Marana receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marana
Oro Valley
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 34%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
73 · Top 13%
vs74 · Top 11%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 16%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs82 · Top 47%
Access
88 · Bottom 38%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Marana | Oro Valley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,938 | 48,162 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $112,606 | $107,117 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,005 | $62,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 468/sq mi | 1,371/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $413,800 | $475,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,818 | $1,669 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.7% | 76.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.8% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 6.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 989 | 581 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.4 | 12.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.2% | 458.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.1" | 11.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 55.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.92 | 13.60 | 2024-25 school 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
Marana
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Oro Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Marana
65
Your Score
59
Area Score
Oro Valley
59
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Marana, AZ · Oro Valley, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology