A Natural Wash In the Desert Near Picacho-Red Rock - panoramio (1), 2010
Red Rock’s story
139 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 4 maps from 1947 on.
- 1887Red Rock is settled
Red RockAZ
Home to 3,277 people, the town was settled in 1887.
Population
3,277
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$289K
−3.2% in a year
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
36.8
years
Jobs based here
156
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#55 of 139 in AZ
Is Red Rock a good place to live?
Walkability is its weak spot. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. With a B− overall, Red Rock is better than 47% of U.S. towns. In the ranking it comes 55th of 139 in Arizona. Its strongest is cost of living (B+) — a typical home costs about $289K, 3.3 years of the Phoenix metro’s $88K median household income. The town’s typical July afternoon high is 104°F, above both the Arizona town median (100°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Only 2 of the 140 Arizona towns we compare have a higher owner-occupancy rate than Red Rock. Nearly three fifths of the land in the town is conserved, where Arizona’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 4.3%.
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · NOAA normals, 1991–2020 · USGS PAD-US.
What makes Red Rock stand out
Where Red Rock beats most towns.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Red Rock for work
Where Red Rock’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
156jobs based in Red Rock
1%of working residents work in town
38 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Red Rock grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far Red Rock is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.7 of 20; 0.9% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Cost of livingBetter than most of the towns comparedB+Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsCOpen →HealthNorthwest Medical Center 24.9 miles awayBOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC+Open →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Red Rock: who provides what
Red Rock is unincorporated, so Pinal County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAPS17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGw Santa Cruz Water Co - Red RockNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesPinal CountyPinal County provides services here
SchoolsSanta Cruz Valley Union High School DistrictRed Rock Elementary District2 districts serve Red Rock; 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 herePinal County RecorderPinal County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes85145, 8513185145 98% · 85131 1%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 Red Rock.
Red Rock trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and has a longer frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
OutdoorsA
In Red Rock, nearly a third of the land is conserved
Its 17,681 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 91% of Arizona towns.
In Red Rock, the trail network density is 1.9 miles per square mile. Count the trails in 2 parks and preserves and they come to 91 miles. The biggest place to walk is Ironwood Forest National Monument, 549 acres with 2.6 miles of trail.
#32for trails in AZ
58.6%
conserved · 17,681 of 30,166 acres
91 mi
of trails · 1.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ironwood Forest National Monument | 2.6 mi | 549 |
| 2. Red Rock Village Park | — | 19 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
On state tests, Red Rock’s schools trail 67% of Arizona districts
The public schools here belong to the Red Rock Elementary District. Its one school is below. The town’s only public school teaches 420 students.
33%of AZ districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Rock Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 420 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Red Rock stands out in Arizona and nationally: a smaller share of its working residents work locally
Red Rock has 156 jobs for its 1,316 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 35.1 minutes, against 25.4 across Arizona.
5.1% of Red Rock residents live below the poverty line. Employers in Red Rock added 104 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 156. Also worth knowing: the town’s average commute comes in at 35 minutes. The top destinations are Tucson (24%), Phoenix (17%) and Marana (9%).
1%work in town
| Red Rock | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $68,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Red Rock1%
Tucson24%
Phoenix17%
Marana9%
Tempe4%
38 mi
median commute distance
156
jobs based in Red Rock
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 10% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B+
A larger share of households are owner-occupiers in Red Rock than in most of Arizona or the rest of the country
Homes are within reach (about $289K for the typical one, B+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 38 miles. The typical value, about $289K, is 12% below its August 2022 peak.
Homes in Red Rock are typically worth about $289,000, down 3.2% in a year, 31% below the Arizona typical home. On the market here: a median 63 days to sell. Sellers in Red Rock got 99.1% of the asking price, typically.
$289KZillow home value
Typical home value
Red Rock$289K
Arizona$417K
Market temperature
63
days on market
99.1%
sale-to-list price
−3.2%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Red Rock: mild winters and hot summers
The Picacho 8 Se weather station, 6 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 308 days, longer than in 95% of U.S. towns. The Picacho 8 Se weather station, 6 miles away, records that about 176 days a year reach 90°, more than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Summers in Red Rock are scorching, and winters mild, with very little rain.
104°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–68°
Spring53–86°
Summer74–103°
Fall58–88°
Dec 9
typical first frost
Feb 6
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
104°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Red Rock is younger than the Arizona average
Arizona has a third of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 36%. People 65 and older are just over one in ten residents (19% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 44% of residents (36% statewide). For residents in Red Rock, the share who are under 18 is 27%.
36.8median age · AZ 39
| Red Rock | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 27% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 36.8 years | 41.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 24% | 29% |
Red RockArizonaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school23%
Some college20%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s29%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across Arizona, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 75 and older, 91% are men (AZ 46%).
| Red Rock | AZ | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.7% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.4% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.3% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 18.4% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.7% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.7% | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.4% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.2% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.5% | 23.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.2% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13% | 9.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 29.4% | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.6% | 13% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,300, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB
Residents of Red Rock are healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
The nearest emergency room, Northwest Medical Center, is 24.9 miles away in a straight line.
CDC measures, 32 in all: Red Rock beats Arizona on 3 and trails on 2. In Red Rock, just over a fifth of adults have been diagnosed with depression. 73% of adults locally had a checkup this year; 17% binge drink.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Red Rock | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 37% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 75% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 13% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
3 better27 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Red Rock | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.9% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| More adults with obesity | 37.4% | 31.3% |
Northwest Medical Center
24.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
53rd
percentile among AZ towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
The biggest natural risk in Red Rock is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
Of the losses FEMA expects in Red Rock, 59% come from inland flooding and 17% from drought. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Red Rock
17pages on Red Rock
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Red Rock; the nearest are
Central Arizona CollegeCommunity college · Public · Coolidge31.8 mi$2,250 in-state tuitionUniversity of ArizonaUniversity or college · Public · Tucson33.5 mi$13,926 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Red Rock residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Arizona.
About Red Rock
Unincorporated community in the state of Arizona, United States
Red Rock is a census-designated place (CDP) in South-Central Pinal County, Arizona, United States, located along Interstate 10. In 2010, it had a population of 2,169. The elevation is 1,865 feet (568 m), according to the water tower. Mostly agricultural land until recent times, it is now starting to acquire some tract home communities. The area also consists of large sections of undeveloped Sonoran Desert. Picacho Peak State Park is located about six miles northwest of Red Rock. Red Rock also has a school called Red Rock Elementary school which goes from kindergarten through eighth grade. Also home to the Saguaro Power Plant and the Saguaro Solar Power Station - a 1 MW solar trough concentr…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 1,870 ft
- ZIP code
- 85145
Questions about Red Rock
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Red Rock, AZ a good place to live?
Red Rock grades B− overall, better than 47% of U.S. towns and #55 of 139 in Arizona. It grades B for health and C for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Red Rock, AZ expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.