Is Sun Lakes, AZ a Good Place to Live?
Sun Lakes is a small city of 14,147 in Arizona, with a median household income of $62,148 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.
Strengths: Sun Lakes stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Sun Lakes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Sun Lakes city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 101.7Sun Lakes's overall cost of living index is 101.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sun Lakes costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Sun Lakes, AZ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $380,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 88.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $62,148 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageSun Lakes's violent crime rate is 464.6 per 100,000 residents — 22% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Sun Lakes is served primarily by Chandler Unified District #80 (4242). The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Sun Lakes, AZ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) | — |
| Elementary Schools | 31 | — |
| Middle Schools | 6 | — |
| High Schools | 10 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Sun Lakes sees average highs of 65.6°F in January and 104.2°F in July, with 9.0 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Sun Lakes, AZ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 65.6°F |
| Average High — July | 104.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 9.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Sun Lakes, AZ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,147 | — |
| Median Age | 73.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 0.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 78.5% | 16.8% |