The Town FilesSurprise, Arizona
City in Maricopa County · population 143,148 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $435,100
- Household income
- $96,711
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 105°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.4
Surprise is a city of 143,148 people in Maricopa County, Arizona. The median home is worth $435,100, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more walkable than 93% of Arizona towns, more vibrant than 93% of Arizona towns, better for families than 87% of Arizona towns.
How Surprise 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 Surprise is worth $435,100, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $96,711, which is more affordable than 38% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $2,033 a month. 79.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Surprise | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $435,100 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $2,033 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $96,711 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 79.1% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 2005 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.1% | — |
Who lives in Surprise
| People | Surprise | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.5% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 88.0% |
Weather in Surprise
July highs average 104.6°F and January lows 39.2°F. About 9.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 157 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 13 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Surprise since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 5, 1981 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 5, 1981.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 23, 2019.
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 Surprise itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Surprise
34 public schools with 28,231 students, about 34.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Vista High School | 7-12 | 2,443 | 24.0 |
| Shadow Ridge High School | 7-12 | 2,339 | 21.5 |
| Paradise Honors Elementary School (charter) | K-8 | 1,919 | — |
| American Leadership Academy West Foothills K-12 (charter) | K-12 | 1,883 | — |
| Legacy Traditional School - Surprise (charter) | K-8 | 1,868 | — |
| Willow Canyon High School | 7-12 | 1,819 | 23.3 |
| Legacy Traditional School - West Surprise (charter) | K-8 | 1,215 | — |
| Asante Preparatory Academy | PK-8 | 1,134 | 20.3 |
| Marley Park Elementary | PK-8 | 1,097 | 20.7 |
| Arizona Charter Academy (charter) | K-12 | 997 | — |
| Canyon Ridge School | PK-8 | 985 | 21.9 |
| Paradise Honors High School (charter) | 9-12 | 985 | — |
Towns near Surprise
- Sun City West, AZ5.5 mi · 25,806 people · home $377,800
- El Mirage, AZ9.1 mi · 35,805 people · home $321,900
- Citrus Park, AZ9.5 mi · 5,194 people · home $722,500
- Youngtown, AZ10.4 mi · 7,056 people · home $320,000
- Sun City, AZ10.5 mi · 39,931 people · home $280,900
- Peoria, AZ11.5 mi · 190,985 people · home $463,600
- Litchfield Park, AZ12.8 mi · 6,847 people · home $577,000
- Glendale, AZ17.9 mi · 248,325 people · home $387,500
Surprise questions
Is Surprise, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Surprise scores better for retirees than 30% of Arizona towns and quieter than 11%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in Surprise?
The median owner-occupied home in Surprise is valued at $435,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,711, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $2,033 a month.
What is the weather like in Surprise?
July highs average 104.6°F and January lows 39.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Surprise get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Surprise since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 5, 1981. 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)