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Moving to
Catalina Foothills.
Catalina Foothills is an unincorporated community in Pima County, AZ. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Catalina Foothills
Catalina Foothills is a large unincorporated community in Arizona with household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Catalina Foothills deals with home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and very hot summers.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- Very hot summers
How Catalina Foothills compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Catalina Foothills
Based on Catalina Foothills's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,824
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,480 a year
- 41% of Catalina Foothills renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$130,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $65,200
- Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,412/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,412 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $652,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $652,000 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Pima County is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Pima County (county-wide)
Safety
214 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Catalina Foothills doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Pima County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 1821/100k · Policed by Pima County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 101°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 98% above US
71% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Saguaro National Park (11 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Catalina Foothills's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,412/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for people who struggle with heat.
See all the data for Catalina Foothills →·All Arizona cities →
Other places near Catalina Foothills
All Arizona guides →Moving to Casas Adobes →
5 mi away · pop. 72,059
Rent $1,650/mo · Income $83,683
Compare with Catalina Foothills →Moving to Flowing Wells →
5 mi away · pop. 16,559
Rent $1,034/mo · Income $39,774
Compare with Catalina Foothills →Moving to Oro Valley →
9 mi away · pop. 48,162
Rent $1,669/mo · Income $107,117
Compare with Catalina Foothills →Not sure Catalina Foothills is the one?
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