San Carlos is a community in Gila County, Arizona, home to about 4,973 people across 8.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 85550, and parts of 85542 are in San Carlos too.
Mostly San Carlos; also East Globe and Cutter
Mostly Peridot; part is in San Carlos
We’re writing up San Carlos’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows San Carlos well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Tucson International Airport (TUS)89 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Show Low Regional Airport (SOW)68 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Mesa, AZ73 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Phoenix, AZ95 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of San Carlos; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
San Carlos had 3,987 residents in the 2020 census, up 7% since 2000.
It’s the 96th largest of 441 towns in Arizona by population.
Gila County grew from 4,973 residents in 1900 to 53,272 in 2020.
Gila County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 99°F in summer, and winter lows average 31°F. About 13.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, San Carlos Reservoir, AZ weather station (12 miles away).
12,495 jobs at 1,065 businesses in Gila County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
24 doctors and other health care providers list an office in San Carlos.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 10 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 4 |
| Mental health providers | 7 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores
Museums
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by San Carlos Unified District (4210), Gila County Regional School District (87600). Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Elementary SchoolSan Carlos | Pre-K–6 | 673 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| San Carlos Alternative High SchoolSan Carlos | K–12 | 37 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Shil Gozhoo AcademySan Carlos | K–12 | — | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Biyaagozhoo CenterSan Carlos | 3–12 | 10 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| San Carlos Middle SchoolSan Carlos | 6–8 | 295 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Charles Apache Mission SchoolSan Carlos | K–6 | 115 | Roman Catholic | 0.7 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Peridot, East Globe and Cutter.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.