Rio Rico, AZ, Fire Crew Evening Meal, Rio Rico High School, 2008, 2008
Rio Rico’s story
Rio Rico in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1933 on.
Explore the history →
Rio RicoAZ
Home to 22,017 people, this town lies in Arizona.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Elnogalense · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
22,017
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$266K
−0.2% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
2,694
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#135 of 139 in AZ
Is Rio Rico a good place to live?
Several subjects drag its grade down. Where it falls short is incomes: the median household income is $61K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. It also trails on walkability. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. At about $266K, a typical home costs 4.8 years of the Nogales area’s $55K median household income. The overall grade lands at D, 135th of 139 in Arizona. That leaves it better than 5% of U.S. towns. Hazard risk is weaker too: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than nearly four fifths of U.S. communities, with heat waves at the top.
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · home values, Zillow · FEMA National Risk Index.
A commuter town
85% of working residents leave Rio Rico for work
Where Rio Rico’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,694jobs based in Rio Rico
15%of working residents work in town
28 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Rio Rico grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far Rio Rico is from typical.
Jobs & income2,694 jobs based hereDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.7 of 20; 1.7% of households have no car; 0.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskHeat waves top the listDOpen →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsCOpen →HealthHoly Cross Hospital 11 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsGraded on parks, trails and protected landC+Open →HistoryLittle recorded history by comparisonD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 97° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$266K typical home, down 0.2% in a year; 100 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.6; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Rio Rico: who provides what
Rio Rico is unincorporated, so Santa Cruz County and regional agencies provide most services.
WaterLiberty Water Rio RicoNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers70% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSanta Cruz CountySanta Cruz County provides services here
SchoolsPatagonia Union High School DistrictSanta Cruz Valley Unified District2 districts serve Rio Rico; 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 code8564885648 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 Rio Rico.
Rio Rico has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
HousingCost of living grade C
For cost of living, Rio Rico earns a C
In Rio Rico, 85% of households live in a home they own. Zillow values the typical Rio Rico home at about $266,000, about the same as a year ago, 36% below the Arizona typical home. A home in Rio Rico typically sold within 100 days of listing.
$266KZillow home value
| Rio Rico | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 85% | 76% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,091 a month | $1,206 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Rio Rico$266K
Arizona$417K
Market temperature
100
days on market
98%
sale-to-list price
−0.2%
value change, 1 year
28
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Rio Rico’s schools beat 54% of Arizona districts
Its public schools are run by the Santa Cruz Valley Unified District. Two of its 7 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. The largest public high school is Rio Rico High School, with 1,397 students.
54%of AZ districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calabasas SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 917 | C |
| Rio Rico High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,397 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Rio Rico has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from heat waves
Rio Rico’s FEMA hazard score stands at 79 of 100, above both the Arizona town median (69 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100). 55% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from heat waves, followed by inland flooding at 30%.
79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Heat wavesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Most of Rio Rico’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.3 jobs for each of them
15% of Rio Rico working residents work locally, where Arizona’s towns sit at 10% and U.S. towns at 8%. For Rio Rico, the typical journey to work is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Nogales (26%), Tucson (20%) and Phoenix (6%). Among workers here, 6.7% work from home.
15%work in town
| Rio Rico | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 12% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Rio Rico15%
Nogales26%
Tucson20%
Phoenix6%
Green Valley3%
28 mi
median commute distance
2,694
jobs based in Rio Rico
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 10% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC+
1% of Rio Rico is conserved land
There are 45 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Robert Damon Recreational Complex, at 25 acres. Rio Rico’s trail network density stands at 0.7 miles per square mile.
#93for trails in AZ
| Rio Rico | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1% | 15% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 1.1 | 0.4 |
1%
conserved · 386 of 40,328 acres
45 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert Damon Recreational Complex | 0.5 mi | 25 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Rio Rico
The Tumacacori Nm weather station, 6 miles away, records that about 115 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 95.1°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 30.7°.
It almost never snows. In Rio Rico, the July high is 95°F.
97°summer high
| Rio Rico | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 100°F | 85°F |
| January low | 31°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–66°
Spring43–81°
Summer63–95°
Fall47–83°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
97°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Health in Rio Rico trails 56% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,273 U.S. towns with household incomes like Rio Rico’s, it is healthier than 66%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
For adults in Rio Rico, the share who binge drink is 15%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Rio Rico beats Arizona on 4 and trails on 11. Just over a quarter of adults in Rio Rico worry about having enough food; 72% had a checkup this year. Only 6 of the 140 Arizona towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Rio Rico.
44%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Rio Rico | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 12% | 8.1% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 20% | 23% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 15% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
4 better17 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Rio Rico | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.9% | 8.8% |
| Fewer adults with depression | 16% | 19.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 24.9% | 13.2% |
Holy Cross Hospital
11 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
33rd
percentile among AZ towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rio Rico
17pages on Rio Rico
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Rio Rico; the nearest are
Cochise County Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Sierra Vista43.9 mi$2,280 in-state tuitionPima Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tucson50.4 mi$2,442 in-state tuitionUniversity of ArizonaUniversity or college · Public · Tucson50.8 mi$13,926 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Rio Rico residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
About Rio Rico
CDP in Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Rio Rico is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population is 22,452. The Rio Rico CDP replaced the former CDPs of Rio Rico Northwest, Rio Rico Northeast, Rio Rico Southwest, and Rio Rico Southeast.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 62 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,481 ft
- ZIP code
- 85648
- Area code
- 520
Rio Rico’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Rio Rico.
Tumacacori-CarmenRio Rico
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AZ rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Rico | #135 | D | C | — | B− | C+ |
| Tumacacori-Carmen | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Rio Rico reports no FBI crime data of its own. Tumacacori-Carmen isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Rio Rico with a neighbor →
Questions about Rio Rico
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rio Rico, AZ a good place to live?
Rio Rico grades D overall, better than 5% of U.S. towns and #135 of 139 in Arizona. It grades C+ for health and B− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Rio Rico, AZ expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.