Tucson AZ
Arizona · Pop. 547,073
Tucson, AZ: median household income of $57,073, median rent of $1,145/mo, 6.2% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$57,073
per year
Median Rent
$1,145
per month
Median Home
$266k
home value
Unemployment
6.2%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
18.9%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
22 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Tucson, AZ Reality Check"
In Tucson, the rent-to-income burden runs around 24% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $57,073 and median rent is $1,145/month. 52% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $266,200 — that's 4.7× the median income. Employment picture: 6.16% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 18.9% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 22 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 51.8/100k avg monthly rate (10230 reported); Property crime: 272.5/100k avg monthly rate (53756 reported). Tucson was founded in 1775 — that's 251 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 227.0 sq miles at 2,410 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 2,388 ft — elevated terrain. Tucson has 10 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 61/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Weather
/100Average high 83.6°F, low 58.5°F. 144 days per year above 90°F. 14.7 inches of annual precipitation.
Safety
/100Violent crime: 51.8/100k avg monthly rate (10230 reported); Property crime: 272.5/100k avg monthly rate (53756 reported).