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CITY

Surprise

Arizona · 175,304 residents (2025 est.) · 111 sq mi
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Part of the Phoenix metro area
The short version

With 154,948 people, Surprise is a city in Arizona. The population has more than tripled since 2000, adding 124,100 people. Few US cities rank higher on income. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. Median rent is $2,033 a month. Households here earn about 21% more than in Arizona as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 95%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
154,948
+402%since 2000
from 30,848 in 2000
175,304 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,402 / sq mi
+77%since 2009
from 792 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.4
−10%since 2000
from 46.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
111 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
042K85K127K170K19902000201020202024Surprise
2024155K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.2%(8,089)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(10,698)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.9%(10,618)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(10,187)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.1%(7,862)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411%(17,095)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(19,486)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.7%(19,673)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.8%(16,808)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.1%(17,206)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.6%(13,256)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(3,970)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$96,711
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,156 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,888
+95%since 2000
from $21,451 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
63.6%
+27.5 ptssince 2009
from 36.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.389
+12%since 2010
from 0.347 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services10.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration8.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance6.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Retail trade6.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$435,100
+95%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $122,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,033
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $663 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
79.1%
−9.2 ptssince 2000
from 88.3% in 2000
20.9% rent
Vacancy rate
9.0%
−9.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.71 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.83 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.6%
−12.3 ptssince 2009
from 34.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.5
+11%since 2009
from 4.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
55
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic71.8%(22,136)
Black2.4%(744)
Hispanic / Latino23.3%(7,184)
Asian1%(321)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic65.8%(102,013)
Black4.3%(6,708)
Hispanic / Latino20%(30,913)
Asian2.4%(3,780)
Other7.4%(11,534)
Diversity Score
65
+16%since 2009
from 56 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican15.3%(23,779)
Central American0.9%(1,442)
Spaniard0.8%(1,276)
Puerto Rican0.8%(1,225)
Salvadoran0.6%(886)
Cuban0.4%(667)
Colombian0.3%(390)
Panamanian0.1%(208)
Chilean0.1%(207)
Guatemalan0.1%(167)
Honduran0.1%(144)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.1%(121)
Peruvian0.1%(115)
Argentine0%(42)
Bolivian0%(37)
Asian origin
Filipino1.2%(1,883)
Vietnamese0.3%(480)
Chinese0.3%(437)
Japanese0.2%(281)
Korean0.2%(281)
Asian Indian0.1%(205)
Laotian0.1%(84)
Thai0%(35)
Hmong0%(33)
Kazakh0%(25)
Cambodian0%(23)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Taiwanese0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.3%(465)
Chamorro0.3%(439)
Ancestry
German16%(24,823)
English12.8%(19,830)
Irish11%(17,041)
Italian5.8%(8,997)
American4.6%(7,196)
Polish3%(4,697)
Norwegian2.2%(3,428)
French2.2%(3,372)
Scottish1.8%(2,767)
Swedish1.7%(2,624)
Dutch0.9%(1,349)
Danish0.8%(1,203)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Greek0.7%(1,075)
Welsh0.7%(1,075)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(1,034)
Arab0.7%(1,016)
Portuguese0.6%(955)
Russian0.6%(930)
Romanian0.4%(636)
Austrian0.4%(607)
West Indian0.4%(583)
Czech0.4%(560)
British0.3%(524)
Hungarian0.3%(434)
Canadian0.3%(426)
Syrian0.2%(347)
Jamaican0.2%(347)
Swiss0.2%(314)
Iraqi0.2%(297)
Finnish0.2%(285)
Australian0.2%(277)
Ukrainian0.2%(255)
Croatian0.1%(194)
Jordanian0.1%(165)
Nigerian0.1%(158)
Lithuanian0.1%(149)
Slovak0.1%(148)
Armenian0.1%(126)
Lebanese0.1%(121)
Haitian0.1%(113)
Slovene0.1%(86)
Bulgarian0%(63)
Brazilian0%(46)
Serbian0%(44)
Iranian0%(41)
Belgian0%(39)
Turkish0%(34)
Guyanese0%(27)
Latvian0%(24)
Israeli0%(20)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.5%
+10.1 ptssince 2000
from 20.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.2%
+9.2 ptssince 2000
from 85.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.3%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 6.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.2 min
+28%since 2000
from 23.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.4%
−9.0 ptssince 2009
from 78.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.5%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
19.5%
+14.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.3%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2011
from 58.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.0%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 71.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.4%
+8.0 ptssince 2009
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.5%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
Female
52.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
Foreign born
7.0%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
10.8%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.4%
+3.1 ptssince 2012
from 10.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.1%
−3.9 ptssince 2013
from 10.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.6%
+6.0 ptssince 2017
from 89.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
98.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 96.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
87.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 86.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.7%
−1.4 ptssince 2016
from 9.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31%(18,537)
Married58.9%(35,231)
Widowed2.8%(1,656)
Divorced7.3%(4,345)
Women 15+
Never married24.9%(16,389)
Married53.4%(35,114)
Widowed9.3%(6,118)
Divorced12.4%(8,153)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.1%
−3.9 ptssince 2013
from 10.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
59.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 56.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 13.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
14.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.0%
+3.5 ptssince 2020
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2020
from 37.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)31.2%(4,008)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.1%(3,086)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35.9%(4,604)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(426)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(61)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 12,830 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Surprise to nearby cities

SURPRISE VS
Sun City West
Income$63,685−34%
Home value$377,800−13%
Population27,425−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURPRISE VS
El Mirage
Income$78,050−19%
Home value$321,900−26%
Population35,820−80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURPRISE VS
Sun City
Income$54,586−44%
Home value$280,900−35%
Population37,486−79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURPRISE VS
Peoria
Income$95,815−1%
Home value$463,600+7%
Population200,881+15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Surprise, Arizona?

Surprise, Arizona has about 154,948 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Surprise, Arizona?

The typical household in Surprise, Arizona earns about $96,711 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Surprise, Arizona expensive?

In Surprise, Arizona, the median home is worth about $435,100, and the typical rent is about $2,033 a month.

How educated are people in Surprise, Arizona?

About 30.5% of adults age 25 and over in Surprise, Arizona hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Surprise, Arizona?

About 8.6% of people in Surprise, Arizona live below the federal poverty line.

Has Surprise, Arizona grown since 1990?

Yes, Surprise, Arizona has grown since 1990. The population has added about 147,826 residents, a change of about 2076 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →