Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Scottsdale, AZ
VS
Tucson, AZ
🏆 Scottsdale leads 15 of 23 categories
Scottsdale
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,197 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
240,537
Tucson
Arizona
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,049
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
541,033 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Scottsdale, AZ
Pros
Households earn $52,148 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Tucson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (3.5%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (152.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $651,800
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Tucson
Hot summers — July highs average 99°F
Tucson, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $434k less ($218,200 vs $651,800)
Rent averages $777/mo less ($991 vs $1,768)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Scottsdale
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Scottsdale by $52,148/yr
Violent crime (588.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3313.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Scottsdale
Median Income
$52,148
$104,197 vs $52,049/yr
Scottsdale
Violent Crime
74% lower
152.5 vs 588.8 per 100k
Scottsdale
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
3.5% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tucson
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 104.0 (100 = US avg)
Tucson
Median Home Value
$434k less
$218,200 vs $651,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Scottsdale, AZ | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.0⚠ High | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $651,800⚠ High | $218,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $991 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,197 ✓ Higher | $52,049 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 22.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 26.5% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 158⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.3:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 97.3% ✓ Higher | 86.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Scottsdale Unified District (4240) | Tucson Unified District (4403) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.5°F | 66.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 99.4°F | 100.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 12.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 240,537 | 541,033 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.4 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 50.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 25.1% ✓ More | 15.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Scottsdale's cost of living index is 104.0 vs Tucson's 94.3 (US average = 100).
Tucson is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Scottsdale leads 15 of 23 categories. Scottsdale wins 15 and Tucson wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Scottsdale to Tucson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($651,800 vs $218,200 median home), income ($104,197 vs $52,049), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Scottsdale, AZ and Tucson, AZ are about 120 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.