The Town FilesRio Rico, Arizona
Community in Santa Cruz County · population 20,549 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $224,100
- Household income
- $61,348
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 34.6
Rio Rico is a community of 20,549 people in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The median home is worth $224,100, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for families than 87% of Arizona towns, easier by car than 83% of Arizona towns, more of a college town than 72% of Arizona towns.
How Rio Rico 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 Rio Rico is worth $224,100, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $61,348, which is more affordable than 56% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $1,091 a month. 85.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rio Rico | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $224,100 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $1,091 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $61,348 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 85.0% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Rio Rico
| People | Rio Rico | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 29.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 88.0% |
Weather in Rio Rico
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 16.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 119 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Rio Rico since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on May 9, 2012 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 23, 2003.
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 Rio Rico itself the ACS puts it at 10.5%.
Public schools in Rio Rico
6 public schools with 3,621 students, about 21.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Rico High School | 9-12 | 1,403 | 25.1 |
| Calabasas School | PK-8 | 982 | 20.0 |
| Coatimundi Middle School | 6-8 | 446 | 20.3 |
| San Cayetano Elementary School | K-5 | 404 | 23.8 |
| Mountain View School | K-5 | 386 | 17.5 |
| PCJTED - Rio Rico High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Rio Rico
- Nogales, AZ9.9 mi · 19,770 people · home $186,300
- Green Valley, AZ23.7 mi · 22,616 people · home $293,500
Rio Rico questions
Is Rio Rico, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rio Rico scores better for retirees than 38% of Arizona towns and quieter than 30%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.6).
How much does a house cost in Rio Rico?
The median owner-occupied home in Rio Rico is valued at $224,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,348, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,091 a month.
What is the weather like in Rio Rico?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Rio Rico get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Rio Rico since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on May 9, 2012. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- 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)