Apache County's population as of Census 2020 was was 66,021, down 7.7% from 2010 (the second largest population decline of Arizona's 15 counties). Apache County's population is projected to drop to 63,169 by 2055, according to pre-Census 2020 projections by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
UNEMPLOYMENT: Apache County's unemployment rate in 2021 was 9.1% (down from 12.5% in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic). At the peak of COVID business closures, the unemployment rate in Apache County hit a high of 15.7% in April 2020. Apache County’s unemployment rate of 9.1% in 2021 was higher than the statewide rate of 4.9% and the nationwide rate of 5.3%.
NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT: Apache County lost 375 jobs in 2021 for annual job growth of -2.2%. The private sector added 125 jobs (1.7%) and the government sector declined by 500 jobs (-5.0%). In the private sector, goods-producing jobs were up by 200 (33.3%) while service jobs fell by 75 (-1.1%).
Note: Labor force, employment, unemployment, and jobs data on this site are updated annually. For the most recent monthly labor market data, visit Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
PERSONAL INCOME: In 2021, Apache County had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $45,671. This PCPI ranked 10th in the state and was 82.3% of the state average, $55,487, and 71.2% of the national average, $64,143. The 2021 PCPI reflected an increase of 8.2% from 2020. The 2020–2021 state change was 6% and the national change was 7.3%. In 2011, the PCPI of Apache County was $27,512 and ranked 11th in the state. The 2011–2021 compound annual growth rate of PCPI was 5.2%. The compound annual growth rate for the state was 4.6% and for the nation was 4.1%.
WAGES: The average annual wage in Apache County in 2021 was $51,931 ($24.97 hourly), which was 94% of the Arizona statewide average wage of $55,170 ($26.53 hourly) and 89% of the national average wage of $58,260 ($28.01 hourly). Apache County's average wage in 2021 was up 7.6% from 2020.
MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES: In 2021, Apache County's retail sales were up 27.0%, following growth of 3.7% in 2020. Apache County's restaurant & bar sales were up 41.1% in 2021, after increasing 0.3% the year prior. Hotel/motel receipts were up 46.2% in 2021, after 4.4% growth in 2020.
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: In 2020, Apache County produced $2,539,579 in current-dollar total GDP*. This GDP ranked 10th in the state and accounted for 0.7% of the state total. In 2010, the total GDP of Apache County was $2,591,078 and ranked 10th in the state. In 2020, Apache County real GDP grew 1.4%; the 2019-2020 state change was -1.0%. The 2010-2020 compound annual growth rate for Apache County real GDP was -2.0%; the compound annual growth rate for the state was 2.1 %.
*GDP estimates are in thousands of dollars.
In March 2022, the median listing price of homes for sale in Apache County was $360,000, according to National Association of Realtors. That was up 32.6% from March 2021. The median days on market as of December 2021 was 99, down from 118 at the beginning of the year. As of May 2022, there were 758 homes listed for sale in Apache County, up from 675 in June 2021 (Apache County, AZ Real Estate Market). In 2021, there were 125 building permits issued for new homes in Apache County, up from 82 in 2020.
In 2021, visits to state and national parks in Apache County were up following COVID-related declines in 2020. Visits to Canyon de Chelly were up 140% in 2021, after falling 83.3% in 2020. Hubbell Trading Post visits were up 86.3% in 2021, following a decline of 77.3% in 2020. Petrified Forest visits were up 53.5% in 2021 after falling 40.3% in 2020. The exception is Lyman Lake State Park, with visits down 26.1% in 2021, following a jump of 90.5% in 2020.
According to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, Apache County's travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $147.6 million in direct spending in 2021, up 53.5% following a COVID-related decline of 22.2% in 2020. Apache County's travel industry supported 1,300 jobs countywide (down 1.5% after falling 13.3% the year prior) with associated household earnings of $35.8 million (up 5.5% following a 11.9% drop the previous year).
In 2021, bank deposits in Apache County (as of June 30) were up 22.8% from 2020. The year 2021 was the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth in bank deposits, with deposits totaling $316.8 million. Apache County bank deposits nearly doubled from 2018 to 2021. Deposits in 2020 and 2021 were helped along by COVID stimulus payments and programs.
Apache Bank Deposits (1994-current) (xlsx)
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