Surprise, AZ: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. Its population was 143,148 at the 2020 census, up from 117,517 in 2010 and 30,848 in 2000.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Surprise ranks

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#10Highest graduation rate in AZ #18Fastest growing in AZ #11Safest in AZ All AZ rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code85374, 85378, 85379

Area code623

Living in Surprise

Housing in Surprise

$416K▼ 1.8% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Surprise home is worth about $416,000, down 1.8% in a year, close to the Arizona typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market78

Sale-to-list98.6%

Sold in May383

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Surprise

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

Surprise reports less crime per resident than 66% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Surprise 0.8

Arizona 3.8

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Surprise 7.7

Arizona 15.4

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Schools in Surprise

All Surprise schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Surprise’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 71% of Arizona’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#27Best public schoolsof 117 in AZ

DistrictDysart Unified District (4243)Schools36

Legacy Traditional School - Surprise AElementary · Grades K–8 · 1,797 students Paradise Honors Elementary School A-Elementary · Grades K–8 · 1,264 students Legacy Traditional School - West Surprise AElementary · Grades K–8 · 1,231 students Canyon Ridge School AElementary · Grades PK–8 · 1,042 students Marley Park Elementary A-Elementary · Grades PK–8 · 1,023 students Sunset Hills Elementary B+Elementary · Grades PK–8 · 877 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within AZ. Ratings are from neighbors.