Located 20 miles south of Central Tucson, Sahuarita is one of Arizona’s fastest-growing communities. With a population just short of 35,000, Sahuarita offers residents small-town life with the convenience of being just 30 minutes from Tucson. If you’ve been looking for a friendly and active community to call home in the Tucson area, you won’t find better than Sahuarita.

Sahuarita offers beauty, great educational opportunities, high-income employers, and a wide range of amenities right on your doorstep. Sister cities with Magdalena de Kino, in Sonora, Mexico, Sahuarita is one of the most popular towns in the state. Our Madera Estates community is located just 10 minutes from the center of town, so conveniently located to enjoy all the area has to offer.

Read on as we guide you through all Sahuarita has to offer.

Weather

Sahuarita enjoys the hot, dry climate Arizona is famous for. The area experiences plenty of sunshine year-round, making it an ideal location for those who like to spend a lot of time outdoors hiking, biking, or golfing on one of the courses in nearby Green Valley. The average temperature in the summer is 93F (typically ranging from 70F to over 100F on hot days), and Sahuarita benefits from mild winters, with temperatures ranging from the mid-40s to mid-60s.

Thanks to Sahuarita’s beautiful weather, the nights are often clear and so the town does not allow streetlights to be on at night so stargazing can be enjoyed. One of the homeowners in Madera Estates has even invested in high-powered telescopes so he can enjoy the galaxies from his backyard. There are very few people elsewhere in the world who live in such a convenient location and can boast such a good view of the stars!

Sahuarita Town Center

Sahuarita Town Center is manicured and relaxed and includes municipal buildings, two elementary schools, a post office, a fire station, a police department, and Sahuarita Aquatics Center, which includes an outdoor swimming pool.

Sahuarita Library is open 6 days a week and offers a study room, Wi-Fi, wireless printing, computers, a meeting room, and regular events, alongside a great selection of books.

Rancho Sahuarita Marketplace is the main retail center and provides you with Fry’s Marketplace, Chase Bank, and household fast food brand names, including Dunkin’, Panda Express, and McDonald’s.

Sahuarita Town Center is also home to Northwest Medical Center Sahuarita, which provides residents with a range of medical support services, including a 24/7 emergency department.

Parks & Recreation

Sahuarita is home to 8 well-maintained public parks and recreational spaces, one of which was named one of America’s Top 100 parks. Some of the facilities you can find at these parks include:

●     Sports fields

●     Outdoor ramadas

●     Dog parks

●     Playgrounds

●     Community Gardens

●     Skate Parks

●     Fitness Courts

●     Paved trails

●     Public art

●     Games

●     BMX Pump Track

●     Fishing

Events are also regularly run in the parks, including fitness classes, markets, senior bingo, arts and crafts classes, camps, and more.

Madera Canyon

A little further south of town, Madera Canyon provides a campground and plenty of trails to explore by bike or on foot. It’s well known for its stunning views and diverse wildlife, particularly its bird population. Madera Canyon is home to over 250 species of birds, so it’s a popular birdwatching destination. If you are prepared to stray a little from the most well-trodden trails, you’ll find a little-known waterfall that is the perfect place to sit and take in the scenery before enjoying the return hike.

Golf Courses

Sahuarita and Green Valley are home to several world-class golf courses, offering players of all skill levels the opportunity to enjoy a round in the beautiful Sonoran Desert. One of the most popular courses in the area is the Quail Creek Golf Club, which boasts a 27-hole championship course designed by Ken Kavanaugh. The course offers challenging play and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and desert landscape.

Another popular option is the Torres Blancas Golf Club, which features a 72-par course including 3 lakes, undulating greens, and enough sand traps to make this course challenging. You can find another 18-hole course at Canoa Ranch Golf Club, so local golf enthusiasts can find a wide variety of courses right on their doorstep.

Education

You’re certainly not short of options in Sahuarita, and you’ll be glad to know that all schools are highly rated.

Sahuarita Unified School District (SUSD) serves approximately 6,000 students across an early childhood center, two elementary schools, one middle school, three K-8 schools, and two high schools.

