Peoria vs Surprise.
Two Northwest Valley cities,
side by side.
Peoria is larger, closer to downtown Phoenix and has the lower city sales tax. Surprise is building faster and has the lower median price. Three school districts have tax areas in both cities, which makes the property tax comparison clean. Here is each one from the public record.
The two cities in numbers.
Every figure below comes from a government source or The Cromford Report, named at the bottom of the page. Property tax rates differ by tax area, so the table compares the same school district in each city; the full lists are on the Peoria and Surprise pages.
| Peoria | Surprise | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 200,881 | 175,304 |
| Population, 2020 Census | 190,985 | 143,148 |
| Land area | 176.08 sq mi | 110.30 sq mi |
| City sales tax, retail | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| Combined retail rate with state and county | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| Peoria Unified tax area, 2026, primary / approx. residential / secondary | 5.5917 / 4.0789 / 3.1612 | 5.8551 / 4.3423 / 2.3620 |
| Dysart Unified tax area, 2026, primary / approx. residential / secondary | 5.6154 / 4.1026 / 3.5358 | 5.8788 / 4.3660 / 2.7366 |
| Water provider | Mostly the City of Peoria | Varies by address |
| Single-family homes | 62,617 | 65,382 |
| Built 2024 to 2026 | 2,822 | 7,453 |
| Straight-line miles to Sky Harbor | 16.7 | 24.8 |
| Median single-family sale, last 12 months | $540,000 | $429,995 |
Tax rates are per $100 of assessed value. Peoria's combined sales tax rate is for the Maricopa County part of the city. Housing counts are single-family parcels with a recorded build year. Median prices are from The Cromford Report, data through 14 October 2026.
Sales tax and property tax.
Peoria's city retail rate is 1.8% and Surprise's is 2.8%, for combined retail rates of 8.1% and 9.1% with the state and county. Peoria's 8.1% applies in the Maricopa County part of the city. Surprise's 2.8% rate took effect 1 October 2024.
Three school districts have tax areas in both cities: Peoria Unified, Dysart Unified and Nadaburg Unified. In each pair, Maricopa County's 2026 primary rate is 0.2634 higher in Surprise per $100 of assessed value: 5.5917 against 5.8551 in Peoria Unified, 5.6154 against 5.8788 in Dysart, and 6.3274 against 6.5908 in Nadaburg. The secondary rate runs the other way, 0.7992 lower in Surprise in each pair: 3.1612 against 2.3620, 3.5358 against 2.7366, and 2.2524 against 1.4532. Add the two and Surprise comes out about 0.54 lower in the same school district.
Water, power and trash.
Peoria
The City of Peoria serves most addresses, and Rose Valley Water Company and Sunrise Water Company serve others. The city says groundwater is 5% of its supply after about $450 million in investment since fiscal 2000, with three water treatment plants and three water reclamation facilities, and describes a guaranteed 100-year city water supply. The city lists Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project for electric, by address, and Southwest Gas for natural gas.
Surprise
The water provider depends on the address. The city's Find your Drinking Water Provider tool shows the provider, rates and quality reports for each one. The electric provider also follows the address; check it with the utility before you budget.
Trash in Surprise
Residential curbside garbage and recycling are picked up once a week. The city's Solid Waste Department offers bulk trash and appliance pickup to the residents it serves.
Rentals, airports and casitas.
- Short-term rentals in Peoria.A free city permit under Ordinance 2022-20, requested online. Owners meet health and safety requirements, notify the neighbors with emergency contact information, carry at least $500,000 in liability insurance, run sex offender background checks on guests if the platform does not, and show the city registration number on every ad. A permit can be suspended for up to 12 months after three verified violations in a rolling 12 months or one serious infraction.
- Short-term rentals in Surprise.A city license for each location, $250 per license, under the ordinance the City Council adopted 11 April 2023. Bring a 24-hour emergency contact, a state TPT license and proof of $500,000 in general liability insurance. Staff decide within 7 city business days, then the owner notifies the neighbors and posts a notice inside the rental.
