Arizona gathered more than 100,000 new residents last year. Data from the Office of Economic Opportunity shows the state grew by about 1.5% between June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
Maricopa County grew at a greater rate than Pima County, at 4.2% vs. half a percent. George Hammond with the University of Arizona Eller College of Business says that’s due to how the economies are built.
"It might be that we're just a little too close to Phoenix. When firms and people are looking for somewhere to locate, particularly for jobs, Phoenix is probably more of a draw. It's a bigger airport with better connections." Hamond said.
Still some communities like Florence shrank even where they should have grown. The reason for that largely has to deal with the decrease in inmate population within the city.
