Surprise, Arizona is a family oriented community  that has grown at a phenomenal rate in the past five years.  It experienced a 141% growth rate that equates to 43,563 residents in the that period of time.  Surprise has 74,411 residents that call Surprise home.  Surprise has aggressive leadership who has developed the West Valley Art Museum, Surprise Commerce Park and Surprise Recreational Campus.    The Surprise Recreational Campus includes a family fun filled Aquatic Center which includes two slides and vortex whirlpool and the Surprise Stadium which includes 12 practice fields and is the spring training home for the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.  The town of Surprise also has an extensive regional library and a 5 acre urban fishing lake. 

Surprise History

Surprise, Arizona was founded in 1937 by Homer C. Ludden, who named Surprise, Arizona after his hometown – Surprise, Nebraska.   It was originally developed to house agricultural workers, but since has grown extensively first – due to the influx of active adult communities such as Sun City Grand and Arizona Traditions and second, due to the additional new communities being developed such as Marley Park, Sierra Montana and Surprise Farms. 

Surprise Real Estate

The average resale price for a home in Surprise was $255,000 and new home was $281,130 as of the end of the first quarter 2006.  Since 2004 the average resale home price has risen $105,000 or 70%.   The average new home price has risen $114,705 or 69%.  Surprise has had several new communities which has spurred such a large population growth in the past few years.  

Marley Park is a one of the new communities in Surprise, Arizona.   It includes homes from Ashton Woods, Element Homes, Engle Homes, Randall Martin Home and Scott Communities.  Sierra Montana is another growth community in Surprise.   This includes home from Beazer and Shea and Santa Anna Homes.  

Sun City Grand is part of Surprise Arizona that is an active adult community.  This Del Webb community is a gorgeous community with top of the line golf courses, community centers, work out facilities and professional landscaping throughout.   When completed it will have 9800 and an estimate of 18000 residents.

Arizona Traditions is another active adult community.  This community also has a community center, golf course, resort style pool and pickleball courts.

References:

1.  Compiled Information provided by Arizona State University, Arizona Real Estate Center, www.poly.asu.edu/arec/

2.  Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Release Date June 21, 2006

3. Wikipedia.org