Graham County economic data, statistics & information

Graham County's population as of Census 2020 was 38,533, up 3.5% from 2010. Graham County's population is projected to reach 40,384 in 2025 and 48,858 by 2055, according to pre-Census 2020 projections by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.

UNEMPLOYMENT: Graham County's unemployment rate in 2021 was 4.1% (down from 6.2% in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic). At the peak of COVID business closures, the unemployment rate in Graham County hit a high of 8.1% in June 2020. Graham County’s unemployment rate of 4.1% in 2021 was lower than the statewide rate of 4.9% and the nationwide rate of 5.3%.

NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT: Graham County gained 225 jobs in 2021 for annual job growth of 2.4%. All of the job gains were in the private sector (3.4%), while government employment numbers held steady from 2020 to 2021. In the private sector, goods-producing jobs stabilized while service jobs grew by 225 (4.7%) in 2021.

Note: Labor force, employment, unemployment, and jobs data on this page are updated annually. For the most recent monthly labor market data, visit Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.

PERSONAL INCOME: In 2020, Graham County had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $35,072. This PCPI ranked 15th in the state and was 71% of the state average, $49,648, and 59% of the national average, $59,510. The 2020 PCPI reflected an increase of 12.5% from 2019. The 2019-2020 state change was 8.4% and the national change was 6.2%. In 2010, the PCPI of Graham County was $24,503 and ranked 14th in the state. The 2010-2020 compound annual growth rate of PCPI was 3.7%. The compound annual growth rate for the state was 3.9% and for the nation was 3.9%.

WAGES: The average annual wage in Graham County in 2020 was $45,997 ($22.11 hourly), which was 86% of the Arizona statewide average wage of $53,396 ($25.67 hourly) and 82% of the national average wage of $56,310 ($27.07 hourly).

MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES: In 2021, Graham County's retail sales were up 9.8%, while restaurant & bar sales were up 18.1%. Hotel/motel receipts in Graham and Greenlee counties combined were up 18.9 in 2021, following a COVID-related decline of 25.1% in 2020.

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: In 2020, Graham County produced $1,197,378 in current-dollar total GDP*. This GDP ranked 14th in the state and accounted for 0.3% of the state total. In 2010, the total GDP of Graham County was $712,189 and ranked 14th in the state. In 2020, Graham County real GDP grew 3.7%; the 2019-2020 state change was -1.0%. The 2010-2020 compound annual growth rate for Graham County real GDP was 2.7%; the compound annual growth rate for the state was 2.1%.

*GDP estimates are in thousands of dollars.

In 2021, bank deposits in Graham County (as of June 30) were up 3.4% from 2020. That was on the heels of 43.7% growth the year prior - its fastest rate of increase since 2006. Deposits in 2020 and 2021 were helped along by COVID stimulus payments.