Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Marcos, CA
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 13 of 22 categories
San Marcos
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59
Population
94,360
Surprise
Arizona
13
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.
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $11,657 more per year on average
More college-educated — 41.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 105°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Surprise
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $376k less ($352,600 vs $728,800)
51% less violent crime than San Marcos
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $242/mo less ($1,822 vs $2,064)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $11,657/yr
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
San Marcos
Median Income
$11,657
$99,413 vs $87,756/yr
Surprise
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Violent Crime
51% lower
109.1 vs 222.4 per 100k
Surprise
Median Home Value
$376k less
$352,600 vs $728,800
Surprise
Summer Heat
17.4°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 87.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Marcos, CA | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $728,800⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,064⚠ High | $1,822⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,413 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 42 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.5:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.5% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Marcos Unified | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,360 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.9% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 24.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Marcos's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Surprise leads 13 of 22 categories. San Marcos wins 9 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 San Marcos to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($728,800 vs $352,600 median home), income ($99,413 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Marcos, CA and Surprise, AZ are about 275 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.