The Town FilesPicture Rocks, Arizona
Community in Pima County · population 9,551 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $230,300
- Household income
- $61,634
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 102°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 52.8
Picture Rocks is a community of 9,551 people in Pima County, Arizona. The median home is worth $230,300, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks quieter than 77% of Arizona towns, better for cycling than 74% of Arizona towns, easier by car than 73% of Arizona towns.
How Picture Rocks ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Picture Rocks is worth $230,300, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $61,634, which is more affordable than 56% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $960 a month. 94.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Picture Rocks | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,300 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $960 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $61,634 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 94.0% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Picture Rocks
| People | Picture Rocks | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.0% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 12.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 34.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.6% | 88.0% |
Weather in Picture Rocks
July highs average 101.7°F and January lows 39.4°F. About 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 161 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Picture Rocks since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 24, 1991 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 29, 2015.
Severe weather in Pima County since 1996
Pima County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2020 | Fire | FM-5312: Big Horn Fire |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1660: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 12, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3241: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Pima County
Pima County had 386,312 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,936 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Picture Rocks itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Picture Rocks
3 public schools with 2,920 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marana High School | 9-12 | 2,429 | 20.4 |
| Picture Rocks Elementary | PK-6 | 491 | 12.3 |
| PCJTED - Marana High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Picture Rocks
- Avra Valley, AZ8.0 mi · 5,569 people · home $158,400
- Tucson Mountains, AZ11.1 mi · 10,862 people · home $473,200
- Marana, AZ12.2 mi · 51,908 people · home $413,800
- Tucson Estates, AZ12.7 mi · 12,069 people · home $205,400
- Casas Adobes, AZ14.5 mi · 70,973 people · home $343,400
- Flowing Wells, AZ14.7 mi · 15,657 people · home $41,100
- Valencia West, AZ15.7 mi · 14,101 people · home $323,000
- Drexel Heights, AZ17.5 mi · 27,523 people · home $250,100
Picture Rocks questions
Is Picture Rocks, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Picture Rocks scores better for retirees than 61% of Arizona towns and quieter than 77%. 29.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Picture Rocks?
The median owner-occupied home in Picture Rocks is valued at $230,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,634, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $960 a month.
What is the weather like in Picture Rocks?
July highs average 101.7°F and January lows 39.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Picture Rocks get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Picture Rocks since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 24, 1991. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)