Surprise receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Avondale
Surprise
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Avondale | Surprise | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,477 | 154,948 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,123 | $96,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,917 | $41,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,933/sq mi | 1,402/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,600 | $435,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,832 | $2,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 609 | 2,428 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 15.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -61.0% | -34.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 30 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.29 | 19.16 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Avondale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Surprise
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Avondale, AZ · Surprise, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology