Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 12 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
Surprise
Arizona
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High
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.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
Rent averages $444/mo less ($1,378 vs $1,822)
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.2%)
Households earn $13,120 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Surprise, AZ
Pros
41% less violent crime than Overland Park
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Median income trails Overland Park by $13,120/yr
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.2%)
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 101.2 (100 = US avg)
Overland Park
Median Income
$13,120
$100,876 vs $87,756/yr
Overland Park
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.6% unemployment
Surprise
Violent Crime
41% lower
109.1 vs 184.4 per 100k
Surprise
Summer Heat
16.4°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 101.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 ✓ Larger | 145,591 |
| Median Age | 38.4 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Overland Park is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Surprise leads 12 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 11 and Surprise wins 12. 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 Overland Park to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $352,600 median home), income ($100,876 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and Surprise, AZ are about 1,051 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.