Population 14,242 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sun Lakes
Household size in Sun Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.73 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.78 | 2.91 | 2.84 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.73 | 2.91 | 2.82 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.66 | 2.80 | 2.70 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.03 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Sun Lakes are small: just 1.66 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 1.73 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Arizona city with 5,000+ people has 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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.0 | 35.6 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 71.4 | 36.9 | 38.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 72.4 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 72.5 | 39.1 | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +3.5 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
Sun Lakes skews older: half of its residents are older than 72.5, 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 70.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Arizona city with 5,000+ people is 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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.8% | 14.0% | 13.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Sun Lakes: 4.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 5.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six 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 Lakes
Renters in Sun Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 32.8% | 32.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 37.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 36.6% | 35.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 33.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +0.6 pts | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 12.0% of households in Sun Lakes rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 53.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 14.1% | 15.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 14.1% | 15.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 10.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −5.6 pts | −5.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Sun Lakes: 15.5% of homes are empty, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1991 | 1988 | 1987 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1989 | 1988 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1990 | 1989 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Sun Lakes has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across the Phoenix area. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,475 | $1,123 | $1,043 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,469 | $1,158 | $1,078 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,472 | $1,342 | $1,227 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,289 | $1,927 | $1,736 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$813 | +$804 | +$694 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sun Lakes costs $2,289 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $813 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 44.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 Lakes
Bachelor's degrees in Sun Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3% | 27.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.2% | 28.5% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.5% | 31.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.6% | 35.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Sun Lakes than nationally: 39.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east 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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 85.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.6% | 86.0% | 85.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 87.2% | 86.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.9% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sun Lakes: 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 is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Sun Lakes 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 Lakes
| Period | Sun Lakes | Phoenix area | Arizona | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.3% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Sun Lakes than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.0 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 Lakes 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 Lakes | 1.66 | 72.5 | 4.4% | 12.0% | 15.5% | 1991 | $2,289 | 39.6% | 96.9% | 4.1% |
| Santan | 4.31 | 30.9 | 39.2% | 34.3% | 8.2% | 2003 | $929 | 5.4% | 66.3% | 17.4% |
| Chandler | 2.66 | 38.4 | 11.4% | 35.6% | 6.4% | 1998 | $2,079 | 48.5% | 93.8% | 3.6% |
| Wet Camp Village | 4.67 | 29.3 | 38.6% | 47.4% | 4.4% | 1999 | $506 | 6.0% | 77.7% | 6.8% |
| Stotonic Village | 3.91 | 31.8 | 42.0% | 16.0% | 15.7% | 2007 | $1,537 | 4.8% | 44.4% | 36.6% |
| Bapchule | 4.22 | 30.5 | 30.0% | 36.0% | 4.6% | 2002 | $989 | 10.5% | 79.0% | 5.4% |
| Casa Blanca | 4.61 | 29.6 | 38.3% | 46.0% | 4.4% | 1999 | $534 | 6.1% | 78.1% | 6.9% |
| Gilbert | 2.95 | 36.2 | 10.8% | 27.6% | 5.2% | 2003 | $2,299 | 48.6% | 96.4% | 3.4% |
| Guadalupe | 3.17 | 33.2 | 25.8% | 51.5% | 8.5% | 1992 | $1,049 | 18.1% | 80.3% | 4.4% |
| Sacate | 11.71 | 19.3 | 94.1% | 100.0% | 22.7% | 1993 | $2,120 | 26.9% | 73.1% | 0.0% |
| Chandler Heights | 3.21 | 39.6 | 12.6% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 2009 | $1,991 | 20.5% | 84.3% | 7.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brooklyn Park, MD · Alachua, FL · Alamo, CA · Baraboo, WI · Brazil, IN · Bogalusa, LA · Aptos, CA · Boyertown, PA · Norridge, IL · New Kensington, PA
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 Lakes. 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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