Residential comparison · 13 facts
Sun City West, AZ vs Surprise, AZ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Sun City West needs about $91,000 in Surprise to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Surprise, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $79,000 in Sun City West.
A few differences
- Surprise is higher on median household income ($96,711 vs $63,685).
- Sun City West is lower on cost of living index (105 vs 111).
- Sun City West is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,781/mo vs $1,940/mo).
Sun City West vs Surprise · facet by facet
| Facet | Sun City West, AZ | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $377,800 | $435,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,781/mo | $1,940/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| State & local income tax | 1.64% | 1.64% |
| Sales tax | 8.4% | 8.4% |
| Cost of living index | 105 | 111 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $190/mo |
| Median household income | $63,685 | $96,711 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 4.8/10 | 4.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 290 days | 290 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Sun City West, AZ · Surprise, AZ
Questions & answers
- Is Sun City West cheaper than Surprise?
- Sun City West has the lower day-to-day cost index (105 vs 111 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Surprise equals $85,000 in Sun City West?
- A household earning $85,000 in Sun City West needs about $91,000 in Surprise to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Surprise lifestyle costs about $79,000 in Sun City West.