Living in Tucson, Arizona (AZ), can be a way to lead a balanced lifestyle. This city offers the wilderness of nature alongside steady economic growth and big-city amenities.
Tucson is a melting pot of cultures tied to Mexican, Native American, and Spanish heritage. As such, moving to Tucson, AZ, will introduce you to a friendly community with rich culture.
What’s more, the cost of living in Tucson, AZ, is affordable. It’s no wonder this city is a popular place to retire in Arizona!
If all these sound good to you and you’re ready to pack up and move to Tucson, make sure you read these12 greatest tips to help you when you’re moving to Tucson.
1. What You Need To Know About Living In Tucson, Arizona
Let’s start off with some basic facts about Tucson. These will definitely give you a glimpse into what living in Tucson will be like.
Embrace The Weather!
The climate in Tucson is a hot desert climate, so you can expect scorching hot summers. Be warned! The temperature can reach 100°F in July.
On the other hand, you’ll be glad to know that winters in Tucson are mild, with the average temperature being 70°F. Hot summers and mild winters mean that Tucson residents are able to do outdoor activities all year long.
However, do take note of the monsoon season which usually takes place from June 15 to September 30. During this season, you must get your umbrella and raincoat ready when you go outside.
A Dog-Friendly City
Tucson is a friendly city for your dog. You will find many dog-friendly apartments, condos, restaurants, and parks around the city. Many people even take their dogs to hike at the state parks.
Adopting a dog would be convenient when you’re living in Tucson, so you could consider that!
It Is A Wild World In Tucson
You may encounter wild animals around your neighbourhood when you’re living in Tucson. As such, always be on the lookout! Some of the wild animals that roam around the city are snakes, javelinas, bobcats, roadrunners, packrats, ground squirrels, raccoons, a variety of toads and lizards.
These wild animals come to the residential area to avoid the extreme heat as well as to find shelter and water.
It is not recommended to feed the wild animals or leave too much water outside your home as you might end up attracting predators.
If you want to provide water, remember to use a small container and leave the water outside your home to let the animals drink freely.
2. Find Your Best Neighbourhood Before Moving To Tucson, AZ
Find your neighbourhood before moving to Tucson. These three areas that we recommend for your reference are the neighbourhoods with A+ grades on Niche.
Broadmoor-Broadway
Living in Broadmoor-Broadway gives a mix of urban-suburban feel. With a population of 3,127, this area is a lovely place for young professionals and retirees.
There are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks in the area. You will also find high rated public schools in Broadmoor-Broadway.
The median home value in this neighbourhood is $344,655, and the median monthly rent is $800. The housing options in this area are varied from family houses to modern apartments.
Highland Vista Cinco Via
Highland Vista Cinco Via is one of the best places to live in Tucson. This area offers a dense suburban feel, and most residents are homeowners.
This area also has bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. In addition, the public schools in Highland Vista Cinco Via are highly rated. It is no wonder this area is perfect for both families and single young professionals.
The housing prices in Highland Vista Cinco Via are not too high. The median purchase price for a house is around $210,248.
If renting is your only option, the median price is around $1,214 for the monthly rent. Of course, you should expect to pay more for a bigger place.
San Clemente
If you are not planning on purchasing a car, it would be wise to live in a walkable and bikeable neighbourhood.
San Clemente is a walkable neighbourhood with amenities within walking distance. This neighbourhood is also friendly to bikers.
The median monthly rent is $990, and the median home value is $222,033, making this neighbourhood relatively affordable for young professionals.
3. See How Long You Can Stretch Your Money In Tucson (The Cost Of Living In Tucson)
An important piece of information that you must know before moving to a new city is the cost of living. This information will give you an idea of how long you can stretch your money monthly.
In Tucson, AZ, the cost of living is 6% lower than the national average. The only thing that is higher than the national average is groceries.
Without rent and housing, a family in Tucson spends around $2,969 a month, and singles spend about $857. Based on this information, you can afford to live decently in Tucson even with an annual income lower than $30,000.
