Surprise vs Goodyear
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $435,100 in Surprise and $471,300 in Goodyear.
- Households earn more in Goodyear ($103,319 vs $96,711 median).
- Goodyear is growing faster: +30.4% since 2020 vs +22.5%.
Side by side
| Surprise, AZ | Goodyear, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 175,304 | 125,359 |
| Growth since 2020 | +22.5% | +30.4% |
| People per square mile | 1,586 | 655 |
| Median age | 41.4 | 42.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31% | 36% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $96,711 | $103,319 |
| Median home value | $435,100 | $471,300 |
| Home value to income | 4.5× | 4.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,033 | $1,956 |
| 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 | 79% | 78% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 30.2 | 29.6 |
| Work from home | 20% | 22% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.3% | 4.2% |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 65° / 41° | 66° / 43° |
| July high / low | 105° / 80° | 107° / 81° |
| Precipitation per year | 8 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 176 | 173 |
| Nights below freezing | 4 | 7 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 6 |
| 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: Surprise: February to April and November. Goodyear: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Surprise weather by month and Goodyear 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 Surprise and $77,500 in Goodyear. Moving from Surprise to Goodyear, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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