Oro Valley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oro Valley
Tucson
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs67 · Bottom 30%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs44 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Oro Valley | Tucson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,162 | 547,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,117 | $57,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,796 | $32,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,371/sq mi | 2,259/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $475,700 | $266,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,669 | $1,145 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.0% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 581 | 1,431 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.1 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 458.7% | -2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.1" | 10.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 55.4 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 202 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.60 | 15.63 | 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
Oro Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Tucson
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.
Oro Valley
59
Your Score
53
Area Score
Tucson
51
Your Score
43
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Oro Valley, AZ · Tucson, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology