City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

San Luis, AZ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for San Luis - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

35,998
Residents
$57,364
Median income
$197,400
Median home
$1,382
Median rent (state)

San Luis - the verdict

Nationally, San Luis sits in the 31st percentile for household income and the 79th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
53rd
percentile, median rent
79th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: San Luis, AZ

San Luis is a small city in Arizona, home to 35,998 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. San Luis households earn a median of $57,364 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 22.1%. Home values in San Luis run a median of $197,400, and the median resident age is 33.2 years. About 9.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 43.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 567 residential building permits were authorized in San Luis (Building Boom), up 67% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. San Luis reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 636.4 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Arizona tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Arizona scores 100.7 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,382 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Arizona's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). The average commute for San Luis workers runs 25.3 minutes, with 75.3% driving alone and 6.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

35,998 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$57,364 /yr

Poverty 22.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does San Luis compare to other US cities?

Where San Luis sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 53% pricier than other cities
Safety 79% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Arizona and the picture shifts: San Luis ranks #5 of 61 Arizona cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below San Luis's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arizona, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile
79thSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 79th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

San Luis's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

San Luis's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 54 Avg. percentile National median
San Luis's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How San Luis's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$197,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. San Luis $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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 · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - San Luis, AZ San Luis, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not San Luis, AZ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution San Luis, AZ median $57,364/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
San Luis, AZ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for San Luis, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 9.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 22.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
35,998
Median Income
$57,364
Median Home Value
$197,400
Median Age
33.2
Poverty Rate
22.1%
Labor force participation
43.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
9.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
636.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
87.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
548.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
34,000 residents36,000 residents38,000 residents40,000 residents42,000 residents44,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 35,752 residents 42,030 residents ▲ +17.6%
San Luis's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
567
housing units authorized
Single-Family
507
detached homes
Multifamily
60
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
15.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 339
2020 366
2021 255
2022 237
2023 296
2024 567

Permit volume increased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.3 minutes
Drive Alone
75.3%
Carpool
14.1%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
6.5%
Other
1.0%

Based on 11,418 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arizona - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$34
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arizona state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arizona state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county San Luis sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.7
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,382/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arizona

El Mirage
35,823 people
Sahuarita
35,012 people
Sun
38,018 people
Kingman
33,850 people
Apache Junction
39,746 people
Bullhead City
42,193 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to San Luis's 35,998 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Olney, MD
36,000 people
Richmond West, FL
35,988 people
Randallstown, MD
35,975 people
Moorpark, CA
35,957 people
Texarkana, TX
36,039 people
Benton, AR
35,954 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to San Luis's $57,364 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ashmore, IL
$57,361 median income
River Park, FL
$57,370 median income
Maple Ridge, OH
$57,356 median income
Hutsonville, IL
$57,353 median income
Liberty Mills, IN
$57,375 median income
Emmetsburg, IA
$57,353 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - San Luis, AZ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition San Luis, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 30.2% 63.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 93.0% White 30.2% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 0.1% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 63.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How San Luis compares to nearby Arizona cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
San Luis (this city) 35,998 $57,364
El Mirage 35,823 $74,764
Sahuarita 35,012 $100,719
Sun 38,018 $52,111
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about San Luis, AZ?

What is the population of San Luis, AZ? +

35,998 people live in San Luis, AZ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in San Luis, AZ? +

San Luis households earn a median of $57,364 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in San Luis? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for San Luis; the closest available measure is the Arizona state average, a cost of living index of 100.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arizona vary by metro area.

Is San Luis, AZ safe? +

San Luis has a total crime rate of 636.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in San Luis, AZ? +

Homes in San Luis carry a median value of $197,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.