The Town FilesNogales, Arizona
City in Santa Cruz County · population 19,770 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $186,300
- Household income
- $43,214
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 36.4
Nogales is a city of 19,770 people in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The median home is worth $186,300, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks more vibrant than 91% of Arizona towns, better for cycling than 90% of Arizona towns, better transit than 90% of Arizona towns.
How Nogales ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Nogales is worth $186,300, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $43,214, which is more affordable than 43% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $737 a month. 49.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nogales | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,300 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $737 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $43,214 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 49.4% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Nogales
| People | Nogales | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.0% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 43.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 88.0% |
Weather in Nogales
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 34.1°F. About 14.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 110 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 45 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Nogales since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on May 9, 2012 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 9, 2013.
Severe weather in Santa Cruz County since 1996
Santa Cruz County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| September 12, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3241: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| April 30, 2002 | Fire | FM-2400: Az-Ryan-Wildfire-4/30/2002 |
| October 27, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1347: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County had 13,675 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,656 a year. Unemployment was 7.6% in 2023; in Nogales itself the ACS puts it at 15.7%.
Public schools in Nogales
17 public schools with 6,269 students, about 22.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nogales High School | 9-12 | 1,795 | 25.3 |
| Desert Shadows Middle School | 6-8 | 765 | 22.5 |
| Wade Carpenter Middle School | 6-8 | 557 | 23.2 |
| Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School | K-5 | 497 | 18.4 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | PK-5 | 414 | 17.3 |
| Mary L Welty Elementary School | K-5 | 379 | 19.0 |
| Challenger Elementary School | K-5 | 376 | 14.5 |
| A J Mitchell Elementary School | K-5 | 306 | 19.1 |
| Robert Bracker Elementary | K-5 | 271 | 15.9 |
| Colegio Petite Arizona (charter) | K-5 | 262 | — |
| Little Red Schoolhouse | PK-8 | 176 | 13.5 |
| Mexicayotl Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 165 | — |
Towns near Nogales
- Rio Rico, AZ9.9 mi · 20,549 people · home $224,100
- Patagonia, AZ16.9 mi · 804 people · home $361,500
- Tubac, AZ18.6 mi · 1,581 people · home $490,800
- Arivaca, AZ25.7 mi · 623 people · home $71,600
- Sonoita, AZ27.3 mi · 803 people · home $460,300
- Arivaca Junction, AZ27.3 mi · 970 people · home $165,800
- Elephant Head, AZ28.2 mi · 588 people · home $271,700
Nogales questions
Is Nogales, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nogales scores better for retirees than 26% of Arizona towns and quieter than 13%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Nogales?
The median owner-occupied home in Nogales is valued at $186,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,214, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $737 a month.
What is the weather like in Nogales?
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 34.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Nogales get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Nogales since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on May 9, 2012. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)