Two Arizona counties were at opposite ends of the population growth spectrum in 2013, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Numbers show that Maricopa County grew by almost 69,000 people last year, pushing its population over the 4 million mark. That was the second fastest growth rate in the country trailing only Harris County, Texas, where Houston is located.
Just the opposite was Cochise County in southern Arizona. It lost 2,700 residents during the same period.
A big part of that decline was tied to Ft. Huachuca. As wars in Iran and Afghanistan wind down, the need for military personnel and civilian contractors at the base has dropped. Some have been transferred while others moved elsewhere.
Cochise County lost the largest percentage of its population compared to any county
