Tucson, Arizona Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

by btobers · Published June 4, 2019 · Updated September 14, 2024

Tucson is located in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, which is known for its warm climate and cacti-filled landscape. It is situated in the Santa Cruz Valley, with the Santa Catalina Mountains to the north and the Rincon Mountains to the east. Tucson has an average temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and 48 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. It receives around 11 inches of rain annually.

Tucson’s history dates back thousands of years to when it was home to several Native American tribes, including the Hohokam, Tohono O’odham, and Apache peoples. Later, Spanish missionaries arrived in 1692 and founded a presidio there. After Mexico declared independence from Spain in 1821, Tucson became part of Mexico until 1853 when it became part of the United States after being acquired through the Gadsden Purchase.

Politically, Tucson is part of Arizona’s second congressional district and has been represented by Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick since 2019. The city also serves as a county seat for Pima County and has a mayor-council form of government with Regina Romero as mayor since 2019.

The economy of Tucson is largely based on tourism due to its natural beauty, mild climate, and cultural attractions such as museums and theaters. It is also home to several universities such as University of Arizona which provide educational opportunities for students from all over the world as well as highly skilled workers for local businesses. Furthermore, Tucson boasts a vibrant aerospace industry thanks to companies like Raytheon Missile Systems which employs thousands in defense-related jobs.

Tucson’s education system includes public schools operated by Tucson Unified School District along with many private schools throughout the city such as St Augustine Catholic School & Academy or Sabino High School which offer students alternative options for their learning experience.

As far as landmarks go, some notable places include Saguaro National Park which offers visitors stunning views of cactus-filled desert landscapes; Old Tucson movie studio where many classic western movies were filmed; San Xavier del Bac Mission – an 18th century church; Pima Air & Space Museum – one of the largest aircraft museums in America; Tumacácori National Historical Park – a former Jesuit mission site; Mount Lemmon – a 9157 foot mountain northeast from downtown Tucson; Reid Park Zoo – featuring exotic animals from all over the world; and International Wildlife Museum – showcasing thousands of specimens from hundreds of species worldwide.

Population: 486,699. Estimated population in July 2024: 515,526 (+5.9% change)
Males: 238,408 (49.0%), Females: 248,291 (51.0%)

Zip codes: 85701, 85704, 85705, 85706, 85708, 85710, 85711, 85712, 85713, 85714, 85715, 85716, 85718, 85719, 85730, 85735, 85736, 85737, 85739, 85741, 85742, 85743, 85745, 85746, 85747, 85748, 85749, 85750.

Demographics

Median resident age: 32.1 years
Median household income: $30,981
Median house value: $96,300

Population by Race

Races in Tucson:

White Non-Hispanic (54.2%)
Hispanic (35.7%)
Other race (16.8%)
Black (4.3%)
Two or more races (3.8%)
American Indian (3.2%)
Chinese (0.6%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (14.4%), Irish (9.7%), English (8.2%), Italian (4.0%), United States (3.7%), French (2.7%).

Elevation: 2491 feet

Land area: 194.7 square miles

Map of Tucson, AZ

Population by Education

Tucson, Arizona is a vibrant city located in the Sonoran Desert. As of 2019, the population of Tucson was estimated to be 545,975. The city has a diverse population with people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The majority of the population is made up of White Americans (60%), followed by Latinos (31%), African Americans (4%), Asians (2%), Native Americans (1%) and other racial groups (2%).

Tucson is also home to a large immigrant population. According to U.S. Census data, around 11% of Tucson’s population was foreign-born in 2019. The majority of these immigrants are from Mexico and other Latin American countries such as El Salvador and Guatemala. Additionally, Tucson has a large military presence due to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base which is located just outside the city limits. This base brings in thousands of military personnel and their families each year, adding to the diversity of Tucson’s population.

The median age in Tucson is 33 years old which is slightly lower than the national average age which is 38 years old. This suggests that many young people are choosing to move to Tucson for its booming economy and vibrant culture. In addition to its younger residents, Tucson also has an older population with 12% aged 65 or above as compared with 16% nationally reflecting that many retirees are drawn to this city for its mild climate and low cost of living compared with other cities in Arizona such as Phoenix or Flagstaff.

For population 25 years and over in Tucson

High school or higher: 80.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.9%
Graduate or professional degree: 9.0%
Unemployed: 5.9%
Mean travel time to work: 21.6 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Tucson city

Never married: 33.0%
Now married: 45.3%
Separated: 2.0%
Widowed: 6.5%
Divorced: 13.2%

14.3% Foreign born (10.3% Latin America, 2.0% Asia).

