Safety-wise, Tucson may not be as bad as some larger cities.
However, it, too, has its own peculiarities and shady areas that are best avoided.
One of the notable problems with Tucson is that the good and bad areas are not so well defined.
But don’t worry, there are neighborhoods that shine brighter than the rest.
Let’s dive into the details.
The Overall Safest Neighborhoods and Areas in Tucson
Generally, the further away from the city you go, the safer it tends to be.
The areas north and northwest of Rillito River are often considered safer and among the best.
Neighborhoods that are regarded as the safest in Tucson are the Catalina Foothills, Casas Adobes, Oro Valley, and Marana. The Vail, Corona de Tucson, and Sahuarita are also really good areas that are found a bit south of Tucson.
All those are quiet and safe, but will probably not be very appealing to young adults.
Some of these places can also be fairly expensive to stay at and you will need to drive anywhere as they are fairly suburban.
| City/Area Name | Population | Crime Rate (Compared to Arizona’s Average) | Total Crime (Per 100k People) | Chance of Being a Victim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rincon Valley | 5,337 | 67% lower | 882 | 1 in 114 |
| Tanque Verde | 15,446 | 59% lower | 1,107 | 1 in 91 |
| Catalina Foothills | 50,631 | 54% lower | 1,248 | 1 in 81 |
| Oro Valley | 45,303 | 49% lower | 1,375 | 1 in 73 |
| Corona De Tucson | 9,492 | 26% lower | 2,006 | 1 in 50 |
| Vail | 14,099 | 22% lower | 2,104 | 1 in 48 |
| Marana | 47,164 | 14% lower | 2,341 | 1 in 43 |
| Casas Adobes | 70,516 | 8% higher | 2,933 | 1 in 35 |
Catalina Foothills
The Foothills is easily one of the best neighborhoods in Tucson.
Ask any Tucsonan, and they will tell you that if you want the best of everything and money is not an issue, then you should definitely check out the Foothills.
The Foothills is generally where the more affluent tend to live, too.
This area is safe, quiet, and clean and has a decent amount of grocery stores. It is a short drive from the center of Tucson.
It also offers great scenery overlooking the city and plenty of options for hiking and biking since it is up toward the mountains.
Oro Valley
The Oro Valley is another very safe and friendly area that is preferred by many locals.
Technically, it is a small town, located a couple of miles north of Tucson, near the Tortolita mountains.
What’s more, over the years Oro Valley has earned a lot of praise over the years.
It has been named:
- Arizona’s best small city by WalletHub in 2017,
- the best place in Arizona to raise kids by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2013,
- the safest city in Arizona by Safewise in 2019,
- and even ranked among the best towns for families by Family Circle Magazine back in 2008.
It has almost anything you would normally need. There are plenty of shopping areas, hiking, and other activity opportunities.
The schools in Oro Valley are also really good, making it a great spot for families with kids as well.
Unless you are working downtown or studying, it is unlikely that you will need to commute down to Tucson a lot.
Casas Adobes
A lot of Tucson residents consider the Cases Adobes one of the best and safest neighborhoods in Tucson to live in.
It is just north of the river, south of Oro Valley, and west of the Foothills. In other words, it is situated right next to some of the best areas in Tucson but significantly closer to the actual city.
It is a quiet and safe neighborhood that is excellent for families. The housing is still fairly affordable, and the schools are good. There are decent commercial areas and restaurants.
It is a short drive—no more than 20 minutes—from almost everything you may need in Tucson.
It has a semi-rural feel to it, and it is a fairly open and spacious area so you will not feel cramped between buildings and neighbors.
There is also still plenty of wildlife in the area.
The I-10 is nearby and so is the loop. That said, since the areas along the I-10 are also infamously sketchy, it is no surprise that in the table above, Casas Adobes ranks fairly low.
The foothills are nearby, which offer plenty of hiking opportunities.
Sahuarita
Sahuarita has a nice suburban feel to it and it is just a few miles south of Tucson.
It is a safe and pleasant area with some really nice spots. It could be argued, but it is not at the same level as Vail or Rita Ranch.
Sahuarita was named one of the safest places in Arizona in 2013. (Oro Valley ranked close second in terms of safety in 2013.)
Nonetheless, it is a pretty good area that also has some good schools.
Vail
Vails is a really good and safe small little town just southeast of Tucson. It is a great place for families with kids. The schools are excellent and the community is excellent as well.
Vail has a nice suburban feel to it. It is a quiet and beautiful area. The crime level is very low and the housing there is still fairly affordable and offers plenty of amenities.
It is a great place for people who do not mind being in the suburbs and the lack of amenities. It is a particularly good choice for people who are going to be working at the airport.
Rita Ranch
Rita Ranch is another really good place to live.
It is situated just before Vail and shares many of the same pros and cons.
Overall, it is a great place for families with children and has very low crime levels.
Both Rita Ranch and Vails can benefit from the easy access to the I-10 highway.
Marana
Marana is another wonderful small town with a booming growing economy, just northwest of Tucson.
