Uprootmap
El Centro vs Tucson
El Centro and Tucson
Photo: Sahmeditor / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Tucson are above the US rate in this release, 7.4 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at El Centro to Tucson
In 2022-2023, 34 households filed a move from El Centro to Tucson (about 55 people, average adjusted gross income $41,765). Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,009 in El Centro and $1,009 in Tucson. El Centro has a state tax on wages. Tucson has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Tucson is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 80% in El Centro.
Tucson averages 286 sunny days, with July highs around 100°F and January nights around 41°F. El Centro is 276 sunny days, 103°F in July, 41°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Tucson and 22 in El Centro.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 34 households moved El Centro → Tucson (about 55 people, average AGI $41,765). The reverse flow is too small for the IRS to publish.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between El Centro and Tucson changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 261 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,800–$3,400
- Container or pod
- $1,250–$2,300
- Rent a truck
- $500–$950
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Dig into Tucson
Questions
Is Tucson cheaper than El Centro after tax and rent?
Yes. Tucson leaves about $488 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,009 in El Centro and $1,009 in Tucson.
Does Tucson have state income tax?
Tucson is in Arizona, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from El Centro to Tucson?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.