City · Arizona
Surprise, Arizona
Surprise, city, in Maricopa County, Arizona. Surprise had 175,304 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 22.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 143,148 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 154,948 (±123). GEOID 0471510.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
175,304
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 143,148 · ACS 2020-2024: 154,948 ±123
Median household income
$96,711
±$3,521 (90% margin)
Arizona: $79,964
Median home value
$435,100
±$5,183 (90% margin)
Arizona: $394,500
Median gross rent
$2,033
±$86 (90% margin)
Arizona: $1,543
Where is Surprise and what county is it in?
Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona. It covers 110.5 square miles of land, 1,295 residents per square mile in 2020.
Surprise 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 Surprise, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 175,304 people lived in Surprise on July 1, 2025, up 22.5% since 2020, faster than Arizona (+6.5%). The 2020 Census counted 143,148 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 154,948 (±123).
| Measure | Surprise | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 154,948±123 | 4,559,748 | +19,498 |
| Households | 56,506±905 | 1,730,696 | +7,888 |
| Average household size | 2.71±0.04 | 2.59 | −0.07 |
| Housing units | 62,098±936 | 1,884,334 | +5,853 |
Surprise's population since 2000
From 30,848 in 2000 to 175,304 in 2025: up 468.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Surprise as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Surprise?
The median resident of Surprise is 41.4 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 22.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 20.0%. 7.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Surprise | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4±0.8 | 37.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.1%±0.9 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.2%±0.9 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 47.5%±0.9 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.0%±1.8 pts | 31.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.8%±2.0 pts | 52.5% | −2.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.3%±0.7 pts | 5.4% | −1.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.4%±0.5 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.8%±1.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.0%±0.7 pts | 14.5% | −1.5 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.6%±1.1 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.8%±0.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.4%±0.7 pts | 12.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.1%±1.2 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.2%±0.8 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.5%±1.6 pts | 36.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.3%±1.0 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.1%±1.2 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.0%±0.6 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 Surprise earn?
Half of Surprise's 56,506 households earn less than $96,711 a year (±$3,521), against $89,300 in Maricopa County and $79,964 in Arizona. In 2015-2019 the median was $85,011 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $11,700 after inflation. 8.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Surprise | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $96,711±$3,521 | $89,300 | +$11,700 |
| Mean household income | $113,745±$3,161 | $120,016 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,888±$1,118 | $46,183 | +$4,223 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.6%±1.1 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.9%±3.1 pts | 14.4% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.3%±0.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.1%±0.5 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.6%±0.7 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 Surprise?
Owners occupy 79.1% of Surprise's occupied homes and renters 20.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $435,100 by its owner (±$5,183). The median renter pays $2,033 a month including utilities, and 42.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Surprise | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $435,100±$5,183 | $452,800 | +$140,349 |
| Median gross rent | $2,033±$86 | $1,708 | +$373 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.9%±4.9 pts | 43.1% | +7.4 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,860±$37 | $1,931 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.1%±1.4 pts | 65.2% | +3.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.9%±1.4 pts | 34.8% | – |
| Housing units | 62,098±936 | 1,884,334 | +5,853 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0%±0.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.7%±2.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.7%±1.0 pts | 64.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.9%±0.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 7.5%±0.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 14.5%±0.9 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.3%±0.6 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 many new homes is Surprise building?
Builders took permits for 3,355 new housing units in Surprise in 2025 (2,664 in single-family houses), 19.1 per 1,000 residents against 6.8 across Arizona.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Surprise work and get to work?
69.4% of Surprise's workers drive alone and 19.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.3%.
| Measure | Surprise | Maricopa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.3%±1.3 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3%±0.7 pts | 4.5% | −1.5 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 69.4%±1.9 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.5%±1.3 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.7%±0.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.5%±1.7 pts | 20.8% | +12.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.2 min±1.0 | 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 Surprise?
28 census tracts lie mostly in Surprise, and 13 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $50,428 (Tract 608.01) to $176,957 (Tract 610.36).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 610.31Maricopa County | 9,591 | $114,401 |
| Tract 610.34Maricopa County | 8,086 | $85,969 |
| Tract 610.62Maricopa County | 6,869 | $110,568 |
| Tract 610.35Maricopa County | 6,796 | $95,856 |
| Tract 610.39Maricopa County | 6,760 | $138,125 |
| Tract 610.26Maricopa County | 6,594 | $99,259 |
| Tract 610.37Maricopa County | 6,502 | $116,693 |
| Tract 610.32Maricopa County | 6,371 | $117,036 |
| Tract 405.38Maricopa County | 7,686 | $118,085 |
| Tract 610.27Maricopa County | 6,041 | $94,453 |
| Tract 610.33Maricopa County | 5,874 | $95,515 |
| Tract 610.38Maricopa County | 5,653 | $102,957 |
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 Surprise) · Census block assignment files
How does Surprise compare with other places in Arizona?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Surprise is the 154th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 10th-most populous of 91 in Arizona.
Surprise ranks 38th of 196 places in Arizona with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 10th | 91 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 11th | 85 |
| Residents per square mile | 37th | 210 |
| Median household income | 38th | 196 |
| Per capita income | 59th | 209 |
| Median home value | 45th | 189 |
| Median gross rent | 13th | 168 |
| Poverty rate | 128th | 164 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61st | 175 |
| Median age | 117th | 208 |
| Owner-occupied share | 96th | 206 |
| Work from home | 47th | 119 |
| Travel time to work | 51st | 206 |
Surprise's figures with every place in Arizona (CSV)
Every place in Arizona, sortable · Compare Surprise 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 Surprise?
4 of the 57 figures for Surprise 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 Surprise 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' public schools in Surprise.