Santa Cruz County, Arizona Income Statistics
Santa Cruz County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Santa Cruz County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Arizona
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,254 | $80,381 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,231 | $56,905 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 5.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.5% | 12.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.4% | 11.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Santa Cruz County is about 34% lower than in Arizona. Income has been growing slower in Santa Cruz County (4.1%/yr) than in Arizona (5.7%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Santa Cruz County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Arizona average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Santa Cruz County, Arizona grew by 39.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,254 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Santa Cruz County
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.572 | 0.548 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,917 | $65,388 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,129 | $54,779 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.9% | 16.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Santa Cruz County, it is 0.572, higher than Arizona's 0.548, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $342,580 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Cruz County, Arizona has narrowed from about 21% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,903 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Santa Cruz County | Arizona Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 12.2% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.7% | 18.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 2,648 people are unemployed in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
The average commute time in Santa Cruz County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Arizona.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Santa Cruz County, Arizona has fallen from 13.2% to 12.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 7.6% in 2019.
Santa Cruz County, AZ Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Santa Cruz County, AZ is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 48,922 residents against a local median of 125,520. Santa Cruz County, AZ's unemployment, at 12.2%, runs 105% above the 5.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $53,254 against a local median of $67,909, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Santa Cruz County, AZ reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 4.2% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Santa Cruz County, AZ, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Santa Cruz County, AZ has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County, AZ | 48,922 | $53,254 #5/6 | 4.1%/yr #5/6 | 12.2% #6/6 | 0.572 #5/6 |
| Pima County, AZ | 1,060,282 | $70,370 | 5.2%/yr | 5.4% | 0.553 |
| Cochise County, AZ | 125,520 | $59,729 | 3.5%/yr | 6.9% | 0.563 |
| Pinal County, AZ | 468,983 | $81,040 | 5.9%/yr | 5.9% | 0.548 |
| Graham County, AZ | 39,230 | $67,909 | 4.8%/yr | 7.7% | 0.601 |
| Hidalgo County, NM | 4,041 | $49,202 | 4.8%/yr | 3.5% | 0.546 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Santa Cruz County, Arizona has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Arizona, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
How Rich Is Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Santa Cruz County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $53,254, about 34% lower than the Arizona average of $80,381.
How has median household income changed in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Santa Cruz County, Arizona rose 40%, from $38,109 to $53,254. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arizona as a whole: +40% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Santa Cruz County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Santa Cruz County, Arizona was $52,799, up 1% from $52,143 in 2022. The Arizona median that year was $77,075.
What was the median household income in Santa Cruz County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Santa Cruz County, Arizona was $41,997. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $53,254.
How strong is the job market in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Unemployment in Santa Cruz County, Arizona is 12.2%, well above the Arizona rate of 5.1%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
The Gini coefficient in Santa Cruz County is 0.572. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Cruz County, Arizona has narrowed from about 21% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,903 since 2009.
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