Tucson, Arizona, is a hidden gem for seniors looking to move to assisted living. With a population of just over 500,000, Tucson is only a third of the size of its cousin, Phoenix. More approachable for seniors accustomed to smaller cities, Tucson’s slow-paced sprawl and Old West nostalgia reminds residents of its country foundations. Tucson has many of the same attractions as Phoenix for seniors looking for assisted living: a warm, dry climate and a reasonable cost of living. Tucson, however, has its own flair.
Home to the University of Arizona, Tucson has a balance of youthful energy and historic prestige. Outdoor activities are a popular local pastime, due to the surrounding juxtaposition of dramatic desert and mountain terrain. Because Tucson is at a higher elevation than other Southwestern cities, it enjoys a gentler summer and more greenery than Phoenix.
Perhaps best of all for seniors looking for assisted living, Tucson maintains an even lower cost of living than other cities with comparable scenery, weather, city amenities, and assisted living options. A Place for Mom partners with 31 assisted living communities in Tucson within a 15-mile radius, a high number for a city of its size. Most seniors find an assisted living option in Tucson that fits their needs and budget.
This guide introduces you to the top-rated assisted living communities in Tucson. According to reviews from people like you, these assisted living communities have the best meals and dining, cost-effectiveness, cleanliness, and more. This guide will also highlight what living in Tucson is like, from how far your dollar will get you to local senior resources and senior-friendly activities.
I would recommend the community to others. There is only one complaint and that is they wouldn't refund any of the money we paid for one day and they kept the entire payment. This really upset the...
After moving my mother twice in less than three months, I knew we had found her forever home after our long chat with the director, other employees, and tour of the homes. The welcoming kindness, warmth, and...
This is a smaller community and the staff are great. The food is good and if you get there early enough they have a good variety of choices. They offer several card games such as poker, bridge and pinochle....
I read the two reviews and those reviews are outdated and don't reflect the Amber Lights my parents are in currently. Yes, it can be a little shocking when you see the cost of this senior living community...
Only good people can take care of ours lovely parents and they show me how careful and amazing with our precious mom. I highly recommend this place
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Tucson community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
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Seniors pay a median cost of $4,400 per month for a private one bedroom in an assisted living community in Tucson. This figure includes all amenities and fees, including rent, meals, and extra costs associated with care services and amenities in communities with over 25 residents. This falls below the national median, which is just about $5,000 per month.[02].
Board and care homes make up 31% of the assisted living options in Tucson, and have a median monthly cost of $3,500. Group homes offer a more intimate environment with fewer residents and are usually located in a residential home. While group homes may have fewer amenities than assisted living communities, they provide the same type of care for a lower cost.
The costs listed in the chart below differ somewhat because it portrays the average starting costs, which is a baseline before fees or additional amenities and services are added.
Seniors and their families usually pay for assisted living with a mix of private and public funds. However, certain care services may be covered by public health insurance like Medicare, Medicaid, or veterans benefits. Other expenses, such as room and board, are typically paid for out of pocket using private savings and income.
The Arizona Department of Health Services provides licensure and oversight for all of Tucson’s assisted living facilities. Licensure is granted to assisted living communities that meet state requirements during an initial inspection, and is renewed the following year during an unannounced inspection. Inspection results are publicly available on the Residential Facilities Provider Search Form. You can search for facilities by name or address.
Assisted living communities with 20+ residents are licensed as assisted living centers, and board and care homes with fewer than 10 residents are licensed as assisted living homes. Both types of facilities undergo the same licensing procedures and yearly inspections in Arizona. Some of the regulations and requirements for Tucson, Arizona, assisted living communities include the following:
In Arizona, the Department of Health Services outlines specific rights for residents of assisted living communities, which include the following:[09]
In Arizona, caregivers in assisted living communities must meet certain requirements. In 2022, Arizona strengthened its background check requirements for workers in assisted living communities. Workers with felonies due to violence or financial fraud are now unable to work in any assisted living community in Arizona. Some of the other requirements for caregivers include the following:
According to the federal guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), visitors are allowed in Tucson’s assisted living communities regardless of their vaccination status. Some more of Tucson’s COVID-19 policies for assisted living communities include those outlined below.
