Avondale vs Surprise
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $394,600 in Avondale and $435,100 in Surprise.
- Households earn more in Surprise ($96,711 vs $86,123 median).
- Surprise is growing faster: +22.5% since 2020 vs +13.1%.
Side by side
| Avondale, AZ | Surprise, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 100,983 | 175,304 |
| Growth since 2020 | +13.1% | +22.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,111 | 1,586 |
| Median age | 33.4 | 41.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21% | 31% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $86,123 | $96,711 |
| Median home value | $394,600 | $435,100 |
| Home value to income | 4.6× | 4.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,832 | $2,033 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 103.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 121.2 | 121.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $77,500 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 79% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.1 | 30.2 |
| Work from home | 15% | 20% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.6% | 4.3% |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 66° / 43° | 65° / 41° |
| July high / low | 107° / 81° | 105° / 80° |
| Precipitation per year | 8 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 173 | 176 |
| Nights below freezing | 7 | 4 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +35.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Avondale: November to April. Surprise: February to April and November.
Full monthly tables: Avondale weather by month and Surprise weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,500 in Avondale and $77,500 in Surprise. Moving from Avondale to Surprise, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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