Jobs, pay and daily life in Nogales, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Nogales is a city in Arizona with 19,841 residents. The median household earns $43,214 a year and the median rent is $737 a month, which is 20.5% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Tucson, AZ (389,630 jobs), about 33 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Nogales compares. Among the 80 largest places in Arizona, Nogales is #43 by population, #2 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #77 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #76 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Santa Cruz County, is #5 of 15 counties for average pay ($59,656).
Nogales has 19,841 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Arizona. It covers 21 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 953 people per square mile. The median age is 36.4, 7% younger than the state median (36.4 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $737 a month (rent plus utilities), 52% below the state median ($737 against $1,543). Over a year that is 20.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $186,300, which is 4.3 times the median household income ($43,214). 49.4% of households own their home, 27% below the state average (49.4% against 67.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Tucson, AZ, metropolitan area has 389,630 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,760 a year, 6% below the national median ($47,760 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (46,550 jobs, median $44,920); food preparation and serving related (36,210 jobs, median $34,990); sales and related (33,700 jobs, median $36,070). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (1.5 times) and protective service (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($100,780) and computer and mathematical ($97,560). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Santa Cruz County was 7.7%. 56.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Santa Cruz County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 70.6% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 2.1% walk, 7.4% work from home. 7.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 49% below the state average (7.3% against 14.2%).
17.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47% below the state share (17.6% against 33.3%). 43.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 231% above the state share (43.0% against 13.0%). The poverty rate is 28.0%, 124% above the state rate (28.0% against 12.5%).
The warmest month is Jun, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Dec at 45°F (7.2°C). About 371 mm (15 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (102 mm) and May the driest (4 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Rio Rico (10 miles, rent 48% higher); Green Valley (33 miles, rent 59% higher); Sierra Vista (39 miles, rent 56% higher); Sahuarita (39 miles, rent 149% higher). Rent differences are against Nogales; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Arizona (983) →State guide: ArizonaCountry guideSanta Cruz CountyArizona rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 983 federal postings open in Arizona (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Arizona →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 12,130 | 1.38 | $83,610 | $46,680 | $199,310 | -21% |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,100 | 1.14 | $34,530 | $30,580 | $45,830 | -2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 11,030 | 1.02 | $34,420 | $30,580 | $38,070 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 10,120 | 1.19 | $94,110 | $65,880 | $128,540 | -4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 9,980 | 1.03 | $31,690 | $30,600 | $42,130 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 9,610 | 1.24 | $32,780 | $30,580 | $37,650 | -0% |
| Office Clerks, General | 8,070 | 1.31 | $43,920 | $34,740 | $61,260 | -2% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 7,880 | 1.21 | $40,090 | $33,580 | $57,010 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,780 | 1.05 | $42,940 | $34,800 | $58,300 | +7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,300 | 1.28 | $36,490 | $30,580 | $73,520 | +4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,830 | 0.96 | $35,960 | $31,540 | $55,880 | -4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,370 | 0.97 | $36,180 | $31,030 | $44,140 | -2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 5,210 | 1.36 | $45,600 | $35,230 | $65,560 | -8% |
| Software Developers | 4,060 | 0.96 | $123,710 | $79,090 | $184,820 | -9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,820 | 0.74 | $56,640 | $39,300 | $72,960 | -3% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 3,810 | 1.08 | $37,500 | $31,170 | $44,910 | +0% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 3,630 | 0.85 | $45,030 | $35,010 | $60,600 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,530 | 1.01 | $47,220 | $40,150 | $77,660 | -26% |
| Nursing Assistants | 3,500 | 0.96 | $42,560 | $35,270 | $56,560 | +1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 3,500 | 0.97 | $59,440 | $42,340 | $84,660 | -14% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 900 | 1.05 | $357,070 | $139,580 | $424,280 | +34% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,070 | 1.93 | $159,610 | $126,420 | $213,320 | -7% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,500 | 0.89 | $151,520 | $94,660 | $209,220 | -13% |
| Pharmacists | 1,010 | 1.25 | $147,420 | $72,760 | $175,370 | +5% |
