Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gilbert, AZ
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Gilbert leads 12 of 22 categories
Gilbert
Arizona
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35
Population
267,267 ✓ Larger
Surprise
Arizona
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,756
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gilbert, AZ
Pros
Households earn $27,423 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (132.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (3.5%)
More college-educated — 47.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $454,300
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $102k less ($352,600 vs $454,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Gilbert by $27,423/yr
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.5%)
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Gilbert
Median Income
$27,423
$115,179 vs $87,756/yr
Gilbert
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
3.5% vs 4.6% unemployment
Surprise
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 102.5 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Violent Crime
17% lower
109.1 vs 132.2 per 100k
Surprise
Median Home Value
$102k less
$352,600 vs $454,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gilbert, AZ | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.5⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $454,300⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,839⚠ High | $1,822⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,179 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 20.5% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.1% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Gilbert Unified District (4239) | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.6°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 104.2°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8" ✓ Drier | 9.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 267,267 ✓ Larger | 145,591 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.7% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 29.4% ✓ More | 24.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gilbert's cost of living index is 102.5 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Gilbert leads 12 of 22 categories. Gilbert wins 12 and Surprise wins 10. 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 Gilbert to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($454,300 vs $352,600 median home), income ($115,179 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gilbert, AZ and Surprise, AZ are about 48 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.