Fresno and Tucson receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Fresno
Tucson
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 22%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs54 · Top 45%
Climate
70 · Top 42%
vs64 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 4%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 13%
vs76 · Bottom 26%
Access
90 · Top 37%
vs73 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 34%
vs47 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Fresno | Tucson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,177,665 | 1,060,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,468 | $70,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,569 | $40,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 145/sq mi | 115/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $389,400 | $319,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,392 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 65.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 36.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,391 | 4,790 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.4% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.0" | 11.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fresno
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Tucson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Fresno, CA Metro Area · Tucson, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology