Tucson, Arizona

"Tucson" redirects here. For other uses, see Tucson (disambiguation).

Tucson (/ˈtuːsɒn/; O'odham: Cuk Ṣon; Spanish: Tucsón)^[1] is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States,^[8] and is home to the University of Arizona. It is the second-largest city in Arizona behind Phoenix, with a population of 542,629 in the 2020 United States census,^[9] while the population of the entire Tucson metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is 1,043,433.^[10] The Tucson MSA forms part of the larger Tucson-Nogales combined statistical area. Both Tucson and Phoenix anchor the Arizona Sun Corridor. The city is 108 miles (174 km) southeast of Phoenix and 60 mi (100 km) north of the United States–Mexico border.^[8]

Tucson Cuk Ṣon (O'odham)[1] Tucsón (Spanish)
City
Downtown Tucson skyline Cathedral of Saint Augustine Old Main, University of Arizona Pima County Courthouse
Flag
Etymology: from Tohono O'odham Cuk Ṣon 'the base (of the hill) is black'[2][1]
Nicknames:  "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
Interactive map outlining Tucson
Location within Pima County
Tucson Location within Arizona Show map of Arizona Tucson Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 32°13′18″N 110°55′35″W
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Pima
Settled	c. 1300 A.D[3]
Founded	August 20, 1775
Incorporated	February 7, 1877[4]
Founded by	Hugo O'Conor
Ward	6 Wards Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 Ward 5 Ward 6
Government
• Type	Council–manager
• Body	Tucson City Council
• Mayor	Regina Romero (D)
• City manager	Tim Thomure
• City council	List • Lane Santa Cruz • Paul Cunningham • Kevin Dahl • Nikki Lee • Richard Fimbres • Karin Uhlich
Area [5]
• City	241.33 sq mi (625.04 km2)
• Land	241.01 sq mi (624.22 km2)
• Water	0.32 sq mi (0.82 km2)
Elevation	2,389 ft (728 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	542,629
• Rank	88th in North America 33rd in the United States 2nd in Arizona
• Density	2,251.44/sq mi (869.29/km2)
• Urban	875,441 (US: 52nd)
• Urban density	2,449.8/sq mi (945.9/km2)
• Metro [6]	1,043,433 (US: 53rd)
Demonym(s)	Tucsonian; Tucsonan
Time zone	UTC-07:00 (MST (no DST))
ZIP Codes	85701-85719, 85721, 85723-85726, 85728, 85730-85752, 85754-85757, 85775
Area code	520
FIPS code	04-77000
GNIS feature ID	43534[7]
Website	tucsonaz.gov
1 Urban = 2010 Census

Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, Sahuarita^[11] south of the city, and South Tucson in an enclave south of downtown. Communities in the vicinity of Tucson (some within or overlapping the city limits) include Casas Adobes, Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells, Midvale Park, Tanque Verde, Tortolita, and Vail. Towns outside the Tucson metropolitan area include Three Points, Benson to the southeast, Catalina and Oracle to the north, and Green Valley to the south.

Tucson was founded as a military fort by the Spanish when Hugo O'Conor authorized the construction of Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón in 1775. It was included in the state of Sonora after Mexico gained independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821. The United States acquired a 29,670 square miles (76,840 km²) region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico from Mexico under the Gadsden Purchase^[12] in 1853. Tucson served as the capital of the Arizona Territory from 1867 to 1877.^[13] Tucson was Arizona's largest city by population during the territorial period and early statehood, until it was surpassed by Phoenix by 1920. Nevertheless, its population growth remained strong during the late 20th century. Tucson was the first American city to be designated a "City of Gastronomy" by UNESCO in 2015.^[14]

The Spanish name of the city, Tucsón (Spanish pronunciation: [tuɣˈson]), is derived from the O'odham Cuk Ṣon (O'odham pronunciation: [tʃʊk ʂɔːn]). Cuk is a stative verb meaning "(be) black, (be) dark". Ṣon is (in this usage) a noun referring to the base or foundation of something.^[1] The name is commonly translated into English as "the base [of the hill] is black", a reference to a basalt-covered hill now known as Sentinel Peak. Tucson is sometimes referred to as the Old Pueblo and Optics Valley, the latter referring to its optical science and telescopes known worldwide.^[15][16]

History

Main article: History of Tucson, Arizona

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Tucson, Arizona.

