Santa Cruz County, Arizona Housing Market Prices
Santa Cruz County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 33% below the Arizona median$247,409
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Median rent 46% below the Arizona median Among the top 5 cheapest counties in Arizona$829
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $247,409 | $367,851 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 1.6% | 11.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $829 | $1,543 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.6% | 6.5% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Santa Cruz County is about 33% lower than in Arizona. Rent is about 46% lower than the Arizona average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Santa Cruz County, up about 1.6% and 3.6% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Santa Cruz County rose about 37.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $603 to $829. Over the same span, rent in Arizona rose about 69.1%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.6 yearly household incomes in Santa Cruz County.
Buying the median-priced home in Santa Cruz County costs roughly 24.9 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Santa Cruz County. The price-to-rent ratio in Arizona is about 19.9.
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $247,409 | $367,851 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $53,254 | $80,381 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Santa Cruz County rose about 47.3%, while median household income rose about 31.5% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 61.1% | 60.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 27.1% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 11.8% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 13.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2013 | 2011 |
Santa Cruz County has a homeownership rate of 61.1%, higher than the Arizona average of 60.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 11.8%, compared with 10.6% in Arizona.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.87 people | 2.53 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1990 | 1991 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Santa Cruz County was built around 1990. On average, 2.9 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Santa Cruz County, AZ Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Santa Cruz County, AZ is the 4th largest of the 5 counties compared here, 48,922 residents against a local median of 297,251. Santa Cruz County, AZ's median rent, at $829, runs 25% below the $1,103 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $603 on median rent, so Santa Cruz County, AZ sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Santa Cruz County, AZ has the 5th highest median rent of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County, AZ | 48,922 | $247,409 #3/5 | $829 #5/5 | 69.3% #4/5 |
| Pima County, AZ | 1,060,282 | $333,054 | $1,211 | 65.2% |
| Cochise County, AZ | 125,520 | $173,848 | $994 | 71.0% |
| Pinal County, AZ | 468,983 | $322,522 | $1,537 | 81.7% |
| Graham County, AZ | 39,230 | $166,519 | $934 | 73.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
What is the median home price in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
The median home price in Santa Cruz County, Arizona is $247,409, lower than the Arizona average of $367,851.
What is the average home price in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
The typical home price in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, reported as the median sale price, is $247,409. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
The median gross rent in Santa Cruz County, Arizona is $829 per month, lower than the Arizona average of $1,543.
What was the median gross rent in Santa Cruz County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Santa Cruz County, Arizona was $657 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
The price-to-rent ratio in Santa Cruz County, Arizona is about 24.9, meaning it would take roughly 24.9 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Santa Cruz County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Santa Cruz County, up about 1.6% and 3.6% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
61.1% of households in Santa Cruz County, Arizona own their home, higher than the Arizona average of 60.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
The housing vacancy rate in Santa Cruz County, Arizona is 11.8%, higher than the Arizona average of 10.6%.
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