The Town FilesSun Lakes, Arizona
Community in Maricopa County · population 14,868 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $455,200
- Household income
- $67,853
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 109°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 73.5
Sun Lakes is a community of 14,868 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $455,200, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks hipper than 93% of Arizona towns, more walkable than 89% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 85% of Arizona towns.
How Sun Lakes ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sun Lakes is worth $455,200, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $67,853, which is more affordable than 8% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,938 a month. 88.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sun Lakes | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $455,200 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,938 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $67,853 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 88.0% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.6% | — |
Who lives in Sun Lakes
| People | Sun Lakes | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 73.5 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 78.9% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 0.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 13.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 21.5% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 88.0% |
Weather in Sun Lakes
July highs average 108.9°F and January lows 36.7°F. About 7.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 184 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 32 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sun Lakes since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on October 16, 2022 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 16, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on October 5, 2010.
Severe weather in Maricopa County since 1996
Maricopa County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Fire | FM-5501: Boulder View Fire |
| June 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5496: Rose Fire |
| June 28, 2023 | Fire | FM-5466: Diamond Fire |
| June 27, 2020 | Fire | FM-5315: Avondale Fire |
| June 23, 2020 | Fire | FM-5314: Aquila Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maricopa County
Maricopa County had 2,280,645 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,840 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Sun Lakes itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Sun Lakes
1 public school with 809 students, about 19.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler Traditional Academy - Independence | PK-6 | 809 | 19.7 |
Towns near Sun Lakes
- Chandler, AZ4.8 mi · 275,987 people · home $507,800
- Gilbert, AZ9.9 mi · 267,918 people · home $575,100
- Sacaton, AZ11.3 mi · 3,254 people · home —
- Guadalupe, AZ11.8 mi · 5,322 people · home $271,300
- Tempe, AZ12.5 mi · 180,587 people · home $455,400
- Maricopa, AZ14.1 mi · 58,125 people · home $377,200
- Queen Creek, AZ14.9 mi · 59,519 people · home $635,400
- Mesa, AZ15.5 mi · 504,258 people · home $408,000
Sun Lakes questions
Is Sun Lakes, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sun Lakes scores better for retirees than 75% of Arizona towns and quieter than 62%. 78.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 73.5).
How much does a house cost in Sun Lakes?
The median owner-occupied home in Sun Lakes is valued at $455,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,853, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,938 a month.
What is the weather like in Sun Lakes?
July highs average 108.9°F and January lows 36.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sun Lakes get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sun Lakes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on October 16, 2022. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)