La Paz County's population as of Census 2020 was 16,557, down 19.2% from 2010 (the largest population decline of Arizona's 15 counties). La Paz County's population is projected to reach 22,003 in 2025 before declining to 21,944 by 2055, according to pre-Census 2020 projections by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
UNEMPLOYMENT: La Paz County's unemployment rate in 2021 was 5.1% (down from 7.0% in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic). At the peak of COVID business closures, the unemployment rate in La Paz County hit a high of 9.4% in April 2020. La Paz County’s unemployment rate of 5.1% in 2021 was higher than the statewide rate of 4.9% but lower than the nationwide rate of 5.3%.
NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT: The number of jobs in La Paz County stabilized at 2020 levels in 2021. The private sector added 200 jobs (6.1%) and the government sector lost 200 jobs (-9.3%). In the private sector, goods-producing jobs were up by 100 (44.4%) and service jobs grew by 100 (3.3%).
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 2020, La Paz County had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $39,482. This PCPI ranked 10th in the state and was 80% of the state average, $49,648, and 66% of the national average, $59,510. The 2020 PCPI reflected an increase of 14.8% from 2019. The 2019-2020 state change was 8.4% and the national change was 6.2%. In 2010, the PCPI of La Paz County was $26,287 and ranked 11th in the state. The 2010-2020 compound annual growth rate of PCPI was 4.2%. The compound annual growth rate for the state was 3.9% and for the nation was 3.9%.
WAGES: The average annual wage in La Paz County in 2020 was $43,952 ($21.13 hourly), which was 82% of the Arizona statewide average wage of $53,396 ($25.67 hourly) and 78% of the national average wage of $56,310 ($27.07 hourly).
MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES: In 2021, La Paz County's retail sales were up 2.7%, after growing 10.3% in 2020. Restaurant & bar sales were up 22.7% in 2021 following a 2.1% decline in 2020. Hotel/motel receipts were up 16.6% in 2021 on the heels of a 23.6% jump in 2020.
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: In 2020, La Paz County produced $788,622 in current-dollar total GDP*. This GDP ranked 15th in the state and accounted for 0.2% of the state total. In 2010, the total GDP of La Paz County was $607,649 and ranked 15th in the state. In 2020, La Paz County real GDP grew 0.9%; the 2019-2020 state change was -1.0%. The 2010-2020 compound annual growth rate for La Paz County real GDP was 0.6%; the compound annual growth rate for the state was 2.1%.
*GDP estimates are in thousands of dollars.
In March 2022, the median price of homes sold in La Paz County was $500,000, according to National Association of Realtors. That was up 74.3% from March 2021. The median days on market in March was 99, up from 94 in March 2021. As of May 2022, there were 250 homes listed for sale in La Paz County, down from 293 in June 2021 (La Paz County, AZ Real Estate Market). In 2020, there were 31 building permits issued for new home construction in La Paz County.
In 2020, visits to Alamo Lake State Park in La Paz County were up 2.8% following a 12.2% jump in 2020. Visits to Buckskin Mountain were down 4.7% in 2021, after increasing 5.9% in 2020. River Island visits were down 10.7% in 2021, following a decline of 1.6% in 2020.
According to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, La Paz County's travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $154.3 million in direct spending in 2020, down 7.4% from 2019. La Paz County's travel industry supported 1,300 jobs (down 5.7%) countywide with earnings of $44.5 million (up 2.4%) in 2020, according to the study.
Check out Arizona Office of Tourism for research and marketing resources for the Arizona tourism industry.
In 2021, bank deposits in La Paz County (as of June 30) were up 18.9% from 2020. Deposits in 2020 and 2021 were helped along by COVID stimulus payments and programs.
La Paz Bank Deposits (1994-current) (xlsx)
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