Population 49,598 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sun City
Household size in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.88 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.97 | 2.91 | 2.84 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.97 | 2.91 | 2.82 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.92 | 2.80 | 2.70 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.03 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Sun City is a place of small households, averaging 1.92 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 1.88 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of the 110 Arizona cities with 5,000+ people, only five have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.2 | 35.6 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 66.0 | 36.9 | 38.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 66.0 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 66.6 | 39.1 | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +3.5 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
Sun City skews older: half of its residents are older than 66.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 65.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 110 Arizona cities with 5,000+ people, only five are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 14.0% | 13.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.8% of households in Sun City, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only five of the 110 Arizona cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sun City
Renters in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 32.8% | 32.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 37.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 36.6% | 35.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 33.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +0.6 pts | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.6% of households in Sun City rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly half of owners (48.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.0 points, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 14.1% | 15.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 14.1% | 15.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 10.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −5.6 pts | −5.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Sun City: 13.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1988 | 1987 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1989 | 1988 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1990 | 1989 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Sun City was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are older than in the wider Phoenix area, where the median home dates to 1993. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing. Of the 110 Arizona cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,189 | $1,123 | $1,043 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,108 | $1,158 | $1,078 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,304 | $1,342 | $1,227 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,807 | $1,927 | $1,736 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$618 | +$804 | +$694 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sun City costs $1,807 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Phoenix area as a whole ($1,927). Rents are up $618 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 39.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sun City
Bachelor's degrees in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 27.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 28.5% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 31.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.2% | 35.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Sun City than nationally: 27.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 85.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 86.0% | 85.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 87.2% | 86.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sun City is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sun City
| Period | Sun City | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.3% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sun City is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sun City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun City | 1.92 | 66.6 | 3.8% | 14.6% | 13.5% | 1980 | $1,807 | 27.2% | 94.2% | 5.5% |
| Peoria | 2.80 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 24.7% | 6.7% | 1999 | $2,031 | 37.1% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| El Mirage | 3.34 | 32.9 | 21.1% | 30.3% | 6.8% | 2000 | $1,864 | 14.8% | 81.1% | 5.5% |
| Youngtown | 2.64 | 42.3 | 8.6% | 35.3% | 6.3% | 1981 | $1,398 | 13.8% | 83.2% | 3.1% |
| Sun City West | 1.75 | 72.2 | 1.4% | 11.7% | 13.6% | 1991 | $2,074 | 34.8% | 96.9% | 3.7% |
| Glendale | 2.90 | 36.3 | 15.7% | 39.5% | 6.3% | 1986 | $1,744 | 24.7% | 85.1% | 5.5% |
| Surprise | 2.88 | 42.5 | 12.4% | 20.6% | 7.0% | 2007 | $2,214 | 30.0% | 93.5% | 4.8% |
| Luke Afb | 2.79 | 21.7 | 10.7% | 13.0% | 1.8% | 1998 | $2,185 | 30.1% | 99.8% | 0.1% |
| Litchfield Park | 3.13 | 37.9 | 10.8% | 19.2% | 6.8% | 2006 | $2,364 | 37.1% | 93.6% | 4.3% |
| Waddell | 3.05 | 37.9 | 9.2% | 8.3% | 5.9% | 2010 | $2,501 | 25.1% | 93.6% | 4.1% |
| Phoenix area | 2.80 | 39.1 | 12.9% | 33.4% | 8.4% | 1993 | $1,927 | 35.0% | 89.5% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Sicklerville, NJ · Morristown, TN · Aliso Viejo, CA · New Castle, PA · Opa-Locka, FL · Palm Desert, CA · Panorama City, CA · Parkway, CA · Portage, MI · Princeton, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sun City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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