Historical affiliations

Spanish Empire 1775–1821
First Mexican Empire 1821–1823
United Mexican States 1823–1854
 United States 1854–present

Tucson's Stone Avenue, 1880

Courthouse in Tucson, 1898

The Tucson area was probably first visited by Paleo-Indians, who were known to have been in southern Arizona about 12,000 years ago. Recent archaeological excavations near the Santa Cruz River found a village site dating from 2100 BC.^[17] The floodplain of the Santa Cruz River was extensively farmed during the Early Agricultural Period, c. 1200 BC to AD 150. These people hunted, gathered wild plants and nuts, and ate corn, beans, and other crops grown using irrigation canals they constructed.^[17]

The Early Ceramic period occupation of Tucson had the first extensive use of pottery vessels for cooking and storage. The groups designated as the Hohokam lived in the area from AD 600 to 1450 and are known for their vast irrigation canal systems and their red-on-brown pottery.^[18][19]

Italian Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino first visited the Santa Cruz River valley in 1692. He founded the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1700, about 7 mi (11 km) upstream from the site of the settlement of Tucson. A separate Convento settlement was founded downstream along the Santa Cruz River, near the base of what is now known as "A" mountain. Hugo Oconór (Hugo O'Conor), the founding father of the city of Tucson, Arizona, authorized the construction of a military fort in that location, Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón, on August 20, 1775 (the present downtown Pima County Courthouse was built near this site). During the Spanish period of the presidio, attacks such as the Second Battle of Tucson were repeatedly mounted by the Apache. Eventually, the town came to be called Tucsón, a Spanish version of the O'odham word for the area. It was included in the state of Sonora after Mexico gained independence from the Kingdom of Spain and its Spanish Empire in 1821

During the Mexican–American War in 1846–1848, Tucsón was captured by Philip St. George Cooke with the Mormon Battalion, but it soon returned to Mexican control as Cooke proceeded to the west, establishing Cooke's Wagon Road to California. Tucsón was not included in the Mexican Cession to the United States following the war. Cooke's road through Tucsón became one of the important routes into California during the California Gold Rush of 1849.^{[citation needed]}

The US acquired those portions of modern-day Arizona that lay south of the Gila River by treaty from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase on June 8, 1854. Under this treaty and purchase, Tucsón became a part of the United States of America. The American military did not formally take over control until March 1856. In time, the name of the town became standardized in English in its current form, where the stress is on the first syllable, the "u" is long, and the "c" is silent.

In 1857, Tucson was established as a stage station on the San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line. In 1858, it became third division headquarters of the Butterfield Overland Mail and operated until the line was shut down in March 1861. The Overland Mail Corporation attempted to continue running, but following the Bascom Affair, devastating Apache attacks on the stations and coaches ended operations in August 1861.^{[citation needed]}

Tucson was incorporated in 1877, making it the oldest incorporated city in Arizona.^{[citation needed]}

From 1877 to 1878, the area suffered a rash of stagecoach robberies. Most notable were the two holdups committed by masked road agent William Whitney Brazelton.^[20] Brazelton held up two stages in the summer of 1878 near Point of Mountain Station, about 17 mi (27 km) northwest of Tucson. John Clum, of Tombstone, Arizona, fame, was one of the passengers. Pima County Sheriff Charles A. Shibell and his citizen posse killed Brazelton on August 19, 1878, in a mesquite bosque along the Santa Cruz River 3 miles (5 km) south of Tucson. Brazelton had been suspected of highway robbery in the Tucson area, the Prescott region, and the Silver City, New Mexico area. Because of the crimes and threats to his business, John J. Valentine Sr. of Wells, Fargo & Co. had sent Bob Paul, a special agent and future Pima County sheriff, to investigate.^[20] The US Army established Fort Lowell, then east of Tucson, to help protect settlers and travelers from Apache attacks.

In 1882, Morgan Earp was fatally shot, in what was later referred to in the press as the "Earp–Clanton Tragedy".^[21] Marietta Spence, wife of Pete Spence, one of the Cochise County Cowboys, testified at the coroner's inquest on Earp's killing and implicated Frank Stilwell in the murder. The coroner's jury concluded Pete Spence, Stilwell, Frederick Bode, and Florentino "Indian Charlie" Cruz were the prime suspects in the assassination of Morgan Earp.^{[22] : 250}

Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp gathered a few trusted friends and accompanied Virgil Earp and his family as they traveled to Benson to take a train to California. They found Stilwell apparently lying in wait for Virgil Earp at the Tucson station and killed Stilwell on the tracks.^[23][21] After killing Stilwell, Wyatt deputized others and conducted a vendetta, killing three more cowboys over the next few days before leaving the territory.

Jim Leavy had built a reputation of having fought in at least 16 gunfights. On June 5, 1882, Leavy had an argument with faro dealer John Murphy in Tucson. The two agreed to have a duel on the Mexican border, but after hearing of Leavy's exploits as a gunfighter, Murphy decided to ambush Leavy instead. Together with two of his friends, Murphy ambushed Leavy as he was leaving the Palace Hotel, killing him. According to Wright, the three co-defendants in Leavy's murder later escaped from the Pima County Jail, but were later recaptured. Murphy and Gibson were found in Fenner, California, living under assumed names; they were retried for the murder before being found not guilty. Moyer was captured in Denver and sentenced to life in Yuma Territorial Prison, but was pardoned in 1888.^[24][25]

Post-frontier life

As other settlers tried to overcome violent frontier society, in 1885, the territorial legislature founded the University of Arizona as a land-grant college on what was overgrazed ranchland between Tucson and Fort Lowell.

