Yuma County's population as of Census 2020 was 203,881, up 4.2% from 2010. Yuma County's population is projected to reach 247,724 in 2025 and 340,187 in 2055, according to pre-Census 2020 projections by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
UNEMPLOYMENT: Yuma County's unemployment rate in 2021 was 12.9% (down from 16.9% in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic). At the peak of COVID business closures, the unemployment rate in Yuma County hit a high of 24.0% in April 2020. Yuma County’s unemployment rate of 12.9% in 2021 was higher than the statewide rate of 4.9% and the nationwide rate of 5.3%.
NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT: Yuma County gained 1,900 jobs in 2021 for annual job growth of 3.4%. The private sector added 1,900 jobs (4.6%) and the government sector added 100 jobs (0.7%). In the private sector, goods-producing jobs stabilized at 2020 levels in 2021, while service jobs grew by 1,900 (5.4%).
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, Yuma County had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $44,299. This PCPI ranked 11th in the state and was 79.8% of the state average, $55,487, and 69.1% of the national average, $64,143. The 2021 PCPI reflected an increase of 3.7% from 2020. The 2020–2021 state change was 6% and the national change was 7.3%. In 2011, the PCPI of Yuma County was $28,561 and ranked 10th in the state. The 2011–2021 compound annual growth rate of PCPI was 4.5%. The compound annual growth rate for the state was 4.6% and for the nation was 4.1%.
WAGES: The average annual wage in Yuma County in 2021 was $46,130 ($22.18 hourly), which was 84% of the Arizona statewide average wage of $55,170 ($26.53 hourly) and 79% of the national average wage of $58,260 ($28.01 hourly). Yuma County's average wage in 2021 was up 6.9% from 2020.
MAJOR INDUSTRY SALES: In 2021, Yuma County's retail sales were up 13.0%, after growing 5.9% in 2020. Yuma County's restaurant & bar sales were up 23.8% in 2021, following a 0.1% decline in 2020. Hotel/motel receipts were up 25.7% in 2021, after falling 2.2% in 2020.
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: In 2020, Yuma County produced $8,118,717 in current-dollar total GDP*. This GDP ranked 4th in the state and accounted for 2.2% of the state total. In 2010, the total GDP of Yuma County was $6,121,004 and ranked 4th in the state. In 2020, Yuma County real GDP grew 0.5%; the 2019-2020 state change was -1.0%. The 2010-2020 compound annual growth rate for Yuma County real GDP was 1.1%; the compound annual growth rate for the state was 2.1%.
*GDP estimates are in thousands of dollars.
HOME PRICES & DAYS ON MARKET: In March 2022, the median price of homes sold in Yuma County was $281,000, according to National Association of Realtors. That was up 19.6% from March 2021. The median days on market in March was 50, down from 54 in March 2021. As of May 2022, there were 739 homes listed for sale in Yuma County, up from 610 in June 2021 (Yuma County, AZ Real Estate Market).
NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION: In 2021, there were 1,096 building permits issued for new single-family homes in Yuma County, down 7.2% from 2020. The average permit value in 2021 was $177,894, up 7.3% from the year prior.
Yuma New Residential Construction (building permits & valuation) (1995-current) (xlsx)
DownloadVisits to Yuma Territorial Prison up 20.1% in 2021, after a COVID-related decline of 40.3% in 2020. Colorado River (Yuma Crossing) visits were down 14.7% in 2021, on the heels of a 41.9% drop in 2020.
According to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, Yuma County's travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $667.1 million in direct spending in 2021, up 42.6% following a COVID-related decline of 29.7% in 2020. Yuma County's travel industry supported 5,800 jobs countywide in 2021 (up 9.5% after falling 23.3% the year prior) with associated household earnings of $178.6 million (up 11.5% following a 4.5% drop the previous year).
BORDER CROSSINGS: In 2021, pedestrian border crossings from Mexico into the US at the San Luis port of entry in Yuma County were up 3% after falling 28% in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic. The number of personal vehicle passengers was up 29.5% in 2021, following a 31.7% drop in 2020. Despite the increases in 2021, both pedestrian and vehicle passenger traffic remained at near-record lows (with record lows set in 2020 and records back to 1996).
INTERNATIONAL TRADE: In 2021, the value of exports passing through Yuma County's San Luis port of entry was $803.2 million, up 76.4% from 2020. Imports came in at $890.1 million (up 15.2%).
In 2021, bank deposits in Yuma County (as of June 30) were up 17.4%. That follows a gain of 23.4% in 2020 - its fastest rate of growth on record (with records back to 1994). Deposits in 2020 and 2021 were helped along by COVID stimulus payments and programs.
Yuma Bank Deposits (1994-current) (xlsx)
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