Tucson, Arizona
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Tucson.
Key figures
Each metric shows how Tucson compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 543,348City limits · not metro/MSA
- Median household income
- $54,546Incorporated place (ACS)31% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538
- Housing cost index
- 80ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)20% below U.S. avgU.S. 100
- Median home value
- $242,200City limits (ACS)20% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,079City limits (ACS)20% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348
- Unemployment
- 4.7%County LAUS · not city-onlyNear U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts
- Avg commute
- 23 min8% below U.S. avgU.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 43Near U.S. avg (45)U.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 688.4annualized per 100k · citywide14% above U.S. avgU.S. 602.7
- Property crime rate
- 3272annualized per 100k · citywide6% above U.S. avgU.S. 3084.9
- Summer high
- 100°F13.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 42°F8.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 10.6 in68% below U.S. avgU.S. 32.9 in
- Sunny days
- 31820% above U.S. avgU.S. 266
Compare Tucson with another city
Relocators eyeing Tucson, Arizona will find roughly 543,348 residents within city limits. Median household income is roughly $54,546, while the ACS housing-cost index sits near 80 — among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs (100 ≈ U.S. average). Budget for median rents around $1,079 a month before you lock a neighborhood.
Tucson sits in that mid-to-large city band where urban and quieter residential pockets often share one municipal boundary. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Tucson with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Desert heat and monsoon bursts define the outdoor calendar. Summer highs near 100°F make shade, pools, and strong A/C practical necessities. Plan on roughly 23 minutes each way for a typical commute; Walk Score is about 43. Unemployment recently ran near 4.7%, broadly in line with many large U.S. counties. Violent-offense rates near 688.4 per 100k sit in a mid-to-elevated band versus many peer cities in this catalog.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Tucson city, 1600000US0477000)
- BLS: BLS LAUS LAUCN040190000000003 (Pima County, May 2026)
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00023160 TUCSON INTL AP)
Last updated 2026-07-28