In 1890, Asians made up 4.2% of the city's population.^[26] They were predominantly Chinese men who had been recruited as workers on the railroads.

By 1900, 7,531 people lived in Tucson. By 1910, the population increased to 13,913.^[27] About this time, the U.S. Veterans Administration had begun construction of the present Veterans Hospital. The city's clean, dry air made it a destination for many veterans who had been gassed in World War I and needed respiratory therapy. In addition, these dry and high-altitude conditions were thought to be ideal for the treatment of tuberculosis, for which no cures were known before antibiotics were developed against it.^[28]

The city continued to grow, with the population increasing to 20,292 in 1920^[27] and 36,818 in 1940.^[29] In 2006, the estimated population of Pima County, in which Tucson is located, passed one million,^[30] while the City of Tucson's population was 535,000.^[31]

In 1912, Arizona was admitted as a state. This increased the number of flags that had been flown over Tucson to five: Spanish, Mexican, United States, Confederate, and the State of Arizona.^[32]

Tucson, 1909

During the territorial and early statehood periods, Tucson was Arizona's largest city and commercial center, while Phoenix was the seat of state government (beginning in 1889) and agriculture. The development of Tucson Municipal Airport increased the city's prominence. Between 1910 and 1920, though, Phoenix surpassed Tucson in population, and has continued to outpace Tucson in growth. In recent years, both Tucson and Phoenix have had some of the highest growth rates of any jurisdiction in the United States.

Geography

Tucson, as seen from space: The city's four major malls are indicated by blue arrows.

According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2010, the City of Tucson has a land area of 226.71 square miles (587.2 km²). The city's elevation is 2,643 ft (806 m) above sea level (as measured at the Tucson International Airport).^[33] Tucson is on an alluvial plain in the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by five minor ranges of mountains: the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains to the north, the Santa Rita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east, and the Tucson Mountains to the west. Tucson Mountains include 4,687 ft (1,429 m) Wasson Peak. The highest point in the area is Mount Wrightson, found in the Santa Rita Mountains at 9,453 ft (2,881 m) above sea level.

Tucson is 116 mi (187 km) southeast of Phoenix and 69 mi (111 km) north of the United States–Mexico border.^{[citation needed]} The 2020 United States census puts the city's population at 542,629 with a metropolitan area population at 1,043,433. In 2020, Tucson ranked as the 33rd-largest city and 53rd-largest metropolitan area in the United States.^[34] A major city in the Arizona Sun Corridor, Tucson is the largest city in southern Arizona, and the second-largest in the state after Phoenix. It is also the largest city in the area of the historic Gadsden Purchase. As of 2015, the Greater Tucson Metro area has exceeded a population of 1 million.

The city is built along the Santa Cruz River, formerly a perennial river. Now a dry riverbed for much of the year, it regularly floods during significant seasonal rains.

Interstate 10 runs northwest through town, connecting Tucson to Phoenix to the northwest (on the way to its western terminus in Santa Monica, California), and to Las Cruces, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas to the southeast. (Its eastern terminus is in Jacksonville, Florida).

I-19 runs south from Tucson toward Nogales and the U.S.–Mexico border. I-19 is the only Interstate highway that uses "kilometer posts" instead of "mileposts". However, speed limits are marked in miles per hour and kilometers per hour.

Neighborhoods

Downtown and Central Tucson

Downtown Tucson viewed from the Tucson Mountains

A 19th-century adobe house in the Armory Park neighborhood

Similar to many other cities in the Western US, Tucson was developed by European Americans on a grid plan starting in the late 19th century, with the city center at Stone Avenue and Broadway Boulevard. While this intersection was initially near the geographic center of Tucson, the center has shifted as the city has expanded far to the east. Development to the west was effectively blocked by the Tucson Mountains. Covering a large geographic area, Tucson has many distinct neighborhoods.

Tucson's earliest neighborhoods, some of which were redeveloped and covered by the Tucson Convention Center (TCC), include:

• El Presidio,^[35] Tucson's oldest neighborhood.
• Barrio Histórico,^[36] also known as Barrio Libre.
• Armory Park is directly south of downtown.
• Barrio Anita,^[37] named for an early settler, is located between Granada Avenue and Interstate 10.
• Barrio Tiburón, now known as the Fourth Avenue arts district, was designated in territorial times as a red-light district.
• Barrio El Jardín is named for an early recreational site, Levin's Gardens.
• Barrio El Hoyo is named for a lake that was part of the gardens. Before the convention center was built, the term El Hoyo (Spanish for 'pit' or 'hole') referred to this part of the city. Residents were mostly Mexican-American citizens and Mexican immigrants.
• Barrio Santa Rosa, dating from the 1890s, is now listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Other historical neighborhoods near downtown include:

