Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 17 of 22 categories
Orange
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60
Population
138,728
Surprise
Arizona
17
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $21,579 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 105°F
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Surprise
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $496k less ($352,600 vs $848,200)
52% less violent crime than Orange
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $326/mo less ($1,822 vs $2,148)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $21,579/yr
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$21,579
$109,335 vs $87,756/yr
Surprise
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Violent Crime
52% lower
109.1 vs 226.1 per 100k
Surprise
Median Home Value
$496k less
$352,600 vs $848,200
Surprise
Summer Heat
22.1°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,822⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Surprise leads 17 of 22 categories. Orange wins 5 and Surprise wins 17. 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 Orange to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $352,600 median home), income ($109,335 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Surprise, AZ are about 311 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.