Living in Tucson, AZ
Mid-size city in Arizona
Tucson is a mid-size city in Arizona, home to about 543,000 people, with 1.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: Desert mountains, sunshine, a university and a slow, artsy pace at low cost. Very hot summers.
Is Tucson a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $320k and rents for $1,950 a month
- Low taxes: about $755 state income tax per resident, 0.73% property tax
👎 Cons
- Hot summers: highs around 99°F
- Smaller job market: about 1.0 million people live within 31 mi
- Fewer graduates: 30% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Tucson ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Tucson: common questions
What is the cost of living in Tucson?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $320k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,950 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 97, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Tucson?
Arizona collects about $755 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.73% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Tucson safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Tucson?
Tucson is warm all year: winter days average around 67°F and summer days around 99°F.
Does Tucson get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and heat waves: 2 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.04 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Tucson?
The nearest major airport is TUS, about 6 mi away.
How Tucson scores
Each bar compares Tucson with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Tucson right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.