• Feldman's, just north and northwest of the University of Arizona, the neighborhood is named for Alther M. Feldman (1833–1906), an Eastern European immigrant who arrived in Tucson circa 1878. Neighborhood streets Helen and Mabel are named for his daughters.^[38] Feldman owned a photographic studio known as the Arizona Tent Gallery.^[39]
• Menlo Park, situated west of downtown, is adjacent to Sentinel Peak.
• Iron Horse, east of Fourth Avenue and north of the railroad tracks, is named for its proximity to the railroad, informally known by that term.
• West University is between the University of Arizona and downtown.
• Dunbar Spring is west of West University.
• Pie Allen, west and south of the university near Tucson High School, is named for John Brackett "Pie" Allen, a local entrepreneur and early mayor of Tucson.
• Sam Hughes, east of the University of Arizona, is named after a European-American pioneer in Tucson.

Bikes along Congress Street near Fifth Avenue

At the end of the 2010s, city planners and the business community worked to redevelop downtown Tucson. The primary project was Rio Nuevo, a large retail and community center that had been stalled in planning for more than a decade.^[40][41] One Rio Nuevo project that was successful is Mission Garden. Related to Tucson's City of Gastronomy designation, this living agricultural museum at the base of Sentinel Peak west of downtown grows heritage crops and heirloom trees that represent people who have lived in the area for thousands of years. Downtown is generally regarded as the area bordered by 17th Street to the south, I-10 to the west, and 6th Street to the north, and Toole Avenue and the Union Pacific (formerly Southern Pacific) railroad tracks, site of the historic train depot^[42] on the east side. Downtown is divided into the Presidio District, the Barrio Viejo, and the Congress Street Arts and Entertainment District.^[43] Some authorities include the 4th Avenue shopping district, northeast of the rest of downtown and connected by an underpass beneath the UPRR tracks.

The recently restored Fox Theatre is in downtown Tucson.

Historic attractions downtown with rich architecture include the Hotel Congress designed in 1919, the Art Deco Fox Theatre designed in 1929, the Rialto Theatre opened in 1920, and St. Augustine Cathedral completed in 1896.^[44] Included on the National Register of Historic Places is the old Pima County Courthouse, designed by Roy Place in 1928.^[45] El Charro Café, Tucson's oldest restaurant, operates its main location downtown.^[46]

As one of the oldest parts of town, Central Tucson is anchored by the Broadway Village shopping center, designed by local architect Josias Joesler at the intersection of Broadway Boulevard and Country Club Road. The 4th Avenue Shopping District between downtown, the university, and the Lost Barrio just east of downtown, also has many unique and popular stores. Local retail business in Central Tucson is densely concentrated along Fourth Avenue and the Main Gate Square on University Boulevard near the UA campus. El Con Mall is also in the eastern part of midtown.

University of Arizona Main Library

The University of Arizona, chartered in 1885, is in midtown and includes Arizona Stadium and McKale Center (named for J.F. "Pop" McKale, a prominent coach and athletics administrator at the university).^[47]

The historic Tucson High School (designed by Roy Place in 1924) was featured in the 1987 film Can't Buy Me Love. The Arizona Inn (built in 1930) and the Tucson Botanical Gardens are also in Central Tucson.

Tucson's largest park, Reid Park, is in midtown and includes Reid Park Zoo and Hi Corbett Field. Speedway Boulevard, a major east–west arterial road in central Tucson, was named the "ugliest street in America" by Life in the early 1970s, quoting Tucson Mayor James Corbett.

In the late 1990s, Speedway Boulevard was awarded "Street of the Year" by Arizona Highways. Speedway Boulevard was named after an historic horse racetrack, known as the Harlem River Speedway, and more commonly called "The Speedway", in New York City. The Tucson street was called "The Speedway" from 1904 to about 1906, when "The" was removed from the title.^[48]

As of the early 21st century, Central Tucson is considered bicycle-friendly. To the east of the University of Arizona, Third Street is bike-only except for local traffic; it passes by the historic homes of the Sam Hughes neighborhood. To the west, East University Boulevard leads to the Fourth Avenue Shopping District. To the North, North Mountain Avenue has a full bike-only lane for half of the 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the Rillito River Park bike and walk multi-use path. To the south, North Highland Avenue leads to the Barraza-Aviation Parkway bicycle path.^[49]

Southern Tucson

Tucson International Airport when it was under renovation

South Tucson is the name of an independent, incorporated town of 1 sq mi (2.6 km²) south of downtown. It is surrounded by the City of Tucson and was incorporated in 1936 and reincorporated in 1940.

