Real Estate Investing in Tucson, Arizona (85712)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Pima County • Population: 31,964 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 85712 (Tucson, AZ)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (44/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.3% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Tucson, AZ (85712)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $282,169
Avg Monthly Rent $1,124
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $45,254
% Renters 59.6%

Market Analysis: 85712 Tucson

Not every below-median market is a bargain. Tucson's 85712 ZIP records signals that favor experienced operators who can absorb the risk $282K pricing implies.

The investment case in 85712 is healthy only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $282K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

ZIP 85712's metrics run below Pima County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Resident income in 85712 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

New investors are better served looking at Tucson's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 85712. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.95% as of Sep 17 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Tucson:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 57/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.2× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-1.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,124/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Tucson, AZ Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
70 days
Average time to sell
Slow
9.0%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Tucson, AZ metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 85712

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
5.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
1BR
+7.3% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$96,775/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $124,015 $980 5.7% +7.3% $124,015
2BR $233,436 $1,270 3.9% +7.1% $116,718
3BR $321,390 $1,770 4.0% +7.0% $107,130
4BR $387,101 $2,030 3.8% +6.9% $96,775

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$308K$266K$225K$183K$141K$99KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,166$1,044$922$800$678$556Jul 2016Jul 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 85712 Compare?

Metric 85712 Tucson Tucson, AZ Arizona
Home Value $282,169 $199,626 N/A $419,643
5-Year CAGR 2.9% 3.2% N/A 6.5%
Avg Rent $1,124 $1,466 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.1% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 85712? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

60% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 85712 (Tucson, AZ). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Pima County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Fort Lowell Realty & Property Management provides realty and property management services in Tucson. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

WilsonPs.com is a domain name for sale. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.1%
Low
5yr Growth
+2.9%
Slow

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Tucson, AZ metro

3/10
Moderate Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
57%
Days Pending
2/2
70 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $282,169
Monthly Rent $1,124
Price-to-Rent 20.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.8%
Cap Rate 3.1%
5-Year IRR 6.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -1.1% ▼
3-Year CAGR +0.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +2.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.6% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +1.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.7% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.1%  |  30yr Rate: 7.0%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (7.0%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.1%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
10.3%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+2.9%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 85712

Population: 31,964

💰 Median Household Income
$45,254
This area
$45,254
State
$66,355
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
59.6%
This area
59.6%
State
28.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.6%
This area
4.6%
State
-23.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
35.4%
This area
35.4%
State
-1.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
42.2 years
This area
42.2 years
State
11.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.3%
This area
10.3%
State
19.2%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 69.8%
Other/Mixed 21.6%
Hispanic/Latino 12.8%
Black/African American 5.4%
Asian 3.1%
👶 Under 18
15.4%
This area
15.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.2%
This area
21.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
11.9%
This area
11.9%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 85712

C+ Avg School Grade
9 Schools
12.3:1 Avg Class Size
$12,153 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

John B Wright Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
422 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Davidson Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
250 Students
👨‍🏫
10.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
B+ Above Average
👥
410 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
B+ Above Average

W V Whitmore Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
304 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
C Below Average

Adventure School

📚 K – 08 School Charter Limited Data
👥
124 Students
💰
$13,793 Per Student
C Below Average

Desert Sky Community School

📚 K – 05 Elementary Charter Limited Data
👥
44 Students
💰
$14,887 Per Student
C Below Average

La Paloma Academy

📚 K – 08 School Charter Limited Data
👥
661 Students
💰
$10,136 Per Student
C Below Average

Leman Academy of Excellence - Central Tucson

📚 K – 08 School Charter Limited Data
👥
712 Students
💰
$8,230 Per Student
D Needs Improvement

Arizona Online Charter School

📚 K – 08 School Charter Limited Data
👥
44 Students
💰
$9,859 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A Very Good

Catalina High School

📚 08 – 12 High School
📍 3645 E PIMA ST, TUCSON
👥
614 Students
👨‍🏫
10.9:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
A Very Good

Doolen Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 2400 N COUNTRY CLUB RD, TUCSON
👥
482 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Howell Peter Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 401 N IRVING AVE, TUCSON
👥
245 Students
👨‍🏫
11.6:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Myers-Ganoung Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 5000 E ANDREW ST, TUCSON
👥
277 Students
👨‍🏫
10.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Alice Vail Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 5350 E 16TH ST, TUCSON
👥
573 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,118 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 2,056 Off-Campus Students
C
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson
2,744 students · 0.5 mi
D
Arizona Academy of Beauty
49 students · 1.3 mi
C
Pima Community College
15,819 students · 2.1 mi
F
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
566 students · 2.2 mi
D
Brookline College-Tucson
211 students · 2.5 mi
C
Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
20 students · 2.6 mi
C
Empire Beauty School-Tucson
213 students · 2.6 mi
C+
Pure Aesthetics Natural Skincare School
53 students · 2.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,056 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do experienced investors play Tucson, AZ?

In Tucson, AZ the resilient play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $282K prices and $1,124/mo rents suits that approach.

How much do tenants pay in Tucson, AZ?

Average rent in Tucson, AZ is approximately $1,124/mo per month. Against $282K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

How tight is the rental market in Tucson, AZ?

Tucson, AZ vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Are homes affordable in Tucson, AZ?

In Tucson, AZ the median home value sits at $282K. Against the broader AZ market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

How deep is the rental pool in Tucson, AZ?

Tenant quality in Tucson, AZ ranks as solid. Landlords generally report stable occupancy at market rents of $1,124/mo.

You know 85712 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 85712 ranks in Tucson, AZ

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