Best Neighborhoods in Oro Valley, AZ

25 neighborhoods ranked by safety, walkability, affordability, and quality of life — powered by real data from the US Census, FBI, EPA, and Walk Score.

Population: 47,0532026 Data

Best Neighborhoods in Oro Valley, AZ — Key Takeaways

The best neighborhood in Oro Valley is Catalina CDP with a Kurby Score of 76/100. Oro Valley has 25 neighborhoods ranked by quality of life data. The safest neighborhood is Catalina CDP with a violent crime rate of 5.1 per 1,000 residents. The most affordable is Golden Valley CDP with a median home value of $105,400.

Oro Valley has a population of 47,053, a median household income of $101,394, an unemployment rate of 2.9%, and a poverty rate of 6.8%. The median home value citywide is $404,500, which is 43% above the national average of $281,900.

Data sourced from the US Census Bureau, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA AirNow, Walk Score, and FEMA. Last updated: March 2026.

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Top 3 Neighborhoods

Catalina CDP

76/100

Kurby Score

$231,700

Walk: 0

Crime: 5.1

Avra Valley CDP

71/100

Kurby Score

$135,400

Walk: 0

Crime: 5.1

San Tan Valley CDP

74/100

Kurby Score

$304,000

Crime: 5.1

Complete Rankings — 25 Neighborhoods

Best neighborhoods in Oro Valley ranked by Kurby Score, with median home value, walk score, crime rate, poverty rate, and unemployment rate.
#	Neighborhood	Kurby Score	Median Home	Walk Score	Crime Rate	Poverty	Unemployment
	Catalina CDP	76	$231,700	0/100	5.1 per 1K	7.1%	3.3%
	Avra Valley CDP	71	$135,400	0/100	5.1 per 1K	20.3%	9.8%
	San Tan Valley CDP	74	$304,000	—	5.1 per 1K	7.7%	4.5%
4	Casas Adobes CDP	75	$281,000	—	5.1 per 1K	7.0%	4.9%
5	Fortuna Foothills CDP	72	$156,000	—	5.1 per 1K	10.8%	7.7%
6	Sun City West CDP	72	$316,900	—	5.1 per 1K	7.5%	3.0%
7	Tucson Estates CDP	76	$185,400	—	5.1 per 1K	8.9%	3.3%
8	Mohave Valley CDP	74	$234,300	0/100	5.1 per 1K	5.8%	4.8%
9	New River CDP	72	$560,900	—	5.1 per 1K	3.1%	2.2%
10	Rio Rico CDP	71	$190,400	—	5.1 per 1K	16.5%	7.7%
11	Drexel Heights CDP	72	$200,200	—	5.1 per 1K	15.9%	4.7%
12	Fort Mohave CDP	71	$252,700	—	5.1 per 1K	14.3%	9.7%
13	Sun City CDP	72	$233,600	—	5.1 per 1K	9.1%	5.7%
14	Whetstone CDP	71	$182,400	0/100	5.1 per 1K	19.5%	5.6%
15	Verde Village CDP	72	$283,900	—	5.1 per 1K	12.5%	4.5%
16	Valencia West CDP	73	$252,500	—	5.1 per 1K	14.8%	3.2%
17	Tanque Verde CDP	72	$526,100	—	5.1 per 1K	2.4%	4.8%
18	Gold Canyon CDP	72	$402,400	—	5.1 per 1K	7.4%	4.1%
19	Sierra Vista Southeast CDP	75	$236,400	—	5.1 per 1K	10.3%	4.0%
20	Green Valley CDP	73	$240,800	—	5.1 per 1K	7.5%	5.7%
21	Tucson Mountains CDP	73	$428,600	—	5.1 per 1K	7.7%	2.2%
22	Anthem CDP	71	$458,300	—	5.1 per 1K	3.5%	3.8%
23	Vail CDP	74	$339,700	—	5.1 per 1K	5.0%	1.9%
24	Saddlebrooke CDP	64	$448,700	—	5.1 per 1K	4.5%	14.7%
25	Golden Valley CDP	70	$105,400	—	5.1 per 1K	22.7%	7.2%

Rankings by Category

Top 5 neighborhoods in Oro Valley for each quality-of-life metric.

Safest

Lowest violent crime rate

1
Catalina CDP
5.1 per 1K
2
Avra Valley CDP
5.1 per 1K
3
San Tan Valley CDP
5.1 per 1K
4
Casas Adobes CDP
5.1 per 1K
5
Fortuna Foothills CDP
5.1 per 1K

Most Affordable

Lowest median home value

1
Golden Valley CDP
$105,400
2
Avra Valley CDP
$135,400
3
Fortuna Foothills CDP
$156,000
4
Whetstone CDP
$182,400
5
Tucson Estates CDP
$185,400

Lowest Poverty

Lowest poverty rate

Lowest Unemployment

Lowest unemployment rate

Highest Income

Highest median household income

1
Tucson Mountains CDP
$138,158
2
Tanque Verde CDP
$120,887
3
Vail CDP
$120,179
4
New River CDP
$116,837
5
Anthem CDP
$113,294

Best Air Quality

Lowest Air Quality Index

How We Rank Neighborhoods in Oro Valley

Neighborhoods are ranked using the Kurby Score, a composite quality-of-life index that evaluates six weighted categories based on publicly available data:

Affordability: 25% weight
Walkability & Transit: 15% weight
Safety: 17% weight
Environment: 17% weight
Education: 13% weight
Economy: 13% weight

Each category incorporates multiple data points. For example, Safety uses both violent and property crime rates; Environment considers air quality (AQI), noise levels, climate risk, and flood zone status; Affordability factors in home price-to-income ratio, rent, and electricity costs.

Data Sources: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), EPA AirNow, Walk Score, DOT National Transportation Noise Map, FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and EIA Electricity Data. All data is updated on a rolling basis as new government releases become available.

Lifestyle & Amenity Scores

Based on nearby amenities, noise levels, and quality of life factors

Parks0/100

Grocery0/100

Dining0/100

Nightlife0/100

Shopping0/100

Healthcare0/100

Daycare0/100

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the greenest neighborhoods in Oro Valley?

The greenest neighborhoods in Oro Valley by air quality are: Catalina CDP, Avra Valley CDP, San Tan Valley CDP, Casas Adobes CDP, Fortuna Foothills CDP. Rankings are based on EPA Air Quality Index data.

Which neighborhood in Oro Valley has the best air quality?

Catalina CDP has the best air quality with an AQI of 27. The national average AQI is 42. Lower AQI values indicate cleaner air.

What is the air quality like in Oro Valley?

Oro Valley has an average AQI of 52. The national average is 42. An AQI under 50 is considered "Good" by the EPA.

How are green neighborhoods ranked?

Neighborhoods are ranked primarily by EPA Air Quality Index (lower is better). We also consider walkability, safety, and affordability. A dedicated greenery/tree canopy score will be added when data becomes available.

Which green neighborhood in Oro Valley has the lowest poverty rate?

Tanque Verde CDP has the lowest poverty rate at 2.4% (national average: 12.4%).

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