The population is about 83% Mexican-American and 10% Native American, as residents self-identify in the census. South Tucson is widely known for its many Mexican restaurants and architectural styles. Bright murals have been painted on some walls, but city policy discourages this and many have been painted over.^[50][51][52]

The south side of the city of Tucson is generally considered to be the area around 25 sq mi (65 km²) south of 22nd Street, east of I-19, west of Davis Monthan Air Force Base and southwest of Aviation Parkway, and north of Los Reales Road.^[53] The Tucson International Airport and Tucson Electric Park are located here.^[53]

Western Tucson

Panorama of western suburbs

The West Side has areas of both urban and suburban development. It is generally defined as the area west of I-10. Western Tucson encompasses the banks of the Santa Cruz River and the foothills of the Tucson Mountains. Area attractions include the International Wildlife Museum and Sentinel Peak. The Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa serves travelers and residents.^[54] As travelers pass the Tucson Mountains, they enter the area commonly referred to as "west of" Tucson or "Old West Tucson".^[55] In this large, undulating plain extending south into the Altar Valley, rural residential development predominates. Attractions include Saguaro National Park West, and movie set/theme park developed at the Old Tucson Studios.

On Sentinel Peak, just west of downtown, a giant "A" was installed in honor of the University of Arizona, resulting in the nickname "A" Mountain.^[56] Starting in about 1915, an annual tradition developed for freshmen to whitewash the A, which was visible for miles. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the A was painted red, white, and blue.^[57] At the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003, antiwar activists painted the A black. Competition ensued, with various sides repainting the A in different colors until the city council intervened and made the red, white, and blue colors official. In 2013, the color scheme changed back to white.^[58][59] Another color may be decided by a biennial election. With the tricolor scheme, some observers complain the shape of the A is hard to distinguish from the background of the peak. Since 1993, the A has been painted green for St. Patrick's Day. It has also been given other color schemes for different causes.^[59]

Northern Tucson

North Tucson includes the urban neighborhoods of Amphitheater and Flowing Wells. Usually considered the area north of Fort Lowell Road, North Tucson includes some of Tucson's primary commercial zones (Tucson Mall and the Oracle Road Corridor). Many of the city's most upscale boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries are also on the north side, including St. Philip's Plaza. The plaza is directly adjacent to the historic St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church (built in 1936).

The north side also is home to the suburban community of Catalina Foothills, in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains just north of the city limits. This community includes many of the area's most expensive homes, sometimes multimillion-dollar estates. The Foothills area is generally defined as north of River Road, east of Oracle Road^[60] and west of Sabino Creek. Some of the Tucson area's major resorts are in the Catalina Foothills, including Hacienda Del Sol, Westin La Paloma Resort, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and Canyon Ranch Resort. La Encantada, an outdoor shopping mall, is also in the Foothills.

The DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun is near the intersection of Swan Road and Skyline Drive. Built by artist Ted DeGrazia starting in 1951, the 10-acre (4.0 ha) property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features an eclectic chapel, an art gallery, and a museum.

Northwestern suburbs viewed from the Santa Catalina Mountains

The expansive area northwest of the city limits is diverse, ranging from the rural communities of Catalina and parts of the town of Marana, the small suburb of Picture Rocks, the town of Oro Valley in the western foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, and residential areas in the northeastern foothills of the Tucson Mountains. Continental Ranch (Marana), Dove Mountain (Marana), and Rancho Vistoso (Oro Valley), and Saddlebrooke (North Oro Valley) are all master planned communities in the northwest that have thousands of residents.

The community of Casas Adobes is also on the Northwest side, with the distinction of being Tucson's first suburb, established in the late 1940s. Casas Adobes is centered on the historic Casas Adobes Plaza (built in 1948). Casas Adobes is also home to Tohono Chul Park, which is now within the town of Oro Valley, (a nature preserve) near the intersection of North Oracle Road and West Ina Road. The attempted assassination of Representative Gabby Giffords, which resulted in the murders of chief judge for the U.S. District Court for Arizona, John Roll, and five other people on January 8, 2011, occurred at the La Toscana Village in Casas Adobes. The Foothills Mall is also on the northwest side in Casas Adobes.

This area is home to many of the Tucson area's golf courses and resorts, including the Preserve and Mountainview Golf Clubs at Saddlebrooke, Hilton El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort in Oro Valley, the Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa, and Westward Look Resort. The Ritz Carlton at Dove Mountain, the second Ritz Carlton resort in Arizona, which also includes a golf course, opened in the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains in northeast Marana in 2009.

