Surprise, AZ Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Surprise, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Surprise →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Surprise, Arizona runs approximately 145,591. Median household income sits at $87,756, landing above the benchmark median we track across cities (+22%).
For renters and buyers alike, Surprise offers a median home value of $352,600 (roughly in line with the tracked median, +8%) and median rent of $1,822 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home values run about 4.0× median income in Surprise, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Year-over-year price growth near Surprise has been minimal, at 0.65%. FEMA classifies Surprise's hazard risk as Very High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,822/mo in Surprise would take 24.9% of your income.
$372/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($352,600) would take 25.7% of your income toward principal & interest.
$165/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Surprise
Median home value is $352,600 and median gross rent is $1,822/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Maricopa rose 0.65% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,839/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Surprise's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Surprise reported a violent crime rate of 85.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Surprise
Planning a move to Surprise? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Surprise, AZ?
- In Surprise, the median home value is $352,600 and median rent is $1,822 per month, against a median household income of $87,756. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Surprise?
- Comfortably affording rent in Surprise — where the median runs $1,822/month — typically means earning about $72,880 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Surprise.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Surprise?
- Renting in Surprise at the median $1,822/month calls for about $72,880 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $352,600 takes roughly $80,673 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is Surprise safe?
- Surprise's violent crime rate, per FBI reporting for 2025, stands at 85.7 per 100,000 residents.
See the full salary breakdown for Surprise →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Surprise's.