Tucson

About Tucson

Tucson (; O'odham: Cuk Ṣon; Spanish: Tucsón, also Spanish: Tucson) is the county seat of and the most populated city in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona with a population of 542,630 at the 2020 census, behind the capital city, Phoenix, while the Tucson metropolitan statistical area has an estimated 1.08 million residents and is the 52nd-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Tucson and Phoenix anchor the Arizona Sun Corridor. The city is 108 mi (174 km) southeast of Phoenix and 60 mi (97 km) north of the United States–Mexico border. It is home to the University of Arizona.

Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, Sahuarita 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-mile (76,800 km2) region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico from Mexico under the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. Tucson served as the capital of the Arizona Territory from 1867 to 1877. Tucson was Arizona's largest city by population during the territorial period and early statehood, until it was surpassed by Phoenix in 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.

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. 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.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tucson weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Tucson

Webcams: Windy.com

Living in Tucson

Median household income

$57,073

Median home value

$266,200

Median rent

$1,145/mo

Median age

34.6

Map of Tucson

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Tucson Street View

Drag the image to look around and tap the arrows on the ground to move. If it says there is no imagery, tap a nearby street on the map above.

Tucson, AZ population

Tucson had 542,629 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Tucson at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Tucson

• South Tucson6.5 mi NW
• Summit7.8 mi SW
• Kleindale8.4 mi N
• Catalina Foothills10.3 mi N
• Drexel Heights10.4 mi W
• Tanque Verde10.9 mi NE
• Rincon Valley11.0 mi E
• Flowing Wells12.7 mi NW
• Vail13.8 mi SE
• Valencia West14.3 mi W
• Tucson Mountains15.0 mi NW
• Corona de Tucson15.0 mi S

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Tucson