Tucson Arizona Real Estate Market Report — May 2026

Tucson Arizona real estate sits in balanced territory in May 2026. The median single-family sale price is approximately $323,000… down about 0.5% year-over-year. Homes are taking about 79 days on market and trading near 98.5% of list price. Inventory is moderate at roughly 3.5 months of supply, neither buyer-favorable nor seller-favorable. Tucson has roughly 1,242 sworn police officers and a city safety profile that grades D+ overall… with substantial variation by submarket that buyers absolutely need to understand before they offer.

What makes Tucson Tucson is the combination of Raytheon Missiles and Defense (13,000 local employees, Tucson’s largest private employer), the University of Arizona (15,000+ employees, R1 research institution), Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (9,100 personnel), and a regional economy built on aerospace, defense, optics, healthcare, mining, and higher education. Add 30+ historic neighborhoods, the largest concentration of Sonoran Desert architecture in the United States, and the most affordable major metro in Arizona… and Tucson Arizona real estate becomes a serious value play for buyers priced out of Phoenix.

May 2026 Tucson Market Snapshot

Tucson’s Four Submarkets… Drill Into Your Area

Tucson is too large to track as one market. Median prices, days on market, and inventory profiles vary dramatically by submarket. We publish four dedicated submarket reports that go deeper than this city-wide page. Tap any submarket below for that area’s current data, signature neighborhoods, and local context.

Prices & Volume… May 2026

Tucson Arizona real estate is in mild correction territory. The median sale price held near $323,000 in the most recent monthly cut… down about 0.5% year-over-year, with median list price about $375,000 and price per square foot at $207 (down 2.8% YoY). This is not a crash. This is the normalization that the Tucson MAP Dashboard and NAR forecasts both projected for 2026. Tucson appreciated hard in 2021 and 2022, plateaued in 2024, and is now giving back a small slice while inventory rebuilds.

What this means in practice: Tucson is the most affordable major Arizona metro, with median sale price about 30% below the national average. Buyers relocating from California, the Pacific Northwest, or Phoenix are finding entry into Tucson Arizona real estate at price points that haven’t existed in Phoenix in over a decade. Phoenix is the most popular destination among Tucson homebuyers looking to leave, while Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles are the top metros sending buyers into Tucson. That trade is the single most important demographic dynamic in this market.

Volume is soft. About 453 homes sold in the most recent monthly cut, down from 495 a year earlier. 45.7% of homes for sale took a price cut by year-end 2024… well above the 35% national average for a normal year. Aspirational pricing does not move in this market. Sellers who comp to current data and price right are still pulling 98.5% of list. Sellers who chase 2022 peak pricing are sitting 90+ days.

By Zip Code… Tucson’s Pricing Spread

The City of Tucson covers more than 30 zip codes. Pricing spread between Tucson’s most expensive zips (Foothills border, 85718 and 85750) and its entry-level zips (south central, 85713 and 85746) regularly exceeds $400,000 on median price. Zip code matters more in Tucson than in almost any other Arizona city… your zip dictates your school district, your commute, your safety profile, and your appreciation curve.

• 85718 (Foothills border): Highest median pricing in Tucson city limits. Custom estates, walk-to Sabino Canyon, La Encantada shopping. Median real estate property tax with mortgage about $4,518 (city-data 2023). Premium zip.
• 85750 (East Foothills / Sabino Canyon): Sabino Canyon trailhead, Sabino High School (A-rated per ADE FY25). Strong resale demand from buyers wanting Foothills views inside city limits.
• 85716 / 85719 (Sam Hughes / midtown): University of Arizona-adjacent. Sam Hughes Elementary posted 92.55 points (A) per ADE FY25… one of TUSD’s top campuses. Historic homes, walkable, high demand from faculty and investors.
• 85715 (East Tucson): Mature east side, parks, Pima Community College East. Mid-market pricing with steady volume.
• 85747 (Rita Ranch / Civano corridor): Southeast Tucson, near Davis-Monthan AFB, Raytheon, and the new Camino Verano launch. A+ safety grade in core areas. Family-suburban character.
• 85745 (West Tucson): Tucson Mountains, Saguaro National Park West side. Lower median, view premium, limited new supply.
• 85710 / 85730 (East / Southeast): Mid-market workforce housing. Higher volume, lower per-sq-ft, faster turnover.
• 85701 / 85705 (Downtown / Barrio): Historic barrio inventory, loft conversions, Sun Link streetcar access. Tight inventory, character premiums, restoration plays.

Tucson Neighborhoods & Historic Districts

Tucson holds 34 nationally registered historic districts within city limits… more historic neighborhoods than any other Arizona city, and the largest concentration of Sonoran Desert architecture in the United States. The neighborhoods below are the most-asked-about areas inside the City of Tucson… all verified inside city limits, with addresses cross-checked against current MLS data and Tucson historic preservation records.

