Tucson is located approximately 120 miles south of the capital city of Phoenix and about 65 miles north of the U.S.- Mexican border. This desert valley community is flanked by scenic mountain ranges on three sides reaching to some 9000 feet. The temperate climate attracts visitors with its mild winters that afford numerous outdoor activities. Various resorts and spas provide first-rate accommodations, gourmet dining and world-class golf. A myriad of unique southwestern attractions award travelers with experiences they're not likely to experience elsewhere.

The city has experienced annual increases in population since 1990. It's this burgeoning population which reached 1 million persons in the Spring of 2006 that continues to fuel low cost structure for businesses, lower pay scales and less expensive commercial real estate. These factors, combined with Tucson's attractive lifestyle, place the region in a favorable position relative to competing southwestern cities and to the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Tucson's economy has historically been driven by government-related defense and high-tech industries. Entities such as Raytheon, ASARCO, IBM, Davis-Monthan Airbase, Fort Huachuca, the University of Arizona, state and local government and the school districts provide Tucson with a solid economic base. In the last decade, telecommunications and optics have spiked as new employment hubs have grown and more employers have entered the market. Tucson has consistently ranked among the nation's top 25 leading metropolitan areas in terms of job growth and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Tucson Economic Overview