- Every rental in Surprise.Long and short term, every rental registers with the Maricopa County Assessor as legal class 4, residential rental. An unregistered rental can bring a $100 violation per day.
- Airports.Luke Air Force Base is about 6.6 miles from Surprise City Hall and about 9.0 from Peoria City Hall. Phoenix Deer Valley Airport is about 11.6 miles from Peoria City Hall and 16.9 from Surprise City Hall. Check the Arizona Department of Real Estate's airport and military airport maps for the address.
- Casitas.Both cities fall under the state ADU law for cities over 75,000 people: one attached and one detached unit, up to 1,000 square feet or 75% of the house, whichever is less. Land near a public airport with noise above 65 decibels, or in the vicinity of a military airport such as Luke, is excluded.
- Project Baccara, outside Surprise.Takanock, LLC proposes two data center buildings with about 700 megawatts of natural gas generators at the northeast corner of Olive Avenue and the Bullard Avenue alignment, north of Luke Air Force Base. Maricopa County is the approving body. The City of Surprise has asked for air quality, noise, groundwater and other studies.
School districts by address.
Both cities are served by several unified districts, and Peoria Unified, Dysart Unified and Nadaburg Unified appear in both. Some tax areas in each city carry no school district. The address decides the district.
- Peoria:Peoria Unified, Deer Valley Unified, Dysart Unified and Nadaburg Unified. Two tax areas carry no school district.
- Surprise:Dysart Unified, Peoria Unified, Nadaburg Unified and Wickenburg Unified. Three tax areas carry no school district.
Roads and distance.
In a straight line, Peoria City Hall, 8401 W. Monroe St., is 13.0 miles from Phoenix City Hall and 16.7 from Sky Harbor. Surprise City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza, is 20.9 and 24.8. US 60 (Grand Avenue) and Loop 303 serve Surprise. Neither city has a Valley Metro light rail station. Road miles run longer; measure the drive from the address.
ADOT has near-term improvements planned at US 60 and 163rd Avenue and at the US 60 and Loop 303 interchange, and long-term work on US 60 from Deer Valley Road to Loop 303 and at the Loop 303 and 155th Avenue interchange.
A lake, two ballparks and community parks.
Lake Pleasant
At the north end of Peoria. Maricopa County Parks says it holds up to 10,000 acres of water.
Spring training
The Mariners and Padres train at the Peoria Sports Complex in the P83 Entertainment District. The Rangers and Royals train at Surprise Stadium. See my Spring Training guide.
Community parks in Surprise
Master-planned communities such as Marley Park, Sterling Grove and Sun City Grand offer amenities, parks and golf along Loop 303.
Established and new.
Peoria spans older and newer housing. In 85345, most single-family houses were built from 1978 to 2004, with a median living area of 1,518 square feet. In 85383, to the north, they run from 2001 to 2022 on lots of about 5,750 to 15,644 square feet, with a median of 2,533. Vistancia is the master-planned community leading growth to the north.
Surprise is mostly 1996 and newer. 85374 runs from 1996 to 2004 with a median of 1,712 square feet. 85387 runs from 2003 to 2025 and 85388 from 2003 to 2023, with medians of 2,025 and 2,167. Master-planned communities line Loop 303, from Marley Park and Sterling Grove to Asante, and the city has several age-restricted communities, including Sun City Grand, now branded The Grand.
Surprise is building faster. County records show 7,453 single-family homes with a 2024 to 2026 build year in Surprise, 5,834 of them in 85387, and 2,822 in Peoria, 2,303 of them in 85383. Peoria has more condos and townhouses, 5,022 against Surprise's 1,935.
Prices right now.
As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median sale price over the last 12 months at $540,000 in Peoria, down 1.0% on the year, and $429,995 in Surprise, down 0.6%. Its Market Index reads 76.8 in Peoria and 60.4 in Surprise; both favor buyers, Surprise more strongly. Supply is 4.6 months in Peoria and 5.2 in Surprise. With that much supply, a buyer has room to negotiate in both, and new-build incentives belong in the comparison.
