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Tucson is the home of the University of Arizona, and the student housing market is centered around the university's campus in central Tucson. Sun Link streetcar runs through the university district connecting campus to downtown, and the surrounding neighborhoods are among the more walkable in the Sun Belt. Rents are significantly lower than Phoenix/Tempe and substantially lower than California, making Tucson one of the better values among major public university cities in the West. The university district, Fourth Avenue, and the Congress Street area make up the core student and young-adult zone.
The primary student zone — apartments and houses walking distance from UA's main campus. Dense, affordable, and connected by Sun Link streetcar to downtown. Fills by February for the following fall.
Tucson's most walkable and culturally rich corridors — independent restaurants, bars, record shops, and apartments within biking and streetcar range of campus. Popular with upperclassmen who want neighborhood character.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Tucson.
Sun Tran buses cover Tucson extensively. The Sun Link streetcar runs from the UA campus through downtown along a 4-mile route — genuinely useful for students on or near the route. UA Campus Cat shuttle fills in the campus itself.
Near the UA campus and Fourth Avenue, biking and walking are practical. Tucson has improved its bike infrastructure significantly. The flat desert terrain makes year-round biking easy (heat is the challenge in summer, not hills). The streetcar makes the Fourth Avenue-to-campus corridor one of the more bikeable student routes in Arizona.
Campus parking is permit-required and fills up. Near the university district, street parking is contested. Most students near the Sun Link quickly adapt to transit or biking.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Tucson is one of the best values among major public university cities in the West. Shared units near UA typically run $600-$900/mo per person. Fourth Avenue and the university district stay affordable compared to comparable Phoenix or California markets.
Browse student housing near each Tucson-area university.