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Living in
Tucson.
About
Life in Tucson
Living in Tucson means embracing a sprawling desert city with serious roots and an increasingly sophisticated character. The University of Arizona anchors the community and job market here, while Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the optical sciences industry (Tucson's sometimes called "Optics Valley") provide steady employment—though you'll want to check your specific field before committing, as the job market is modest with a 4.4% unemployment rate but limited growth momentum. Housing costs are genuinely affordable compared to most major metros: median home prices hover around $266,000 and rent averages around $1,145 monthly, which means your paycheck stretches further, though median household income sits at $57,073, so it's not a wealthy city overall.
Tucson at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.9%
Foreign-Born
13.4%
Broadband Internet
90.4%
of households
Population Growth
+1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Tucson: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Tucson, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (59.2%), and 25.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.3%
of residents
65 and Older
16.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.2%
of households
Married Couples
32.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.29
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 26% below AZ average
Rent, home values, and income in Tucson
In Tucson, rent runs 26% below the AZ average, and home values are 33% below the AZ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,786
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $318,760 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AZ
Unemployment in Tucson and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Tucson 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 Tucson 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
Commute21.9 min avg
How Tucson residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Tucson, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Tucson International Airport (TUS)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 103 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 12% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Tucson runs 12% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
368.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,059.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Tucson 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 Tucson, 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
Air Quality54 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pima County, which includes Tucson, 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
Climate100°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Tucson has hot summers (avg high 100°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
84°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
100°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/59°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
158
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
12
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
47
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 41°F | 0.84" |
| Feb | 69°F | 43°F | 0.84" |
| Mar | 76°F | 48°F | 0.56" |
| Apr | 83°F | 53°F | 0.24" |
| May | 92°F | 62°F | 0.20" |
| Jun | 101°F | 71°F | 0.23" |
| Jul | 100°F | 76°F | 2.21" |
| Aug | 99°F | 75°F | 1.98" |
| Sep | 95°F | 70°F | 1.32" |
| Oct | 86°F | 59°F | 0.67" |
| Nov | 75°F | 48°F | 0.56" |
| Dec | 66°F | 41°F | 0.96" |
Healthcare8 hospitals, avg 3.2/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Tucson
Tucson has 8 hospitals, averaging 3.2 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
8
within city limits
Uninsured
10.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.2 / 5
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Banner-university Medical Center South Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Banner-University Medical Center South Campus · 2800 East Ajo Way
- Outpatient center: Banner - University Family Medicine Clinic · 707 N Alvernon Way Ste 201, Tucson
- Outpatient center: Banner - University Family Medicine Clinic · 707 N Alvernon Way Ste 101, Tucson
St Joseph's Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Banner - University Medical Center Tucson Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Banner - University Medical Center Tucson Campus · 1625 North Campbell Avenue
- Outpatient center: Banner - University Family Medicine Clinic · 707 N Alvernon Way Ste 205, Tucson
- Outpatient center: Banner University Medicine North Hills Clinic · 265 W Ina Rd, Tucson
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sonora Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 13.7 mi away · Tucson
Northwest Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.8 mi away · Tucson
Northwest Medical Center Sahuarita
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Sahuarita
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Tucson
Tucson's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
224
within city limits
Private Schools
32
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Tucson
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
Private 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, 8 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Tucson
Tucson has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Saguaro National Park (8 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Saguaro National Park
National Park
8 mi awayTumacácori National Historical Park
National Historical Park
42 mi awayCoronado National Memorial
National Memorial
67 mi awayCasa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
70 mi awayFort Bowie National Historic Site
National Historic Site
83 mi awayChiricahua National Monument
National Monument
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Tucson
Joel D. Valdez Main Library
101 N Stone Ave, Tucson
Dusenberry-River Branch Library
5605 E River Rd #105, Tucson
Eckstrom-Columbus Branch Library
4350 E 22nd St, Tucson
El Pueblo Branch Library
101 W Irvington Rd, Tucson
El Rio Branch Library
1390 W Speedway Blvd, Tucson
Himmel Park Branch Library
1035 N Treat Ave, Tucson
Kirk-Bear Canyon Branch Library
8959 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson
Martha Cooper Branch Library
1377 N Catalina Ave, Tucson
Miller-Golf Links Branch Library
9640 E Golf Links Rd, Tucson
Mission Branch Library
3770 S Mission Rd, Tucson
Murphy-Wilmot Branch Library
530 N Wilmot Rd, Tucson
Quincie Douglas Branch Library
1585 E 36th St, Tucson
Compare Tucson
Popular side-by-side matchups
Cities Near Tucson
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Tucson?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Tucson FAQ
Is Tucson, Arizona affordable?⌄
Tucson's median rent is $1,145/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $57,073/year. Median home value is $266,200.
Is Tucson, Arizona safe?⌄
Tucson's violent crime rate was 368 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2060 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Tucson, Arizona?⌄
Tucson has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Tucson, Arizona?⌄
The cost of living in Tucson is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,145/month and median household income is $57,073/year. The median home value is $266,200. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Tucson, Arizona?⌄
The average commute in Tucson is 22 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