Population change in the 1990s: +68,770 (+16.5%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Tucson:

CARONDELET SAINT JOSEPHS HOSPITAL (350 NORTH WILMOT RD)
CARONDELET ST MARYS HOSPITAL (1601 WEST ST MARY’S ROAD)
EL DORADO HOSPITAL (1400 NORTH WILMOT ROAD, PO BOX 13070)
HEALTHSOUTH REHAB INSTITUTE OF TUCSON (2650 NORTH WYATT DRIVE)
KINDRED HOSPITAL – TUCSON (355 NORTH WILMOT ROAD)
KINO COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (2800 EAST AJO WAY)
NORTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER (6200 N LA CHOLLA BLVD)
SONORA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (6050 NORTH CORONA ROAD)
SUMMIT HOSPITAL OF SOUTHEAST AZ (7220 EAST ROSEWOOD)
TUCSON HEART HOSPITAL (4888 NORTH STONE AVENUE)
TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER (5301 EAST GRANT RD)
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (1501 N CAMPBELL AVE)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Tucson:

DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB (about 6 miles; TUCSON, AZ; Abbreviation: DMA)
TUCSON INTL (about 8 miles; TUCSON, AZ; Abbreviation: TUS)
PINAL AIRPARK (about 34 miles; MARANA, AZ; Abbreviation: MZJ)

Other public-use airports nearest to Tucson:

RYAN FIELD (about 19 miles; TUCSON, AZ; Abbreviation: RYN)
MARANA NORTHWEST REGIONAL (about 25 miles; MARANA, AZ; Abbreviation: AVQ)
SAN MANUEL (about 35 miles; SAN MANUEL, AZ; Abbreviation: E77)

Amtrak station:
TUCSON (400 E. TOOLE ST.). Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, vending machines, free short-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Tucson:

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (Full-time enrollment: 29,915; Location: 1401 E UNIVERSITY; Public; Website: www.arizona.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 14,177; Location: 2202 W ANKLAM RD; Public; Website: www.pima.edu)
PIMA MEDICAL INSTITUTE (Full-time enrollment: 364; Location: 3350 E GRANT RD; Private, for-profit)
THE ART CENTER DESIGN COLLEGE-TUCSON (Full-time enrollment: 350; Location: 2525 N COUNTRY CLUB RD; Private, for-profit; Website: www.theartcenter.com)
CHAPARRAL CAREER COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 339; Location: 4585 E SPEEDWAY BLVD STE 204; Private, for-profit; Website: www.chap-col.edu)
ITT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE (Full-time enrollment: 223; Location: 1455 WEST RIVER RD; Private, for-profit; Website: www.itt-tech.edu)
TUCSON COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 175; Location: 7310 E 22ND ST; Private, for-profit; Website: www.tucsoncollege.com)
DESERT INSTITUTE OF THE HEALING ARTS (Full-time enrollment: 126; Location: 639 N SIXTH AVE; Private, for-profit; Website: www.desertinstitute.org)
ALLURE CAREER COLLEGE OF BEAUTY (Full-time enrollment: 124; Location: 3210 E SPEEDWAY BLVD; Private, for-profit; Website: artisticbeautycolleges.com)
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF BEAUTY (Full-time enrollment: 32; Location: 4046 N ORACLE; Private, for-profit; Website: www.arizonaacademy.com)
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF BEAUTY INC (Full-time enrollment: 29; Location: 5631 E SPEEDWAY BLVD; Private, for-profit; Website: www.arizonaacademy.com)
BRODSKY SCHOOL OF REAL ESTATE (Location: 720 S CRAYCROFT; Private, for-profit)
FOSIS GLAMOUR TECHNIQUES AND MODELING SCHOOL (Location: 2777 N CAMPBELL AVE STE 209; Private, for-profit)
WESTERN TRUCK SCHOOL (Location: 4726 S COUNTRY CLUB; Private, for-profit)
INSTITUTE OF WORD PROCESSING (Location: 40 N SWAN RD STE 112; Private, for-profit)
HIGHWAY DISTRIBUTION SERVICES (Location: PO BOX 27565; Private, for-profit)
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX-SOUTHERN ARIZONA CAMPUS (Location: 5099 E GRANT RD STE 120; Private, for-profit; Website: www.phoenix.edu/soariz; Offers Doctor’s degree)
TUCSON SCHOOL OF HORSESHOEING (Location: 2230 N KIMBERLEE RD; Private, for-profit)
APOLLO COLLEGE (Location: 3870 N ORACLE RD; Private, for-profit; Website: www.apollocollege.com)
TUCSON UNIVERSITY (Location: 210 East Broadway Blvd; Private, not-for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Tucson:

CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE (about 67 miles; COOLIDGE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,333)
EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE (about 90 miles; THATCHER, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 3,085)
CHANDLER/GILBERT COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 99 miles; CHANDLER, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,990)
MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 104 miles; MESA, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 11,928)
SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 109 miles; SCOTTSDALE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 5,345)
RIO SALADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 109 miles; TEMPE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 4,472)
AL COLLINS GRAPHIC DESIGN SCHOOL LTD (about 109 miles; TEMPE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 4,057)

