Visalia 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
Visalia
Tucson
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 3%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
63 · Top 29%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
71 · Top 34%
vs64 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 5%
vs18 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 15%
vs76 · Bottom 18%
Access
67 · Bottom 32%
vs73 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 47%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Visalia | Tucson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 478,693 | 1,060,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,300 | $70,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,185 | $40,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 99/sq mi | 115/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $330,100 | $319,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,280 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 65.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 10.1% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 36.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,015 | 4,790 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 36.1% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.1" | 11.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.1 | 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
Visalia
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, inland flooding, wildfire.
Tucson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Visalia, CA Metro Area · Tucson, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology