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Dunbar/Spring

Dunbar/Spring

Suburban Neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona

Pima County 85701, 85705

Neighborhood Reviews
3.4
$382,757 Average Value
$327 Average Price per Sq Ft
5 Homes For Sale

Historic artsy community focused on connectedness

Named after famous poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar and well-known Tucson teacher John Spring, the historic Dunbar/Spring neighborhood features eclectic home styles from the early 1900s and is within a mile of downtown shopping and dining. During segregation, this community was one of the few not redlining, and many Black Americans were able to buy or rent a home. “From the get-go, this neighborhood was really integrated,” says Karen Greene, neighborhood association board member and resident of 25 years. Several generations of people have stayed in the area, and today, it’s made up of young families, musicians and environmentally-conscious people who work to better the neighborhood. “There’s a connectedness people have with each other here. There’s been times I’ve been late to work because there were three neighbors I was catching up with,” Greene says.

The old Dunbar school was used to segregate Black children in the early 1900's.
The old Dunbar school was used to segregate Black children in the early 1900's.
There are various Little Free Libraries in the Dunbar Spring neighborhood.
There are various Little Free Libraries in the Dunbar Spring neighborhood.
Dunbar Spring is a deeply connected neighborhood, with an active association caring it.
Dunbar Spring is a deeply connected neighborhood, with an active association caring it.
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Early 1900s homes for a comparably lower price

Greene says homebuyers are drawn to Dunbar/Spring because of its lower prices compared to the nearby West University and Armory Park neighborhoods east of the area. Early 20th-century brick and adobe bungalows tend to range between $200,000 and $375,000 and feature wide, front porches overlooking gravel-landscaped lots. Larger four to five-bedroom bungalows and pueblos built between the ’20s and ‘50s are typically priced between $400,000 and $550,000; these homes include fenced-in backyards with wooden verandas and cacti-lined front walkways. Properties here sit along wide, gridded streets—some with sidewalks—dotted with acacia and palm trees, and several brightly-colored murals by local artists can be seen along 9th Avenue and University Boulevard which cuts through the center.

Dunbar Spring does not have sidewalks, but generally plenty of trees providing lots of shade.
Dunbar Spring does not have sidewalks, but generally plenty of trees providing lots of shade.
Bungalows with native foliage make up most of Dunbar Spring.
Bungalows with native foliage make up most of Dunbar Spring.
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Hanging out at Oury Recreation Center

A half mile south, one of the oldest in the city, David G. Herrera and Ramon Quiroz Park houses Oury Recreation Center, where locals can take a dip in the community pool, check out the playground and shoot hoops at the covered basketball court facing the building’s intricate art murals. Four-acre Anza Park, which underwent major renovations in the early 2020s, touches the eastern corner of the neighborhood and offers a dog park, a playground and sand volleyball courts surrounded by trees. Residents also take advantage of local nonprofit El Grupo’s after-school bike programs; kids can learn more about the sport of cycling while learning leadership and communication skills from coaches.

Oury Park has a large, shaded basketball court for multiple games.
Oury Park has a large, shaded basketball court for multiple games.
Dunbar Spring is a biking community, with access to many parts of the city very quickly.
Dunbar Spring is a biking community, with access to many parts of the city very quickly.
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Restaurant staples and shopping sprees in downtown Tucson

Tucson’s Historic Fourth Avenue district is about a mile drive southeast of the neighborhood and features local family restaurants like Caruso’s, the over 90-year-old Tucson staple serving Sicilian-style pasta and crunchy cannolis. Nearby Bison Witches Bar and Deli offers deli sandwiches and bread bowl soups, and from there, residents can walk a half mile north to the popular Time Market for grocery items and flakey croissants at the in-store bakery. A few blocks right, Main Gate Square shopping mall houses local boutiques like Pitaya and Collette selling women’s clothing and accessories.

Dunbar Spring is down the road from an Italian atmosphere at Caruso's on Historic 4th Avenue.
Dunbar Spring is down the road from an Italian atmosphere at Caruso's on Historic 4th Avenue.
Locals of Dunbar Spring can shop at Pataya for accessories near The UA.
Locals of Dunbar Spring can shop at Pataya for accessories near The UA.
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Folky tunes at the neighborhood Porch Fest

Along with attending monthly neighborhood association meetings, folks like venturing to nearby neighborhoods like West University and Armory Park for Porch Fest where musicians perform in front their homes while onlookers munch on snacks from local food trucks. “It’s like a mini folk festival,” Greene says. She adds that Dunbar/Spring has hosted its own Porch Fest in the past, and the association has tentative plans to do it again. Around March and December every year, residents can trek a mile south to the popular, long-running Fourth Avenue Street Fair featuring hundreds of different arts and craft booths. Every second Saturday of every month, downtown Tucson holds a live music festival on Congress Street filled with local food vendors and street performers.

