Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 14 of 22 categories
Santa Clara
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
128,058
Surprise
Arizona
14
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.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $77,596 more per year on average
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 105°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Property crime (2501.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $1088k less ($352,600 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1019/mo less ($1,822 vs $2,841)
40% less violent crime than Santa Clara
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clara
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 60°F
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $77,596/yr
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Median Income
$77,596
$165,352 vs $87,756/yr
Surprise
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Violent Crime
40% lower
109.1 vs 182.0 per 100k
Surprise
Median Home Value
$1088k less
$352,600 vs $1,440,200
Surprise
Summer Heat
23.8°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 80.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $1,822⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Surprise leads 14 of 22 categories. Santa Clara wins 8 and Surprise wins 14. 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 Santa Clara to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $352,600 median home), income ($165,352 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Surprise, AZ are about 592 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.