Tucson Arizona Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Tucson, AZ (the Tucson metro area) was $905 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Tucson was $931 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Tucson median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Tucson rental vacancy rates, Tucson rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Tucson.
Real Gross Rent in Tucson Arizona (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Arizona Median Gross Rent | $1,101 | +4.36% | +7.73% |
| Tucson, AZ Median Gross Rent | $905 | +0.22% | +1.46% |
Tucson, AZ Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Tucson peaked in real terms in 2017 at $915 and is now $10 (1.09%) lower. Average gross rent for Tucson peaked in real terms in 2017 at $944 and is now $13 (1.38%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Tucson: Tucson AZ Median, Tucson AZ Average, Arizona Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Tucson
| Date | US Median |
Arizona Median |
Tucson, AZ Median |
Tucson, AZ Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $1,101 | $905 | $931 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $1,055 | $903 | $941 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $1,052 | $915 | $944 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $1,022 | $892 | $929 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $990 | $874 | $910 |
| 2014 | $986 | $967 | $859 | $918 |
| 2013 | $953 | $937 | $840 | $890 |
| 2012 | $940 | $945 | $834 | $889 |
| 2011 | $941 | $918 | $826 | $871 |
| 2010 | $955 | $943 | $858 | $912 |
| 2009 | $960 | $979 | $830 | $890 |
| 2007 | $927 | $962 | $834 | $886 |
| 2005 | $910 | $896 | $791 | $844 |
Tucson Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Tucson Arizona was 6.54% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Tucson Arizona
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Arizona | 5.32% | -0.39% | -1.09% |
| Tucson, AZ | 6.54% | +0.13% | -1.32% |
Trends in Tucson, AZ Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Tucson peaked in 2009 at 12.19%. Since then it has fallen by 5.65% to 6.54%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2017 post peak low of 6.19%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 0.35%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Tucson AZ, Arizona, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Tucson
| Date | US | Arizona | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 5.32% | 6.54% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 5.71% | 6.41% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 5.99% | 6.19% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 6.41% | 7.86% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 7.72% | 7.71% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 8.11% | 8.48% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 8.89% | 7.71% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 9.01% | 8.67% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 10.21% | 10.81% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 11.07% | 9.24% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 12.62% | 12.19% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 9.22% | 7.84% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 8.57% | 7.64% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Tucson, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Tucson, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.33% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Tucson Arizona Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Arizona | 21.29% | +0.31% | -0.58% |
| Tucson, AZ | 19.33% | -0.57% | -2.16% |
Trends in Tucson, AZ Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Tucson household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2013 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 21.85%. Since then it has fallen by 2.52% to 19.33%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Tucson AZ, Arizona, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Tucson Arizona
| Date | US | Arizona | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 21.29% | 19.33% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 20.98% | 19.91% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 21.63% | 20.70% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 21.87% | 21.50% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 21.74% | 20.99% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 21.95% | 21.30% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 22.02% | 21.85% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 22.28% | 21.02% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 21.84% | 20.81% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 21.65% | 20.82% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 21.15% | 20.25% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 19.70% | 19.57% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 19.43% | 18.29% |
Renter Fraction in Tucson Arizona
You can calculate the renter fraction in Tucson in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Tucson as a fraction of total Tucson households. In 2019 37.02% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Tucson Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Arizona | 34.74% | -0.45% | -2.02% |
| Tucson, AZ | 37.02% | -0.68% | -0.24% |
Trends in the Tucson, AZ Renter Fraction
The Tucson household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 39.91% and is now 2.89% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Tucson AZ, Arizona, US
History of Tucson Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Arizona | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 34.74% | 37.02% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 35.19% | 37.70% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 35.28% | 36.13% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 36.76% | 37.26% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 38.09% | 39.25% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 38.86% | 39.91% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 37.94% | 39.53% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 37.44% | 38.38% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 36.27% | 38.59% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 34.75% | 36.37% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 32.94% | 34.21% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 31.91% | 36.29% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 31.83% | 34.92% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