Marana is a very good choice for families. It is safe and pleasant. The schools are among the best in the area.
Traveling to Tucson is quick and easy thanks to the close proximity to the I-10 highway.
Safe Neighborhoods in Tucson for Young Adults and Students
For younger adults, professionals, and students, some of the immediate neighborhoods and areas around the University of Arizona (UofA) are often considered best.
The neighborhoods around UofA are generally safe, walkable, and bikeable. Those areas also provide plenty of opportunities for socializing and offer good nightlife and good food. The neighborhoods northwest, west, and south of the university are pretty good and safe areas.
Some of the safer neighborhoods suitable for young adults and students in Tucson are Pie Allen, Rincon Heights, Sam Hughes, Armory Park, Iron Horse, Jefferson Park, Blenman-Elm, Barrio Viejo, Rillito, Campus Farm, and Saguaro Miraflores.
All of these are generally nice and safe areas that can provide good opportunities for socializing.
Starr Pass is a good and safe neighborhood located to the west of UofA. It is significantly closer to the city but it may be a little dull and boring for younger people although it can be a great place for families or people looking for a little more peaceful environment.
Neighborhoods to the south are very decent but tend to have isolated sketchy pockets and there are cases of petty crime and bike theft.
A good example is the Downtown to the southwest of the UofA. It is also a fairly safe, bikeable, and affordable area. That said, the Downtown and surrounding areas do have their isolated sketchy pockets.
| Neighborhood | Population | Crime Rate (Compared to Tucson Average) | Total Crime (Per 100k People) | Chance of Being a Victim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saguaro Miraflores | 803 | 69% lower | 1,350 | 1 in 75 |
| Tucson Park West | 3,752 | 67% lower | 1,436 | 1 in 70 |
| Houghton | 2,583 | 65% lower | 1,520 | 1 in 66 |
| Prince Tucson | 2,295 | 64% lower | 1,570 | 1 in 64 |
| Rita Ranch | 17,981 | 62% lower | 1,623 | 1 in 62 |
| Ironwood Ridge | 188 | 61% lower | 1,666 | 1 in 61 |
| Desert Palms Park | 333 | 62% lower | 1,655 | 1 in 61 |
| Armory Park | 1,259 | 60% lower | 1,728 | 1 in 58 |
| Rosemont East | 160 | 60% lower | 1,728 | 1 in 58 |
| Iron Horse | 243 | 60% lower | 1,728 | 1 in 58 |
| Western Hills | 1,172 | 59% lower | 1750 | 1 in 58 |
| Eastside | 4,032 | 55% lower | 1,937 | 1 in 52 |
| Mesquite Ranch | 2,164 | 49% lower | 2,200 | 1 in 46 |
| Civano | 3,195 | 43 % lower | 2,478 | 1 in 41 |
| El Cortez | 342 | 40% lower | 2,578 | 1 in 39 |
| Poets Square | 1,040 | 31% lower | 2,976 | 1 in 34 |
| Old Fort Lowell | 2,055 | 30% lower | 3,030 | 1 in 34 |
| Richland Heights East | 1,385 | 30% lower | 3,006 | 1 in 34 |
| Sewell | 1,428 | 32% lower | 2,951 | 1 in 34 |
This may seem like a long list, but keep in mind that Tucson’s neighborhood situation is a bit complicated. There are a little over 210 constituent neighborhoods. Data provided courtesy of AreaVibes.
Safety in Tucson: What to Expect
Crime rates in Tucson are not good—this is not a secret.
Unfortunately, even though recent data shows the crime rates in Tucson are not as high as they once were, they remain significantly and consistently high.
The average crime rate in Tucson is higher than both the Arizona averages and national averages.
So what type of crime can you expect?
Generally, property thefts, home break-ins, vehicle break-ins, and assaults are on the rise and more prominent according to the data. That said, they tend to occur in more isolated pockets around the city.
Tucson has been having a large homeless population for a really long time and the trends are not looking too good. As a result, this can lead to a lot of petty crimes, drug issues, and homeless encampments popping up in various areas around the city.
You can have one block be nice and safe, and the next one be sketchy and dangerous. Or you can stumble upon a very high-end, gated community with high crime and shady areas just outside of it.
Tucson is a very lively, changing, and transforming city. This means that areas previously deemed super safe can change quickly and vice versa.
Tucson Crime Maps and Apps
When doing your research in terms of which areas are safe and which areas to avoid, there are a number of resources that can help you along.
- NeighborhoodScout offers a very detailed crime map of Tucson and the surrounding areas in combination with other neat statistics.
- The Citizen App is another good piece of software that can help you stay updated as to current crime trends in surrounding areas.
- The neighborhood Support Network has been running a pretty cool event and incident log history using the data sourced directly from the PD and Tucson’s Information Technology Department.
- SpotCrime offers a more visual crime and incidents map. The only downside is that you cannot view the whole city in one glance, but rather you have to center your browser to different areas and run the search functionality. That said, by using SpotCrime’s map, you can get a better idea of more prominent crime hotspots.