The celebrated, bi-annual Fourth Avenue Street Fair is hosted only minutes from Dunbar Spring.
The celebrated, bi-annual Fourth Avenue Street Fair is hosted only minutes from Dunbar Spring.
All Souls Procession by Susan Kay Johnson is a vivid, quirky mural in Dunbar Spring.
All Souls Procession by Susan Kay Johnson is a vivid, quirky mural in Dunbar Spring.
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STEM education at Tucson High Magnet

The neighborhood is served by the Tucson Unified School District, rated an overall B-minus from Niche and the largest in the city. Kids can start at Davis Bilingual Magnet, which scores a B-minus and continue to the unrated Imago Dei Middle, a tuition-free private school near the area. The B-rated Tucson High Magnet offers mathematics and engineering studies through its well-known STEM program.

Davis Bilingual School serves grades K-5 in Tucson, Arizona.
Davis Bilingual School serves grades K-5 in Tucson, Arizona.
Tucson High Magnet School serves grades 9-12 in Tucson, Arizona.
Tucson High Magnet School serves grades 9-12 in Tucson, Arizona.
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Hopping on Sun Tran buses

Downtown Tucson is a mile drive south from Dunbar/Spring, and Interstate 10 can be accessed a mile from the western border. Tucson Sun Tran buses regularly stop on West Speedway Boulevard along the northern border, and Tugo Bike Share stations can be found throughout the neighborhood. Banner-University Medical Center Tucson is 3 miles east of the neighborhood, and Tucson International Airport is a 9-mile drive south.

Sun Tran busses run along the edges of Dunbar Spring, at various times of day.
Sun Tran busses run along the edges of Dunbar Spring, at various times of day.
TUGO Bike Share has rentable bikes accessible on University Boulevard.
TUGO Bike Share has rentable bikes accessible on University Boulevard.
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Fighting climate extremes through rain gardens

Since 1996, residents and volunteers in the Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood Foresters program resident have planted nearly 1,700 native food-bearing trees and over a million gallons worth of rain gardens in the area. These systems reduce downstream flooding in streets during monsoons and naturally water these plants, bringing shade to public sidewalks during scorching Arizona summers.

Residents of Dunbar Spring appreciate it's low-carbon footprint, with many native trees.
Residents of Dunbar Spring appreciate it's low-carbon footprint, with many native trees.
Most months, Dunbar Spring is filled with flowers and trees that dazzle the eyes.
Most months, Dunbar Spring is filled with flowers and trees that dazzle the eyes.
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Hannah Baggenstoss
Written By
Hannah Baggenstoss
Mallory Nolte
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Mallory Nolte

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood? Reach out to Tim Cusick, an experienced agent in this area.

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

Tucson International

18 min drive

Bus

Speedway & Alder

Bus

Stone & Speedway

Reviews

Niche Reviews
3.4 10 Reviews
3.0 Niche User
10/18/2014 Niche Review
some local businesses in the area
3.0 Niche User
6/3/2015 Niche Review
Where I live there's not a lot of variety. Mostly abandoned buildings, tons of car washes, some restaurants, and only a hand full of big company stores that I hardly visit anyways.
5.0 Niche User
10/18/2014 Niche Review
a lot of fast food restaurants
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Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Dunbar/Spring US
Homicide 4 4
Sexual Assault 5 4
Assault with Weapon 4 4
Robbery 4 4
Burglary 5 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 5 4
Larceny 5 4
Crime Score 4 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$438,000
Median Single Family Price
$449,450
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$327
Number of Homes for Sale
5
Last 12 months Home Sales
9
Months of Supply
6.70
Median List Price
$459,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
5%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
17%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
189
Median Year Built
1927
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,605
Below the national average
1,935
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,098

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood? Reach out to Tim Cusick, an experienced agent in this area.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Renters

Demographics

Total Population
1,090
Median Age
35
Population Density
7 ppl/acre
Population under 18
17.6%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
12.8%
Below the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$39,999
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$62,905

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
90.2%
College Graduates
53.8%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
22.3%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
60.8%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
10''
Average Winter Low Temperature
39°F
Average Summer High Temperature
102°F
Annual Snowfall
0''

Area Factors

Biker's Paradise

Bike Score®

99 / 100

Somewhat Walkable

Walk Score®

67 / 100

Good Transit

Transit Score®

59 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Nearby Neighborhoods

Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Dunbar/Spring
Tim Cusick
Homelogic Real Estate
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