A project of Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group (SAEDG) in partnership with Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) and community sponsors
Santa Cruz County's population as of Census 2020 was 47,669, up 0.5% from 2010. Santa Cruz County's population is expected to reach 50,794 in 2030 and 53,272 in 2060, according to projections by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
See spreadsheets for county, city, town & place data.
UNEMPLOYMENT
The annual unemployment rate in Santa Cruz County in 2023 was 7.6%, up from 7.5% in 2022. Nogales' unemployment rate in 2023 was 10.2% (up from 10.1% in 2022). Patagonia's unemployment rate in 2023 was 5.4% (up from 5.3% in 2022). See spreadsheets, below, for the most recent monthly and annual Santa Cruz County, city, and town Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment data).
NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT
The number of nonfarm jobs in Santa Cruz County was up by 375 in 2023 for job growth of 2.9% (based on average monthly job numbers). All the gains were in the private sector (375 jobs, 4.0%) while the number of overall government jobs was unchanged (with the gain of 75 state and local government jobs offset by the loss of 75 federal jobs). See spreadsheets, below, for the most recent monthly and annual Santa Cruz County Nonfarm Payroll Employment by industry/sector.
WAGES
The average annual wage in Santa Cruz County in 2023 was $54,115 ($26.02 hourly), which was 85.8% of the Arizona statewide average wage of $63,040 ($30.31 hourly) and 82.7% of the national average wage of $65,470 ($31.48 hourly). Santa Cruz County's average annual wage was up 3.3% from 2022 to 2023, compared to wage growth of 7.5% statewide and 5.8% nationally. See spreadsheets, below, for the most recent Santa Cruz County Employment and Wages (average hourly and annual, by occupation).
MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
In 2022, Santa Cruz County produced 2,505,106 in current-dollar total GDP*. This GDP ranked 11th in the state and accounted for 0.5% of the state total. In 2022, Santa Cruz County real GDP grew 0.4%; the 2021–2022 state change was 3.2%.
*GDP estimates are in thousands of dollars.
PERSONAL INCOME
For more info on Santa Cruz County's personal income and GDP, check out the county's BEA Regional Fact Sheet (BEARFACTS)
HOME PRICES & DAYS ON MARKET
For the most recent housing market data and trends (median listing home price, median listing home price per square foot, median sold home price, sale-to-list price ratio, median days on market, and more), select a geography:
NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION
In 2023, there were 301 building permits issued for new single-family residential homes in Santa Cruz County, down 5.6% from 319 in 2022 (the most since 2007). Despite the decline, the number of building permits in 2023 was the second-highest since 2007. For the most recent monthly data for the current year, click here.
BANK DEPOSITS
In 2023, bank deposits in Santa Cruz County (as of June 30) were down 14.2% from a year prior, after increasing 33.4% in 2022. The jump in 2022 was the fastest rate of increase on record (with records back to 1994).
BANKRUPTCY FILINGS
In 2023, there were 61 bankruptcy filings from Santa Cruz County, down from 62 in 2022. Filings fell steeply from 2020 through 2023, initially helped along by COVID programs including mortgage relief and the eviction moratorium. Bankruptcy filings in Santa Cruz County peaked at 150 in 2019, the year before the start of the pandemic.
TOURISM VISITOR COUNTS
Click here for the most recent monthly and annual visitor counts for these and all Arizona state and national parks.
TRAVEL IMPACTS
According to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, Santa Cruz County's travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $258.2 million in direct spending countywide in 2022, up 35.1% from 2021 (the year 2021 saw a 60.9% increase, rebounding from a 49.5% COVID-related drop in 2020, the first year of the pandemic). Travel-related direct spending in 2022 was at its highest level since 2015. Santa Cruz County's travel industry supported 2,000 jobs countywide in 2022 (up 6.2% from the year prior) with household earnings of $63.9 million (up 16.4% from 2021), according to the study.
BORDER CROSSINGS
See downloadable spreadsheets below for current and historical border crossing data for bus passengers, buses, pedestrians, personal vehicle passengers, personal vehicles, truck containers [empty and loaded], and trucks at the Nogales Port of Entry.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
In 2023, the value of international trade (imports and exports) passing through Santa Cruz County's Nogales port of entry totaled $31.8 billion, up 9.7% from 2022. Exports totaled $10.4 billion, down 0.5%, while imports came in at $21.5 billion, up 15.4%. See downloadable spreadsheets below for current and historical international trade data (imports, exports, and total trade) for the Nogales port of entry.
2022 Census of Agriculture
For 2022 Census of Agriculture summary highlights for Arizona and all 15 counties, click here.
A project of Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group (SAEDG) in partnership with Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) and community sponsors
SAEDG is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit corporation and an Arizona State Data Center Affiliate
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