Median Age
43 Years
Largest Age Group
10-19 Years
Approximately 13% of Residents
Under 20
24%
Over 65
25%
Surprise
Surprise, AZ Area Guide
Avg Rent
$1,447
Population
162,919
Renter Mix
22% Rent
A resort community with a small-town atmosphere.
Suburb
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Commuter
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Affordable
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Safe
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Military
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Sports
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Baseball
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Arts
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Welcome to Surprise, Arizona, a welcoming city nestled in the desert landscape 25 miles northwest of Phoenix. This growing community offers diverse housing options, from single-family homes to established neighborhoods like Sun City Grand, a 55+ active adult community. Current rental trends show average monthly rates ranging from $1,465 for one-bedroom units to $2,198 for four-bedroom homes, with most rental categories experiencing slight decreases compared to the previous year.
Baseball fans enjoy spring training games at Surprise Stadium, the seasonal home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. The city maintains 15 public parks, with Surprise Community Park standing out for its fishing lake, off-leash dog areas, and pickleball facilities. The Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex draws tennis enthusiasts and hosts professional events throughout the year. Founded in 1938 by Flora Mae Statler, the city's unique name comes from an endearing piece of local history – Statler reportedly named it Surprise because she "would be surprised if the town ever amounted to much." Today, the thriving community proves her modest prediction wrong, offering residents easy access to both neighborhood amenities and desert recreation.
Explore the City
Arizona Traditions offers a wide range of outdoor sports for its active residents.
Residents fish at the Surprise Community Park lake.
Discover the serenity of desert landscaped homes in Surprise, a harmonious retreat for living.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$83,527
Average: $97,337
Education
41,664
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
70,582
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Surprise has more homeowners than renters.
Renters
22%
Non-Renters
78%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
22%
Other Education
78%
Rent Trends
As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Surprise, AZ is $1,365 for a studio, $1,448 for one bedroom, $1,759 for two bedrooms, and $1,922 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Surprise has increased by 0.2% in the past year.
Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,448/month
719 Sq Ft
House
$2,410/month
1,820 Sq Ft
Condo
$1,240/month
651 Sq Ft
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Surprise, AZ is 2.8% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Surprise is 8.7% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,365 - $1,922. You can expect to pay 3.2% more for groceries, 38.6% more for utilities, and 7.3% more for transportation.
Compare Cities
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Surprise, AZ is for everyday living.
Exceptionally Drivable
Drivability
100
/ 100
Fairly Bikeable
Bikeability
40
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades PK-8
1,040 Students
Public
Grades K-8
1,264 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
874 Students
Cimarron Springs Middle School
Public
Grades K-8
810 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
587 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
1,040 Students
Public
Grades 6-12
2,212 Students
Public
Grades K-8
1,264 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
874 Students
Cimarron Springs Middle School
Public
Grades K-8
810 Students
Public
Grades 6-12
2,212 Students
Public
Grades 6-12
2,328 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,028 Students
Public
Grades 6-12
1,896 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
504 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Parks and Recreation
- White Tank Mountain Regional Park
Airports
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International
Top Apartments in Surprise
Houses for Rent in Surprise
Property Management Companies in Surprise, AZ
RPM
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654
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-
180,071
Units
-
260
Cities
4 Communities in Surprise
Greystar
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3,489
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960,008
Units
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891
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2 Communities in Surprise
Avenue5 Residential
-
581
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129,613
Units
-
224
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1 Community in Surprise
Dominium
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124
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26,875
Units
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94
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1 Community in Surprise
Bridge Property Management
-
142
Communities
-
53,995
Units
-
78
Cities
1 Community in Surprise
Bryten Real Estate Partners
-
119
Communities
-
29,248
Units
-
68
Cities
1 Community in Surprise
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Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.