Graham County economic data, statistics & information
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Population: 38,533
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.
Graham County Census Library
Labor market
UNEMPLOYMENT: Graham County's unemployment rate in 2020 was 6.3% (up from 4.9% in 2019, due to the COVID pandemic and related economic decline). At the peak of COVID business closures, the unemployment rate in Graham County hit a high of 9.5% in July 2020, its highest level since October 2011. Graham County’s unemployment rate of 6.3% in 2020 was lower than the statewide rate of 7.9% and the nationwide rate of 8.1%.
NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT: Graham County gained 100 jobs in 2020 for annual job growth of 1.1%. The private sector grew by 200 jobs (+3.1%), with the gain of 100 goods-producing jobs (+5.6%) and 100 service jobs (+2.2%). Graham County's government sector lost 100 jobs (-3.5%), with federal jobs up by 25 (+6.7%) and state and local government jobs down by 125 (-5.0%).
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.
Graham County businesses & payroll (by industry & employment size)
Personal income & wages
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).
BEA regional fact sheet: Graham County
Major industry sales & GDP
MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES: In 2020, Graham County's retail sales were up 10.8%, while restaurant & bar sales were up 0.2%. Due to the COVID pandemic, hotel/motel receipts in Graham and Greenlee counties combined were down 25.1%.
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.
Nonemployer business establishments & sales (by industry)
Real estate & new home construction
Home prices, days on market & permits
In May 2021, the median price of homes sold in Graham County was $195,000, according to National Association of Realtors. That was up 14.7% from May 2020. The median days on market in May was 101, up from 95 in May 2020. As of June 2021, there were 119 homes listed for sale in Graham County (Graham County, AZ Real Estate Market). In 2020, there were 187 building permits issued for new homes in Graham County.
Graham County agriculture profile
Tourism
Visits and impact
In 2020, visits to Roper Lake State Park in Graham County were up 21.7%.
According to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, Graham and Greenlee County's combined travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $48.5 million in direct spending in 2020, down 43% from 2019. Graham and Greenlee County's travel industry supported 822 jobs (down 19.1%) between the two counties with earnings of $16.2 million (down 7.1%) in 2020, according to the study.
Census data profile (Graham County)
Bank deposits
In 2020, bank deposits in Graham County (as of June 30) were up 43.7% from 2019 - its fastest rate of growth since 2006. Deposits were helped along by the first round of COVID stimulus payments, which went out beginning in April 2020.
Graham Bank Deposits (1994-current) (xlsx)
DownloadGraham County economic indicators (UArizona-EBRC)
Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group
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