The Tucson, Arizona is a rapidly growing sun-belt city nestled within five mountain ranges. Dawn breaks over the Rincon mountains to the east, the breathtaking sunsets grace the Tucson Mountains to the west, straddling the north and northeast are the incredible Santa Catalina Mountains, reaching towards the sky in the south and southeast are the Santa Rita Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains appear to peacefully float in the northwest. Tucson has the best of both worlds with a diverse and blossoming metropolitan community and the charming historic ambiance of a small town. A unique blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American influences have combined to create Tucson's rich cultural heritage. Bestowed with the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert and an unsurpassed climate of 360 sunny days a year, residents embrace a unique lifestyle and are committed to preserving their rare quality of life.

Tucson is the seat of Pima County and was the 45th largest U.S. city in 1980, 34th largest in 1990, and 30th largest in 2000. Based on Census 2000, the April 1, 2000 population was 486,699. Tucson currently covers 226.151 square miles. The estimated population for July 2004 is 522,950. Metropolitan Tucson continues to grow by nearly 2,000 new residents each month. The local unemployment rate remained below 4% from October 2003 through March 2004. In April 2004, Pima County's unemployment rate was at 4.2%. In 2004, the sectors that are expected to have the strongest job growth in Arizona are professional and business services, education, health care, retail trade, financial industries and construction. The median household income is currently $36,758 per year.

Tourism accounts for one of every 10 jobs and adds over $1.8 billion per year to the local economy. Travel and tourism produce 40,000 jobs and has been one of the most rapidly growing industries in Tucson. After 9/11, Tucson International Airport (TIA) projected a worst-case scenario for 2002, which included a 25 percent reduction in passenger traffic and a $4 million loss in revenue. However, the airport finished out the year with only 3.3 percent fewer passengers than in 2001, which was a record-breaking year. Revenues increased by 1.7 percent. This is a reflection of the solid tourist base that Tucson enjoys.

In May of 2003, the average price of a new home in the Tucson area exceeded $200,000 for the first time; during the same month, the median new home price reached a record $175,140. In 2001, the median price of a new home was $156,514, an increase of nearly $19,000 over 2000. In May of 2004, the average sale price for all residential types was $205,076, the first time in Tucson's history that this number has topped $200,000. As the affordability of new single-family housing has lessened, used housing has acted as a substitute. However, the median price of resale homes is rising more quickly than that of new homes, leading to the likelihood that resale home prices could catch up with new home prices soon.

The cost of living in Tucson is still quite reasonable, especially compared to cities on the West and East Coast. It is estimated that it costs one-third less to live in Tucson than in cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, and less than half of what it costs to live in New York. Tucson costs of living are slightly lower than, but comparable to the cost of living in Austin, San Antonio, and Albuquerque.

Being 2,389 feet above sea level and with nearly 500 square miles within its borders, Tucson has many activities for the outdoor enthusiast. The landscape mixes flowering desert, rolling hills, winding dry riverbeds, rugged canyons, and pine-topped peaks-all beneath an expansive clear, azure sky. As you can imagine exploring this scenery would be delicious to the eyes in an all terrain vehicle. Horseback riding, hot air ballooning, mountain biking and rock climbing are also fun and exciting ways to see the comprehensive landscape of the area.

Many of the Tucson's annual events attract people from around the world. La Fiesta de los Vaqueros is heralded as the largest outdoor mid-winter rodeo in America, and The Tucson Gem Show is eagerly awaited by thousands of rock collectors, jewelers and others who buy, sell and exhibit at the largest event of its kind in the world. Another local favorite, the Tucson International Mariachi Conference, entertains students and fans of this lively musical genre.

Sports spectators will find outdoor games and exhibitions all year. Tucson is the only city in the nation to host three Major League Baseball spring training teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies. In addition, Tucson hosts two prestigious golf tournaments: the PGA Chrysler Classic of Tucson and the LPGA Welch's/Fry's Championship. Cyclists from around the world compete on "One of America's 10 Best Century Courses" at the El Tour de Tucson.

Dining out in Tucson is a savory treat. There are more than 3,000 eateries in the city, including many award-winning and independently operated restaurants. More than 150 serve authentic Mexican cuisine, from Sonoran to Mexico City style with local hybrids in between. Numerous small charming shopping boutiques are scattered in and around town-offering an inventory of things Southwestern, from museum-quality Native American textiles and jewelry to Mexican folk crafts and cowboy memorabilia. On a larger scale, there are four enclosed major malls, featuring hundreds of well-known stores and restaurants at easily accessible locations.

There are six main school districts that serve the community including Tucson Unified School District, Amphitheater School District, Catalina Foothills School District, Flowing Wells School District, Marana School District and Sunnyside School District. TUSD is the largest and serves 59,000 students. Tucson is also home to the prestigious University of Arizona.


Tucson is a picturesque, warm, and culturally rich city that is an outstanding place to live, work, retire or raise a family. If you're thinking of moving to Tucson Metro, Arizona, our relocation packet is yours for the asking!