Photo: John Diebolt · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Tucson is healthier than 79%
Tucson differs from Arizona on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tucson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tucson
Tucson is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Tucson is healthier than 50%. Against the 8,057 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 79%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Tucson
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.3%), vs 15.8% across Arizona. Utility shut-off threats (10.5% vs 7.2%) and no reliable transportation (11.7% vs 8.7%) are higher too. 16.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Depression is more common in Tucson
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24%), vs 19.5% across Arizona. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.3%, vs 15.4% across Arizona. Mind & connection ↓
More Tucson adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (25.2%), vs 21.9% across Arizona. There are 363 miles of trails across 177 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Tucson has five hospitals within its borders
5 hospitals and 2 community health centers are inside Tucson. Banner-University Medical Center South Campus is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Arizona figure falls outside Tucson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Tucson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tucson is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, #86 of 140 in Arizona. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 71% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 24%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Tucson’s median household income is $57,073; among the 8,057 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 79%, more than its income alone would suggest.
At 548,371 residents, Tucson is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.2% of Tucson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
How Tucson adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Tucson runs above Arizona.
1 in 3 Tucson adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Care in and near Tucson
5 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Tucson.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Tucson; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
363 miles of trails across 177 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Tucson adults…
Tucson runs below AZ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Tucson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Tucson and the towns around it
Tucson’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 10 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | B− | 33.5% | 11.5% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Catalina Foothills | A+ | 25.4% | 9.7% | 6.1% | CDC place |
| Casas Adobes | A | 28.7% | 9.7% | 9% | CDC place |
| Tanque Verde | A | 27% | 10.1% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Tucson Mountains | A | 28.6% | 11.1% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Flowing Wells | C− | 36.3% | 14.1% | 16% | CDC place |
| Drexel Heights | B− | 34.5% | 13.1% | 11% | CDC place |
| Summit | D | 38.2% | 14.9% | 14.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tucson adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tucson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tucson is better than Arizona on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Tucson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tucson | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.1%21.1–24.9 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.4–16 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.5–19.9 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.5%29.5–37.3 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.3–12.7 | 11.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33%30.5–35.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%33.7–38.9 | 37.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.9%22–25.8 | 25.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.2–12.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.9–8.1 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–6.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7%6.3–7.6 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.3–3.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.4%12.2–16.8 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.5%11.1–13.8 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%22.5–27.8 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.6–16.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.5%35.6–43.3 | 35.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.7%14.1–17.4 | 13.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.8%70.8–76.3 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.5%49.6–55.3 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.4–83.8 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.6%68–72.9 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.4%53.5–61.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.3%63.4–74.6 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21.5–26.5 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.9%30.9–37 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.3%24.6–29.9 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.3%18.4–22.3 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15%13.4–16.6 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.7%10.6–12.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.2%14.6–18 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%33–38.5 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.7–16.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.9–19.1 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–8.8 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.7–7.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.2–4.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Arizona figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Tucson
Is Tucson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tucson is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #86 of 140 in Arizona. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tucson?
CDC estimates 33.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 37.3%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tucson?
Banner-University Medical Center South Campus in Tucson, 4.0 miles in a straight line from Tucson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Tucson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.1–17.4%), against 13.2% across Arizona.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Tucson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Tucson.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.