Domestic migration fueling Pinal population boom
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To find Arizona's next boomtown, look beyond Maricopa County.
The big picture: Of the 31,107 residents Arizona gained through domestic migration last year, 21,315 moved to Pinal County.
By the numbers: That contributed to the 4.9% population boom that made Pinal the seventh fastest-growing county in the country.
- Maricopa County gained more new residents overall, but just barely — it beat Pinal by 600.
- And domestic net migration to the Great State of Maricopa was just 941 people.
Zoom in: Much of Pinal's explosion in recent years has been fueled by a population boom in Phoenix's southeastern suburbs like San Tan Valley, which voted to incorporate last year and immediately became one of Arizona's biggest cities.
- But Pinal's growth is more than just spillover from the Valley — Casa Grande gained around 4,000 residents last year, Maricopa gained nearly 3,500, Coolidge added around 800 and Eloy's population grew by 450.
Between the lines: In the Phoenix area, "the land is getting gobbled up and now it's pushing out into Pinal County," said Craig McFarland, president and CEO of Pinal Partnership.
- Many people move to Pinal County for the more affordable housing and commute into the Phoenix area for work, he said.
- That includes not only suburban areas like San Tan Valley but also Maricopa, which is separated from the Valley by the Gila River Indian Community.
- But Casa Grande is a growing job center that's attracting major employers, said McFarland, the city's former mayor.