Eastern Tucson

East Tucson is relatively new compared to other parts of the city, developed between the 1950s and the 1970s,^{[citation needed]} with developments such as Desert Palms Park. It is generally classified as the area of the city east of Swan Road, with above-average real estate values relative to the rest of the city. The area includes urban and suburban development near the Rincon Mountains. East Tucson includes Saguaro National Park East. Tucson's "Restaurant Row" is also on the east side, along with a significant corporate and financial presence. Restaurant Row is sandwiched by three of Tucson's storied Vicinages: Harold Bell Wright Estates,^[61] named after the author's ranch which occupied some of that area before the depression; the Tucson Country Club (the third to bear the name Tucson Country Club),^[62] and the Dorado Country Club. Tucson's largest office building is 5151 East Broadway in east Tucson, completed in 1975. The first phases of Williams Centre, a mixed-use, master-planned development on Broadway near Craycroft Road,^[63] were opened in 1987. Park Place, a recently renovated shopping center, is also along Broadway (west of Wilmot Road).

Near the intersection of Craycroft and Ft. Lowell Roads are the remnants of the Historic Fort Lowell. This area has become one of Tucson's iconic neighborhoods. In 1891, the Fort was abandoned and much of the interior was stripped of their useful components and it quickly fell into ruin. In 1900, three of the officer buildings were purchased for use as a sanitarium. The sanitarium was then sold to Harvey Adkins in 1928. The Bolsius family – Pete, Nan and Charles – purchased and renovated surviving adobe buildings of the Fort, transforming them into spectacular artistic southwestern architectural examples. Their woodwork, plaster treatment and sense of proportion drew on their Dutch heritage and New Mexican experience.

Other artists and academics throughout the middle of the 20th century, including Win Ellis, Jack Maul, Madame Germaine Cheruy and René Cheruy, Giorgio Belloli, Charles Bode, Veronica Hughart, Edward H. Spicer and Rosamond Spicer, Hazel Larson Archer and Ruth Brown, renovated adobes, built homes and lived in the area. The artist colony attracted writers and poets including beat generation Alan Harrington and Jack Kerouac whose visit is documented in his iconic book On the Road. This rural pocket in the middle of the city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Each year in February the vicinage celebrates its history in the City Landmark it owns and restored the San Pedro Chapel.

Retired B-52s are stored in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Situated between the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Rincon Mountains near Redington Pass northeast of the city limits is the affluent community of Tanque Verde. The Arizona National Golf Club, Forty-Niners Country Club, and the historic Tanque Verde Guest Ranch are also in northeast Tucson.

Southeast Tucson continues to experience rapid residential development. The area includes Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The area is considered to be south of Golf Links Road. It is the home of Santa Rita High School, Chuck Ford Park (Lakeside Park), Lakeside Lake, Lincoln Park (upper and lower), The Lakecrest Vicinagess, and Pima Community College East Campus. The Atterbury Wash with its access to excellent bird watching is also in the Southeast Tucson area. The suburban community of Rita Ranch houses many of the military families from Davis-Monthan, and is near the southeasternmost expansion of the current city limits. Close by Rita Ranch and also within the city limits lies Civano,^[64] a planned development meant to showcase ecologically sound building practices and lifestyles.

Climate

Tucson has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh), with two major seasons, a hot summer and mild winter. Tucson averages 10.61 inches (269.5 mm) of precipitation per year, concentrated during the Pacific storms of winter and the North American Monsoon of summer. Fall and spring tend to be sunny and dry.^[65] Despite being at a more southerly latitude than Phoenix, Tucson is slightly cooler and wetter due to a variety of factors, including elevation and orographic lift in surrounding mountains, though Tucson does occasionally see warmer daytime temperatures in the winter.^[66]

Monsoon clouds blanketed the Catalina Mountains in August 2005.

Summer is characterized by average daily high temperatures between 98 and 102 °F (37 and 39 °C) and low temperatures between 71 and 77 °F (22 and 25 °C). Early summer is characterized by low humidity and clear skies; mid- and late summer are characterized by higher humidity, cloudy skies, and frequent rain. The sun is intense in Tucson during part of the year, and those who spend time outdoors need protection. Recent studies show that the rate of skin cancer in Arizona is at least three times higher than in more northerly regions. Additionally, heat stroke is a concern for hikers, mountain bikers, and adventurers who explore canyons, open desert lands, and other exposed areas.^[67]

While monsoon season officially begins on June 15, the arrival of the North American Monsoon is unpredictable, as it varies from year to year. On average, Tucson receives its first monsoon storms around July 3. Monsoon activity generally persists through August and often into September.^[68] During the monsoon, the humidity is much higher than the rest of the year. It begins with clouds building up from the south in the early afternoon, followed by intense thunderstorms and rainfall, which can cause flash floods. The evening sky at this time of year is often pierced with dramatic lightning strikes. Large areas of the city do not have storm sewers, so monsoon rains flood the main thoroughfares, usually for no longer than a few hours. A few underpasses in Tucson have "feet of water" scales painted on their supports to discourage fording by automobiles during a rainstorm.^[69] Arizona traffic code Title 28–910, the so-called "Stupid Motorist Law", was instituted in 1995 to discourage people from entering flooded roadways. If the road is flooded and a barricade is in place, motorists who drive around the barricade can be charged up to $2000 for costs involved in rescuing them.^[70] Despite the warnings and precautions, three Tucson drivers have drowned between 2004 and 2010.^{[citation needed]}

The weather in the fall is much like spring, dry, with warm/cool nights and warm/hot days. Temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are possible into early October. Temperatures decline at the quickest rate in October and November, and are normally the coolest in late December and early January.

