(Center Square) – Arizona’s most populous county has added tens of thousands more residents than any other county in the United States since the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The county’s population increased by an estimated 130,950 from the April 1, 2020 decennial census, according to U.S. Census data released Thursday. During this time she was the only county whose population exceeded 100,000.
“It’s no surprise that Maricopa County is one of the most desirable locations in the nation for individuals, families and businesses,” said Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman. As a county, our challenge is to ensure the benefits of new people, new ideas, new businesses, and that development is sustainable, water is available to all, and that our growth takes place. It’s about striking a balance with policies that ensure that our quality of life is not compromised.”
Hickman said the county is investing heavily in new infrastructure, including affordable housing, job training centers and public health clinics. They also “create a regulatory environment that promotes long-term regional transportation planning and promotes responsible business development.”
In the 12 months ending last July, the county gained an estimated 56,831. This is slightly down from her 58,246 new residents added in the 12 months to July 2021. Officials are using data on births, deaths and emigration compared to her 10-year numbers for baseline.
Most other Arizona counties saw moderate population growth. Pinal County gained an estimated 16,000 new residents last year. Pima County he increased by 8,700. Yavapai, like Mojave County, gained nearly 4,000 residents. About 1,300 people have been added in Coconino County. Navajo County got her 1,000. Santa Cruz, La Paz, Apache, and Gila counties now have less than 1,000 residents. Graham, Cochise, and Greenlee counties shrunk slightly.
The nationwide shift to remote work has lost people in many major urban centers in favor of cheaper housing in suburbs and low-tax areas. Census experts say the cities have largely recovered their lost population.
Dr. Christine Hartley, Assistant Division Chief of Estimates and Forecasts for the Census Bureau’s Population Division, said: “Some city counties, such as Dallas and San Francisco, have seen a slower pace of internal migration in 2021-2022 compared to the previous year. Since then, the population has fully recovered this year.”
Demographers say Arizona’s population is difficult to estimate. High squatters, high cross-border movement, high domestic movement, high number of part-years, and a large increase in housing construction are factors that make counting difficult. said the expert.
