Retirement Lists

City comparison

Scottsdale, Arizona vs Tucson, Arizona for retirement

Compare published values in their natural units. Highlights appear only when the gap is large enough to matter.

Budget scenario

Traveler includes short-term living adjustments. Local reflects one resident. Couple reflects two adults.

Selected scenario: Local

Adjust prioritiesUsed for summaries

At a glance

Scottsdale

Best for

Stronger primary care access

Watch out

Higher one-bedroom rent

Tucson

Best for

Lower one-bedroom rent

Watch out

Primary care access

Monthly cost

Compare the selected planning budget and the published one-bedroom rent.

MeasureScottsdaleTucson
Estimated Monthly Budget (Local Resident)

$4,185

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Hybrid

Reason: Budget Ranking Ineligible

Basis: Estimated

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Observed: 2026-07-09T21:54:17.800Z

How measured: Model-limited renter budget: ACS 1BR gross rent plus BLS regional groceries, transportation, and age-65-plus healthcare. Added utilities are $0 in the budget breakdown to avoid double-counting because ACS gross rent already includes tenant-paid utilities. Property tax is not applicable to this renter budget; no model buffer is included.

$3,368

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Hybrid

Reason: Budget Ranking Ineligible

Basis: Estimated

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Observed: 2026-07-09T21:54:17.800Z

How measured: Model-limited renter budget: ACS 1BR gross rent plus BLS regional groceries, transportation, and age-65-plus healthcare. Added utilities are $0 in the budget breakdown to avoid double-counting because ACS gross rent already includes tenant-paid utilities. Property tax is not applicable to this renter budget; no model buffer is included.

Estimated 1BR rent

$1,786

Higher by $817
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Observed: 2026-07-09T21:54:17.800Z

How measured: ACS B25031_003E median gross rent for occupied rental units with 1 bedroom at Census place grain.

$969

Lower by $817
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Observed: 2026-07-09T21:54:17.800Z

How measured: ACS B25031_003E median gross rent for occupied rental units with 1 bedroom at Census place grain.

Healthcare

Compare care-access ratings and the local facility context that is available.

MeasureScottsdaleTucson
Healthcare access

Excellent

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Basis: City-level

Source: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities static probe

How measured: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities within the city radius are mapped to fixed access bands. Sparse mapped amenities should be read as limited local evidence, not a clinical quality rating.

Excellent

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Basis: City-level

Source: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities static probe

How measured: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities within the city radius are mapped to fixed access bands. Sparse mapped amenities should be read as limited local evidence, not a clinical quality rating.

Primary care access

Excellent

Clear rating edge
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities static probe

How measured: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities within the city radius are mapped to fixed access bands. Sparse mapped amenities should be read as limited local evidence, not a clinical quality rating.

Good

Lower published rating
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities static probe

How measured: OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities within the city radius are mapped to fixed access bands. Sparse mapped amenities should be read as limited local evidence, not a clinical quality rating.

Pharmacy convenience

Excellent

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Reason: Modeled Requires Reviewed Decision

Basis: Modeled

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services NPPES NPI Registry

Observed: 2026-07-16T04:41:40.941Z

How measured: Count of unique active location addresses among organization NPIs with Community/Retail Pharmacy taxonomy matching Scottsdale, AZ in the CMS/NPPES NPI Registry. Multi-page results are unioned by NPI until stable. This is exact city/state registry coverage, not a drive-time or radius-weighted count.

Excellent

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Reason: Modeled Requires Reviewed Decision

Basis: Modeled

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services NPPES NPI Registry

Observed: 2026-07-16T04:41:40.941Z

How measured: Count of unique active location addresses among organization NPIs with Community/Retail Pharmacy taxonomy matching Tucson, AZ in the CMS/NPPES NPI Registry. Multi-page results are unioned by NPI until stable. This is exact city/state registry coverage, not a drive-time or radius-weighted count.

Safety

Compare published safety ratings without treating crime percentages as quality scores.

MeasureScottsdaleTucson
Violent crime level

Very Good

Clear rating edge
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer

Observed: 2024-12-31T23:59:59.000Z

How measured: 2024 annual rate calculated from all 12 FBI Crime Data Explorer monthly offense-rate observations for Scottsdale Police Department (AZ0072500).

Moderate

Lower published rating
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer

Observed: 2024-12-31T23:59:59.000Z

How measured: 2024 annual rate calculated from all 12 FBI Crime Data Explorer monthly offense-rate observations for Tucson Police Department (AZ0100300).

Property crime level

Good

Clear rating edge
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer

Observed: 2024-12-31T23:59:59.000Z

How measured: 2024 annual rate calculated from all 12 FBI Crime Data Explorer monthly offense-rate observations for Scottsdale Police Department (AZ0072500).

Moderate

Lower published rating
Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: City-level

Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer

Observed: 2024-12-31T23:59:59.000Z

How measured: 2024 annual rate calculated from all 12 FBI Crime Data Explorer monthly offense-rate observations for Tucson Police Department (AZ0100300).

Climate

Compare overall comfort, seasonal conditions, and air quality.

MeasureScottsdaleTucson
Climate comfort

2.3 / 5 · Moderate

Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: Estimated

Source: NOAA/NASA source-backed climate component formula

How measured: Derived climate score formula v1: Summer Feel is scored from annual days above 90F; Winter Feel is scored from annual days below freezing; Climate Comfort averages Summer Feel, Winter Feel, and source-backed comfortable-months score.

2.4 / 5 · Moderate

Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: Estimated

Source: NOAA/NASA source-backed climate component formula

How measured: Derived climate score formula v1: Summer Feel is scored from annual days above 90F; Winter Feel is scored from annual days below freezing; Climate Comfort averages Summer Feel, Winter Feel, and source-backed comfortable-months score.

Summer comfort

1.3 / 5 · Poor

Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: Estimated

Source: NOAA/NASA source-backed climate component formula

How measured: Derived climate score formula v1: Summer Feel is scored from annual days above 90F; Winter Feel is scored from annual days below freezing; Climate Comfort averages Summer Feel, Winter Feel, and source-backed comfortable-months score.

1.3 / 5 · Poor

Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: Estimated

Source: NOAA/NASA source-backed climate component formula

How measured: Derived climate score formula v1: Summer Feel is scored from annual days above 90F; Winter Feel is scored from annual days below freezing; Climate Comfort averages Summer Feel, Winter Feel, and source-backed comfortable-months score.

Winter comfort

3.9 / 5 · Very Good

Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: Estimated

Source: NOAA/NASA source-backed climate component formula

How measured: Derived climate score formula v1: Summer Feel is scored from annual days above 90F; Winter Feel is scored from annual days below freezing; Climate Comfort averages Summer Feel, Winter Feel, and source-backed comfortable-months score.

3.9 / 5 · Very Good

Data details

Evidence: Derived

Basis: Estimated

Source: NOAA/NASA source-backed climate component formula

How measured: Derived climate score formula v1: Summer Feel is scored from annual days above 90F; Winter Feel is scored from annual days below freezing; Climate Comfort averages Summer Feel, Winter Feel, and source-backed comfortable-months score.

Air quality

4.4 / 5 · Excellent

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Reason: Modeled Requires Reviewed Decision

Basis: Modeled

Source: Open-Meteo / Copernicus CAMS, checked against U.S. EPA AirData

Observed: 2026-05-18T18:10:58.633Z

How measured: Air Quality is scored from the 2021-2025 average of 43824 hourly Copernicus CAMS PM2.5 model values at the city coordinate. The modeled baseline aligns with the nearest qualifying EPA 2021-2025 monitor mean within the accepted tolerance.

4.9 / 5 · Excellent

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Reason: Modeled Requires Reviewed Decision

Basis: Modeled

Source: Open-Meteo / Copernicus CAMS, checked against U.S. EPA AirData

Observed: 2026-05-18T18:10:58.633Z

How measured: Air Quality is scored from the 2021-2025 average of 43824 hourly Copernicus CAMS PM2.5 model values at the city coordinate. The modeled baseline aligns with the nearest qualifying EPA 2021-2025 monitor mean within the accepted tolerance.

Daily life

Compare walkability, internet speed, and age context in their native meaning.

MeasureScottsdaleTucson
Walkability

2.9 / 5 · Good

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Reason: Model Limited

Basis: Estimated

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Walkability Index

Observed: 2026-07-10T06:36:05.983Z

How measured: Population-weighted mean of EPA National Walkability Index block groups whose calculated polygon centroid falls inside the Census city-geography boundary; normalized from EPA 1-20 to 0-100 after aggregation. EPA NWI is a historical built-environment screen, not a current pedestrian audit. It does not measure every street, disability access, terrain, weather, or current transit frequency.

3.1 / 5 · Good

Planning estimate

Planning details

Use: Planning estimate; not used to determine comparison winners.

Evidence: Modeled

Reason: Model Limited

Basis: Estimated

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Walkability Index

Observed: 2026-07-10T06:36:05.983Z

How measured: Population-weighted mean of EPA National Walkability Index block groups whose calculated polygon centroid falls inside the Census city-geography boundary; normalized from EPA 1-20 to 0-100 after aggregation. EPA NWI is a historical built-environment screen, not a current pedestrian audit. It does not measure every street, disability access, terrain, weather, or current transit frequency.

Internet speed

335 Mbps

Data details

Evidence: Observed

Basis: City-level

Source: Speedtest by Ookla Open Data

How measured: Weighted median of fixed-broadband tile average download speeds within city radius, weighted by tests. Observation window ended 2026-03-31.

319 Mbps

Data details

Evidence: Observed

Basis: City-level

Source: Speedtest by Ookla Open Data

How measured: Weighted median of fixed-broadband tile average download speeds within city radius, weighted by tests. Observation window ended 2026-03-31.

Scouting worksheet

Print this view and take these checks into calls, tours, or a trial stay.

Scottsdale

  • Monthly housing quote
  • Drive time to preferred care
  • Grocery and pharmacy route
  • Neighborhood comfort and mobility

Notes

Tucson

  • Monthly housing quote
  • Drive time to preferred care
  • Grocery and pharmacy route
  • Neighborhood comfort and mobility

Notes