4. Start Your Career Or Business Plan
Tucson is an excellent place to start your career and business. This city has the highest concentration of startups compared to cities of similar size as the local authority has been working on fostering and nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
You can also look for opportunities in Tucson’s biggest industries, such as optic, medical sectors, and aerospace and defence. For your information, the aerospace and defence sector has been the most significant contributor to Tucson’s economy.
If you are not interested in tech-related industries, Tucson also has sectors like hospitality that provide good job opportunities.
5. If You’re Looking For High Ranking Schools, You Are In The Right City
If you have children who are still schooling, you do not need to worry about education when you’re living in Tucson. Tucson has top-rated public and private schools for your children. Here are some of the best school districts in the Tucson Area:
- Catalina Foothills Unified School District
- Vail Unified School District
- Tanque Verde Unified School District
- Benson Unified School District
- Flowing Wells Unified School District
- City Center for Collaborative Learning
- Amphitheater Unified School District
To ensure your children’s school transfer is seamless, remember to contact the school several months before moving. This way, you can prepare all the required documents for the transfer.
6. Adapt To The Environmentally-Friendly Lifestyle
As a city with more hot days in a year, water is scarce. The Arizona state government divided the water consumption into 72% for agricultural purposes, excluding golf courses, 6% is for industrial, and 2% for municipal consumption.
One thing they do to preserve water is to utilise home or commercial wastewater where water is recovered, then put back into the soil.
7. Enjoy The Festive Events In Tucson
There are festivals every season in Tucson, AZ. Participating in festivals is the best way to learn about the local culture. If you are from overseas, festivals are the chances to come out of your bubbles.
Fourth Avenue Street Fair
Fourth Avenue Street Fair is a biannual event held in downtown Tucson with live music and plenty of local business stands.
To get to the fair site, you can use the free shuttle service. Find more information about the event on the official website of the Fourth Avenue Street Fair.
Winterhaven Festival Of Lights
The Winterhaven Festival of Lights is one of the holiday traditions in Tucson. You can enjoy the beautiful display of lights in various shapes of character and bask in the magical atmosphere as the day turns dark.
The best way to enjoy the festival is by riding a hayride wagon, a bus trolley, or a pedal-powered group bike. To enjoy these rides, you must make a reservation in advance.
The Tucson Festival Of Books
An iconic festival in Tucson is The Tucson Festival of Books. It is an annual book fair during the second weekend in March and a place to embrace your inner nerd.
You can buy books at lower prices and meet your favourite authors at this festival. There is also a contest for young authors and artists with gift certificates as the prize.
8. Step Up Your Outdoor Games!
In Tucson, there are plenty of options for places to do an outdoor adventure so go outside and try new outdoor activities! Here are three parks that you must visit to get the best outdoor experience in this city:
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
A museum is not always in the form of a building. In Tucson, you will find an outdoor museum called Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
Here, visitors can enjoy various attractions in one area, such as a zoo, botanical garden, art gallery, natural history museum, and aquarium.
There is also a walking trail that will make you feel like you’re walking in the wild. You may encounter some wild animals while walking around this desert museum.
Saguaro National Park
This national park was named after the giant Saguaro cactus, native plants to desert environments.
Most people will spend half of the day exploring the park. The outdoor activities that you should not miss when visiting this park are:
- explore the desert nature trail,
- Bajada loop drive,
- hiking,
- see the petroglyphs,
- enjoying the sunset from the Kings Canyon / Gould Mine Loop,
- cactus forest loop drive, and many more.
The park’s eastern section is larger and more mountainous, while the western part has denser saguaro forest. Choose which side you want to explore before your visit.
If you want to explore from east to west, you will need more than half of the day.
Kitt Peak National Observatory
If stargazing sounds appealing, you need to visit Kitt Peak National Observatory. This observatory has diverse research telescopes for visitors to observe the night sky.
During the day, there is a tour around the observatory area that you can sign up for. For a more exciting experience, you can book a VIP tour to visit telescopes that are usually not open to the public.
