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Economy, jobs and prices in Surprise, Arizona: official figures

The median household income in Surprise was $96,711 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 259th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the Arizona median $79,964.

Median household income
$96,711
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
4.3%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
30.2 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$2,033
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$435,100
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
79.1%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
95.6%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in Surprise?

Income per resident (per capita income) in Surprise averaged $41,888 a year in 2020-2024, 378th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; Arizona: $42,503).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in Surprise?

Surprise's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.389 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 57th least unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Surprise, Arizona?

4.3% of the civilian labor force in Surprise was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (3,110 people), 229th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and Arizona's 5.1%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Surprise are working?

59.3% of Surprise's 123,580 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 84th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Surprise have jobs?

69,296 residents of Surprise held civilian jobs, 56.1% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 876 served in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in Surprise?

The largest industry group for working residents of Surprise was education, health care and social assistance (24.1% of employed residents), followed by retail trade (14.1%) and finance, insurance and real estate (10.8%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Surprise work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 6.8% of working residents of Surprise, 234th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 10.5% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in Surprise, Arizona?

Commuters in Surprise took 30.2 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 143rd longest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 11.8% travelled an hour or more and 20.1% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in Surprise get to work?

19.5% of workers living in Surprise worked from home in 2020-2024, 218th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 69.4% drove to work alone, 8.5% carpooled, 0.1% used public transport and 0.7% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in Surprise, Arizona?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Surprise was $2,033 a month in 2020-2024, 151st highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; Arizona: $1,543).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in Surprise?

Owner-occupied homes in Surprise had a median value of $435,100 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 342nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; Arizona: $394,500).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in Surprise?

The median home value in Surprise was 4.5 times the median household income, 387th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Surprise, Arizona own their home?

79.1% of the 56,506 occupied homes in Surprise were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 11,823 were rented, 44th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; Arizona: 67.4%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in Surprise have broadband?

95.6% of households in Surprise had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 141st highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; Arizona: 91.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Surprise have no internet?

2.6% of households in Surprise (1,489) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 159th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 10.8% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Surprise compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 259 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
256Frederick$97,069
257Manteca$97,055
258Apopka$96,884
259Surprise$96,711
260Peabody$96,657
261Evanston$96,434
262Bend$96,394
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 378 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
375Phoenix$41,981
376Whittier$41,927
377Oak Lawn$41,927
378Surprise$41,888
379West Sacramento$41,795
380Ocoee$41,784
381Pembroke Pines$41,773
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 767 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
764Wake Forest0.391
765Blaine0.391
766Colton0.391
767Surprise0.389
768Elk Grove0.389
769St. Cloud0.388
770Lakewood0.387
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 595 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
592Hendersonville4.3%
593St. Joseph4.3%
594Springfield4.3%
595Surprise4.3%
596Medford4.3%
597Queen Creek4.3%
598Wilmington4.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 740 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
737Birmingham59.4%
738Owensboro59.4%
739Rocky Mount59.4%
740Surprise59.3%
741Rockford59.3%
742Menifee59.2%
743Dayton59.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 143 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
140Boston30.3
141Lynwood30.3
142Alhambra30.3
143Surprise30.2
144Modesto30.2
145Suffolk30.2
146Medford30.2
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 218 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
215Novato19.5%
216Mableton19.5%
217Los Angeles19.5%
218Surprise19.5%
219Richmond19.5%
220Sanford19.5%
221Charleston19.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 781 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
778Columbia0.1%
779Casa Grande0.1%
780Wellington0.1%
781Surprise0.1%
782Warner Robins0.1%
783O'Fallon0.1%
784Royal Oak0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 590 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
587Oklahoma City6.8%
588Shoreline6.8%
589Fayetteville6.8%
590Surprise6.8%
591Goodyear6.7%
592Rio Rancho6.7%
593Hendersonville6.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 319 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
316Battle Creek24.1%
317La Habra24.1%
318Burleson24.1%
319Surprise24.1%
320Port Orange24.1%
321Colorado Springs24.0%
322Shoreline24.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 151 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
148Pembroke Pines$2,046
149Escondido$2,046
150Boynton Beach$2,041
151Surprise$2,033
152Framingham$2,033
153Oxnard$2,032
154Seattle$2,030
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 342 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
339Pembroke Pines$439,500
340Brockton$437,500
341Richland$436,700
342Surprise$435,100
343Yuba City$434,600
344Taylorsville$433,800
345San Jacinto$433,700
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 434 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
431Manchester4.5x
432Delano4.5x
433Lawrence4.5x
434Surprise4.5x
435Castle Rock4.5x
436Smyrna4.5x
437Pocatello4.5x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 44 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
41Palm Bay79.7%
42Westfield79.5%
43Bolingbrook79.1%
44Surprise79.1%
45St. Peters79.0%
46Castle Rock78.8%
47Herriman78.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 141 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
138Wheaton95.7%
139Framingham95.6%
140Palatine95.6%
141Surprise95.6%
142Carrollton95.6%
143South San Francisco95.6%
144Meridian95.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

Surprise ranks 665 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
662Rocklin2.7%
663Roseville2.7%
664Rockwall2.6%
665Surprise2.6%
666Grapevine2.6%
667Mount Pleasant2.6%
668Folsom2.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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