Santa Cruz County, Arizona Demographics 2026

Name: Santa Cruz County, Arizona Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Santa Cruz County, Arizona has a population of 48,926, the 12th most populous county in Arizona. The median household income is $55,217 and the median home value is $233,000. The poverty rate is 20.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Santa Cruz County Quick Facts

Population 48,926

Median Household Income $55,217

Median Home Value $233,000

Poverty Rate 20.2%

Unemployment Rate 12.2%

Median Age 37.9 years

Homeownership Rate 69.3%

Affordability Ratio 4.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 23.1%

High School Graduation 76.6%

Cities/Places 10

Population 48,926 12th of 15

Median Income $55,217 31% lower than state

Poverty Rate 20.2%

Unemployment 12.2%

How Santa Cruz County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	48,209	48,926	+1.5%
Median household income	$53,614	$55,217	+3.0%
Median home value	$216,100	$233,000	+7.8%

Median Household Income

Santa Cruz

$55,217

$79,964

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Santa Cruz

$233,000

$394,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.9%

$25K-$50K 28.6%

$50K-$100K 27.7%

$100K+ 24.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.7%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

5.1%

$20K-$25K

3.4%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

8.2%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

6.2%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

10.2%

$75K-$100K

10.0%

$100K-$125K

10.1%

$125K-$150K

5.8%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

3.4%

Employment

12.2% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

57.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.3%

Renter 30.8%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $829/mo 18.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.8%

18-34

21.1%

35-54

22.4%

55-74

22.6%

75+

8.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 62 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Santa Cruz County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Rio Rico	22,017	$61,348	16.6%	$224,100
Nogales	19,841	$43,214	28.0%	$186,300
Tubac	1,294	$73,359	13.4%	$490,800
Patagonia	946	$39,891	7.5%	$361,500
Sonoita	663	$119,792	0.0%	$460,300
Elgin	349	$90,231	1.1%	$356,800
Tumacacori-Carmen	207	$55,417	18.4%	N/A
Kino Springs	173	N/A	18.4%	$207,100
Beyerville	61	$65,469	0.0%	N/A
Amado	53	N/A	45.3%	N/A

Explore Arizona Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Santa Cruz County is located in Arizona with a total population of 48,926. It is the 12th most populous county out of 15 in Arizona. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Cruz County is 37.9 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $55,217. This is 31% lower than the state median of $79,964. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.2%. This is 62% 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 12.2%. This is 139% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $233,000. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $394,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Santa Cruz County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 82.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 15.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (15.3%) is well below the state average of 52.6%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 4.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (82.5% vs 31.4%). The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 3.5%.

Education

23.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% 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 76.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Santa Cruz County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Arizona and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

Santa Cruz County has a population of 48,926, making it the 12th most populous county in Arizona.

What is the median income in Santa Cruz County?

The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $55,217 with a poverty rate of 20.2%.

How many cities are in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

Santa Cruz County contains 10 Census-designated places.