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Phoenix vs Surprise Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Phoenix crime rate · Surprise crime rate

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Is Phoenix or Surprise Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Surprise is safer than Phoenix (Safety Score 75/100 vs 17/100), with a total crime rate of 985 per 100,000 versus 3,125 for Phoenix — 68% lower. Phoenix has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where Surprise has a 94% lower rate.

Note: Phoenix is 10.2x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Phoenix, AZ?

Phoenix — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Surprise — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix, AZ
Safety Score 17/100
Coverage 1,662,809
Total Crime Rate 3,125.4
Category Wins 0/7

Surprise, AZ

Surprise, AZ
Safety Score 75/100
Coverage 163,202
Total Crime Rate 984.7
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Phoenix Surprise Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,125.4 984.7 +2,140.7
Violent Crime Rate 800.0 109.1 +691.0
Murder Rate 8.4 7.4 +1.0
Rape Rate 64.3 16.5 +47.8
Robbery Rate 181.6 11.0 +170.6
Aggravated Assault Rate 545.3 74.1 +471.2
Property Crime Rate 2,325.3 875.6 +1,449.7
Burglary Rate 317.2 94.4 +222.8
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,582.1 682.0 +900.2
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 426.0 99.3 +326.8

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Phoenix, AZ to Surprise, AZ?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phoenix or Surprise safer?

Surprise is safer with a total crime rate of 985 per 100K vs 3,125 for Phoenix — a 68% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Phoenix has a violent crime rate of 800.0 per 100K while Surprise has 109.1. Surprise has lower violent crime.

About Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix, Arizona, the "Valley of the Sun," is a sprawling desert metropolis with a rich Native American heritage, including the Hohokam people. It's the fifth-largest city in the United States by population, experiencing rapid growth in recent decades. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 1,662,809, Phoenix has a total crime rate of 3,125.4 per 100,000 residents.

About Surprise, AZ

Surprise, Arizona, once a small farming community founded in 1938, is now a rapidly growing city in the Sonoran Desert. Located northwest of Phoenix, it's home to a significant population of retirees and families. With a safety score of 75/100 and a population coverage of 163,202, Surprise has a total crime rate of 984.7 per 100,000 residents.

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