Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 13 of 23 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Surprise
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,756 ✓ Higher
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.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Rent averages $451/mo less ($1,371 vs $1,822)
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 105°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Surprise
Cons
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Surprise by $9,125/yr
Surprise, AZ
Pros
78% less violent crime than Raleigh
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $9,125 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 52°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Raleigh
Key Differences at a Glance
Raleigh
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 101.2 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Median Income
$9,125
$87,756 vs $78,631/yr
Surprise
Violent Crime
78% lower
109.1 vs 488.8 per 100k
Surprise
Summer Heat
14.0°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 101.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $347,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 | $87,756 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 145,591 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Surprise leads 13 of 23 categories. Raleigh wins 10 and Surprise wins 13. 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 Raleigh to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $352,600 median home), income ($78,631 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Surprise, AZ are about 1,916 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.