For more information regarding Arizona’s regulations and licensing of assisted living communities, explore our Overview of Assisted Living in Arizona.
The weather is one of the reasons seniors are drawn to Tucson. With a higher altitude than Phoenix, the average temperatures in Tucson are considerably mild throughout the year. It can even snow in the winter.
While many cities have one or two types of assisted living communities, Tucson has a fairly even division among three types of assisted living. These community types include facilities that only offer assisted living services, comprehensive Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), and smaller board and care homes.
Traditional assisted living communities in Tucson tend to have more than 25 residents. Many have on-site physicians and nurses, and provide amenities like arts and crafts rooms or libraries. Outings to local botanical gardens, performances, or other events are fairly common. In these traditional assisted living communities, residents live in a private or shared room and usually eat their meals in a restaurant-style dining area with other residents.
About half of Tucson’s assisted living communities include at least one other type of senior care, like memory care or independent living.[02] Often, these multi-care communities are on large campuses, and each care type has its own building or wing.
The cost for multi-care communities is typically higher than other assisted living options. These communities provide residents the comfort of staying on the same campus as their care needs change. The senior may need to relocate to a different unit within the same community but will be able to stay in the same community.
Like traditional assisted living communities, multi-care type communities usually combine all expenses into one monthly fee. The monthly cost for a resident increases as their care needs increase, and many traditional assisted living communities offer some skilled nursing services for an additional fee.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) are similar to multi-care communities in Tucson, but they typically have a different payment structure. CCRCs are often more expensive than other assisted living options and most require an admission fee.
The higher costs and admission fees at CCRCs may help to cover a higher level of care in the future such as skilled nursing. CCRCs also tend to have more lavish amenities — like pools and bars — and an array of personalized health and wellness services.
Board and care homes are common in Tucson. These are residential homes that are converted into small assisted living communities. While licensed and regulated in the same ways as traditional assisted living communities, these often come at a lower price and provide a more intimate, personalized experience. Seniors in board and care homes in Tucson often share a room with one other resident and have access to the common areas of the house.
Amenities may include a backyard or patio, a dining room, and a living room. Caregivers at board and care homes often live alongside residents and are available 24/7. Board and care homes don’t usually offer on-site skilled nursing but many partner with home health care agencies to help residents get the care they need.
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Tucson, Arizona, has an excellent health care system, with several top-rated hospitals.
Most people in Tucson use a car as their primary mode of transportation. For residents who no longer drive, our partner assisted living facilities provide on-site transportation services — a safe and convenient alternative to public transportation. For those who still drive, nearly 60% of A Place for Mom’s partner communities offer parking for residents with cars.
For visiting loved ones, Sun Tran, Tucson’s public transportation system is a reliable and affordable way to get around. It includes the Sun Link street car, Sun Vans, Sun on Demand, and the Sun Shuttle. Tucson has worked to make the Sun Tran particularly accessible for seniors by providing a few senior-specific services. These perks include the following:
Information about the class and the Sun Tran system in general can be found on the senior page of their website or by calling 520-206-8881.
Tucson’s walkability, bikeability, and public transportation options are rated on a scale of 0-100 by Walk Score, with 100 being the best. Tucson received the following scores:
Whether you’re on an evening hike among towering Saguaro cacti or sitting on a back porch with a margarita, it’s likely you’ll enjoy a stunning sunset above the purple hues of the surrounding mountain ranges. And with a dry, temperate climate, being outside in Tucson is comfortable for almost 365 days a year.
