PlainZIP

Nogales, AZ · standard

ZIP Code 85621

Santa Cruz County, Arizona - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

23,054
32/sq mi
$43,464
Median income
$193,200
Median home value
17.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Nogales pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
42th pct
home value, US ZIPs
32
people per sq mi
50%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 85621 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 85621 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, with 23,054 residents across 731.9 square miles, a density of 32 people per square mile, in the Phoenix time zone.

ZIP 85621 reports a modest median household income of $43,464 (40% below the Arizona average), while per-capita income is $22,016. 27.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 15.0%. On housing, the median home value is $193,200 (43% below the state average) with median rent at $745 per month, and 49.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.6, and the average commute is 18 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 2 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 85621, plus 6 more within Santa Cruz County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 85621

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Nogales, AZ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 85621.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 85621, Nogales, AZ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

23,054

Population

731.9

Area (sq mi)

32

People / sq mi

Phoenix

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 85621?

36.6

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

42.9%

Foreign-Born

White 19.5%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 63.2%
Hispanic or Latino 92.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$43,464

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$22,016

Per Capita Income

27.3%

Poverty Rate

15.0%

Unemployment Rate

18.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 85621 ranks nationally

Nogales, AZ household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$43,464 8th percentile higher than 8% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 45.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,218

Total Housing Units

7,186

Occupied Units

1,032

Vacant Units

2.99

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 49.8%
Renter 50.2%

$193,200

Median Home Value

-43% vs state

$745

Median Rent

1978

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+12.1%

YoY Change (2024)

227

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+127%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 85621 have increased 12.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +127% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.3% 149
2021 +9.7% 163
2022 +22.5% 200
2023 +1.2% 202
2024 +12.1% 227

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 655 business establishments in ZIP 85621, employing approximately 7,363 people with a combined annual payroll of $336,209,000.

655

Businesses

7,363

Employees

$336.2M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Transportation and warehousing 129 19.7%
Wholesale trade 106 16.2%
Retail trade 102 15.6%
Accommodation and food services 56 8.6%
Health care and social assistance 53 8.1%
Other services (except public administration) 37 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 36 5.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 31 4.7%
Finance and insurance 25 3.8%
Construction 18 2.8%
Manufacturing 18 2.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 13 2.0%
Information 12 1.8%
Educational services 9 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 0.5%
Utilities 3 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 85621 vs 85648 →

ZIP 85621 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 85621 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 85621 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 85621 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
85648 Rio Rico, AZ 19,080 4.4 mi
85640 Tumacacori, AZ 441 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Santa Cruz County

85648 standard
Rio Rico, AZ
Pop: 19,080
85624 standard
Patagonia, AZ
Pop: 1,426
85646 standard
Tubac, AZ
Pop: 1,311
85637 standard
Sonoita, AZ
Pop: 1,268
85611 standard
Elgin, AZ
Pop: 965
85640 standard
Tumacacori, AZ
Pop: 441

Related Areas

Santa Cruz County Nogales, AZ Arizona

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 85621 in? ▼
ZIP code 85621 (Nogales) is located in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Santa Cruz County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/santa-cruz-az.
What is the population of ZIP code 85621? ▼
ZIP code 85621 in Nogales, AZ has a population of 23,054 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 85621? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 85621 is $43,464, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 85621? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 85621 is $193,200, which is 31% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 85621? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 85621 is Two or More Ethnicities at 63.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 92.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 85621? ▼
ZIP code 85621 has 655 business establishments employing approximately 7,363 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 85621? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 85621 are: Transportation and warehousing (129), Wholesale trade (106), Retail trade (102). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 85621? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 85621 increased by 12.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 127%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 85621? ▼
In ZIP code 85621, 45.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 85621? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 85621 is 18.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 85621? ▼
In ZIP code 85621, approximately 49.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 85621? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 85621 is 27.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.