Sun City, AZ
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What Sun City is actually like
Sun City opened January 1, 1960, after Del E. Webb Development Company bought 20,000 acres northwest of Phoenix in June 1959 for more than $20 million. Webb's gamble on an age-restricted retirement community — then an unproven concept — drew roughly 100,000 visitors on opening weekend, ten times what the company expected, and landed Sun City on the cover of Time magazine. The name itself came from a nationwide contest Webb ran before opening, with the winning entrant receiving a house. Del Webb went on to build seven recreation centers and eight golf courses as Sun City expanded through the 1960s and '70s into the country's first large-scale active-adult community.
Sun City remains unincorporated, with about 40,000 residents and a median age of roughly 73 — nearly 76% of residents were 65 or older as of the 2020 census. Every home carries an HOA deed restriction requiring at least one resident age 55 or older, a covenant the community has enforced since 1960. Housing is almost entirely single-story, patio-style homes built from the 1960s through the 1990s, generally the most affordable stock in the northwest Valley. Residents have no assigned public school district — the community successfully lobbied decades ago to sit outside any district boundary — so any school-age grandchildren attend Peoria or Dysart Unified schools. Sun City is known today for its golf courses, rec centers, and Banner Boswell Medical Center.
Home values in Sun City
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put the typical home value in Sun City at $299,904 as of May 2026, down 3.3% year-over-year.
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Explore Specialty Resources →Getting around
No light rail. Valley Metro Bus routes 106 and 138 serve Sun City; otherwise the community is largely auto-dependent, with many residents also using golf carts locally.
Neighborhood FAQ
When did Sun City open, and who built it?
Developer Del E. Webb opened Sun City on January 1, 1960, after buying 20,000 acres in June 1959; roughly 100,000 people showed up opening weekend.
Is Sun City age-restricted?
Yes — every home carries an HOA deed restriction requiring at least one resident 55 or older, a rule in place since 1960. The 2020 census put the median age at 72.6.
What school district serves Sun City?
Sun City sits outside any public school district boundary by design; school-age children in the household typically attend Peoria Unified or Dysart Unified schools.
What's the median home value in Sun City?
About $300,000 as of May 2026 per Zillow, down about 3.3% year-over-year — among the more affordable markets in the northwest Valley.
Nearby alternatives*
Peoria
About 6 miles west via Grand Avenue (US-60), typically 12-15 minutes. Redfin puts Peoria's median sale price at $509,663, well above Sun City's $299,904. Peoria is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
Surprise
About 6 miles south via Grand Avenue (US-60), typically 12-15 minutes. Redfin puts Surprise's median sale price at $427,786, well above Sun City's $299,904. Surprise is also served by Valley Metro bus routes rather than rail.
Anthem
About 14 miles south via I-17 to Loop 101, typically 20-25 minutes. Zillow puts Anthem's typical home value at $566,866, well above Sun City's $299,904. Anthem is more car-dependent, with little to no fixed-route transit.
*We're not ranking these — every neighborhood has real trade-offs, and which ones matter is up to you.