Something went wrong.

A Phainopepla resting before flight The Boneyard in Tucson - where the planes rest before takeoff View of Tucson from Sentinel Peak

Tucson Breakdown

Tucson Breakdown

Downtown is the apex of culture, especially the Sam Hughes neighborhood. Here you’ll find active neighbors, recently renovated homes, and a bike friendly ‘hood. Lots of young’uns from the University of Arizona rent in the blocks between Speedway and Grant Streets, from North Euclid to North Campbell. so if you’re a fan of the college scene and/or you prefer your sidewalks to be café-lined (East Speedway ), this may very well be the place for you. Keep this in mind: because of the close proximity to campus, some of the apartment complexes in Downtown Tucson run more like extensions of the dorms than independent housing options. If you're young and looking to live with similarly aged whipper-snappers in a secure building (and all with the freedom of living off-campus), then this option will provide you with decent rent and a college atmosphere. Downtown leans toward the more expensive end on the renting spectrum (up to $1,000 per month for one bedroom), but at least rent usually includes all utilities -- including air conditioning, which can become a great value if you are a homesick penguin.

Northwest to Northeast

“But what about the children?!” you’re probably asking your computer. Don’t worry, Tucson’s got an app- Er, I mean, area for that. The Catalina Foothills to the east and Vail to the south are home to some highly recommended areas. Sabina Canyon and Ventana Canyon are upper-class neighborhoods with beautiful vistas and plenty of natural beauty to go around. Up north, the new development of Casas Adobes is working to fill a gap in Tucson residential apartments by providing a quiet area for young adults and new families. The apartment complexes in these neighborhoods are based around communities -- some more youth-culture friendly than others, so if you’re looking to settle down with the fam it’d benefit you to take a peek first or ask the manager. Renting in these outer suburbs satisfies the appeal of living in the wild, wild west without all the gun-slinging, pestilence, droughts, and giant spider robots. If you’re not completely sold just yet, how do spa facilities in addition to the amenities common among most Tucson apartments sound? Those stress knots don’t stand a chance.

Getting outta Dodge…and into Tucson