What each city offers.
- Peoriaoffers a range, from established central neighborhoods near P83 to larger, newer houses on bigger lots in 85383, plus Vistancia, with Lake Pleasant to the north. It sits closer to downtown Phoenix and Sky Harbor, has the lower sales tax and the lower primary property tax rate in shared school districts, and the city serves most addresses with water. The median price is higher.
- Surpriseoffers mostly newer houses, the most new construction of the two, master-planned and age-restricted communities along Loop 303, a lower median price and a lower combined property tax rate in shared school districts. The trade is distance, a higher sales tax, and Luke Air Force Base closer to City Hall, which matters for disclosures and casitas.
- In both,the tax area, the HOA, the school district, the water provider and the electric provider follow the address. I check all five, plus airport and military maps, before you write an offer.
Common questions
Is Peoria or Surprise bigger?
Peoria. The Census Bureau estimates 200,881 people in Peoria and 175,304 in Surprise as of July 2025. Peoria also has more land, 176.08 square miles against 110.30.
Which has lower taxes, Peoria or Surprise?
It depends on the tax. Peoria's city retail sales tax is 1.8% against Surprise's 2.8%. In the school districts both share, Maricopa County's 2026 primary property tax rate is 0.2634 lower in Peoria per $100 of assessed value, but the secondary rate is 0.7992 lower in Surprise, so the two together come out about 0.54 lower in Surprise.
Who provides water in Peoria and Surprise?
In Peoria, mostly the city, with Rose Valley Water Company and Sunrise Water Company serving some areas. In Surprise, it depends on the address; the city's Find your Drinking Water Provider tool shows the provider for each one.
Is it cheaper to buy a house in Peoria or Surprise?
On median price, Surprise. As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median over the last 12 months at $429,995 in Surprise and $540,000 in Peoria.
How far are Peoria and Surprise from Phoenix?
In a straight line, Peoria City Hall is 13.0 miles from Phoenix City Hall and Surprise City Hall is 20.9. Drive times depend on the address.
Do I need a license to run a short-term rental in Peoria or Surprise?
Yes, in both. Peoria requires a free city permit under Ordinance 2022-20. Surprise requires a city license for each location, $250 per license, and every rental there must be registered with the Maricopa County Assessor.
Weighing Peoria or Surprise?
Send me the addresses or new-build communities you are weighing. I will pull the tax area, water provider, airport maps and comparable sales for each. Call or text 480-485-4261. If you already have an agent under contract, ask them first.
Own a home in either city? See what the county has on file and get a real value. Looking? Search homes for sale.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Sources: population and land area, U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Peoria city and Surprise city (Vintage 2025 estimates and the 2020 Census); sales tax, Arizona Department of Revenue State, County and City Transaction Privilege Tax Rate Table, effective 1 October 2026 (combined rates add the state, county and city retail rates; Peoria's combined rate is for the Maricopa County part of the city); property tax and school district tax areas, Maricopa County 2026 Tax Rates by tax area code; Peoria water and utilities, City of Peoria Economic Development Utilities; Surprise water, City of Surprise Drinking Water; Surprise trash, City of Surprise Trash and Recycling Information; rentals, City of Peoria short-term rental ordinance release, 20 December 2022 and City of Surprise Rental Properties; ADUs, A.R.S. 9-461.18; airports, Arizona Department of Real Estate Airport Boundary Maps; Project Baccara, City of Surprise Project Baccara; road projects, City of Surprise Major Transportation Projects pages; Lake Pleasant, Maricopa County Parks; housing counts and build years, Maricopa County Assessor parcel records, counted 25 October 2026; distances, straight-line miles between published coordinates; market figures, The Cromford Report, data through 14 October 2026, credited to The Cromford Report. School districts are named, not rated. All checked 29 October 2026.