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Tucson is the seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the Mexican border. As of July 1, 2006, a Census Bureau estimate puts the city's population at 518,956, with a metropolitan area population at 946,362. In 2005, Tucson ranked as the 32nd-largest city and 52nd-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is the largest city in southern Arizona and the second largest in the state. Tucson is the site of the flagship school of the state university system, the University of Arizona. Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, South Tucson (surrounded by Tucson), and Sahuarita south of the city. Communities in the vicinity of Tucson (some within or overlapping the city limits) include Casas Adobes, Catalina, Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells, Green Valley, Marana, Tanque Verde, New Pascua, and Vail.
The name Tucson originates via Spanish from the O'odham, Cuk ?on (pronounced roughly as "chuk shon"), meaning "Settlement at the base of the Black Mountains" a reference to the mostly volcanic mountains on the west side of the city. The most notable of these mountains is Sentinel Peak, better known as "A Mountain" because it sports a large letter A in honor of the University of Arizona. Tucson is sometimes referred to as "The Old Pueblo."
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Tucson Culture
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Tucson loves to celebrate its rich medley of cultures, architecture, and peoples. The community places an emphasis on preserving its colorful heritage and on maintaining a casual attitude despite fresh growth. Arizona's oldest city established the same year Paul Revere made his famous ride through Boston has become a trendy spot for cosmopolitan ambience. Named " a mini Mecca for the arts " by The Wall Street Journal, and included in the book, " 50 Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family, " Tucson also is ranked ninth in the " 12 Best Walking Cities in the U.S. " list by Prevention Magazine; criteria includes low crime rates, mass transit, air quality, and the number of historic sites, museums, parks and gyms each city has.
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Tucson Education
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The University of Arizona, with an enrollment of more than 30,000 students and located in the heart of Tucson, is ranked among the top 10 research institutions nationally and is renowned for advances in optical sciences, medical sciences, electronics, scientific instrumentation, astronomy, geology and business studies. It has the heaviest concentration of astronomical science study programs and facilities in the world, and its Management Information Systems Department program (part of the Karl Eller Center in the School of Business) is ranked fourth in the country. Pima Community College, the fifth-largest multi-campus college in the U.S., has an enrollment of more than 90,000 students at five Tucson campuses and 145 satellite facilities in region. The University of Phoenix, the largest private institution in the country, attracts to its Tucson campus thousands of working adult students seeking bachelors and masters degrees. Metropolitan Tucson has eight school districts serving approximately 125,000 students in more than 120 elementary schools, 35 middle schools and 20 high schools. There also are 27 parochial, 103 private, and more than 10 vocational training schools in the area. Twenty technical and trade schools are in Tucson, with seven offering bachelors and masters degrees in subjects ranging from art to aeronautical science. The Southern Arizona Institute for Advanced Technology offers technician training programs to corporations and businesses in the areas of electronics, plastics, optics, telecommunications and information technology.
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Tucson Employment
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The University of Arizona and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are the two main employers in the city. Tourism, one of the most rapidly growing industries in the area, accounts for one of every 10 jobs and is expected to continue to be a major job provider. The arts contribute significantly to Tucson's prosperity and provide 3,554 jobs. Federal, state and local governments employ more than 72,000 people in the Tucson area. Manufacturing employment in metro Tucson has more than doubled since the 1990s, with growth primarily due to the increase of high-technology manufacturers locating and expanding in Pima County. Other strong sectors in the local economy are natural resources and mining, wholesale trade, construction, financial services, aircraft and missile manufacturing, dude ranching, and electronics research. Significant areas include aerospace, computer software, telecommunications services, and a growing infrastructure of biotech firms.
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Tucson History
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The largest city in southern Arizona and one of the fastest growing urban areas in the Southwest, Tucson is both a bustling center of business and a laid-back university and resort town. The days of rowdy saloons and the Butterfield Stage rolling over dusty city streets may be gone, but the independent feeling of the Old West remains. Tucsonans embrace the quality of life and live in a place where the American dream can still come true, where individual voices can be heard, and where people are the driving force behind making things happen. Nicknamed " The Old Pueblo " after the Spanish meaning for town or village, the name Tucson comes from the O 'odham tribe and was pronounced chuk-shon, meaning " spring at the foot of a black mountain. " Continuously inhabited for more than 12,000 years, the area has been home to Native Americans, Spanish explorers, Mexicans, Europeans, and West-bound pioneers.
