Santa Cruz County, Arizona: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Nogales
Santa Cruz County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz County is home to Nogales and Patagonia. Unemployment was 9.0% in August 2026, against 8.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 14,194 jobs in 2025, up 4.3% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 15 Arizona counties). Its power plants have 114 MW of capacity, 95% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County is home to Nogales and Patagonia.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amado, Beyerville, Elgin, Kino Springs, Rio Rico, Sonoita, Tubac, Tumacacori-Carmen.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Santa Cruz County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 47,711 | 50,020 | ▲ 4.8% | 12th of 15 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,608 | 14,194 | ▲ 4.3% | 9th of 15 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,586 | $60,736 | ▲ 25.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 8.2% | 9.0% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Arizona Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Santa Cruz County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.45¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.49¢ median for Arizona utilities. 50,020 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020.
Who powers Santa Cruz County
Utilities with service territory in Santa Cruz County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,256,120 | 16.45¢ | 48% |
| UNS Electric, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 95,191 | 16.02¢ | 39% |
| Trico Electric Cooperative Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 52,450 | 14.17¢ | 27% |
| Sulphur Springs Valley E C Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 46,008 | 13.49¢ | 51% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 108 MW | 95% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia | UNS Electric, Inc | Natural gas | 108 MW | 1989 |
| Rio Rico Solar | UNS Electric, Inc | Solar | 6 MW | 2014 |
The Santa Cruz County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,194 | $60,736 | 1.00 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Santa Cruz County
1 data center in Santa Cruz County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Santa Cruz County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Santa Cruz County, Pima County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County | 50,020 | ▲ 4.3% | 114 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Cochise County | 126,332 | ▲ 1.3% | 1,666 MW | 351 MW | 1 | — |
| Pima County | 1,074,685 | ▲ 3.0% | 2,075 MW | — | 13 | 1 |
More of Arizona
Santa Cruz County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
4 utilities have service territory in Santa Cruz County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Arizona Public Service Co, UNS Electric, Inc, Trico Electric Cooperative Inc, Sulphur Springs Valley E C Inc. The largest, Arizona Public Service Co, charged residential customers 16.45¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Nogales, AZ in?
Nogales is in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. About 19,495 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Santa Cruz County?
2 operating plants with 114 MW of capacity. The largest is Valencia (108 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Santa Cruz County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Santa Cruz County.
Is Santa Cruz County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,194 jobs in 2025 against 13,608 in 2019 (+4.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Santa Cruz County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Santa Cruz County. Arizona has 6 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.