Cost of Living
Cost of Living is a statistical report on a family’s overall expenses to maintain a relatively good quality of life in any given area. Cost of Living is an important consideration to help provide you with additional information on the potential financial benefits of moving into a new city.
The Cost of Living in Santa Cruz, Arizona blog post is a detailed guide to help buyers learn more about our community. We detail various factors affecting the overall expenses of families in the region and have compiled reports from multiple sources, including bestplaces.net and numbeo.com.
Should you have additional questions about finding a home for your family in the region, please don’t hesitate to contact our team today. We’ve helped several clients find a home in Santa Cruz and would be glad to do the same for you.
Cost of Living Index
The Cost of Living index is a scoring representation of the various factors affecting the Cost of Living in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The scoring system uses the national average as the baseline and sets it 100 points.
If an area is scored above 100, then costs for that particular category will be more expensive than the national average. If it is below, you can expect these costs to be more affordable for residents.
Living in Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Santa Cruz County is a long-standing border community known primarily for the border cities of Nogales. If you’re planning to move into the area, here are some notable facts you might want to learn about the region.
The job market in Santa Cruz County has increased by 0.3% over the last year, with a projected growth of 12.9% in the next ten years.
The average income of residents in Santa Cruz is $17,900, while median household incomes are at $38,802.
Tax rates in the region include a sales tax of 7.6% and an income tax rate of 4.2%
Significant industries in Santa Cruz are 17.5% for Retail, 10.2% for Education, 9.6% for Wholesale Trading, 8.6% for Healthcare and Social Services, and 8.3% for Public Administration. Agriculture accounts for 2.1% of the economy, while Transportation and Warehousing is at 6.3%.
To learn more about the transportation industry in the region, you can check out the public resources offered by Santa Cruz Center.
Housing
Santa Cruz is a county in Southern Arizona situated along its border with Mexico. The region is the starting point of Interstate 19, which connects the city of Nogales and Mexico to the rest of the country.
The region is an established border community with a rich history and thriving economy. Notable cities within the county include Rio Rico, Nogales, Tubac, and Amado.
Families looking to move into Santa Cruz will find a vast selection of real estate. Buyers can find suburban neighborhoods, luxury subdivisions, golf subdivisions, master-planned communities, ranch estates, and so much more.
As of the writing of this article, housing market statistics in Santa Cruz, Arizona are as follows:
- Median Home Price: $190,800
- 10-year Home Appreciation Rate: 101.3%
- Appreciation Rate Last Year: 12.2%
- Home Ownership Percentage: 58.5
- Vacant Housing: 13.5%
- Rented Properties: $28.0%
- Median Rent: $1,770
Should you have additional questions regarding the housing market or are planning to buy a home and need the help of a local realtor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have and find you a house that matches your personal criteria.
For an updated real estate market report of the various cities in Santa Cruz County, you can use our Market Report Tool.
Healthcare
Healthcare is an important consideration whenever you move into a new community. This is especially true if you have special medical needs that require specific facilities and services.
If you’re planning to move into Rio Rico or Tubac, we’ve already compiled a list of the various medical facilities near these two cities. Check out our Knowledge Center page for more information.
If you’re opting to move into a neighborhood in Nogales or somewhere in the southern part of the county, you’ll want to check out other healthcare facilities in that part of the county. The largest hospital in the city is the Holy Cross Hospital, a 25-bed capacity intensive care healthcare facility.
Transportation
On average, commuting in Santa Cruz County and the Metro area of Nogales is relatively similar.
12.2% of residents take six to nine minutes to travel to and from work. 18% takes ten to 14 minutes to commute, while 16.2% gets to work between 20 to 24 minutes. The highest percentage of residents commuting in the county is at 19.7%, and it takes them around 15 to 19 minutes of travel time to get to work.
83.9% of residents in Santa Cruz County use a personal car for transportation. Only 0.3% of residents in the region use public transit.
The typical gas price in Santa Cruz is $3.63 per gallon.
Utilities
There are several Utility Companies supporting the needs of the many families living in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Feel free to check out this list from the local County Office for the various providers in the region.
The maintenance of the vast road network of the region is managed by the Road Maintenance Division of the Santa Cruz County Public Works Office. Other branches of this office include Flood Control and Solid Waste Management.
Daily Expenses
Typical Grocery Shopping and Other Miscellaneous expenses in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, are pretty affordable compared to the rest of Arizona and the country. You can expect to save a good amount on your day-to-day expenses if you plan to move into the region.
A typical meal in a restaurant in Nogales is around $10.00, while fast-food meals cost about $6.00.
Staple food items in groceries are priced at:
- Milk $0.53
- Bread $2.20
- Eggs $1.64
- 1 kg Chicken $6.61
- 1 kg Beef $7.72
- Apples $3.53
- Bananas $2.97
- Tomatoes $3.31
- Potatoes $3.31
- Onions $3.28
- Lettuce $2.00
If you’re looking to join a gym, you can expect to pay around $15.00.
A movie ticket will cost you around $5.00 per person.