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Tucson Housing
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Land is abundant in the Tucson Metropolitan Area and, although Tucsonans treasure their pristine desert surroundings, new housing starts are consistently higher than the national average and prices are generally less than in other major metropolitan areas. Despite Tucson's growth, housing and land costs are still well below the norm and the recent boom in real estate investing and construction is expected to continue. Diverse housing options range from 100 year-old haciendas to trendy downtown lofts, adobe estates designed by architect Josias Joesler, Santa Fe and Territorial designs, contemporary California Ranch styles, and environmentally-friendly solar and strawbale construction. Tucson is one of a handful of cities to be awarded a Federal Empowerment Zone designation from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, bringing a $500 million package of tax, financing, and workforce training incentives to workers and businesses in economically depressed areas of Tucson in order to encourage better paying jobs, economic development, and revitalization.
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Tucson Lifestyle
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Tucson is a great place to tune out the world by communing with nature on one of many scenic trails, or indulging the senses with a fine symphony, opera, dance or theater performance. The city's museums preserve the area's rich cultural heritage, while many festivals throughout the year celebrate the festive soul of Tucson.
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Tucson News
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Search for "Tucson AZ" - Brewer Caldwell Firm Manages Over 2000 Properties - SANEPR
| Gilbert, AZ, USA October 6, 2008 -- Brewer Caldwell is a well-known firm that helps you in finding rental homes in Arizona in major cities, such as Tucson and Snowflake. |
- BrewerCaldwell offers FREE Mentoring to Property Investors - SANEPR
| Gilbert, AZ, USA October 6, 2008 -- BrewerCaldwell provides a wide range of services like sales, closing, property management, accounting, etc. |
- Comedy - AZNightBuzz.com
| UA Centennial Hall 1020 E University Blvd. Info: Tucson, AZ-September 2008-Ready to laugh your behind off? ASUA - Your Student Government is proud to bring the VH1 Best Week Ever Comedy Tour to the University ... |
- Road Runner: State wants to know if Tucson-Phoenix rail line is needed - The Arizona Daily Star
| Q: "What limitations do the bus lanes such as the ones on East Tanque Verde have? Of course, I see city buses driving in them all the time, and see other vehicles use them as right-turn lanes. |
- Sell-it-yourself car lot at TEP draws approval - Tucson Region
| People shopping for used cars Sunday at a new sell-it-yourself lot at Tucson Electric Park said they liked the concept of buying direct from owners - even if some found the selection a little thin. |
- Congress OKs historic bailout bill; Bush signs it - Tuscon Citizen
| House defeats $700B financial markets bailout Bailout deal stalls as GOP lawmakers revolt Senators OK bailout Furious lobbying for much-maligned bailout bill Giffords, citing added solar credit, will vote ... |
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Tucson Recreation
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Tucson hosts spring training for three professional baseball teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox. The city is also home to the Tucson Sidewinders Triple-A baseball club, nationally televised PAC-10 intercollegiate sports, men's and women's golf tournaments, bowling tournaments, bicycling races, and the world-famous Tucson rodeo. Outdoor recreation adds to the local economy with the more popular activities being hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, hang gliding, mountain biking, paragliding and tennis.
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Tucson Transportation
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Tucson International Airport, the second largest commercial airport in Arizona, is served by 11 air carriers and is an air freight hub via Evergreen International. AMTRAK, Southern Pacific Railway, and two transcontinental bus lines serve the city. The Sun-Tran public transportation system was named the 2004 Outstanding Transit Organization by Arizona Transit Association. The city is located on Interstate 10, a major transportation and trucking route between California and Florida.
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Tucson Weather
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Tucson has two major seasons, summer and winter; plus three minor seasons: fall, spring, and the monsoon.
Summer is characterized by low humidity, clear skies, and daytime high temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The average overnight temperature ranges between 68 °F and 85 °F.
The monsoon can begin any time from mid-June to late July, with an average start date around July 3. It typically continues through August and sometimes into September. During the monsoon, the humidity is much higher than the rest of the year. It begins with clouds building up from the south in the early afternoon followed by intense thunderstorms and rainfall, which can cause flash floods. Large areas of the city do not have storm sewers, so monsoon rains flood the main thoroughfares, usually for no longer than a few hours. A few underpasses in Tucson have "feet of water" scales painted on their supports to discourage fording by automobiles during a rainstorm. The evening sky at this time of year is often pierced with dramatic lightning strikes.
Fall lasts from late October to November or December. It is much like summer, and similarly dry, with days above 100 degrees typical into early October. Average daytime highs of 84 °F, with overnight lows of 55 °F, constitute typical fall weather.
Winters in Tucson are mild relative to other parts of the United States. Daytime highs in the winter range between 64 °F and 75 °F, with overnight lows between 30 °F and 44 °F. Although rare, snow has been known to fall in Tucson, usually a light dusting that melts within a day.
Spring begins in late February or March, and is characterized by rising temperatures and several weeks of vivid wildflower blooms. Daytime average highs range from 72 °F in March to 88 °F in May with average overnight lows in March of 45 °F and in May of 59 °F.
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