Surprise, Arizona
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 28% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 23% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 52% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 23% of US places
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- top 8% for comfortable days
- bottom 7% for school quality
Surprise is a city in Arizona with about 146,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include annual snowfall, comfortable days, and property tax rate. It rates lower on monthly rent and school quality.
Official websitesurpriseaz.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Sweltering, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
comfortable
warm
hot
sweltering
hot
comf.
cool
89%66%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.2 in0.5 in
humid 19%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$88k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$57kbetter than 15% of US places
Home Value$353k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 9% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 29% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.50%better than 89% of US places
Income Tax2.50%better than 82% of US places
Sales Tax8.38%better than 32% of US places
Estimated total tax burden7.26%better than 84% of US places
Unemployment4.6%better than 43% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)55°F95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)94°F100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation9.9 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days274 daysbetter than 87% of US places
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 85% of US places
Comfortable Days114 daysbetter than 92% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk71.6better than 41% of US places
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 63% of US places
School Quality33.8better than 7% of US places
Violent Crime762/100kbetter than 48% of US places
Property Crime1403/100kbetter than 33% of US places
Community
Population145,59199th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.553rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3973rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9030th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)65.9%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.0%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)20.9%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.4%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.7%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 23% of US places
Walkability6.2/20better than 43% of US places
Airport Distance32 mibetter than 80% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.4%better than 81% of US places
Amenities Nearby12.23better than 16% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 10% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Surprise an affordable place to live?
- Surprise is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $57k, better than 15% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Surprise?
- The median home value in Surprise is $353k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Surprise?
- Median household income in Surprise is $88k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Surprise?
- Median gross rent in Surprise is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Surprise safe?
- Surprise is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 762/100k (better than 48%). Property crime is 1403/100k.
- What is the weather like in Surprise?
- Surprise averages 94°F in July and 55°F in January, with 9.9 in of annual precipitation and about 274 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Surprise?
- Public-school quality in Surprise is below average, scoring better than 7% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Surprise?
- The average one-way commute in Surprise is 30 min.
Other places in Maricopa County
Places near Surprise
Compare Surprise
Explore Arizona
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)