Rio Rico, AZ · standard
ZIP Code 85648
Santa Cruz County, Arizona - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 19,080
- 47/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $61,519
- Median income Below-median income area
- $224,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 22.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rio Rico pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 32nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 49%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 47
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 85648 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 85648 (Rio Rico, AZ) rose +3.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 217.2 in 2023 to 225.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 85648 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Rio Rico, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, home to 19,080 residents across 406.8 square miles, a density of 47 people per square mile, in the Phoenix time zone.
ZIP 85648 reports a modest median household income of $61,519 (15% below the average Arizona ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,213. Unemployment is 10.5%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $224,900 (33% below the average Arizona ZIP), and median rent is $1,091; owner occupancy is 85.1%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Santa Cruz County, so 85648 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 85648
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rio Rico, AZ
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 85648.
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
87 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
44 establishments
- Construction 29
Construction
29 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
17 establishments
- Retail trade 13
Retail trade
13 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 85648, Rio Rico, 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
19,080
Population
406.8
Area (sq mi)
47
People / sq mi
Phoenix
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 85648?
34.7
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
31.8%
Foreign-Born
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?
$61,519
Median Household Income
-15% vs state ZIP avg
$26,213
Per Capita Income
16.5%
Poverty Rate
10.5%
Unemployment Rate
28.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 85648 ranks among Arizona ZIPs
Rio Rico, AZ household income vs. every Arizona ZIP code
Median household income among 372 reporting Arizona ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$61,519 39th percentile higher than 39% of 372 Arizona ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Arizona 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
7,604housing units
7,604
Total Housing Units
7,240
Occupied Units
364
Vacant Units
3.05
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$224,900
Median Home Value
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$1,091
Median Rent
2000
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
+3.8%
YoY Change (2024)
226
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+126%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 85648 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +126% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.0% | 149 |
| 2021 | +19.2% | 177 |
| 2022 | +18.7% | 210 |
| 2023 | +3.3% | 217 |
| 2024 | +3.8% | 226 |
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 251 business establishments in ZIP 85648, employing approximately 2,360 people with a combined annual payroll of $113,354,000.
251
Businesses
2,360
Employees
$113.4M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 87 | 34.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 44 | 17.5% |
| Construction | 29 | 11.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 6.8% |
| Retail trade | 13 | 5.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 2.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 7 | 2.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 2.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 2.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 1.6% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3 | 1.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 1.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.2% |
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 85648 vs 85621 →
ZIP 85648 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 85621
Nogales (85621)
23,054 residents
- 85648
Rio Rico (85648)
19,080 residents
- 85646 1,311
Tubac (85646)
1,311 residents
- 85640 441
Tumacacori (85640)
441 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 85648 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 85648 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 85646
Tubac (85646)
$73,438 median income
- 85648
Rio Rico (85648)
$61,519 median income
- 85640
Tumacacori (85640)
$55,417 median income
- 85621
Nogales (85621)
$43,464 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 85648 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 85648, both outside AZ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (19,080 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Santa Cruz County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 85648 in?
ZIP code 85648 (Rio Rico) 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 85648?
ZIP code 85648 in Rio Rico, AZ has a population of 19,080 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 85648?
The median household income in ZIP 85648 is $61,519, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 85648?
The median home value in ZIP 85648 is $224,900, which is 19% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 85648?
The largest racial group in ZIP 85648 is Two or More Ethnicities at 61.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 87.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 85648?
ZIP code 85648 has 251 business establishments employing approximately 2,360 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 85648?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 85648 are: Wholesale trade (87), Transportation and warehousing (44), Construction (29). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 85648?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 85648 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 126%. 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 85648?
In ZIP code 85648, 50.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.2% 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 85648?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 85648 is 28.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 85648?
In ZIP code 85648, approximately 85.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 85648?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 85648 is 16.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 85648's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 85648 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rio Rico, AZ ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.