Updated October 2026. Agritopia is a small, walkable neighborhood in Gilbert built around a working organic farm, with front porches, narrow streets and restaurants on the farm grounds. It’s a distinctive place to own a rental, but its covenants were written to favor owner-occupants and neighborhood involvement, so read them before you buy one to lease out.
Agritopia at a glance
Agritopia is at the northwest corner of Higley and Ray roads, with the Loop 202 Santan Freeway along its edge. Jim and Virginia Johnston bought the farm in 1960 and grew cotton and wheat. As Gilbert grew around it in the late 1990s, their son Joe Johnston led a plan to keep part of the land in farming and build homes around it. Ground broke on homes in 2003, according to Agritopia’s website. Wikipedia puts the community at about 166 acres with 452 home lots; a 2025 Associated Press story counted about 500 homes.
- Location: northwest corner of Higley and Ray roads, beside the Loop 202
- ZIP: 85296
- Built: from 2003, mostly in the 2000s
- Developer: the Johnston family (Joe Johnston); builders included Scott Homes
- HOA: Agritopia
- School district: Higley Unified
- Age-restricted: no
Homes in Agritopia
Agritopia follows neotraditional design. Homes borrow early 20th-century Arizona styles such as Spanish eclectic, craftsman, Northern European revival and ranch. They range from cottages and bungalows to large single-family homes, roughly 1,300 to 7,000 square feet. Scott Homes built much of the neighborhood in the 2000s.
Pocket parks sit between blocks, and many homes face shared green spaces rather than wide streets. HOA fees here commonly include front-yard and street maintenance, which helps a rental stay presentable between tenants.
The farm, the food and nearby amenities
The farm is the center of the community: about 11 acres of USDA-certified organic farmland with produce, fruit trees and animals. It sells at a downtown Gilbert market and donates to a local food pantry. On the original farm property you’ll find Joe’s Farm Grill, The Coffee Shop and Barnone, a makers’ space in a converted barn. The Epicenter on Ray Road adds more restaurants and shops.
Residents also have a pool, tennis and pickleball courts, a fitness area, playgrounds and paths. Cosmo Dog Park is at Ray Road and the Loop 202, SanTan Village is a short drive away, and Cooley Station’s Verde district is just east. Mercy Gilbert and Banner Gateway medical centers are nearby.
Schools serving Agritopia
Agritopia is in Higley Unified School District. Homes are commonly assigned to Higley Traditional Academy for kindergarten through eighth grade and to Williams Field High School; Cooley Middle School also serves the area. A private Christian school operates within the community. Confirm public-school boundaries for a specific address with Higley’s boundary page.
HOA and rental rules for landlords
The Agritopia association maintains the common areas, front yards and streets. The community’s covenants encourage home-based and agricultural businesses, walkability and owner-occupancy. That doesn’t by itself bar renting, but it signals a community that expects residents to take part. We couldn’t find a published leasing policy, so get the current CC&Rs and rules and check for a minimum lease term or any rental limits.
Arizona’s A.R.S. 33-1806.01 lets owners lease unless the declaration prohibits it, subject to the declaration’s rental time-period restrictions. The HOA may require adult occupants’ names and contact information, lease dates and tenant vehicle details, and may charge no more than $25 per new tenancy for that information. We handle that registration and walk tenants through the neighborhood’s rules so they start off on the right foot.
Renting out a home in Agritopia
Renters seek out Agritopia for the lifestyle: walking to coffee and dinner, the farm, a front-porch community and quick Loop 202 access to Chandler and Mesa. Families like the Higley Unified schools. The right fit is a tenant who wants to be part of the neighborhood, so describe the community honestly in the listing and screen carefully; our tenant screening guide explains how we do it.
Owners here often want the extra protection and HomeCare Checks of our Property Plus plan, though every plan includes HOA coordination. Compare plans on our pricing page, see our Gilbert property management overview, or request a free rental analysis.
Buying a rental in Agritopia
Agritopia homes sell into a small, specialized market, and its HOA dues run higher than many Gilbert subdivisions because they cover front yards and streets. Confirm in the CC&Rs that leasing is allowed on the terms you plan, and check the resale disclosure for dues and assessments.
Most homes are from the mid-2000s, so check AC systems, water heaters and roofs for replacement timing. Register the rental with the Maricopa County Assessor under A.R.S. 33-1902 before a tenant moves in.
Homes for sale in Agritopia
Live MLS listings in Agritopia, updated daily. Open the full Agritopia search or see our homes for rent.
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Agritopia FAQ
At the northwest corner of Higley and Ray roads in Gilbert, ZIP 85296, next to the Loop 202 Santan Freeway.
Yes. About 11 acres are USDA-certified organic farmland, and the produce is sold at a downtown Gilbert market and donated to a local food pantry.
The Johnston family bought the farm in 1960, and ground broke on homes in 2003. Scott Homes built much of the neighborhood during the 2000s.
Joe’s Farm Grill and The Coffee Shop are on the original farm property, Barnone is a makers’ space in a converted barn, and the Epicenter on Ray Road adds more dining.
Higley Unified. Homes are commonly assigned to Higley Traditional Academy and Williams Field High School; confirm by address with the district.
Arizona law lets owners lease unless the CC&Rs prohibit it, subject to any rental time limits. Agritopia’s covenants encourage owner-occupancy, so read the current documents carefully before buying to rent.
Listings commonly show it covering common areas, front-yard maintenance and street maintenance. Check the resale disclosure for the current amount.