Sun City Grand is a Del Webb age-restricted community inside the City of Surprise, in the northwest Valley of greater Phoenix. It sits just across Grand Avenue (US 60) from Sun City West, while the original Sun City lies farther southeast, between Peoria, Youngtown and El Mirage.
Sun Cities location at a glance
- Sun City Grand (The Grand): part of the City of Surprise, about 4,000 acres, not gated
- Sun City West: unincorporated Maricopa County, with Surprise on its north, west and south sides and US 60 (Grand Avenue) along its southwest edge
- Sun City: unincorporated Maricopa County, bordered by Peoria, Youngtown, El Mirage and Surprise
- Hospitals: Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center (Sun City West) and Banner Boswell Medical Center (Sun City)
- Airports: Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) for airline flights; Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) is general aviation
- Age rules: all three are age-restricted; the details are in each community's CC&Rs
I hear "where is Sun City Grand?" all the time from buyers comparing the three big Del Webb names on a map. They share a builder and a lifestyle history, but they are separate communities with separate associations and separate recreation memberships. Here is how they line up, plus the hospitals and airports you will likely map first.
Where is Sun City Grand?
Sun City Grand, which its community association now markets as The Grand, is a Del Webb active-adult community inside the City of Surprise. The association describes it as part of the City of Surprise and the Dysart School District, covering roughly 4,000 acres with more than 9,500 homes plus condos. It is not a gated community, and it is not a section of Sun City West or Sun City. It has its own association and its own golf courses: Desert Springs, Cimarron, Granite Falls North and Granite Falls South.
The association also notes that residents can cross Grand Avenue (US 60) to reach the hospital and nearby medical offices. That puts The Grand on the opposite side of Grand Avenue from the Banner Del E. Webb campus in Sun City West. If you are touring, start here: Sun City Grand homes for sale in Surprise.
Where is Sun City West?
Sun City West is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Maricopa County. Del Webb built it west of the original Sun City, and it was finished in 1997. Surprise surrounds it on the north, west and south. Loop 303 runs along its north and northwest edge, and US 60 (Grand Avenue) runs along its southwest edge. Wikipedia places it about 23 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. The Recreation Centers of Sun City West runs its recreation facilities, and the community describes itself as an age-restricted community in the northwest Valley. More detail: moving to Sun City West, AZ.
Where is Sun City?
Sun City is the original. Del Webb opened it on January 1, 1960, on land bought from the J.G. Boswell Company. Like Sun City West, it is an unincorporated community in Maricopa County. Peoria borders it on the north, east and south. Youngtown is to the southwest, El Mirage to the west and Surprise to the northwest. Wikipedia puts it about 16 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. The Sun City CC&Rs require at least one occupant of each home to be 55 or older and set limits on residents under 19. Full guide: moving to Sun City, AZ.
How the three line up on a map
If you read the map from southeast to northwest, you hit Sun City first, closest to Peoria. Sun City West comes next, west of Sun City and wrapped by Surprise. Sun City Grand is inside Surprise, across Grand Avenue from the Sun City West hospital campus. A pin labeled "Sun City" is not interchangeable with West or Grand. Recreation memberships do not carry over from one community to another, so confirm which association a listing belongs to before you fall in love with a golf course.
For a side-by-side look at lifestyle and housing, read Sun City vs Sun City West vs Sun City Grand.
Hospitals near the Sun Cities
Two Banner Health hospitals sit inside the Sun Cities themselves:
- Banner Boswell Medical Center, 10401 W Thunderbird Blvd, Sun City
- Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center, 14502 W Meeker Blvd, Sun City West
Which one is closer depends on your exact home and the kind of care you need. I do not rank hospitals. Map the emergency route from any home on your shortlist before you buy. For more medical options, see hospitals near Sun City, AZ.
Nearby shopping
Everyday shopping for all three communities runs along the West Valley arterial roads in Surprise, Peoria, El Mirage and Youngtown. Sun City opened in 1960 with its own shopping center, and newer retail has grown up around Surprise. I would rather not list stores from memory, since centers and anchors change. On a tour we drive the actual grocery, pharmacy and hardware runs from the listing you like. Good questions to ask:
- Where is the closest full grocery store from this driveway?
- Is there a second option when that center is busy in season?
- Which errands can I handle without getting on Grand Avenue or Loop 303?
Airports
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is the City of Phoenix's main airport and handles most airline flights for Sun Cities buyers and visitors. The city's aviation department also runs Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) and Deer Valley Airport (DVT). GYR is a general aviation reliever airport in Goodyear, a little over 2 miles south of I-10, used for corporate aircraft, maintenance and flight training rather than airline service.
Plan your first arrival with extra time. Snowbird season and weekday rush hours both affect the drive in from PHX, so check a live map for the time of day you will actually land.
What to check before you buy based on location
- Which association the home belongs to: Sun City, Sun City West or The Grand
- Which city or county services apply (Surprise for The Grand, Maricopa County for Sun City and Sun City West)
- The age-restriction rules in that community's CC&Rs
- Live directions to your hospital, grocery and airport at the times you would drive them
- Utility providers for the address. See Sun City utilities setup.
Still comparing other options? Browse Arizona 55+ living or active adult 55+ homes in Arizona.
Questions people ask about where Sun City Grand is
Is Sun City Grand inside Sun City or Sun City West?
No. Sun City Grand (The Grand) is its own community inside the City of Surprise, with its own association and golf courses. Sun City and Sun City West are separate unincorporated communities in Maricopa County.
What city is Sun City Grand in?
Surprise, Arizona. The community association states that The Grand is part of the City of Surprise and the Dysart School District. Confirm school boundaries with the district for any address.
Which hospitals are near the Sun Cities?
Banner Boswell Medical Center is in Sun City on W Thunderbird Blvd, and Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center is in Sun City West on W Meeker Blvd. Residents of The Grand reach the Del E. Webb campus by crossing Grand Avenue.
How far are the Sun Cities from Phoenix?
Wikipedia places Sun City about 16 miles and Sun City West about 23 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. Drive times vary by route and traffic, so check a live map for your address.
Are all three Sun Cities age-restricted?
Yes. Each is an age-restricted community, and the specific occupancy rules are written in that community's CC&Rs. Read them for the home you are considering.
Want to see all three Sun Cities in one day? I can set up a tour that covers Sun City, Sun City West and The Grand, and we will map the hospital, grocery and airport trips that matter to you from each home.
Terry Day, DeLex Realty, REALTOR, helps buyers compare Sun City, Sun City West and Sun City Grand. Call or text Terry Day at 602-483-4665.