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Living in
Oro Valley.
About
Life in Oro Valley
Oro Valley offers a affluent suburban lifestyle anchored by a genuine tech and biotech economy rather than tourism—major employers like Sanofi-Aventis, Roche Tissue Diagnostics, and Honeywell provide solid local jobs with a median household income around $107,000. The setting is genuinely appealing: you're backed by the Santa Catalina Mountains with hiking and outdoor access through Catalina State Park and the Coronado National Forest, though the outdoor recreation scene is balanced by an active arts culture with festivals, concerts, and public art installations throughout town. The population skews older (median age 55) and affluent, with about 58% married-couple households and strong educational attainment—two well-regarded high schools serve the area, plus a BASIS charter school ranked third nationally.
Oro Valley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
55.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Foreign-Born
10.4%
Broadband Internet
94.9%
of households
Population Growth
+2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Oro Valley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oro Valley, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (28.7%), and 8.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.3%
of residents
65 and Older
35.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.9%
of households
Married Couples
58.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% above AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in Oro Valley
In Oro Valley, rent runs 8% above the AZ average, and home values are 21% above the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,686
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
76.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1997
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $493,744 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AZ
Unemployment in Oro Valley and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Oro Valley is close to the AZ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Oro Valley Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Tucson, AZ metro area
Commute26.7 min avg
How Oro Valley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oro Valley, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 20 mi
Tucson International Airport (TUS)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 94 mi
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Major hub25.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 80% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oro Valley runs 80% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
65
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
919.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oro Valley Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 88 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Pima County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Pima County, which includes Oro Valley, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 88 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 88 | Heat | $441,500 |
| 2024 | 85 | Heat | $26.2M |
| 2023 | 86 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2022 | 94 | Flash Flood | $4.2M |
| 2021 | 84 | Flash Flood | $3.0M |
| 2020 | 63 | Heat | $327,500 |
| 2019 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $652,000 |
| 2018 | 66 | Flash Flood | $8.1M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Pima County, county-wide
Oro Valley is about 5% of Pima County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality54 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pima County, which includes Oro Valley, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
54
Good Days
123
per year
Moderate Days
234
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Pima County, county-wide
Oro Valley is about 5% of Pima County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate100°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oro Valley has hot summers (avg high 100°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
100°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
157
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
67
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
40
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 31°F | 1.35" |
| Feb | 68°F | 32°F | 1.21" |
| Mar | 75°F | 36°F | 0.70" |
| Apr | 82°F | 43°F | 0.32" |
| May | 91°F | 51°F | 0.20" |
| Jun | 101°F | 60°F | 0.35" |
| Jul | 100°F | 71°F | 2.60" |
| Aug | 98°F | 69°F | 2.54" |
| Sep | 96°F | 62°F | 1.17" |
| Oct | 87°F | 48°F | 0.79" |
| Nov | 76°F | 38°F | 0.80" |
| Dec | 66°F | 31°F | 1.17" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oro Valley
Oro Valley has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Oro Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwest Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Tucson
Sonora Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 7.3 mi away · Tucson
Banner - University Medical Center Tucson Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.5 mi away · Tucson
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oro Valley
Oro Valley's student/teacher ratio is 18.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 58.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Oro Valley (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 42,537 students · in-state tuition $13,906 · 62% graduate · median earnings $67,414 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 2,567 students · 74% graduate · median earnings $44,191 (10 yrs after entry)
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
14.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 562 students · in-state tuition $25,933 · median earnings $41,223 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Saguaro National Park, 19 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oro Valley
Oro Valley has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Saguaro National Park (19 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Saguaro National Park
National Park
19 mi awayCasa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
51 mi awayTumacácori National Historical Park
National Historical Park
59 mi awayCoronado National Memorial
National Memorial
85 mi awayTonto National Monument
National Monument
85 mi awayFort Bowie National Historic Site
National Historic Site
91 mi awayChiricahua National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oro Valley
Oro Valley Branch Library
1305 W Naranja Dr, Oro Valley
Cities Near Oro Valley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oro Valley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oro Valley FAQ
Is Oro Valley, Arizona affordable?⌄
Oro Valley's median rent is $1,669/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $107,117/year. Median home value is $475,700.
Is Oro Valley, Arizona safe?⌄
Oro Valley's violent crime rate was 65 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 919 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oro Valley, Arizona?⌄
Oro Valley has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oro Valley, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in Oro Valley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,669/month and median household income is $107,117/year. The median home value is $475,700. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oro Valley, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in Oro Valley is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from