The Town FilesSonoita, Arizona
Community in Santa Cruz County · population 803 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $460,300
- Household income
- $119,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 66.0
Sonoita is a community of 803 people in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The median home is worth $460,300, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Arizona towns, hipper than 98% of Arizona towns, quieter than 92% of Arizona towns.
- #4 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Arizona
- #7 in The 24 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Arizona
- #23 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Arizona
- #28 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #28 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
How Sonoita 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 Sonoita is worth $460,300, above the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $119,792, which is more affordable than 54% of Arizona towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sonoita | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $460,300 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | — | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $119,792 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 13.1% | — |
Who lives in Sonoita
| People | Sonoita | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 66.0 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 59.7% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 8.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.7% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 18.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 54.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 88.0% |
Weather in Sonoita
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 28.7°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 60 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Sonoita since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 21, 2018.
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 Sonoita itself the ACS puts it at 21.8%.
Towns near Sonoita
- Patagonia, AZ10.4 mi · 804 people · home $361,500
- Huachuca City, AZ17.6 mi · 1,626 people · home $126,300
- Sierra Vista, AZ20.3 mi · 45,308 people · home $254,200
- Whetstone, AZ20.7 mi · 3,236 people · home $213,900
- Corona de Tucson, AZ21.3 mi · 9,240 people · home $382,700
- Elephant Head, AZ21.8 mi · 588 people · home $271,700
- J-Six Ranchettes, AZ23.1 mi · 647 people · home $200,000
- Rio Rico, AZ23.6 mi · 20,549 people · home $224,100
Sonoita questions
Is Sonoita, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sonoita scores better for retirees than 99% of Arizona towns and quieter than 92%. 59.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 66.0).
How much does a house cost in Sonoita?
The median owner-occupied home in Sonoita is valued at $460,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $119,792, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sonoita?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 28.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Sonoita get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Sonoita in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)