Winters in Tucson are mild relative to other parts of the United States. Average daytime highs range between 65 and 70 °F (18 and 21 °C), with overnight lows between 40 and 44 °F (4 and 7 °C). Tucson typically averages three hard freezes per winter season, with temperatures dipping to the mid- or low 20 degrees F (−4 to −7 °C), but this is typically limited to only a very few nights. Although rare, snow occasionally falls in lower elevations in Tucson and is common in the Santa Catalina Mountains. The most recent snowfall was on March 2, 2023, when a winter storm caused snow to fall throughout most of the southwest. Tucson airport recorded 1.0 in (2.5 cm) of snow, the seventh heaviest March snowfall on record.^[71]

Early spring is characterized by gradually rising temperatures and several weeks of vivid wildflower blooms beginning in late February and into March. During this time of year the diurnal temperature variation occurs with a temperature change often surpassing 30 °F (17 °C) daily.

Climate chart for Tucson

Since records began in 1894, the record maximum temperature was 117 °F (47 °C) on June 27, 1990, and the record minimum temperature was 6 °F (−14 °C) on January 7, 1913. There are an average of 158 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 12 days with lows reaching or below the freezing mark. Average annual precipitation is 10.61 in (269 mm). On average, 47.4 days have measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1905, with 24.17 in (614 mm) and the driest year was 2020 with 4.16 in (106 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 8.06 in (205 mm) in July 2021. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3.93 in (100 mm) on July 29, 1958. Annual snowfall averages 0.1 in (0.25 cm). The most snow in one winter was 6.8 in (17 cm) in winter 1971–1972. The most snow in one month was 6.8 in (17 cm) in December 1971.

Climate data for Tucson, Arizona (Tucson Int'l), 1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1894−present[b]
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	88 (31)	92 (33)	99 (37)	104 (40)	111 (44)	117 (47)	114 (46)	112 (44)	111 (44)	106 (41)	94 (34)	85 (29)	117 (47)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	79.1 (26.2)	82.5 (28.1)	88.7 (31.5)	95.4 (35.2)	102.8 (39.3)	109.2 (42.9)	109.0 (42.8)	107.0 (41.7)	103.5 (39.7)	97.9 (36.6)	87.6 (30.9)	78.9 (26.1)	110.7 (43.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	66.5 (19.2)	69.2 (20.7)	75.8 (24.3)	82.9 (28.3)	91.8 (33.2)	101.2 (38.4)	100.2 (37.9)	98.6 (37.0)	95.1 (35.1)	86.3 (30.2)	75.1 (23.9)	65.5 (18.6)	84.0 (28.9)
Daily mean °F (°C)	53.6 (12.0)	56.2 (13.4)	61.9 (16.6)	68.1 (20.1)	76.8 (24.9)	86.1 (30.1)	88.2 (31.2)	86.9 (30.5)	82.8 (28.2)	72.6 (22.6)	61.5 (16.4)	53.0 (11.7)	70.6 (21.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	40.8 (4.9)	43.2 (6.2)	48.0 (8.9)	53.3 (11.8)	61.8 (16.6)	71.1 (21.7)	76.3 (24.6)	75.2 (24.0)	70.4 (21.3)	59.0 (15.0)	47.9 (8.8)	40.5 (4.7)	57.3 (14.1)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	28.5 (−1.9)	31.6 (−0.2)	35.6 (2.0)	41.1 (5.1)	50.3 (10.2)	60.3 (15.7)	67.8 (19.9)	68.3 (20.2)	60.8 (16.0)	44.9 (7.2)	32.9 (0.5)	27.8 (−2.3)	25.6 (−3.6)
Record low °F (°C)	6 (−14)	17 (−8)	20 (−7)	27 (−3)	32 (0)	43 (6)	49 (9)	55 (13)	43 (6)	26 (−3)	19 (−7)	10 (−12)	6 (−14)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.84 (21)	0.84 (21)	0.56 (14)	0.24 (6.1)	0.20 (5.1)	0.23 (5.8)	2.21 (56)	1.98 (50)	1.32 (34)	0.67 (17)	0.56 (14)	0.96 (24)	10.61 (269)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.25)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.25)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	4.2	4.0	3.1	1.6	1.4	1.6	8.8	8.5	4.4	2.9	2.5	4.4	47.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2
Average relative humidity (%)	48.4	42.7	37.0	27.0	22.0	21.1	41.6	46.6	41.7	38.4	42.7	50.0	38.3
Average dew point °F (°C)	28.2 (−2.1)	27.7 (−2.4)	27.7 (−2.4)	26.8 (−2.9)	29.1 (−1.6)	36.3 (2.4)	55.8 (13.2)	58.1 (14.5)	51.1 (10.6)	39.2 (4.0)	31.8 (−0.1)	29.5 (−1.4)	36.8 (2.7)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	259.9	258.2	320.7	357.2	400.8	396.9	342.7	335.6	316.4	307.4	264.4	245.8	3,806
Percent possible sunshine	81	84	86	92	94	93	79	81	85	87	84	79	86
Source: NOAA (relative humidity, dew points and sun 1961–1990)[72][73][74]

