Tucson, AZ is home to a variety of health institutions and medical facilities. The city is served by several hospitals, including the University of Arizona Medical Center – South Campus, Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital, Tucson Medical Center and Northwest Medical Center - Oro Valley. These hospitals provide a range of patient services and medical specialties. Residents in Tucson have access to numerous local clinics for primary care and specialty care, such as Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona and UA Family Health Centers. In addition to typical medical services, many health centers offer preventative care, mental health services, physical therapy and other specialized services. Furthermore, the city has a variety of pharmacies that are conveniently located throughout the area to provide easy access to prescription medications. With all these resources available in Tucson, residents can receive quality healthcare close to home.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 259 physicians per 100,000 population in Tucson. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Tucson area is 84.3 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
84.3 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Tucson area is 48 (100=best). The US average is 55.
48 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Tucson area is 94 (100=best). The US average is 87.
94 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Tucson commutes 22.2 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Tucson area is 49 (100=best). The US average is 58.
49 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.