Other notable Tucson neighborhoods verified inside city limits include El Presidio, Dunbar Spring, John Spring, Jefferson Park, Pie Allen, Rincon Heights, Feldman’s, Catalina Vista, Fort Lowell, Broadmoor-Broadway, San Clemente, San Rafael Estates, Winterhaven (famous holiday lights), Aldea Linda, Indian House, El Montevideo, Harold Bell Wright Estates, Barrio Anita, Barrio Santa Rosa, Barrio Hollywood, and the Sycamore Park area (A+ safety grade). For deeper neighborhood-level data, see the four submarket reports linked above.

Schools & School Districts

Tucson Arizona real estate is served primarily by Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), with portions of the city falling into Catalina Foothills Unified District, Amphitheater Unified District, Flowing Wells Unified District, Sunnyside Unified District, and Vail Unified District depending on address. Per the Arizona Department of Education FY25 A-F Letter Grades (released April 15, 2026… the most current official data available), district performance varies significantly. Buyers need to verify school assignment by exact address, not by neighborhood or zip code alone.

Tucson Unified District (TUSD)… B-Rated District (88 Schools)

TUSD is the dominant K-12 district inside Tucson city limits. The district earned a B letter grade in the FY25 ADE release with 88 schools system-wide… the second-largest district in Arizona. Within that B-rated district, individual school performance ranges from A to F. The top TUSD K-8 schools post some of the strongest scores in southern Arizona. Carrillo Intermediate Magnet School posted the highest K-8 score in TUSD at 96.26 points (A). Other top TUSD K-8 campuses include Sam Hughes Elementary (A, 92.55), Soleng Tom Elementary (A, 88.08), Annie Kellond Elementary (A, 86.04), Bonillas Elementary Basic Curriculum Magnet (A, 83.07), and Wakefield Middle School (A, 82.60). All scores are official ADE FY25 letter grades.

TUSD High Schools… Performance Varies

TUSD operates 11 high schools, with three earning A grades and the rest grading B per ADE FY25. The standout is University High School, a college-prep magnet that posted 88.51 points (A) with a perfect 10.00 graduation rate score. Innovation Tech High (A, 80.23) and Sabino High (A, 77.48) are the other A-graded campuses. Neighborhood high schools serving most of Tucson grade B: Rincon, Tucson Magnet, Palo Verde, Pueblo, Sahuaro, Cholla, Santa Rita, and Catalina.

Important: TUSD attendance zones inside the City of Tucson are complex and shift periodically. Higher-performing schools draw waitlists. Catalina Foothills USD (A LEA grade, 8 schools) serves the upper Foothills, but neighborhoods in lower Catalina Foothills inside city limits often fall to TUSD instead. Amphitheater USD (B LEA, 22 schools) serves western and northwest portions including Pima Canyon Estates. Verify school assignment by exact street address before you offer.

Source note: All letter grades on this page reflect the official Arizona Department of Education FY25 A-F release (April 15, 2026), the most current state-issued data available. Third-party aggregators (Niche, GreatSchools, SchoolGrade) are secondary references only and do not override official ADE grades.

Safety & Crime in Tucson

Tucson Arizona real estate buyers need an honest read on safety. At the city-limits level, Tucson earns a D+ overall safety grade from CrimeGrade and ranks in the 27th percentile nationally. The overall crime rate is about 33 per 1,000 residents… higher than 73% of US cities. However, safety inside Tucson varies dramatically by submarket and neighborhood. Roughly 92% of Tucson’s 151 mapped neighborhoods grade A or B, while a small concentration of central and south-central areas drag the overall city number down. The city-wide number is real, but it is not your number once you choose your address.

Law Enforcement Jurisdiction in Tucson

Tucson is an incorporated city of about 547,000 residents with single-agency primary jurisdiction handled by the Tucson Police Department. TPD operates roughly 1,242 sworn officers across multiple division stations, with headquarters at 270 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701. Highway enforcement on Interstate 10, Interstate 19, and state routes within and through Tucson is handled by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department holds primary jurisdiction in unincorporated Pima County immediately surrounding Tucson (Catalina Foothills, Casas Adobes, Tanque Verde, Vail, Tucson Mountains area, Drexel Heights), but does not have direct primary patrol authority inside city limits. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Security Forces handle the federal installation in southeast Tucson.

Per CrimeGrade neighborhood data, your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Tucson varies from 1 in 114 in central neighborhoods to 1 in 355 in the southeast… a three-fold range inside the same city limits. Residents generally consider the southeast and northwest portions of Tucson to be the safest. Top A-rated Tucson neighborhoods include Continental Reserve, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base area, Sycamore Park, Canada Hills, and Rita Ranch. Tucson’s overall crime rate is down 9.9% year-over-year per the most recent FBI uniform crime report cycle. Tucson PD operates 2.3 officers per 1,000 residents, below the Arizona and national averages.

Major Employers & Commute

Tucson’s economy is anchored by aerospace and defense, the University of Arizona, healthcare, and federal government… a sector mix unlike anywhere else in Arizona. The single most important number for relocating buyers: Raytheon Missiles and Defense employs about 13,000 people in Tucson, making it Southern Arizona’s largest private employer and the headquarters of RTX’s missile business. Raytheon has been expanding at the Tucson International Airport campus and the University of Arizona Tech Park.

