Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 14 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,899 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
97,554
Surprise
Arizona
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,756
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
More college-educated — 48.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.9%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 105°F
Rent averages $159/mo less ($1,663 vs $1,822)
Smaller class sizes — 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,700
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Surprise
Surprise, AZ
Pros
70% less violent crime than Beaverton
Homes cost $142k less ($352,600 vs $494,700)
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 49°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Beaverton
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaverton
Median Income
$1,143
$88,899 vs $87,756/yr
Beaverton
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.9% vs 4.6% unemployment
Surprise
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Violent Crime
70% lower
109.1 vs 364.8 per 100k
Surprise
Median Home Value
$142k less
$352,600 vs $494,700
Surprise
Summer Heat
22.3°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 82.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Surprise leads 14 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 9 and Surprise wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Beaverton to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $352,600 median home), income ($88,899 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and Surprise, AZ are about 983 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.