Signals
Fountain
Surprise
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Fountain | Surprise | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,300 | 154,948 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,242 | $96,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,199 | $41,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,311/sq mi | 1,402/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $398,000 | $435,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,745 | $2,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.9" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.0 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.38 | 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
Fountain
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire.
Surprise
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Fountain, CO · Surprise, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology