Everything you Should Know about Moving to Tucson
With a population of more than 520,000, Tucson is one of Arizona’s largest and most popular cities. Situated in the middle of the Sonoran desert, Tucson is a great place to call home. If you are planning a move to Tucson, the following information will help you get settled in.
Tucson boasts some amazing scenery, thanks to the numerous mountain ranges that surround it. In fact, the city is actually encircled by mountains in every direction. This makes it an ideal spot for viewing wildlife or just taking in an amazing sunset.
Just because Tucson is in the desert doesn’t mean its residents can’t enjoy skiing. Mount Lemmon, the southernmost ski area in the country, is located just 90 minutes away.
Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa are only around 100 miles or so away, making them easy to reach in two hours or less. The Grand Canyon is about five hours away, which is about the same amount of time it would take you to reach Ciudad Juarez in Mexico.
Food Scene
Many of the locals will claim you haven’t really had Mexican food until you have been to Tucson. That could be because Tucson is home to one of the oldest continually-operating Mexican restaurants in the country. Known as the El Charro Café, it’s famous for having invented the chimichanga. In addition to lots of Mexican food, the downtown area is also a hotspot for foodies, offering choices such as steak, pizza, sushi, and burgers.
Economy
The cost of living in Tucson is generally lower than the rest of the country and Arizona in general. In particular, Tucsonians pay much less for health care and housing than other areas. Sperling reports that the median home price in Tucson is $185,800. In comparison, the national median home price is $231,200, and Arizona’s median home price is $249,300.
The University of Arizona is by far Tucson’s largest employer. However, a number of residents are also employed by Raytheon Missile Systems, Banner University Medical Center, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Neighborhoods in Tucson
Many of Tucson’s neighborhoods have a distinct charm and personality all of their own. An example is Armory Park, which is near downtown Tucson. It features period homes along with tree-lined streets and lots of natural beauty.
For a more suburban feel, you may prefer the Catalina Foothills. This area has been carefully developed to mesh with the desert landscape. At the same time, it’s full of modern shopping and dining amenities.
Located on a golf course, Dove Mountain is highly desirable because of its location. Situated near the Tortolita Mountains, it also provides easy access to Interstate 10.
Attractions and Events
Saguaro National Park’s east and west districts lie on either side of the city, effectively making them two parks in one. Either side will afford you great views of the desert landscape as well as the parks’ cactus gardens. But you’ll have to visit the west side if you want to visit the Signal Hill Petroglyph Site. This site includes 200 Native American petroglyphs, some of which are thought to be more than 1,550 years old.
As one of the most well-read cities in America, Tucson also hosts its annual Festival of Books each year in March. It is among the largest book festivals in the country and includes literary awards and book signings.
The Fourth Avenue Street Fair takes place in December each year and again in spring. This is a family-friendly event featuring entertainment, arts and crafts, food booths, and more.
The Sonora Desert Museum is actually a zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum all rolled into one. It features two miles of walking trails along with exhibits such as pollination gardens and a walk-in aviary.
Additional Advice for Moving
Tucson’s weather and scenic location is ideal for the active lifestyle. Cars are welcome here; however, the city also has one of the best bicycle infrastructures of any city. So if you’d rather enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, a bicycle commute could be ideal.
You can easily access public transportation in Tucson as well. The Suntran runs between the hours of 6 am and midnight, and provides multiple stops throughout the city. The Sun Link Streetcar has a more centralized route near the University of Arizona and runs as late as 2 am on weekends.
The city has quite a diverse population. Snowbirds are drawn to Tucson because of its mild, year-round climate. At the same time, you’ll find an abundance of college students from nearby Arizona University. In Tucson, you’ll find people of all ages from a variety of social and ethnic backgrounds.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to consider a move to Tucson. More than a half-million people call Tucson their home, and we believe you will enjoy living here as well.