Top employers within commuting distance

Tucson is also home to “Optics Valley”… a cluster of optics, photonics, and imaging firms tied to the U of A’s College of Optical Sciences. The Bureau of Land Management’s Tucson office, the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector, and the Tohono O’odham Nation are also major regional employers. The average Tucson commute is about 21 minutes, with most major employment clusters reachable within 25 minutes by car. Interstate 10 is the spine of the metro… I-19 runs south to Nogales, and Aviation Parkway / Kolb Road give southeast Tucson direct access to Davis-Monthan, Raytheon, and the new Camino Verano corridor.

New Construction… Camino Verano Launches

The single biggest Tucson new-construction story of 2026 is Camino Verano… a 710-acre, 2,000-lot master-planned community at Rita Road in southeast Tucson, developed by Sunbelt Holdings. In April 2026, Ashton Woods and Starlight Homes closed on the Phase 1 acquisition of 480 finished lots for $49.3 million… the largest single lot transaction in Tucson for 2026 and the most significant master-planned community launch the market has seen in recent memory.

Camino Verano’s location is its story. The site sits within 10 minutes of Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson International Airport, and the U of A Tech Park… over 40,000 active jobs within a 10-minute drive, no freeway required. Phase 1 construction is scheduled to commence Q2 2026, with model home grand openings anticipated in early 2027. Lot widths span 40 feet, 45 feet, and 50 feet across four planned parcels. An amenity package will roll out with Phase 1.

Other organized new construction inside Tucson city limits is limited to infill projects (Mercado District townhomes, downtown loft conversions) and smaller subdivisions. The larger master-planned communities tend to sit just outside city limits in Marana (Dove Mountain, Tortolita), Oro Valley (Rancho Vistoso), Sahuarita (Rancho Sahuarita, Quail Creek), and Vail (Rancho del Lago, Del Webb at Rancho del Lago). For new construction outside Tucson city limits, see the linked neighbor reports above.

Tucson Condos & Townhomes

Tucson has one of the deepest condo and townhome inventories in Arizona. Across the city in May 2026 there are roughly 300 to 340 active condo and townhome listings… a wide range to accommodate every budget and buyer profile. Median condo list price is approximately $219,000, with active inventory spanning from sub-$50,000 ground-floor units to nearly $1 million high-rise penthouses. Average days on market is about 80.

Notable verified Tucson condo and townhome communities include:

• Redondo Tower… Downtown Tucson’s only high-rise condominium community. Renovated 2-bedroom units with city and mountain views, fitness center, pool, secure parking. 27 E. Pennington Street, Tucson, AZ 85701. ✅
• Sam Hughes Place at The Corner… Mid-rise condos at 446 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719. Walk to University of Arizona campus. 2 bed / 2 bath units near $600,000. ✅
• Ice House Lofts… Restored 1920s ice house, contemporary loft conversions near Mercado District, MSA Annex, and downtown. ✅
• Tierra Catalina… North Tucson community with mountain views, community pool. ✅
• Woodland Place… Tucson condo community with interior green space, upgraded interiors. ✅
• NE Tucson Catalina view condos… 7617 E. Callisto Circle area, Tucson, AZ 85715. Entry-level 1 bed / 1 bath units around $157,000. ✅
• Eastside ground-floor co-ops… HOA-covered taxes/water, solar-heated saltwater pools, established 55+ communities. ✅
• Midtown garden apartments converted to condo… Walking distance to TMC and U of A medical campus. ✅

Resident Testimonials & Reviews

What Tucson residents say about living here, drawn from public community reviews:

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

Tucson Business & Commercial Real Estate

Tucson’s commercial market spans more than 110 million square feet of inventory across office, retail, industrial, and flex space… a regional commercial center serving Southern Arizona, Northern Sonora cross-border trade, and the defense / aerospace supply chain. Major commercial corridors include Broadway Boulevard, Speedway Boulevard, Oracle Road, Tucson International Airport / Aero Park, and the Innovation Park / Tech Park corridor in southeast Tucson.

For commercial transactions and business sales, you need specialists… not residential agents handling commercial deals on the side. Here’s what’s actually moving in this market right now:

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Buying or Selling a Tucson Business?

Thinking about buying or selling a Tucson business… with or without the real estate? Restaurants along Broadway, 4th Avenue, and the Foothills retail corridor; service businesses across midtown; professional offices throughout the trade area; aerospace and defense supply-chain firms in southeast Tucson… these change hands every month, and most never hit the public market. We have dedicated full-time business brokers who specialize in Arizona business transactions and know how to value, market, and close Tucson businesses at maximum value… with complete confidentiality from first conversation through closing day.

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Buying or Selling a Tucson Commercial Building?

Thinking about acquiring or selling a Tucson commercial building? Retail centers along Speedway and Broadway, office buildings throughout midtown and downtown, industrial flex around Tucson International Airport, aerospace-adjacent properties near Raytheon and the U of A Tech Park… we have dedicated full-time commercial real estate agents who cover this entire metro. Office cap rates here trade 5.75% to 8.5%, lease rates $18 to $26 per square foot for office and $14 to $32 for retail. Don’t trust commercial property to a residential agent who handles it occasionally.

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