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 expected to reach 17,228 in 2030 and 17,366 in 2060, according to projections by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
UNEMPLOYMENT: La Paz County's annual unemployment rate in 2022 was 4.7%, down from 5.3% in 2021 and 7.1% in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic.
NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT: The number of jobs in La Paz County increased by 175 in 2022 for job growth of 3.2% (based on average monthly job numbers). All the gains were in the private sector (5.0%) while government-sector job numbers stabilized. In the private sector, goods-producing jobs were up by 50 (15.4%) and service jobs grew by 125 (4.0%).
WAGES: The average annual wage in La Paz County in 2022 was $46,461 ($22.34 hourly), which was 79.3% of the Arizona statewide average wage of $58,620 ($28.18 hourly) and 75.1% of the national average wage of $61,900 ($29.76 hourly). La Paz County's average wage in 2022 was up 7.9% from 2021.
PERSONAL INCOME: In 2021, La Paz County had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $49,933. This PCPI ranked 4th in the state and was 90% of the state average, $55,487, and 77.8% of the national average, $64,143. The 2021 PCPI reflected an increase of 7.9% from 2020. The 2020–2021 state change was 6% and the national change was 7.3%. In 2011, the PCPI of La Paz County was $29,908 and ranked 9th in the state. The 2011–2021 compound annual growth rate of PCPI was 5.3%. The compound annual growth rate for the state was 4.6% and for the nation was 4.1%.
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: In 2021, La Paz County produced 877,143 in current-dollar total GDP*. This GDP ranked 15th in the state and accounted for 0.2% of the state total. In 2011, the total GDP of La Paz County was 676,695 and ranked 15th in the state. In 2021, La Paz County real GDP grew 7%; the 2020–2021 state change was 6.3%. The 2011–2021 compound annual growth rate for La Paz County real GDP was 0.4%; the compound annual growth rate for the state was 2.7%.
*GDP estimates are in thousands of dollars.
For more info on La Paz County's personal income and GDP, check out the county's BEA Regional Fact Sheet (BEARFACTS)
MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES: In 2022, La Paz County's retail sales were up 9.3%, after growing 2.7% in 2021. Restaurant & bar sales were up 28.5% in 2022, following strong growth of 22.7% in 2021. Restaurant and bar sales growth rates in 2021 and 2022 were at record highs (with records back to 2009). Hotel/motel receipts were up 5.3% in 2022, following near-record-high gains of 23.6% and 16.6% in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
BANK DEPOSITS: In 2022, bank deposits in La Paz County (as of June 30) were up 6.4% from a year prior. That followed strong growth of 18.9% in 2021. Deposits in recent years were helped along by COVID stimulus payments and programs.
HOME PRICES & DAYS ON MARKET: In March 2023, the median price of homes sold in La Paz County was $325,000, according to National Association of Realtors. That was up 11.3% from March 2022. The median days on market in March was 56, down from 131 in March 2022. As of May 2023, there were 264 homes listed for sale in La Paz County, up from 250 in May 2022. (Data in this section updated annually; for the most recent monthly data, visit La Paz County, AZ Real Estate Market.)
NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION: In 2022, there were 38 building permits issued for new home construction in La Paz County, up from 35 in 2021 and 31 in 2020.
La Paz New Residential Construction (building permits) (2020-current) (xlsx)
DownloadAccording to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, La Paz County's travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $194.6 million in direct spending countywide in 2022, up 6.2% from 2021 (the year 2021 saw a 19.3% increase, rebounding from a 7.4% COVID-related drop in 2020, the first year of the pandemic). Travel-related direct spending in 2022 was at a record high (with records back to 1998, not adjusted for inflation). La Paz County's travel industry supported 1,300 jobs countywide in 2022 (down 4.3% from the year prior) with household earnings of $50.3 million (up 5.4% from 2021), according to the study.