| Sales Managers | 1,100 | 0.69 | $138,880 | $66,630 | $234,600 | -6% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 820 | 1.02 | $129,340 | $104,060 | $173,270 | -2% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,210 | 0.77 | $128,860 | $74,140 | $183,570 | -9% |
| Financial Managers | 1,360 | 0.64 | $126,170 | $77,680 | $227,390 | -24% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,640 | 1.10 | $123,760 | $72,480 | $222,950 | -0% |
| Software Developers | 4,060 | 0.96 | $123,710 | $79,090 | $184,820 | -9% |
| Electrical Engineers | 1,690 | 3.40 | $117,470 | $78,390 | $177,130 | -3% |
| Lawyers | 1,690 | 0.90 | $107,510 | $64,300 | $218,530 | -33% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 1,720 | 10.14 | $106,760 | $78,250 | $169,990 | -21% |
| Physical Therapists | 660 | 0.98 | $102,420 | $80,410 | $136,580 | -0% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 580 | 0.82 | $100,410 | $45,640 | $191,780 | -4% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 980 | 1.32 | $99,750 | $75,990 | $155,280 | -4% |
| Construction Managers | 820 | 0.86 | $98,740 | $70,300 | $160,120 | -14% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 910 | 0.70 | $98,100 | $64,210 | $132,390 | -7% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 790 | 1.19 | $95,870 | $55,990 | $172,060 | -16% |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,010 | 1.10 | $95,700 | $77,460 | $152,910 | -7% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Tucson, AZ, about 33 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,760 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 17.7% |
| Retail trade | 13.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.6% |
| Manufacturing | 8.1% |
| Other services | 8.1% |
| Public administration | 6.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.6% |
| Construction | 6.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 5.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 5.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.6% |
| Information | 3.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Nogales lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County | 48,926 | $2,844 million | $58,128 | 13,675 | 1,240 | $59,656 | -1.1% | 7.7% | 22,224 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 1,938 | 19.5% | $78,455 | 3.60 |
| Retail trade | 1,880 | 18.9% | $33,189 | 1.38 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,740 | 17.5% | $50,796 | 3.01 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,319 | 13.3% | $27,524 | 1.06 |
| Health care and social assistance | 663 | 6.7% | $58,512 | 0.34 |
| Manufacturing | 559 | 5.6% | $55,611 | 0.50 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 424 | 4.3% | $40,137 | 3.83 |
| Construction | 271 | 2.7% | $52,678 | 0.38 |
| Administrative and waste services | 212 | 2.1% | $50,179 | 0.26 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 194 | 2.0% | $39,828 | 0.47 |
| Professional and technical services | 179 | 1.8% | $62,698 | 0.19 |
| Finance and insurance | 171 | 1.7% | $56,243 | 0.31 |
| Educational services | 102 | 1.0% | $36,541 | 0.36 |
| Real estate and rental | 93 | 0.9% | $39,748 | 0.44 |
| Information | 76 | 0.8% | $44,815 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 46 | 0.5% | $86,863 | 0.88 |
| Management of companies | 37 | 0.4% | $63,499 | 0.16 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 23 | 0.2% | $33,472 | 0.10 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 16 | 0.2% | $135,468 | 0.31 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 70.6% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 2.1% |
| Work from home | 7.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,214 |
| Income per person | $21,824 |
| Median gross rent per month | $737 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.5% |
| Median home value | $186,300 |
| Homeowners | 49.4% |
| Poverty rate | 28.0% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 96.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $47,760 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 68.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.6% |
| Born abroad | 43.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 56.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.3 | 45 | 24 |
| Feb | 8.7 | 48 | 21 |
| Mar | 12.2 | 54 | 15 |
| Apr | 15.8 | 60 | 7 |
| May | 20.5 | 69 | 4 |
| Jun | 26.4 | 80 | 11 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 102 |
| Aug | 25.3 | 78 | 82 |
| Sep | 23.1 | 74 | 50 |
| Oct | 17.9 | 64 | 15 |
| Nov | 12.1 | 54 | 16 |
| Dec | 7.2 | 45 | 24 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Rico | AZ | 10 mi | 22,017 | $61,348 | $1,091 |
| Green Valley | AZ | 33 mi | 22,114 | $62,063 | $1,171 |
| Sierra Vista | AZ | 39 mi | 45,155 | $70,291 | $1,150 |
| Sahuarita | AZ | 39 mi | 35,862 | $104,680 | $1,837 |
| Corona de Tucson | AZ | 42 mi | 9,566 | $132,568 | $2,213 |
| Sierra Vista Southeast | AZ | 43 mi | 14,330 | $75,417 | $1,180 |
| Vail | AZ | 48 mi | 16,315 | $130,904 | $2,057 |
| Valencia West | AZ | 54 mi | 14,728 | $99,884 | $1,850 |
| Drexel Heights | AZ | 55 mi | 27,675 | $73,508 | $1,342 |
| Tucson | AZ | 55 mi | 547,073 | $57,073 | $1,145 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
19,841 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$737 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.5% of the median household income.
$43,214 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
7.7% (BLS county, Santa Cruz County (latest month 2026M09)).
Arizona. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.