Understanding Arizona
Mostly Useless Facts About Arizona1
- 6,338,755 persons (estimated by US Census Bureau) as of July 2007.
- Link to: Arizona QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
- Arizona is NOT just a bunch of retired people. Only 12.7% of our population is over 65. 12.4% of the U.S. population is over 65.
- Arizona ranks 16th in population as of 2007 and represents 2.03% of the U.S. population, in 2000 we were 20th in population and by 2030, we will be 10th!
- Population % change 1990-2000 = +40.0% (second only to Nevada).
- In 2010, 6.5 million people will call Arizona home.
- Phoenix metropolitan area = 4,039,182 (13th largest metropolitan area in U.S.) Boston #11 & San Francisco #12 rank just ahead of us, Riverside/San Bernardino #14 and Seattle/Tacoma #15 rank just behind us.
- In 2005 Phoenix surpassed Philadelphia with a population of 1,512,986 to become the 5th largest US city (NY, LA, CHI, HOU, PHOENIX, PHIL).
- Sky Harbor Airport – 7th busiest in the US (over 41 million passengers in 2005)
- By 2010 Phoenix will be the 9th largest metropolitan area surpassing Boston, Detroit, Seattle and Miami at current respective growth rates.
- Of the ten largest cities in Arizona, only 2 (Tucson #3 & Yuma #10) are NOT part of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Arizona is 88.2% Urban, and more urban than all neighbors (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah) except California.
- 67% of Arizona's population lives in Phoenix or Tucson (100 miles to the south of Phoenix)2.
- Of U.S. cities with a population >1 million, Phoenix was #1 in growth +45.3% (1990-2000).
- Median income in Arizona in 2005 - $58,206.
- In 2005 Arizona ranked 16th of 50 states in persons with a bachelors degree or more as a % of population (up from 22cnd in 2000).
- By our estimation, Arizona is a $400-$500 million (wholesale) fine wine market.
The Heat Is On
Nothing explains Arizona better than the Weather. The past 100 years look something like this according to the National Weather Service:
| Month | Avg. High | Avg. Low | Record High | Record Low | Avg. Dew Point | Avg. Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66 | 41 | 88 | 17 | 33 | .8 |
| February | 70 | 44 | 92 | 22 | 33 | .6 |
| March | 75 | 49 | 100 | 25 | 34 | .9 |
| April | 84 | 55 | 105 | 32 | 33 | .3 |
| May | 93 | 64 | 113 | 40 | 36 | .1 |
| June | 103 | 72 | 122 | 50 | 40 | .1 |
| July | 105 | 80 | 121 | 61 | 56 | .8 |
| August | 103 | 79 | 116 | 60 | 59 | 1.0 |
| September | 99 | 72 | 118 | 47 | 52 | .7 |
| October | 88 | 61 | 107 | 34 | 43 | .6 |
| November | 75 | 48 | 93 | 25 | 36 | .6 |
| December | 66 | 42 | 88 | 22 | 33 | .9 |
1 U.S. Census Bureau and/or Arizona Department of Commerce
2 U.S. Census Bureau
3 Based on Boutique Wines gross sales, 1999 - 2001 (used without permission) and Quench sales, 2003 - present