Biggest public high schools in Tucson:

TUCSON MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 2,764; Location: 400 N. SECOND AVENUE; Grades: 09 – 12)
MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 2,084; Location: 3901 W. LINDA VISTA BLVD.; Grades: 09 – 12)
SAHUARO HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,992; Location: 545 N. CAMINO SECO; Grades: 09 – 12)
SUNNYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,983; Location: 1725 E BILBY RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
PUEBLO HIGH MAGNET SCHOOL (Students: 1,940; Location: 3500 S. 12TH AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
FLOWING WELLS HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,888; Location: 3725 N FLOWING WELLS RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
CATALINA FOOTHILLS HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,872; Location: 4300 E SUNRISE DR; Grades: 08 – 12)
CANYON DEL ORO HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,851; Location: 25 WEST CALLE CONCORDIA; Grades: 09 – 12)
AMPHITHEATER HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,690; Location: 125 W YAVAPAI ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
IRONWOOD RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,659; Location: 2475 WEST NARANJA DRIVE; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Tucson:

SALPOINTE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,434; Location: 1545 E COPPER STREET; Grades: 9 – 12)
PALO VERDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 460; Location: 2151 N PALO VERDE BLVD; Grades: KG – 12)
ST. GREGORY COLLEGE PREPARATOR (Students: 416; Location: 3231 N CRAYCROFT; Grades: 6 – 12)
GREEN FIELDS COUNTRY DAY SCH (Students: 229; Location: 6000 N CAMINO DE LA TIERRA; Grades: 4 – 12)
DESERT CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 219; Location: POB 31240/ 7777 E SPEEDWAY BLV; Grades: 9 – 12)
TULLER SCHOOL (Students: 194; Location: 5870 EAST 14TH STREET; Grades: KG – 12)
IMMACULATE HEART HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 92; Location: 625 EAST MAGEE ROAD; Grades: 9 – 12)
KINO LEARNING CENTER (Students: 80; Location: 6625 NORTH FIRST AVE; Grades: PK – 12)
DOVE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 55; Location: 2555 N STONE AVENUE; Grades: KG – 12)
TUSCON ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE (Students: 9; Location: 1749 E BRDWAY RD; Grades: 7 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Tucson:

RICHARD B WILSON JR SCHOOL (Students: 1,421; Location: 2330 W GLOVER RD; Grades: KG – 08)
TORTOLITA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,132; Location: 4101 W. HARDY RD; Grades: 07 – 08)
PISTOR MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,117; Location: 5455 S CARDINAL AVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
SIERRA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,097; Location: 5801 S. DEL MORAL BLVD.; Grades: 06 – 08)
CORONADO K-8 SCHOOL (Students: 1,094; Location: 3401 E. WILDS ROAD; Grades: KG – 08)
UTTERBACK MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,076; Location: 3233 S. PINAL VISTA; Grades: 06 – 08)
BOOTH-FICKETT MATH/SCIENCE MAGNET SCHOOL (Students: 1,026; Location: 450 S. MONTEGO DRIVE; Grades: KG – 08)
MAGEE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,019; Location: 8300 E. SPEEDWAY BLVD.; Grades: 06 – 08)
LAWRENCE W CROSS MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 978; Location: 1000 W. CHAPALA DR.; Grades: 06 – 08)
APOLLO MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 973; Location: 265 WEST NEBRASKA STREET; Grades: 06 – 08)

Biggest private primary/middle schools in Tucson:

OUR MOTHER OF SORROWS SCHOOL (Students: 552; Location: 1800 SOUTH KOLB ROAD; Grades: PK – 8)
SS PETER AND PAUL SCHOOL (Students: 531; Location: 1436 N CAMPBELL AVENUE; Grades: KG – 8)
ST JOSEPH SCHOOL (Students: 511; Location: 215 S CRAYCROFT ROAD; Grades: KG – 8)
ST AMBROSE ELEMENTARY (Students: 444; Location: 300 S TUCSON BLVD; Grades: PK – 8)
GRACE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 403; Location: 6188 E PIMA STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
IMMACULATE HEART ACADEMY (Students: 397; Location: 410 E MAGEE RD; Grades: PK – 8)
ST CYRIL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 397; Location: 4725 EAST PIMA; Grades: KG – 8)
CASTLEHILL COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (Students: 354; Location: 3225 N CRAYCROFT; Grades: PK – 5)
CASAS ADOBES BAPTIST SCHOOL (Students: 351; Location: 10801 N LA CHOLLA BLVD; Grades: KG – 8)
TUCSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER (Students: 340; Location: 3800 E RIVER RD; Grades: PK – KG)

Libraries

Library in Tucson:

TUCSON-PIMA PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $18,526,239; Location: 101 N. STONE AVE.; 1,157,900 books; 57,100 audio materials; 40,600 video materials; 3,591 serial subscriptions)