Sun City West, Arizona Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Sun City West is a mid-sized community located in Arizona, within Maricopa County. The total population is 27,425. It ranks as the 37th most populous out of 441 Census-designated places in Arizona.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sun City West is 74.8 years. This is 92% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 0.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 49.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sun City West is $63,685. This is 20% lower than the state median of $79,964. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.6%. This is 39% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 25% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $377,800. Housing costs are 4% lower than the state median of $394,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.9x. 88.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Sun City West has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (93.3% vs 52.6%). The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 4.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 31.4%. The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 3.5%.

Education

34.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 33.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Sun City West, Arizona is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Arizona state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 441 Census-designated places in Arizona. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.