Population 28,867 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sun City West
Household size in Sun City West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.73 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.71 | 2.91 | 2.84 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.71 | 2.91 | 2.82 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.75 | 2.80 | 2.70 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.03 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Sun City West is a place of small households, averaging 1.75 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the south. Of the 110 Arizona cities with 5,000+ people, only three 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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.2 | 35.6 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 73.5 | 36.9 | 38.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 74.2 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 72.2 | 39.1 | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +3.5 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 72.2, Sun City West is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 73.2, even as the national median rose. Only two of the 110 Arizona cities with 5,000+ people 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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 0.8% | 14.0% | 13.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 0.7% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 1.4% of households in Sun City West, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 10.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Arizona city with 5,000+ people has 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 West
Renters in Sun City West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 32.8% | 32.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 37.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 33.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +0.6 pts | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 11.7% of households in Sun City West rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than half of owners (53.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the north. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.3 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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 14.1% | 15.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 14.1% | 15.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.1% | 10.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −5.6 pts | −5.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.6% of the housing in Sun City West, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1988 | 1987 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1989 | 1988 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1990 | 1989 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Sun City West is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The picture is much the same across the Phoenix area. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,176 | $1,123 | $1,043 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,357 | $1,158 | $1,078 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,417 | $1,342 | $1,227 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,074 | $1,927 | $1,736 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$898 | +$804 | +$694 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sun City West pays $2,074 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $898 a month from 2006–10, a 76% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the east.
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 West
Bachelor's degrees in Sun City West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6% | 27.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 28.5% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 31.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 35.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Sun City West as nationally: 34.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.2 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.9% | 85.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 86.0% | 85.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 87.2% | 86.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.9% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sun City West: 96.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Sun City West has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Arizona cities.
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 West
| Period | Sun City West | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 5.3% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Sun City West than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.8 points, mirroring the country. 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 West 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 West | 1.75 | 72.2 | 1.4% | 11.7% | 13.6% | 1991 | $2,074 | 34.8% | 96.9% | 3.7% |
| Surprise | 2.88 | 42.5 | 12.4% | 20.6% | 7.0% | 2007 | $2,214 | 30.0% | 93.5% | 4.8% |
| Sun City | 1.92 | 66.6 | 3.8% | 14.6% | 13.5% | 1980 | $1,807 | 27.2% | 94.2% | 5.5% |
| El Mirage | 3.34 | 32.9 | 21.1% | 30.3% | 6.8% | 2000 | $1,864 | 14.8% | 81.1% | 5.5% |
| Peoria | 2.80 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 24.7% | 6.7% | 1999 | $2,031 | 37.1% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| Youngtown | 2.64 | 42.3 | 8.6% | 35.3% | 6.3% | 1981 | $1,398 | 13.8% | 83.2% | 3.1% |
| Waddell | 3.05 | 37.9 | 9.2% | 8.3% | 5.9% | 2010 | $2,501 | 25.1% | 93.6% | 4.1% |
| Luke Afb | 2.79 | 21.7 | 10.7% | 13.0% | 1.8% | 1998 | $2,185 | 30.1% | 99.8% | 0.1% |
| Glendale | 2.90 | 36.3 | 15.7% | 39.5% | 6.3% | 1986 | $1,744 | 24.7% | 85.1% | 5.5% |
| Litchfield Park | 3.13 | 37.9 | 10.8% | 19.2% | 6.8% | 2006 | $2,364 | 37.1% | 93.6% | 4.3% |
| Wittmann | 2.66 | 45.1 | 9.3% | 6.7% | 6.9% | 2005 | $1,394 | 20.9% | 90.2% | 2.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Wilmette, IL · Collinsville, IL · Corbin, KY · Corsicana, TX · Fleming Island, FL · Forest Grove, OR · Forest Hills, MI · Washington, UT · Waynesboro, VA · Wellesley, MA
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 West. 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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