Gilbert vs Tucson
The short version
- Tucson is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Gilbert area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $266,200 in Tucson and $575,100 in Gilbert.
- Households earn more in Gilbert ($122,551 vs $57,073 median).
- Gilbert has the warmer winter: January highs of 71°F vs 67°F.
- Gilbert has more scorching days: 179 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 158.
- Gilbert is growing faster: +7.2% since 2020 vs +1.1%.
- Commutes are shorter in Tucson (22 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Gilbert, AZ | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 287,285 | 548,371 |
| Growth since 2020 | +7.2% | +1.1% |
| People per square mile | 4,177 | 2,264 |
| Median age | 36.1 | 34.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48% | 31% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $122,551 | $57,073 |
| Median home value | $575,100 | $266,200 |
| Home value to income | 4.7× | 4.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,110 | $1,145 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 96.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 121.2 | 91.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $72,700 |
| Homeowners | 73% | 52% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.9 | 21.9 |
| Work from home | 26% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.5% | 6.2% |
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 18.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 71° / 39° | 67° / 41° |
| July high / low | 106° / 76° | 100° / 76° |
| Precipitation per year | 9 in | 11 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 179 | 158 |
| Nights below freezing | 10 | 12 |
| Comfortable months | 2 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 34% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +1.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +39.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Gilbert: March and November. Tucson: February to April and November.
Full monthly tables: Gilbert weather by month and Tucson weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,500 in Gilbert and $72,700 in Tucson. Moving from Gilbert to Tucson, you would need about $70,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Gilbert and Tucson
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Gilbert and Tucson.
Which would you pick?
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