Population and Geographic Characteristics
According to the Decennial Census, Arizona experienced a 40% increase in population between 1990 and 2000. With more than 5,130,632 residents, Arizona is the 6th largest in size of the 50 states, exceeded only by Alaska, Texas, California, Montana, and New Mexico. Its 114,000 square miles make it as large as New York and the New England states combined[1]. Although most of its acreage is frontier and rural, the majority of the population resides in urban centers such as Phoenix and Tucson (refer to Map 1 for details). As the second fastest growing state in the nation, the 2010 population is projected at 6.2 million[2]. Table 1a (PDF) provides population trend estimates for Arizona and its 15 counties for 1996 through 2000. Population numbers for selected communities are presented in Table 1b (PDF).
Arizona is one of four U.S.-Mexico border states and consists of only 15 counties. It is bordered to the north by Nevada and Utah, to the east by New Mexico, to the south by Mexico, and to the west by California. The state’s culture and history are replete with influences assimilated from the Spanish Empire to Mexican, Central and South American immigrants. At the same time, the state is home to 21 American Indian tribes, including the Navajo, the largest on-reservation population in the United States. Economically, the state represents a diverse mixture of professions and incomes as retirees, military, and high tech industry leaders reside in communities with teachers and farm laborers.
1. Arizona's Population Trends
2. Arizona's Ethnicity Trends
3. Arizona's Income Information
4. Rural and Urban Definitions
5. County Population Trends
Map 1. Arizona 15 County Topographic Profile