See or edit raw graph data.

Demographics

See also: History of Mexican Americans in Tucson

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	400		—
1860	915		128.8%
1870	3,215		251.4%
1880	7,007		117.9%
1890	5,150		−26.5%
1900	7,531		46.2%
1910	13,193		75.2%
1920	20,292		53.8%
1930	32,506		60.2%
1940	35,752		10.0%
1950	45,454		27.1%
1960	212,892		368.4%
1970	262,933		23.5%
1980	330,537		25.7%
1990	405,371		22.6%
2000	486,699		20.1%
2010	520,116		6.9%
2020	542,629		4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[75] 2010–2020[76]

According to 2020 census, the racial composition of Tucson was:^[77]

• Non-Hispanic white: 43.6%
• African American (including Hispanics): 5.6%
• Native American (including Hispanics): 2.9%
• Asian American (including Hispanics): 3.2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (including Hispanics): 0.3%
• Hispanic or Latino: 42.2%

According to the 2010 American Census Bureau, the racial composition of Tucson was:

• Non-Hispanic White: 47.2%
• Black or African American (including Hispanics): 5.0%
• Native American (including Hispanics): 2.7%
• Asian (including Hispanics): 2.9%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (including Hispanics): 0.2%
• Other race (including Hispanics): 17.8%
• Two or more races (including Hispanics): 3.4%
• Hispanic or Latino: 41.6%; Mexican Americans made up 36.1% of the city's population.

2020 census

Tucson city, Arizona – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[78]	Pop 2010[79]	Pop 2020[80]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	263,748	245,323	236,837	54.19%	47.17%	43.65%
Black or African American alone (NH)	19,795	23,362	27,702	4.07%	4.49%	5.11%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	7,732	8,776	9,197	1.59%	1.69%	1.69%
Asian alone (NH)	11,537	14,211	16,336	2.37%	2.73%	3.01%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	642	951	1,328	0.13%	0.18%	0.24%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	734	792	2,518	0.15%	0.15%	0.46%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	8,643	10,393	19,833	1.78%	2.00%	3.65%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	173,868	216,308	228,878	35.72%	41.59%	42.18%
Total	486,699	520,116	542,629	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Map of racial distribution in Tucson, 2010 U.S. census. Each dot is 25 people: ⬤ White ⬤ Black ⬤ Asian ⬤ Hispanic ⬤ Other

As of the census of 2010, 520,116 people, 229,762 households, and 112,455 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,500.1 inhabitants per square mile (965.3 inhabitants/km²). The 209,609 dwelling units had an average density of 1,076.7 per square mile (415.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.7% White (down from 94.8% in 1970^[81]), 5.0% Black or African-American, 2.7% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 16.9% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 41.6% of the population.^[82] Non-Hispanic Whites were 47.2% of the population in 2010,^[82] down from 72.8% in 1970.^[81]

The largest ancestries reported in Tucson according to 2022 estimates were Mexican (39.9%), German (11%), English (7.7%), Italian (3.4%), American (2.8%), and Polish (1.8%).^[83][84]

According to research by demographer William H. Frey using data from the 2010 United States census, Tucson has the lowest level of Black-White segregation of any of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.^[85]

Of the 192,891 households, 29.0% had children under 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were not families. About 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42, and the average family size was 3.12.

In the inner city, the population has 24.6% under 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,981, and for a family was $37,344. Males had a median income of $28,548 versus $23,086 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,322. About 13.7% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under 18 and 11.0% of those 65 or over.^[86]

Economy

Downtown Tucson with the University of Arizona in the background

Much of Tucson's economic development has centered on the development of the University of Arizona, which is the city's largest employer. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, on the city's southeastern edge, also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. Its presence, as well as the presence of the US Army Intelligence Center (Fort Huachuca, the region's largest employer, in nearby Sierra Vista), has led to the development of many high-technology industries, including government contractors. The city of Tucson is also a major hub for the Union Pacific Railroad's Sunset Route that links the Los Angeles ports with the South/Southeast regions of the country.

Raytheon Missiles and Defense (formerly Hughes Aircraft Co.),^[87]<