Tucson and Visalia 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
Tucson
Visalia
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 6%
vs24 · Bottom 3%
Growth
54 · Top 45%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
64 · Bottom 43%
vs71 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
18 · Bottom 8%
vs14 · Bottom 6%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 26%
vs74 · Bottom 22%
Access
73 · Bottom 34%
vs67 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 34%
vs48 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Tucson | Visalia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,060,490 | 478,693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,315 | $71,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,140 | $28,185 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 115/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $319,700 | $330,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.2% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 10.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.8% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,790 | 2,015 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.2% | 36.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.1" | 12.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 49 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 32.1 | 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
Tucson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Visalia
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, inland flooding, wildfire.
Full profiles: Tucson, AZ Metro Area · Visalia, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology