Get to know:
Downtown Tucson
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Population:
About: 20,000
Size:
≈6 Square Miles
Homeownership
30% Percent
Median Income
About $50,000
What Is It Like Living in Downtown Tucson
Downtown Tucson is a good fit for those who actually want to feel connected to the center of the city.
You can grab coffee in the morning, walk to dinner later, catch a show, hop on the streetcar, or stumble across an event you did not even know was happening!
The tradeoff is that Downtown can also be louder and busier. Parking matters more, homes can sometimes have less outdoor space, and you are going to see more pedestrians, traffic, events etc.
But if you would rather have restaurants, coffee shops, music, history, and things to do within a few blocks...downtown Tucson is the place to be! It feels historic, a little funky, very local, and completely different from almost anywhere else in Tucson!
What are homes like in Downtown Tucson
Downtown is not really the place to look if your dream is a giant newsubdivision with identical homes and big front yards.
Housing has variety, but the proximity to your community is one of the big bonuses!
Here you can often find:
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Condos
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Converted lofts
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Historic homes
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Adobe homes
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Townhomes
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Single-family homes in nearby historic neighborhoods
Click here to learn more about properties in downtown Tucson!
There are also several apartment and loft-style residential buildings right in the downtown core. Some properties feel very urban, where you can step outside and immediately be on Congress or Broadway. Others are just a few blocks away in quieter residential pockets where you get more of a traditional neighborhood feel.
Buyers may want to look closely at parking, historic restrictions, shared walls, HOA rules (if any!)
Things to Do in Downtown Tucson
One of the best things about living near Downtown Tucson is that there is almost always something to do! Check out some examples of fun you can find within the downtown area!
Arts & Culture
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Tucson Museum Of Art
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Children’s Museum Tucson
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Etherton Gallery
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Downtown murals
Local Nightlife
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Club Congress
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Playground Rooftop
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Owl's Club
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Revel Wine Bar
Events & Entertainment
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Rialto Theatre
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The Century Room
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Fox Tucson Theatre
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Linda Ronstadt Music Hall
Cafés, Restaurants & Bars
If you like being able to walk out your door and have plenty of choices for dinner or drinks, Downtown is hard to beat.
A few popular spots include:
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El Charro Café (Home of the original chimichanga!)
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Cup Cafe at Hotel Congress (One of our favorites!)
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Charro Steak & Del Rey
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Maynards
And that is only a small piece of it. Downtown has everything from casual lunch spots/coffee shops to date-night restaurants, cocktail bars, breweries and some of the best live music in the area!
This is also one of the better areas of Tucson if you actually want a night out without driving from place to place. Congress and the surrounding blocks have enough packed into them that dinner can easily turn into drinks, music, or a show afterward!
Downtown Tucson Schools
Downtown Tucson is generally within the Tucson Unified School District, although the precise school is dependant on the property.
Schools in and around the greater Downtown area can include:
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Tucson High Magnet School
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Roskruge Bilingual Magnet K-8
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Drachman Montessori K-8
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City High School
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Paulo Freire Freedom School
There are also charter, magnet, and private school options around the more central Tucson area, if that's something you're looking for!
Local Nature
Downtown Tucson has more of a city feel, but nature is still close by. Just west of Downtown, the Santa Cruz River Park Trail gives you an easy place to walk, run, or bike and connects into Tucson’s larger Loop trail system. You’re also close to Sentinel Peak Park aka “A” Mountain, where you can get wide views over Downtown and the surrounding mountains.
A little farther west, Tumamoc Hill is a popular spot for a steeper hikes and some great desert scenery. This means you can enjoy more urban lifestyle while still keeping some of Tucson’s best outdoor spots close by!
Walkability
70 out of 100
Downtown is one of the easiest parts of Tucson to explore without getting in the car! Depending on where you live, you may be able to walk to plenty of everyday stops. The city blocks are fairly compact, and the Sun Link Streetcar makes it easier to get farther without driving.
That does not mean you will never need a car. Tucson is still a pretty spread-out city, and grocery shopping or commuting outside of the downtown area may mean driving. Parking availability is also something downtown buyers will want to pay attention to when looking at homes!