Residential comparison · 13 facts
Surprise, AZ vs Tempe, 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 Surprise needs about $83,500 in Tempe to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Tempe, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,500 in Surprise.
A few differences
- Surprise is higher on median household income ($96,711 vs $79,663).
- Tempe is lower on cost of living index (110 vs 111).
- Tempe is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,791/mo vs $1,940/mo).
Surprise vs Tempe · facet by facet
| Facet | Surprise, AZ | Tempe, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $435,100 | $455,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,940/mo | $1,791/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 | 111 | 110 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $190/mo |
| Median household income | $96,711 | $79,663 |
| 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: Surprise, AZ · Tempe, AZ
Questions & answers
- Is Surprise cheaper than Tempe?
- Tempe has the lower day-to-day cost index (110 vs 111 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Tempe equals $85,000 in Surprise?
- A household earning $85,000 in Surprise needs about $83,500 in Tempe to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Tempe lifestyle costs about $86,500 in Surprise.