| Measure | PhoenixArizona, United States Remove Phoenix | SurpriseArizona, United States Remove Surprise |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| Connector Score | 7.5 | 7.7 |
| Safety | 3.7 | 8.1 |
| Affordability | 5.7 | 6.1 |
| Transportation | 8.0 | 6.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Walkability | 5.6 | 5.1 |
| Things to do | 7.2 | 5.4 |
| Food & dining | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Places to stay | 7.3 | 6.2 |
| Nature & outdoors | 4.0 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| Family friendliness | 6.2 | 4.6 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.5 | 5.5 |
| Nightlife | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| Road-trip convenience | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 6.8 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $128 | $120 |
| Mid-range | $210 | $175 |
| Luxury | $483 | $299 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 108 | 104 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,475 | $1,600 |
| Median home price | $405,689 | $435,100 |
| Population | 1.7M | 175K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Bus Airport EV charging | Drive Bus |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Phoenix | — | 40 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Road trips | — |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Pro sports, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: Jan-April | Peak: February to April |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.