Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Germantown, MD
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 15 of 20 categories
Germantown
Maryland
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
Surprise
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,756
Violent Crime Index
29
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $21,512 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 105°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $393,700
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Surprise
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.6%)
Homes cost $41k less ($352,600 vs $393,700)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $21,512/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Germantown
Median Income
$21,512
$109,268 vs $87,756/yr
Surprise
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Median Home Value
$41k less
$352,600 vs $393,700
Surprise
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.2% unemployment
Surprise
Summer Heat
20.3°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 84.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Germantown, MD | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $393,700⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,908⚠ High | $1,822⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,268 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 30.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 34 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 29 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 42 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.9% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County Public Schools | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.3°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,210 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Germantown's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Surprise leads 15 of 20 categories. Germantown wins 5 and Surprise wins 15. 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 Germantown to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($393,700 vs $352,600 median home), income ($109,268 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Germantown, MD and Surprise, AZ are about 1,980 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.