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Living in
Surprise.
About
Life in Surprise
This is a city that's grown explosively—from about 31,000 people in 2000 to nearly 150,000 today—so you're looking at a place still figuring out its identity, which means both opportunity and growing pains. The median household income of around $97,000 paired with a median home value of $435,000 makes it more affordable than Phoenix proper, though you're paying for that rapid expansion with sprawl; it's 20 to 30 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix, so expect that 30-minute average commute if you're working toward the city center. The job market is solid with an unemployment rate around 3.9%, and the city has been intentionally building infrastructure—Rio Salado College has a satellite campus here, Ottawa University opened in 2017, and there's a growing industrial park with rail access that's attracting serious investment, including a major Homeland Security facility conversion.
Surprise at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Foreign-Born
7.0%
Broadband Internet
95.6%
of households
Population Growth
+22.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Surprise: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Surprise, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (24.7%), and 7.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.1%
of residents
65 and Older
22.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.8%
of households
Married Couples
57.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.71
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 32% above AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in Surprise
In Surprise, rent runs 32% above the AZ average, and home values are 10% above the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,842
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2005
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $416,014 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below AZ average
Unemployment in Surprise and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Surprise is 0.4 percentage points lower than the AZ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Surprise Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ metro area
Commute30.2 min avg
How Surprise residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Surprise, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Major hub25.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Surprise runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
85.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
781.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Surprise Police Department
Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 44 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Maricopa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Maricopa County, which includes Surprise, the most common type is flash flood, with 44 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.9M |
| 2024 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.8M |
| 2023 | 58 | Heat | $7.8M |
| 2022 | 106 | Flash Flood | $6.8M |
| 2021 | 77 | Thunderstorm Wind | $29.5M |
| 2020 | 55 | Heat | $1.5M |
| 2019 | 90 | Heat | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 120 | Flash Flood | $4.5M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Maricopa County, county-wide
Surprise is about 3% of Maricopa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality73 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Maricopa County, which includes Surprise, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
73
Good Days
32
per year
Moderate Days
295
per year
Unhealthy Days
6
per year
Maricopa County, county-wide
Surprise is about 3% of Maricopa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate103°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Surprise has hot summers (avg high 103°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
103°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
9.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
157
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
13
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
36
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 39°F | 1.38" |
| Feb | 68°F | 41°F | 1.45" |
| Mar | 75°F | 46°F | 1.00" |
| Apr | 82°F | 51°F | 0.25" |
| May | 92°F | 60°F | 0.09" |
| Jun | 102°F | 69°F | 0.07" |
| Jul | 105°F | 77°F | 0.89" |
| Aug | 103°F | 77°F | 1.13" |
| Sep | 98°F | 70°F | 1.06" |
| Oct | 87°F | 57°F | 0.66" |
| Nov | 74°F | 46°F | 0.67" |
| Dec | 64°F | 39°F | 0.95" |
Healthcare2 hospitals
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Surprise
Surprise has 2 hospitals.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
6.1%
of residents
Destiny Springs Healthcare
Psychiatric
Avenir Behavioral Health Center
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Sun City West
Banner Boswell Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.7 mi away · Sun City
Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.4 mi away · Glendale
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education20.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Surprise
Surprise's student/teacher ratio is 20.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 30.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
34
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
30.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Surprise
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 836 students · in-state tuition $36,550 · 33% graduate · median earnings $59,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Surprise
Surprise has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayMontezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
75 mi awayTonto National Monument
National Monument
77 mi awayTuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Surprise
Asante Branch Library
16755 W Vereda Solana Dr, Surprise
Hollyhock Branch Library
15844 N Hollyhock St, Surprise
Northwest Regional Library
16089 N Bullard Ave, Surprise
Cities Near Surprise
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Surprise?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Surprise FAQ
Is Surprise, Arizona affordable?⌄
Surprise's median rent is $2,033/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $96,711/year. Median home value is $435,100.
Is Surprise, Arizona safe?⌄
Surprise's violent crime rate was 86 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 781 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Surprise, Arizona?⌄
Surprise has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Surprise, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in Surprise is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,033/month and median household income is $96,711/year. The median home value is $435,100. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Surprise, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in Surprise is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from