share of occupied housing | 61.6% |
| Renter-occupied share, calculated as the remainder | 38.4% |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $394,600 |
| Median monthly gross rent | $1,832 |
| Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher | 85.6% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 21.3% |
| Average commute, workers age 16+ | 28.1 minutes |
What the housing numbers actually tell us
The Census home-value and rent figures provide background, but they are not current market quotes. The $394,600 figure is an estimate of owner-occupied home values, not the median price of homes sold this month. Gross rent includes contract rent plus applicable tenant-paid utilities, and it covers rental housing of different types.
For an Avondale rental house, recent comparable leases remain more useful than the citywide gross-rent figure. Bedrooms, square footage, condition, location, amenities, and the competing homes available at the same time all affect achievable rent.
Similarly, the homeownership rate shows that rental housing serves a meaningful share of local households. It does not measure today’s vacancy rate or demonstrate a shortage in every neighborhood.
What Avondale is known for
Avondale’s identity extends well beyond housing developments:
- Phoenix Raceway hosts NASCAR events and gives the city a nationally recognized sports destination.
- Historic Western Avenue connects residents with the city’s older commercial district and independent businesses.
- The BLVD brings together sports, dining, hospitality, housing, and public gathering spaces near Avondale Boulevard.
- Alamar Park provides 40 acres of recreation space within the larger Alamar community.
- Estrella Mountain Community College, established in 1992, has its main campus at Dysart and Thomas roads in Avondale.
- The McDowell Road medical corridor includes Phoenix Children’s Avondale emergency department and other healthcare services.
For residents, those destinations contribute to daily convenience and recreation. For the local economy, they support a range of activity beyond homebuilding, including healthcare, education, retail, hospitality, and events.
The broader development picture
Del Rio Ranch represents an addition to an established neighborhood. Elsewhere, Avondale is developing larger communities and destinations.
Alamar spans approximately 1,150 acres, with roughly 4,000 homesites described in the article. Multiple builders offer homes there, and the community includes neighborhood parks, paths, recreation amenities, and the city-owned Alamar Park. Its available homes and model neighborhoods give buyers another point of comparison when considering Del Rio Ranch.
The BLVD is part of the city’s effort to create a destination for dining, entertainment, hospitality, and everyday activity. In October 2025, Avondale announced development partners for its next phase, including plans for an Embassy Suites hotel with 180 rooms and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space. Those are announced development plans, not a statement that the hotel is open.
Healthcare and education provide established anchors as the residential base grows. Phoenix Children’s operates its Avondale emergency department at Avondale Boulevard and McDowell Road, while Estrella Mountain Community College serves students across the West Valley.
Together, these investments illustrate why Avondale should be understood as both a residential market and a community with its own services, institutions, and visitor destinations.
What new construction means for homeowners and rental investors
Our view is that Mattamy’s purchase reflects confidence in a specific site and a market the builder already knows. The company previously built at Roosevelt Park in Avondale and is returning with another community.
The established infrastructure at Del Rio Ranch is particularly relevant. Building where major services already reach the site can make additional housing easier to deliver. More completed homes can expand buyers’ choices, although the effect on affordability depends on actual pricing, financing, and the pace of construction.
Existing owners should also account for competition. Buyers may compare a resale listing with a builder’s new home, warranty, and available incentives. Renters may compare an older rental with a recently built home offering updated finishes and a more useful floor plan.
For owners evaluating an Avondale property, focus on:
- Recent sales or leases for genuinely comparable nearby homes.
- Total ownership costs, including HOA dues, insurance, maintenance, and vacancy.
- Commute routes and access to everyday services from the specific address.
- New-home deliveries and competing rental inventory in the surrounding neighborhood.
- Property condition and improvements that make the home easier to live in and maintain.
Avondale’s population growth provides useful context, but successful ownership still depends on the property itself. Home Ladder’s Avondale property management services help owners assess rental positioning, prepare homes, find residents, and manage ongoing operations.