Surprise receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Peoria
Surprise
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 30%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 46%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Peoria | Surprise | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 196,906 | 154,948 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,815 | $96,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,834 | $41,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,114/sq mi | 1,402/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $463,600 | $435,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,843 | $2,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,321 | 2,428 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 15.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.9% | -34.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 15 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 45 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.64 | 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
Peoria
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Surprise
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Peoria, AZ · Surprise, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology