Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in South Tucson, Arizona
A $152,000 home here costs
$1,223per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $781. The real number is $442 higher every month — 57% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
South Tucson against Pima County and Arizona
| Measure | South Tucson | Pima County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,300 | $286,900 |
| Median property tax | $943 | $2,248 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.619% | 0.784% |
| Median gross rent | $968 | $1,154 |
| Population | 4,601 | 1,049,947 |
The weather behind that power bill
South Tucson sits in Pima County, which averages a high of 80.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.6°F in its coldest, with 19.91" of precipitation a year and 54% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 616 cooling and 3,992 heating degree days, which is what sets the $137 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Pima County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Pima County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in South Tucson?
A $152,000 home in South Tucson, Arizona costs approximately $1,223 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $781 principal and interest, $78 property tax, $32 homeowners insurance, $205 utilities and $127 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in South Tucson?
South Tucson has an effective property tax rate of 0.619%, based on a median home value of $152,300 and median real estate taxes of $943. That is lower than the Pima County average of 0.784%.
What is the average home price in South Tucson?
The median owner-occupied home value in South Tucson, Arizona is $152,300, against $286,900 across Pima County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South Tucson?
Median gross rent in South Tucson is $968 a month, against $1,223 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for South Tucson — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Arizona.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.