Prescott vs Surprise
Prescott, Arizona versus Surprise, Arizona: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Prescott and Surprise score about the same overall (53 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Prescott | Surprise |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $88k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $57k |
| Home Value | $474k | $353k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.39% | 0.50% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 8.38% | 8.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.04% | 7.26% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 55°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 94°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.8 in | 9.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 302 days | 274 days |
| Summer Humidity | 47°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 51 days | 114 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.9 | 71.6 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 27.3 | 33.8 |
| Violent Crime | 2049/100k | 762/100k |
| Property Crime | 1328/100k | 1403/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 46,054 | 145,591 |
| Median Age | 60.5 | 41.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.39 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | R+30 | Even |
| White (%) | 85.6% | 65.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 5.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.7% | 20.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 2.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 6.5/20 | 6.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 84 mi | 32 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.6% | 94.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.41 | 12.23 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Prescott or Surprise more affordable?
- Prescott has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Prescott's $53k and Surprise's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Prescott versus $2k in Surprise.
- Is Prescott or Surprise safer?
- Surprise has the lower violent crime rate. Prescott reports 2049/100k and Surprise reports 762/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Prescott or Surprise?
- The median home value is $474k in Prescott and $353k in Surprise, so homes are more affordable in Surprise.