Surprise Lake in Surprise, Arizona · Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0
A town of about 154,948 people in Maricopa County, part of the Phoenix area. Resident comments and photos are about Surprise; job numbers cover the wider area.
Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Surprise scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Growing
98 / 100
Growing faster than 98% of metros
Big-city feel
96 / 100
Big-city feel: 4.9 million people in the metro, 29 buildings 20+ stories, 2,384 bus and train stops
Less so: historic.
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Around Surprise
"Bloom Where You're Planted" statue at Surprise Community Park in Surprise, Arizona · Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0
Of about 11,052 rented homes in Surprise, 56% rent for under $2,000 a month and 95% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 5%
$1,000 to $1,499: 14%
$1,500 to $1,999: 37%
$2,000 to $2,499: 28%
$2,500 to $2,999: 11%
$3,000 or more: 5%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in Surprise rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $3,000 to $3,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $4,500 to $5,997 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,500 to $1,999, that's a yearly income of about $54,000 to $71,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to Arizona: before and after
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Arizona DMV.
56 public school districts in this county, with about 575,074 students in all. The county also has 292 public charter schools and 192 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.
Public Public charter Private District that covers the center of Surprise: Dysart Unified District
District lines: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.
Closest public schools to the center of Surprise
Elementary
Asante Preparatory Academy2.6 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 1,134 students · 20.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 45%, math 37% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Canyon Ridge School2.8 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 985 students · 21.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 67%, math 55% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Western Peaks Elementary2.9 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 652 students · 18.6 per teacher
Middle
Willow Canyon High School2.6 mi
Public
grades 7 to 12 · 1,819 students · 23.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 58%, math 61% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Asante Preparatory Academy2.6 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 1,134 students · 20.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 45%, math 37% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Canyon Ridge School2.8 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 985 students · 21.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 67%, math 55% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
High school
Willow Canyon High School2.6 mi
Public
grades 7 to 12 · 1,819 students · 23.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 58%, math 61% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Imagine Prep Surprise4.8 mi
Public charter
grades 9 to 12 · 267 students
Passed the state test: reading 35 to 39%, math 35 to 39% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Valley Vista High School4.9 mi
Public
grades 7 to 12 · 2,443 students · 24 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 42%, math 46% (state: reading 40%, math 35%)
Private
Cross Christian Academy2.5 mi
Private
grades K to 5 · 65 students · 13 per teacher
Fourteensix Christian Academy4.3 mi
Private
grades K to 11 · 75 students · 13.6 per teacher
The Alexandria Academy8.3 mi
Private
grades 3 to 12 · 10 students · 5.6 per teacher
Straight-line miles from the center of Surprise, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on Arizona's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.
33,281 students · 17.7 students per teacher · 38 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
School choice and pre-K in Arizona
Going to school in another district
State law says districts must accept students from other districts when they have room, under set rules. Ask the district you'd like about space and deadlines.
Picking a different school in your district
State law says families can ask for a different school in the same district, and the district must allow it when there's room.
Free state pre-K
2% of 4-year-olds and 1% of 3-year-olds in Arizona attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.
School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Arizona keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$270/week
about $14,000 a year
$180/week
about $9,400 a year
Toddler (2)
$210/week
about $10,900 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$210/week
about $10,900 a year
$171/week
about $8,900 a year
School-age
$175/week
about $9,100 a year
For an infant at a center: $270/week here, $253 across AZ, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 15% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$441,097
What a typical home sells for across the Phoenix area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Average commute
27 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $2,344 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in AZ. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Very High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
3 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
39.6 per 100,000 people a year
1850 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. AZ average: 37.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 20.8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 9,734 people without housing in the Phoenix, Mesa/Maricopa County area: 4,527 in shelters and 5,207 outside, up from 9,435 in 2024. AZ: 20.1 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$85,518
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.47% of home value a year
About $470 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.50%
AZ's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
