What it's like to live in Marana
Marana is a smaller city in Arizona with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Marana deals with rent well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and very hot summers.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Air quality concerns
- Very hot summers
How Marana compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Marana
Based on Marana's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,636
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $72,720 a year
- 39% of Marana renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$82,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $41,380
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 29% above US
$1,818/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,818 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $413,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $413,800 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 81% below US
62 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1286/100k · Marana Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 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 40°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 33% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
20 public schools inside the boundary
There are 20 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Saguaro National Park (28 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Marana's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,818/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Marana
All Arizona guides →Moving to Casas Adobes →
12 mi away · pop. 72,059
Rent $1,650/mo · Income $83,683
Compare with Marana →Moving to Flowing Wells →
13 mi away · pop. 16,559
Rent $1,034/mo · Income $39,774
Compare with Marana →Not sure Marana is the one?
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