Nogales Arizona is a small city in northern Santa Cruz County near the Mexican border. The population has been estimated at just over 20000 at the last census and calculated at about 20300 in 2020. Nogales serves as a gateway town to the American Southwest. It is well known for its scenic mesas and for the rich cultural heritage of its residents. Nogales is part of the larger Tucson – Nogales combined statistical area and has a population of approximately 1000000 as of the most recent census.
Nogals are native to southwest states and have lived in Nogals in Arizona since the early 1800s. Most Nogales speak the Pimos or Yavana language. Some Nogales are bilingual. They have many cultural and historic sites to visit including the Old Pueblo Old Spanish Mission and Historic Pueblo. Many Nogales are proud and excited to be of the first group of people to arrive in Arizona after the crossing of the Santa Fe Mountains.
The city of Nogales is part of a large region called the Tucson – Nogales Metroplex. It is located between the metropolitan area of Tucson and Phoenix and the greater Phoenix area. The Metroplex is well connected to Phoenix International Airport which is located in Phoenix. The Tucson airport was named after the state capitol of Arizona but the city of Nogales was not included on any of its official maps. The National Park Service manages the Nogales campground which is part of this area.