For higher education, you’ve got two nearby options, The University of Arizona and Pima Community College.

The University of Arizona campus is less than 30 minutes away and provides a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. While best known for its scientific achievements, you can study everything from agricultural studies to arts and business.

Pima Community College is only 20 minutes away on I-19 and offers a wide range of credit degrees and certificates.

Major Employers in the Sahuarita Area

Interstate 19 provides residents with an easy commute to businesses located in and around Tucson, and there are plenty of large corporations with bases locally.

One of the biggest employers in the area is Raytheon Missile Systems, a company that helps develop missiles and defense systems for the US military and their allies. The company’s headquarters are in Tucson. Click here to find out more about their openings.

Sahuarita is less than 30 minutes away from the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park campus. This large research university is well-known for its achievements in science, space exploration, land development, water research, public health, and sustainability. Click here for their current opportunities.

Freeport-McMoRan, a leading international mining company, hire in Tucson and Green Valley, making them a great option for those living in Sahuarita. Find their local job opportunities here.

A long-standing mining company, Asarco has been mining copper in Arizona for over 100 years. Their corporate headquarters are located in Tucson. To find out about their current openings, click here.

Other Nearby Amenities

Shopping

Shopping opportunities continue outside of the town center, offering residents access to a range of big names and independent stores.

Continental Shopping Plaza is home to Safeway, CVS, and True Value Hardware, as well as a range of dining options, financial services, personal and professional services, and more.

Green Valley Mall, just south of Sahuarita, is a beautiful outdoor mall offering a range of retailers, restaurants, and even office spaces.

Heirloom Farmers Markets Green Valley, close to Madera Estates, is open year-round every Wednesday. This market is full of produce, prepared foods, and arts and crafts. It’s a great place to spend the morning.

You can also find a Walmart just 5 miles north of Madera Estates and a Safeway 3 miles south in Green Valley. In the area around Walmart, you’ll find other much-loved brands such as Carl’s Jr., Sprouts Farmers Market, Petco, Dollar Tree, PetSmart, TJ Maxx, Chipotle, and more.

Health Care

Northwest Medical Center Sahuarita is a small (18-bed) medical center located in Sahuarita Town Center that offers 24/7 service with an emergency department, two operating rooms, outpatient imaging, lab services, and more.

St. Mary’s Hospital is the closest major hospital in Tucson. This hospital offers a huge range of departments and will be there to support you when Northwest Medical Center cannot.

Carondelet Medical Mall is located in Green Valley and offers a range of diagnostic testing, such as mammograms, X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, and CT scans.

Dining, Entertainment & Museums

The Titan Missile Museum is a unique attraction that offers visitors a glimpse into the Cold War era and the arms race between the US and the Soviet Union. The museum is housed in a decommissioned Titan II missile silo, one of the 54 that were operated by the US during the Cold War. Visitors can tour the launch control center, see the actual missile, and learn about the daily lives of those who worked there.

Asarco Mineral Discovery Center provides you with insight into the mining industry and the essential role it plays in society. You can even take a tour of an old mine - just make sure you reserve your tour in advance since it’s so popular! 

The Community Performance and Art Center in Green Valley puts on performances of all kinds year-round, with multiple shows each week. There are also a huge number of other eateries and other forms of entertainment nearby, including a casino just north of Sahuarita and an independent movie theater and game room in Sahuarita Town Center.

The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory is a premier astronomical research center located in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Sahuarita. The facility is owned and operated by the Smithsonian and offers visitors the opportunity to explore the mysteries of the universe through a diverse array of exhibits. You can take a guided tour or visit one of their many public events, such as a stargazing night or a lecture by a leading astronomer.

Public Transport

Tucson International Airport is just a 20-minute drive from Sahuarita and provides flights all over the country. There is also a bus route (Sun Tran) connecting the area.

Enjoy Sahuarita

Our community, Madera Estates, at the south end of Sahuarita, is conveniently located close to the commercial centers in Green Valley. If you’re thinking of calling Sahuarita home, Madera Estates makes the perfect base. Click here to find out more.