Signals
New River
Surprise
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | New River | Surprise | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,240 | 154,948 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $134,289 | $96,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,465 | $41,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 325/sq mi | 1,402/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $640,600 | $435,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,948 | $2,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 94.7% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 104°F | 104°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.9" | 8.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.9 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.7 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.14 | 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
New River
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Surprise
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: New River, AZ · Surprise, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology