Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Located in Arizona, Santa Cruz County has a population of 48,926 residents and a median age of 37.9 years, making it the #1,028 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 20.2%. The median home value is $233,000, and the median household income is $55,217, which is 27% below the national median.
Demographics
Santa Cruz County has a population of 48,926, making it the #1,028 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.9 years, which is 2.6% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $55,217, ranking #2,464 out of 3,222 counties — 26.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 20.2% and unemployment stands at 12.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Santa Cruz County is $233,000 (-17.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $829/mo and the homeownership rate is 69.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Santa Cruz County, 23.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 31.3% below the national average, ranking #1,483 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Santa Cruz County is 79.9 years. 25.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 20.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.6% of adults in Santa Cruz County smoke , 32.4% are obese , and 18.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 27.2 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Santa Cruz County is 5.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 9.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 12.5 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
28.8% of children in Santa Cruz County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 24.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Santa Cruz County is 69.1%. The mean commute time is 26.6 min, which is 3.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Santa Cruz County voted Democratic with a margin of 18.6%. The vote was 58.9% Dem / 40.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 16.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Santa Cruz County, Arizona has a total population of 48,926, making it the 1,028th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Santa Cruz County is 37.9 years, which is 2.6% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $55,217, which ranks #2,464 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 26.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 20.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 12.2%.
The median home value in Santa Cruz County is $233,000, 17.3% below the national median. Renters in Santa Cruz County pay a median gross rent of $829 per month. The homeownership rate is 69.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Santa Cruz County, 23.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 31.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 84.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.6 min.
Santa Cruz County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino at 82.5% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (15.3%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
All data for Santa Cruz County, Arizona comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.