Accolades
Cities with the Fastest Job Growth
— Tucson Ranked Among the Fastest Job-Growing Cities —
In 2016, economist Jed Kolko dubbed Tucson one of the top U.S. cities for job growth, landing at an impressive **#3 spot**, ahead of Austin and Seattle. This recognition reflected a **4.2% job growth** between mid-2015 and mid-2016.
— By the Numbers Back Then —
• At that time, Tucson’s median home price stood around $261,000, about 3× the median family income—more affordable than Phoenix, which was around $364,000 (~4.3× income).
• Tucson had the 3rd‑largest net domestic migration in 2020 (~10,800 people).
• Home prices rose 23.6% from 2018–2021, outpacing wage growth at 15.6%.
— Innovation Meets Opportunity —
Local employers were growing fast:
Accelerate Diagnostics (+120 jobs), HomeGoods (900), ADP (450), Caterpillar (1,000, downtown), Comcast (1,100), and World View (400) were all expanding in the mid‑2010s.
— But What About Today?
While those years were extraordinary, job growth in Tucson has since cooled. For example, between November 2024 and January 2025, the metro added roughly 3,000 jobs, a modest 0.7% increase. The broader Arizona economy added around 1.4% in that period.
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Common Sense Institute
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Bureau of Labor Statistics
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KGUN 9 Tucson News
And looking further back, between April 2020 and April 2022, Tucson rebounded from pandemic losses—adding 40,200 jobs, recovering 88.4% of the jobs lost early in 2020.
MAP AZ Dashboard
Yet despite these gains, Tucson’s employment recovery has lagged behind many peer metros in Arizona.
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Exploring how today’s job trends might shape your real estate priorities? Tap to dig into Tucson’s current job market—and let’s figure out the neighborhoods and home styles that fit your future.
From boom years to smart moves—let’s make your next step count. – Tony Ray 🏡
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