Census-designated place · Arizona
Sun City West, Arizona
Sun City West, census-designated place, in Maricopa County, Arizona. Sun City West had 27,425 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,180). GEOID 0470355.
Residents, 2020-2024
27,425
±1,180 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 25,806
Median household income
$63,685
±$3,260 (90% margin)
Arizona: $79,964
Median home value
$377,800
±$8,082 (90% margin)
Arizona: $394,500
Median gross rent
$1,672
±$344 (90% margin)
Arizona: $1,543
Where is Sun City West and what county is it in?
Sun City West is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Maricopa County, Arizona. It covers 11.9 square miles of land, 2,164 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sun City West is in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sun City West, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Sun City West's population at 27,425 (±1,180). The 2020 Census counted 25,806 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Sun City West is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Sun City West | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 27,425 ±1,180 | 4,559,748 | +1,881 |
| Households | 16,333 ±685 | 1,730,696 | +1,143 |
| Average household size | 1.65 ±0.03 | 2.59 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 19,120 ±666 | 1,884,334 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Sun City West?
The median resident of Sun City West is 74.8 years old; 0.3% are under 18 and 85.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.0%. 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sun City West | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 74.8 ±0.6 | 37.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 0.3% ±0.1 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 85.0% ±2.0 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 45.5% ±1.2 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% ±0.5 pts | 31.2% | +0.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.3% ±1.0 pts | 52.5% | −3.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.5 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±0.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±0.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.5% ±1.0 pts | 14.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.0% ±1.1 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 19.8% ±1.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 26.6% ±2.2 pts | 12.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.9% ±0.9 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±0.9 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 34.7% ±2.5 pts | 36.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.8% ±1.7 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.5% ±2.3 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.6% ±1.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Sun City West earn?
Half of Sun City West's 16,333 households earn less than $63,685 a year (±$3,260), against $89,300 in Maricopa County and $79,964 in Arizona. In 2015-2019 it was $64,237 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sun City West | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,685 ±$3,260 | $89,300 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $87,429 ±$7,060 | $120,016 | – |
| Per capita income | $52,476 ±$3,976 | $46,183 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.6% ±1.4 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±36.2 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.3% ±0.5 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.6% ±1.1 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.7% ±1.6 pts | 93.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Sun City West?
Owners occupy 88.1% of Sun City West's occupied homes and renters 11.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $377,800 by its owner (±$8,082). The median renter pays $1,672 a month including utilities, and 69.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sun City West | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $377,800 ±$8,082 | $452,800 | +$105,201 |
| Median gross rent | $1,672 ±$344 | $1,708 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 69.8% ±11.3 pts | 43.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,441 ±$73 | $1,931 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.1% ±2.2 pts | 65.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.9% ±2.2 pts | 34.8% | – |
| Housing units | 19,120 ±666 | 1,884,334 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.0% ±6.9 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.7% ±1.7 pts | 64.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.2% ±0.5 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.2% ±1.3 pts | 5.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Sun City West work and get to work?
69.4% of Sun City West's workers drive alone and 22.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.8%.
| Measure | Sun City West | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 13.9% ±1.9 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% ±2.2 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.4% ±6.1 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.4% ±1.7 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 22.4% ±5.3 pts | 20.8% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.7 min ±2.5 | 26.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Sun City West?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Sun City West, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $54,727 (Tract 405.06) to $67,130 (Tract 405.13).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 405.07Maricopa County | 6,666 | $65,619 |
| Tract 405.06Maricopa County | 5,781 | $54,727 |
| Tract 405.22Maricopa County | 4,602 | $64,466 |
| Tract 405.14Maricopa County | 2,897 | $57,923 |
| Tract 405.13Maricopa County | 2,794 | $67,130 |
| Tract 405.12Maricopa County | 1,582 | $67,072 |
| Tract 405.23Maricopa County | 3,103 | $80,156 |
| Tract 405.38Maricopa County | 7,686 | $118,085 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Sun City West) · Census block assignment files
How does Sun City West compare with other places in Arizona?
Sun City West ranks 103rd of 196 places in Arizona with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 37th | 210 |
| Residents per square mile | 21st | 210 |
| Median household income | 103rd | 196 |
| Per capita income | 30th | 209 |
| Median home value | 61st | 189 |
| Median gross rent | 31st | 168 |
| Poverty rate | 141st | 164 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49th | 175 |
| Median age | 2nd | 208 |
| Owner-occupied share | 52nd | 206 |
| Work from home | 33rd | 119 |
| Travel time to work | 137th | 206 |
Sun City West's figures with every place in Arizona (CSV)
Every place in Arizona, sortable · Compare Sun City West with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Sun City West?
10 of the 57 figures for Sun City West on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Sun City West are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.