Tucson, AZ Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Tucson Crime & Safety

Is Tucson safe to live in?

By the numbers, Tucson is safer than many people expect. Across 151 analyzed neighborhoods, 92% earn a Grade A or B — meaning 139 out of 151 neighborhoods fall into the safe tier. Specifically, 73 neighborhoods (48.3%) carry a Grade A, and 66 neighborhoods (43.7%) carry a Grade B. Only 3 neighborhoods — Pascua Pueblo (Grade F), El Rio Acres (Grade D+), and San Ignacio Yaqui (Grade D+) — sit in the higher-concern range, representing just 2% of analyzed areas. The city-wide Safety Rating is B (Safe), and the Overall Crime Grade is C+, reflecting that while most of Tucson is quite livable, a small cluster of neighborhoods pulls the citywide average down. Residents who choose neighborhoods like Rita Ranch, Canada Hills, or Continental Reserve are living in some of the statistically safest communities in the entire metro area.

What is the crime rate in Tucson, AZ?

Tucson's crime picture is best understood through its neighborhood grade distribution rather than a single citywide number. Of 151 neighborhoods analyzed for 2026: 48.3% earned an A grade, 43.7% earned a B grade, 6% earned a C grade, 1.3% earned a D grade, and 0.7% earned an F grade. That means nearly half of all Tucson neighborhoods are in the top safety tier. The neighborhoods with the most elevated crime concerns are Pascua Pueblo (Grade F), El Rio Acres (Grade D+), and San Ignacio Yaqui (Grade D+). Mid-range concern areas include Barrio Santa Rosa and Barrio Blue Moon, both graded C-. Tucson's 20.8% poverty rate and 7.5% unemployment rate are contextual factors that correlate with crime concentration in those lower-graded pockets, while higher-income areas like Saguaro Canyon (median income $131,304) and Houghton (median income $117,565) consistently score A+.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Tucson?

Ten Tucson neighborhoods earned the top grade of A+ in 2026. Here's how they break down by population and income context:

• Saguaro Canyon — A+, population 310, median income $131,304 (highest-income neighborhood in the top-10 safe list)
• Houghton — A+, population 2,788, median income $117,565
• Canada Hills — A+, population 2,639, median income $110,474
• Rita Ranch — A+, population 16,039, median income $104,417 (largest safe neighborhood by population)
• Sycamore Park — A+, population 332, median income $107,362
• Continental Reserve — A+, population 1,741, median income $101,201
• Continental Ranch — A+, population 4,884, median income $89,681
• Sun City Vistoso — A+, population 2,024, median income $79,136
• Davis-Monthan Air Force Base — A+, population 4,163, median income $64,531
• University of Arizona — A+, population 4,136, median income $30,449 (notable for achieving A+ despite lower median income)

Rita Ranch stands out as the safest large-population neighborhood, offering A+ safety to over 16,000 residents. The University of Arizona neighborhood is particularly noteworthy — it achieves an A+ grade despite a median income of just $30,449, suggesting strong community and institutional safety measures beyond income alone.

Which areas of Tucson have the most crime?

The highest-crime areas in Tucson are concentrated in a small number of neighborhoods. Pascua Pueblo is the only neighborhood in Tucson to receive a Grade F, making it the single highest-concern area among all 151 neighborhoods analyzed — that's less than 1% of the city's neighborhoods at this level. Two neighborhoods — El Rio Acres and San Ignacio Yaqui — carry a Grade D+, placing them in the elevated-risk tier. Together, these three neighborhoods represent just 2% of Tucson's analyzed neighborhoods. A step above, Barrio Santa Rosa and Barrio Blue Moon both hold a Grade C-, placing them in the below-average but not extreme category. For context, 92% of Tucson neighborhoods sit at Grade B or better, meaning the highest-crime areas are genuinely outliers rather than representative of the broader city.

Is Tucson a good place to buy a home?

Tucson's housing market data offers several compelling data points for prospective buyers. The median home value is $163,326 — well below the national median — and the median rent is $861 per month, making the city accessible compared to other Sun Belt metros. The median household income is $45,227, which aligns reasonably with those housing costs. From a safety standpoint, 92% of neighborhoods grade B or better, meaning buyers have a wide selection of statistically safe communities. High-income, A+-rated neighborhoods like Houghton (median income $117,565) and Canada Hills ($110,474) offer premium safety profiles, while larger communities like Rita Ranch (16,039 residents, Grade A+) demonstrate that safety and affordability can coexist. The city does carry a 20.8% poverty rate and 7.5% unemployment rate, which are worth factoring in when evaluating long-term neighborhood stability, but the overwhelming majority of Tucson's residential areas maintain strong safety grades heading into 2026.

How does Tucson's safety compare across different neighborhoods?

The spread of safety grades across Tucson's 151 neighborhoods is notably top-heavy in a positive way. Grade A neighborhoods: 73 (48.3%) — nearly half the city sits at the highest safety tier. Grade B neighborhoods: 66 (43.7%) — another large share in the safe category. Grade C neighborhoods: 9 (6%) — a small middle tier with moderate concern. Grade D neighborhoods: 2 (1.3%) and Grade F neighborhoods: 1 (0.7%) — the truly high-crime areas are a very small fraction. This distribution means that the gap between Tucson's safest and least-safe neighborhoods is significant. A resident in Saguaro Canyon (A+, income $131,304) and a resident in Pascua Pueblo (F) are experiencing dramatically different safety environments within the same city. When choosing where to live or visit in Tucson, neighborhood-level data matters far more than any single citywide statistic.