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In 2000, the structure of employment in the Arizona economy was somewhat different from the rest of the nation. The largest employment sector in Arizona was in the service industries, which provided 82.4% of all employment – a figure that outpaced the U.S. total of 77.3%3. In Arizona, the three goods-producing industries (mining, construction, and manufacturing) employed comparatively few workers (17.6%) than the U.S. as a whole (22.7%). The largest difference in employment distribution is in the manufacturing sector, where Arizona trailed the U.S. (9.7% vs. 15.4%)[3].
Although Arizona’s median household income of $40,558 trails the national median household income of $41,994 (Figure 5), Arizona’s median household income rose from $27,540 to $40,558 during the 10-year period (Figure 6). In 2000, the state’s unemployment rate was lower than the national average [3.9% vs. 5.4%, respectively]. Table 5a compares Arizona and its 15 counties’ median income, percentage below the Federal Poverty Level, and unemployment rates for 1990 and 2000. Community median incomes and percentages below the Federal Poverty Level are presented in Table 5b.
In 2000, the percentage of persons at or below the Federal Poverty Level was higher in Arizona than in the U.S. (Figure 7). The percentage of those at or below the Federal Poverty Level in Arizona decreased from 15.4% to 13.9% between 1990 and 2000 (Figure 8).
Figure 5. Median Income for U.S. and Arizona: 2000
Figure 6. Median Income for Arizona: 1990 and 2000
Figure 7. Federal Poverty Level Percentages for U.S. and Arizona: 2000
Figure 8. Federal Poverty Level Percentages for Arizona: 1990 and 2000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
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