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COUNTY

Santa Cruz County

Arizona · 50,020 residents (2025 est.) · 1,236 sq mi
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Part of the Nogales micropolitan area
The short version

With 48,926 people, Santa Cruz County is a county in Arizona. The foreign-born share is 34%. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Households here earn about 31% less than in Arizona as a whole. Growth has run 27% since 2000, or 10,545 more people. The poverty rate is 20.2%, above the 12.5% national rate.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
48,926
+27%since 2000
from 38,381 in 2000
50,020 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
40 / sq mi
+15%since 2009
from 34 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.9
+19%since 2000
from 31.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,236 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K34K39K45K51K19902000201020202024Santa Cruz County
202449K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(3,014)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.4%(3,114)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.5%(4,175)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.5%(3,654)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(3,144)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.9%(5,827)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.2%(5,501)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.1%(5,435)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.5%(5,635)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.1%(5,420)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.2%(3,045)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(962)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,217
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,710 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,237
+98%since 2000
from $13,278 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
34.7%
+15.5 ptssince 2009
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
20.2%
−4.3 ptssince 2000
from 24.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.436
−8%since 2010
from 0.474 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance9.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical9.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade8.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade7.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6%
US avg: 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing5.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Construction5%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services3.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing1%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$233,000
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $92,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$829
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $475 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 68.0% in 2000
30.7% rent
Vacancy rate
11.8%
−22.0 ptssince 2009
from 33.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.88 people
−25%since 2009
from 3.82 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.8%
−12.7 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 45.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.2
+7%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic17.8%(6,835)
Black0.2%(75)
Hispanic / Latino80.8%(31,005)
Asian0.5%(189)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic15.3%(7,468)
Black0.1%(65)
Hispanic / Latino82.5%(40,367)
Asian0.3%(143)
Other1.8%(883)
Diversity Score
37
−10%since 2009
from 41 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
53
−9%since 2020
from 58 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican80.1%(39,204)
Puerto Rican0.4%(172)
Spaniard0.3%(138)
Salvadoran0.2%(101)
Colombian0.1%(44)
Cuban0.1%(30)
Peruvian0%(14)
Asian origin
Indonesian0.1%(59)
Filipino0.1%(48)
Chinese0%(12)
Korean0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(117)
Ancestry
German3.8%(1,836)
English2.8%(1,376)
Irish2.5%(1,245)
Italian1.5%(737)
American1.3%(632)
Swedish0.8%(385)
Dutch0.7%(352)
French0.7%(327)
Scottish0.6%(287)
Polish0.6%(279)
Norwegian0.4%(179)
British0.2%(114)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.2%(85)
Greek0.2%(78)
Welsh0.1%(67)
Arab0.1%(63)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(53)
Czech0.1%(47)
Austrian0.1%(39)
Egyptian0.1%(35)
Portuguese0.1%(28)
Canadian0.1%(27)
Swiss0.1%(27)
Lithuanian0.1%(25)
Ukrainian0.1%(25)
Romanian0%(24)
Hungarian0%(20)
Finnish0%(17)
Lebanese0%(15)
Latvian0%(14)
Belgian0%(13)
Nigerian0%(13)
Croatian0%(12)
Slovak0%(10)
Iranian0%(4)
Russian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.1%
+8.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
76.6%
+15.9 ptssince 2000
from 60.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.1%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.2 min
+74%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.9%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 79.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.7%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
12.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2011
from 13.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
57.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2011
from 57.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.5%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 64.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.3%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
26.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
Female
51.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.0% in 2009
Foreign born
34.2%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 32.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.3%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.3%
+5.0 ptssince 2012
from 8.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
15.2%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 20.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.9%
+19.7 ptssince 2017
from 68.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.3%
+6.5 ptssince 2020
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
22.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 22.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
77.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2016
from 76.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.7%(6,407)
Married50.4%(9,301)
Widowed1.8%(330)
Divorced13.1%(2,422)
Women 15+
Never married29.2%(5,885)
Married47.3%(9,531)
Widowed8.4%(1,692)
Divorced15.2%(3,055)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
15.2%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 20.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
30.6%
−3.4 ptssince 2020
from 34.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 11.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
38.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 39.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
41.5%
−3.3 ptssince 2020
from 44.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
53.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)22.4%(349)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.5%(476)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.7%(587)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2%(31)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(1)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,559 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Pop 51,041
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Pop 48,276
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Pop 46,210
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Head to head

Compare Santa Cruz County to nearby counties

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
Cochise County
Income$59,742+8%
Home value$218,300−6%
Population126,332+153%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
Pima County
Income$70,315+27%
Home value$319,700+37%
Population1,074,685+2049%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
Pinal County
Income$80,266+45%
Home value$349,000+50%
Population539,380+978%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VS
Graham County
Income$67,325+22%
Home value$212,000−9%
Population40,157−20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

Santa Cruz County, Arizona has about 48,926 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

The typical household in Santa Cruz County, Arizona earns about $55,217 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Santa Cruz County, Arizona expensive?

In Santa Cruz County, Arizona, the median home is worth about $233,000, and the typical rent is about $829 a month.

How educated are people in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

About 23.1% of adults age 25 and over in Santa Cruz County, Arizona hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?

About 20.2% of people in Santa Cruz County, Arizona live below the federal poverty line.

Has Santa Cruz County, Arizona grown since 1990?

Yes, Santa Cruz County, Arizona has grown since 1990. The population has added about 19,250 residents, a change of about 65 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →