Best Life Index › States › Arizona › Cities › Surprise

Arizona city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Surprise?

What it costs to live in Surprise, and how it compares with other Arizona cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

48

26th best value in Arizona

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Arizona cities.

Overall livability

57

17th overall in Arizona

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Surprise is home to about 141,875 people. A typical home runs $282,300 and a household earns around $76,600, a price-to-income ratio of 3.7. Among Arizona's largest cities, it ranks 26th for value and 17th overall.

Surprise at a glance

Median home price

$282,300

36th in AZ of 49

Median rent

$1,627/mo

Median household income

$76,600

Home price to income

3.7x

Unemployment

3.2%

13th in AZ of 49

School rating

7/10

6th in AZ of 49

Air quality (AQI)

77

9th in AZ of 49

Walk score

28/100

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‹ See all top Arizona cities ranked  ยท  Arizona state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Arizona only. Updated 2026.