9. Take Time To Enjoy The City
The city attractions in Tucson are worth visiting. Many of these attractions represent the history and culture of the city. Here are some of the sites you cannot miss visiting when living in Tucson:
- El Tiradito Wishing Shrine
- Air Trampoline Park
- Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block
- San Xavier del Bac, and many more
Bond with your new friends by visiting the city attractions together. They’ll be able to show you the best way to get around and recommend the best place to eat during your day out.
10. Living In Tucson, Arizona, Means You Are In Food Haven
Tucson has been recognised as the Capital of Gastronomy by UNESCO. The culinary scene in Tucson tells the story of multicultural food heritage dating back 4,000 years ago. The local dishes in this city are a tapestry of Mexican and Native American culture.
Some of the classics you must try are green corn tamales, traditional Mexican pastry, Sonoran hot dogs, and snickerdoodle pancakes. Spare a day to have a culinary adventure. You will find that Tucson deserves the title the Capital of Gastronomy.
11. Get To Know The Public Transportation In Tucson
Another tip that you have to know is to learn about Tucson’s public transportation. Learning how to get around the city is crucial, especially if you are a newcomer.
The provider of public transportation in Tucson is Sun Tran. Their services include more than 40 routes around the city and its outskirts.
Public transportation in Tucson is friendly for people with disabilities. All Sun Tran vehicles are built to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices. This transportation system makes it convenient for everyone to go around.
If you want a more convenient mode of transportation, there are rideshare services in Tucson. The rideshare providers in Tucson you can choose are Lyft, Uber, Taxi, and Carmel.
12. Quick Tips To Know Before Moving To Tucson
Give A Head-Up Before Moving Date
The worst thing you can do in the moving process is not informing anyone about your arrival. You should contact your real estate agent and employer a couple of weeks before your move date.
Giving a head-up will spare them more time to prepare documents or other essential things before your arrival. You do not want any risk when you just arrive in a new city.
Engage A Professional Mover
To have a stress free moving process, engage a professional mover like Sanelo to assist you. At Sanelo, you can arrange the shipment of your belongings, so it arrives on time in Tucson. Learn more about our shipment protection.
By engaging Sanelo, you do not have to worry about carrying heavy luggage on your moving trip. Simply contact us to consult your moving situation, then start a quote.
Conclusion About Moving To Tucson
Moving to Tucson, AZ, will be a special experience for you. With more sunny than freezing days, you will be free to do outdoor activities on any day all year long. The only thing to take note of is the monsoon season.
Living in Tucson, Arizona, will bring you close to nature while still having big city amenities and plenty of career opportunities. Balancing your life between work and recreation is not a hard thing to do in Tucson.
There are also many things you can do around the city. Tucson even has festivals for all seasons. Make a bucket list of things to do, places to visit, and food to try once you are settled in Tucson.
To make your moving and settling processes even more seamless, make sure to find a home before you arrive in Tucson. You should also learn about public transportation, so you do not get lost on the first day at work.
Contact your employer and real estate agent a couple of weeks before your moving date. They will need this buffer time to prepare all the essentials before your arrival.
To lessen your stress, engage Sanelo to help you with the shipment of your belongings. You do not have to carry heavy luggage or accidentally damage your belongings during the moving trip. Our team has the experience of making moving across cities and countries less stressful.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving To Tucson
Is Tucson A Good Place To Live In 2022?
If you hate shovelling snow every winter or dealing with the high cost of living, then Tucson is an excellent city for you. You will enjoy a sunny sky, plenty of recreational options, and an affordable cost of living.
What Is A Good Salary In Tucson?
The average annual salary in Tucson, AZ, is $32,095. If you are single, this salary is enough to afford a decent lifestyle in Tucson.
Can Sanelo Help Me To Ship Electronic Items To Tucson?
You do not have to leave your electronics behind. Sanelo will ship them to Tucson, and ensure that they arrive in good condition.
If you want extra protection, you can apply for special protection. This special deal will protect your household goods from being lost and/or damaged while being transported or stored.
How Do I Contact Sanelo?
Visit the official website of Sanelo, then click the “start your quote” button. Alternatively, you can also reach us via phone. You are welcome to talk to our team about your moving situation and needs.
If you need more references about moving to other sunny cities, feel free to check our other articles below.