Surprise, AZ, known as 'The City of Surprise,' offers a unique blend of suburban tranquility and modern urban amenities. Located in Maricopa County, Surprise is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like Phoenix (20 miles) and Glendale (10 miles) enhance its status as a central point in the region. Surprise's blend of scenic landscapes, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Surprise is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Surprise Stadium, the historic Marley Park, and the scenic White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Surprise Community Park to the bustling Surprise Marketplace, known for its shopping and dining. Surprise's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from Southwestern cuisine to international dishes.
Annual events such as the Surprise Fine Art & Wine Festival and the Surprise Party highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Surprise's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like Ottawa University Arizona contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Surprise is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The West Valley Arts Council and the Arts HQ Gallery are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Surprise provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Surprise’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Arizona Cardinals (NFL) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Surprise include healthcare, education, and retail, with significant employers such as Banner Health and the Dysart Unified School District driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses, making commuting convenient for residents...
Crime
This area boasts a crime rate that is far below the national average, making it a very safe place to live. These crime statistics encompass both property and violent offenses.
Employment
With higher than average median household income, income per capita and lower unemployment rates, this area scores extremely well in the employment category.
Housing
Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.
Amenities
The majority of amenities will be difficult to reach within a short walk, often requiring residents to use a vehicle or public transportation for access.
Commute
Low commute scores could be due to limited access to public transit in this area, as well as longer-than-average work commute times for residents.
Located in the state of Arizona, Surprise is a moderately-sized city with a population of 139,007 people. According to the most recent Census, 83% of Surprise residents are White, 5% Black and 3% Asian. When traveling to work, spending unnecessary time in your vehicle is not ideal and downright frustrating. Across all of America, the average one way commute time is 26 minutes, unfortunately, living in Surprise offers up a higher than average one way commute time of 31 minutes.
Are you trying to figure out if living in Surprise is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a great experience before relocating to any new city in Arizona, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. Finding the best places to live in Surprise and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes amenities, crime, commute, health & safety, education and other important metrics.
Surprise, AZ receives 72/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #28 in Arizona and #4,839 in the USA. For each of the livability categories, we know that Surprise ranks very well for crime (A), cost of living (B), employment (B+) and housing (A+). On a more negative note, Surprise does not have favorable ranks for the following: amenities (D-) and education (D). If we take a look at the data, we can find out why.
Low rates of violent crime, encompassing offenses such as murder, rape, robbery and assault, contribute significantly to a safer living environment. This reduction in crime minimizes the chances of personal harm, property theft, or violent incidents. Furthermore, low crime rates can have a positive impact on property values and the overall desirability of an area. There were 118 crimes per 100,000 residents, which signifies that Surprise boasts an impressively low violent crime rate that falls well below the national average.
Unemployment rates can vary significantly among cities, impacting job prospects, wage levels and the overall economic health of an area. In Surprise, the unemployment rate stands at 2.58%, suggesting increased job opportunities and a heightened demand for workers. This scenario can lead to higher wages, as the demand for employees outpaces job availability. Importantly, a low unemployment rate often signifies a robust and flourishing local economy.
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Surprise has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Surprise real estate prices and overall affordability will play a huge role in determining if the area is the right fit for you. Of course there are probably some other items on your “wish list”, but even before they are considered, let’s take a look at the home prices and affordability in Surprise. The median home price for Surprise homes is $258,700, which is 46.2% higher than the Arizona average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Surprise, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.6, which is 2.9% higher than the Arizona average.
| Statistic | Surprise | Arizona | National |
| Average one way commute | 31min | 25min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 79.1% | 76.7% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 9.2% | 10.9% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.2% | 2.0% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.5% | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 0.6% | 2.0% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 8.9% | 5.7% | 4.6% |
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