Many of the local assisted living communities offer residents an outing to the Sonoran Desert Museum, but it’s a must-see for visiting family members as well. The museum is accessible and includes a zoo and a botanical garden. Learn about unique animals — like the javelina, scorpion, and Gila monster — and admire the local cacti, some of which are over 100 years old.
The Saguaro National Park is perhaps the most famous site in the Tucson area, as the park surrounds two sides of the city. Named for the massive Saguaro cacti that grow throughout the park, visitors can enjoy the park on foot or by car. The Cactus Forest Drive is a loop that provides stunning views of the park’s most scenic areas. Adventurous hikers can find petroglyphs from the ancient Hohokam people on the Signal Hill Trail.
Because of Tucson’s clear skies, the Steward Observatory on the University of Arizona’s campus is home to one of the premier astronomy departments in the nation. Students and visitors can look through the telescope in the observatory.
A larger telescope is located just outside the city at the Kitt Peak National Observatory which has a visitor center that offers nighttime stargazing events.
Tucson has plenty of cultural activities too. One of the most popular for seniors — particularly veterans — is the Pima Air and Space Museum. The museum has over 400 aircrafts and some of the rarest aircrafts in the world including WWII planes, presidential aircrafts, and a flight simulator. Plus, seniors get discounted admissions. Tram Tours offers are available daily to take visitors through the acres of planes and helicopters.
The Mission San Xavier del Bac is a piece of history that has persisted through occupations by Spain, Mexico, and the Confederacy. It now sits on land owned by the Tohono O’odham Nation. Built in the 1700s, the Mission’s ornate Spanish colonial architecture and gilded interior are worth the suggested donation fee.
Set in an old-timey saloon, the Gaslight Theater puts on nightly performances of their family-friendly plays. Visitors can enjoy a full meal and free popcorn with their tickets. Seniors don’t get discounted tickets, but it’s affordable enough to go regularly.
Tucson was the first City of Gastronomy in the United States. It got its title because there’s an unusually high number of exceptional restaurants in Tucson for a city of its size. Tucson also gained recognition because these restaurants honor traditional recipes from Mexico and the indigenous tribes who began farming in the Saguaro Desert over 4,000 years ago. The official Tucson City of Gastronomy website has information about food tours, cooking classes, and certified City of Gastronomy restaurants.
Tucson’s visitor’s website is visittucson.org, which offers some excellent up-to-date information about local activities. They cover outdoor fun, health and wellness, shopping, and history experiences that are appropriate for all ages. The site also has updated information about local events, like Gem Shows, the Senior Olympic Festival, and musical performances.
Arroyo Gardens, Oak Haven Assisted Living and Memory Care and Sierra del Sol are the top-rated Assisted Living facilities near Tucson, AZ. These Assisted Living facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Assisted Living in Tucson is $3,703 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Population estimates (V2021): Tucson city [Data set]. Quick Facts.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran status (S2101): Tucson city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Arizona Health Care Containment System. (2024, February 1). Health insurance for individuals who are 65 or older (and do not need a nursing home level of care).
Arizona Health Care Containment System. (2023, December). Filing an application for the Arizona long-term care system (ALTCS).
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Parts of Medicare.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. What Medicare Covers.
Arizona Health Care Containment System. (2024, February 1). Help with paying Medicare costs only.
Arizona Department of Health Services. (2019, November 5). Health care institutions: Licensing article 8. Assisted living facilities.
Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Population estimates (V2021): Tucson city [Data set]. Quick Facts.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran status (S2101): Tucson city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Arizona Health Care Containment System. (2024, February 1). Health insurance for individuals who are 65 or older (and do not need a nursing home level of care).
Arizona Health Care Containment System. (2023, December). Filing an application for the Arizona long-term care system (ALTCS).
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Parts of Medicare.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. What Medicare Covers.
Arizona Health Care Containment System. (2024, February 1). Help with paying Medicare costs only.
Arizona Department of Health Services. (2019, November 5). Health care institutions: Licensing article 8. Assisted living facilities.