The Vibe: One Of The Most Vibrant Communities In The Country
A big city with a small town feel, the makeup of the
Tucson population is pretty unique in that it’s an eclectic mix of people coming from all walks of life. From college students, to people addicted to outdoor adventure, to retired snowbirds that only come to town during the winter months, Tucson has something for everyone. Its close proximity to nature and awesome weather help keep this community active and outside, enjoying everything the Old Pueblo has to offer throughout the entire year.
Local Flavor: There’s Always Something Going On
Thanks to seemingly endless sunshine, tons of events go on in Tucson throughout the year. A couple of the annual favorites include the Tucson Folk Festival, an event that hosts over 100 local and regional musicians, and the Tucson Rodeo, an early spring event that often gets called “the world’s largest non-mechanized parade.”
Cuisine: Mexican Food On Every Corner
With a prevalent Hispanic influence in Tucson for centuries, the Mexican food in this town is some of the tastiest you’ll find on the continent. Just about every family-owned Mexican joint in the area are sure to be unique and delicious in their own way. A few of the local restaurants that will give you a great taste of the awesome food in this city include Aqui Con El Nene, Tucson Tamale Company, and Poco & Mom’s, but you’ll rarely go wrong by just stumbling into the first Mexican restaurant you see.
Nightlife: 4th Avenue Keeps The Party Kickin’
Tucson is known around Arizona for its many brew pubs, dive bars, and live music venues, with some of the coolest places in this city to visit being the no-frills hidden gems. A great place to dip your toes into the local nightlife of this town is 4th Avenue, where you’ll find an endless stream of watering holes and special events like the 4th Avenue Street Fair, filled with booths, vendors, and street performers.
Weather: The Sun Here Just Doesn’t Stop
Boasting over 300 days of sunshine a year, it’s so sunny in Tucson that the locals should be buying their sunblock in bulk. With all that sun, it does tend to get a little hot, averaging around 85 degrees during summer months. While summers are hot in Tucson, the area does tend to be cooler than many places in Arizona thanks to its higher 2,389 feet elevation. Winters even drop down to a tolerable 55 degree average, delivering a well-deserved period of relief for the Tucson community. However, while the weather in Tucson might seem perfect, it is important to mention the monsoon season. Usually occurring during the late summer months, this shift in weather will bring plenty of lightning and occasional flash floods to the Tucson area nearly every year.
Safety & Crime: Tucson Has It’s Crime, But It’s Avoidable
There’s no way around it, the crime rates in Tucson are very high at 7,223 reported criminal acts per 100,000 residents, nearly twice the state average. Some people blame it on the presence of drugs and illegal trafficking, while other simply blame the heat.
Either way, the crime and safety of Tucson is definitely one area with room for improvement. However, keep in mind that a lot this crime can be avoided by staying out of certain areas. Two parts of town notable for being safer include Tanque Verde and the Willow Canyon-Soldier Camp area, each with crime rates much lower than the local average. By doing your research before picking a neighborhood, you’ll hardly notice this darker side of Tucson life.
Commute: It’s Super Easy To Get Around Tucson
Despite being a larger city, the average commute in Tucson is only 22 minutes, 11 percent lower than the state average. Tucson is also home to a very useful bus system that makes getting around town without a car much easier. And, many of the roads in Tucson were designed with cyclists in mind, making two wheels a great way to get around this town.
Cost of Living: Stretching Your Dollar Is Easy In Tucson
On the same cost of living index that scores average America at 100, Tucson gets a 94. Not only does this mean that Tucson is cheaper than most places in the country, it also means that Tucson is 2 percent cheaper than the state of Arizona as a whole. One of the notable areas that residents save is the housing market, with homes in the Old Pueblo valued at $153,700 on average, significantly lower than the national norm of $180,000.
The Great Outdoors: Wilderness Is Everywhere
Aside from having more than 120 parks spread throughout the city, Tucson is also very close to several outdoor attractions that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. A couple of these include the 9,157 foot tall Santa Catalina Mountains and the 91,000 acre Saguaro National Park, known for being home to huge native cacti. With so much warm weather and so many cool places to explore, getting outside and staying active is easy in Tucson.
The Local Schools: The College Scene Keeps This Town Exciting
Tucson is home to the Arizona Wildcats, hence why fans decked out in red and blue tend to flood the streets on game days. With over 40,000 students enrolled, the presence of this great school as a huge impact on the local culture, giving this city of 500,000 more of a college town feel from time to time. Along with the younger presence that this school brings to Tucson comes a liveliness that helps make this city such a special place, with tons of concerts, sporting events, and unique community outreach programs going on around town throughout the year.
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