Wea03443 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library, 2005
Elgin’s story
116 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1932 on.
- 1910Elgin is settled
ElginAZ
349 people live in this town, settled in 1910.
Photo: The Old Pueblo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
349
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$545K
+3.1% in a year
Household income
$90K
median
Median age
36.8
years
Land area
6 sq mi
Is Elgin a good place to live?
Of the 141 Arizona towns we compare, none has a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Elgin. 16% of the land in Elgin is conserved, above both Arizona’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, at 303 acres. Elgin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
349 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Elgin: who provides what
Elgin is unincorporated, so Santa Cruz County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSulphur Springs Valley E C14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesSanta Cruz CountySanta Cruz County provides services here
SchoolsPatagonia Union High School DistrictSonoita Elementary District2 districts serve Elgin; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Arizona you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSanta Cruz County RecorderSanta Cruz County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8561185611 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Elgin.
Who lives here
Fewer children than Arizona overall
36% of Elgin adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
36.8median age · AZ 39
ElginArizonaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
29%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school35%
Some college18%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s6%
Graduate30%
Women and men · all residents
36% women, 64% men
About 182 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±7.1 points). Across Arizona, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 100% are men (AZ 51%).
| Elgin | AZ | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 28.7% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.2% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 25.5% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.7% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 0% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 19.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.5% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.3% | 23.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.1% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.8% | 9.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 5.6% | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 30.1% | 13% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Elgin has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Expected losses in Elgin break down as 51% from inland flooding and 35% from wildfires. For Elgin, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 95 of 100.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
A typical Elgin home is worth about $545K
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.1%. The share of households in Elgin who live in a home they own: 71%.
$545KZillow home value
Typical home value
Elgin$545K
Arizona$417K
+3.1%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
15.8%conserved
15.8%
conserved · 598 of 3,792 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Las Cienegas National Conservation Area | — | 303 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
In Elgin, expect mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 30° and snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–60°
Spring42–75°
Summer61–90°
Fall46–77°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Fewer of Elgin’s adults feel lonely than in the typical Arizona or U.S. town
22% of adults get no exercise outside work in Elgin. Only 10 of the 141 Arizona towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Elgin. Of 32 CDC measures, Elgin beats the Arizona average on 17 and trails it on 8.
| Elgin | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 31% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 36% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
17 better7 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Elgin | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.5% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.2% | 15.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.4% | 8.8% |
Canyon Vista Medical Center
19.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Elgin
16pages on Elgin
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Elgin; the nearest are
Cochise County Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Sierra Vista18.2 mi$2,280 in-state tuitionPima Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tucson43.6 mi$2,442 in-state tuitionUniversity of ArizonaUniversity or college · Public · Tucson46.2 mi$13,926 in-state tuition
College town 29 of every 100 Elgin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
About Elgin
CDP in Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Elgin is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 161 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,728 ft
- ZIP code
- 85611
- Area code
- 520
Questions about Elgin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elgin, AZ a good place to live?
Elgin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.