The Town FilesVail, Arizona
Community in Pima County · population 13,604 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $414,600
- Household income
- $130,904
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 100°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 40.7
Vail is a community of 13,604 people in Pima County, Arizona. The median home is worth $414,600, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for families than 99% of Arizona towns, more of a college town than 96% of Arizona towns, more upscale than 93% of Arizona towns.
How Vail 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 Vail is worth $414,600, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $130,904, which is more affordable than 68% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $2,057 a month. 91.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vail | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $414,600 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $2,057 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $130,904 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 91.1% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 2007 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Vail
| People | Vail | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.9% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 17.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.9% | — |
| Work from home | 20.4% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 88.0% |
Weather in Vail
July highs average 100.2°F and January lows 40.8°F. About 10.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 158 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 12 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vail since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 2, 2024 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 12, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 1, 1971.
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 Vail itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Vail
7 public schools with 4,511 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cienega High School | 9-12 | 1,872 | 18.0 |
| Old Vail Middle School | 6-8 | 802 | 20.6 |
| Acacia Elementary School | K-5 | 734 | 19.3 |
| Ocotillo Ridge Elementary | PK-5 | 724 | 14.5 |
| Vail Inclusive Preschool | PK-PK | 279 | 55.8 |
| Pantano High School | 9-12 | 98 | 10.9 |
| PCJTED - Cienega High School | 9-12 | 2 | — |
Towns near Vail
- Rincon Valley, AZ6.1 mi · 5,612 people · home $547,300
- Corona de Tucson, AZ7.2 mi · 9,240 people · home $382,700
- Tucson, AZ13.8 mi · 542,629 people · home $266,200
- Summit, AZ15.2 mi · 4,724 people · home $150,400
- Sahuarita, AZ17.1 mi · 34,134 people · home $364,300
- Tanque Verde, AZ17.3 mi · 16,250 people · home $607,900
- South Tucson, AZ20.1 mi · 4,613 people · home $167,000
- Green Valley, AZ22.1 mi · 22,616 people · home $293,500
Vail questions
Is Vail, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vail scores better for retirees than 59% of Arizona towns and quieter than 28%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Vail?
The median owner-occupied home in Vail is valued at $414,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $130,904, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $2,057 a month.
What is the weather like in Vail?
July highs average 100.2°F and January lows 40.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Vail get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vail since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 2, 2024. 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)