Arizona Population 2023

This shows growth of about half a million from the official 2010 census results, which recorded a population of 6,392,017. From 1990 to 2000, Arizona was the second fastest growing state, increasing its population by nearly 40 percent. From 2010 to 2015, Arizona was the seventh fastest-growing state, posting a cumulative growth of 6.82%.

Arizona Area and Population Density

Although Arizona is the sixth largest state in the USA by area, it is the 14th largest state by population size. Since becoming the 48th state to be admitted to the USA in 1912, Arizona has grown rapidly from 200,000 people to nearly seven million today. Much of that growth has come in the past 40 years -- in 1970 there were less than two million people in Arizona.

The population of Arizona is concentrated around Phoenix, the state capital, and Tucson, the second largest city in the state. The largest county in Arizona by population count is Maricopa County, which is home to 4.1 million of the state's 6.9 million people. Containing over 60% of the state's population, Maricopa encompasses nine of the state's ten largest cities. Arizona features an average population density of 63 people per square mile with approximately 113,594 square miles of area in the state.

Arizona Gender and Religion Statistics

37.1 is the median age in Arizona, with females sitting at 50.3% and males at 49.7%

In terms of preferred religions over the state, 67% Arizonians identify under the Christian faith, with 6% non-Christian faiths rounding out the 27% that have no affiliation with either.

Arizona Historical Boundary, Census, and Statehood

Arizona was acquired from Mexico in 1848 and 1853. It was established as a territory in 1863 from New Mexico Territory, and acquired essentially its present boundaries in 1866. Arizona was admitted as a State on February 14, 1912.

In 1850, the present-day Arizona area had no census coverage. The 1860 population is for Arizona County, New Mexico Territory, which comprised most of present-day Arizona south of the Gila River. Northern and central Arizona first had census coverage in 1870.

Arizona Population History

Arizona was admitted to the Union in 1912 as the final state of the lower 48. Arizona's population at statehood was just over 200,000 people, which ranked 45th of the 48 states . In the hundred years since, its population has grown rapidly, consistently posting annual growth rates of over 3%.

Arizona Population Growth

Since the most recent official estimate from the US Census in 2015 (6,828,065), we estimate that the population has increased by nearly 100,000. If this rate is sustained, Arizona will surpass 8 million citizens by 2026 (as projected by Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity in 2018), becoming the 12th state to reach this mark.

Arizona Population Projections

Although growing at a rate faster than the national average, Arizona's growth rate is declining compared to its past trajectory toward a growth rate of 1.5%. By 2020, Arizona is projected to hit a population of 7,286,000 and to cross the 8,000,000 threshold by 2028.

Taking into account origin, 30.7% of people in Arizona report Hispanic or Latino origin. The largest individual ancestry group in Arizona is Mexican (25.8%), followed by German (16.5%), English (10.3%) and Irish (10.9%%).

Some experts believe that Arizona will become a minority-majority state by the year 2027 based on current demographic trends. Beginning in 2003, the number of births to Hispanics outnumbered the number of births by non-Hispanic whites. While this trend continued for several years after that, the trend reversed in 2011. The southern and central regions of the state remain mostly inhabited by Mexican Americans.

The population of African Americans within the state has also grown significantly in recent years, with Phoenix's population in this demographic doubling from 1990 to 2005. Asian Americans also inhabit the state, with the largest subgroup being Filipinos, with over 53,000 recorded during the 2010 Census.

Arizona's Native American population is one of the largest in the US (only California and Oklahoma have more). The state is also home to more speakers of Native American languages than any other state -- more than 85,000 people are able to speak Navajo and more than 10,000 are able to speak Apache.

• The copper star on Arizona's state flag represents the state's role as the largest copper producer in the US.
• Arizona is one of the oldest Indian settlements in the country.
• One-fourth of the state is made up of forests, including the 11.2 million acre National Forest.
• The bridge at Lake Havasu is constructed of the stones used to construct the original London Bridge.
• The state has over 3,900 mountain peaks and summits.
• The Grand Canyon, one of Arizona's most famous landmarks, has exposed stone that dates back over 1 billion years.
• Jerome, Arizona, was once a copper mining town. Once the mines closed, the population dropped to just 50 people.
• Arizona has the highest amount of land designated as Indian land.
• The oldest Indian settlement, Oraibi, is located in Arizona.