Cactus Forest, Arizona Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 640, Cactus Forest's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cactus Forest is a small community located in Arizona, within Pinal County. The total population is 640. It ranks as the 250th most populous out of 441 Census-designated places in Arizona.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cactus Forest is 68.2 years. This is 75% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 34.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cactus Forest is $67,083. This is 16% lower than the state median of $79,964. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.3%. This is 63% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.5%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.3%. This is 43% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $160,600. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $394,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Cactus Forest is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cactus Forest is White (non-Hispanic), making up 71.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (15.0%) is well below the state average of 31.4%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (12.3% vs 3.5%).

Education

11.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 64% lower than the state rate of 33.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cactus Forest, Arizona is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Arizona state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 441 Census-designated places in Arizona. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.