By Kurt Badenhausen
The Great Recession had devastating effects across the U.S. and few places were as hard hit as Arizona. The state was booming on the strength of its tourism and real estate markets during the 2000s. Median home prices jumped 70% between 2003 and 2006—only Nevada had bigger gains—fueling more building and construction jobs. Monthly unemployment was at 3.5% through much of 2007. But then the bottom fell out. Home prices plummeted more than 50% from their peak and 6%
Arizona properties received foreclosure filings in 2009. Unemployment stubbornly remained in double-figures for most of 2009 and 2010 and only Nevada lost a higher percentage of jobs over the last five years. Household incomes declined at the fastest rate in the country since 2008.
But the economic picture has brightened considerably in Arizona, as the housing market stabilized and unemployment hit a post-recession low of 7.8% in May. As part of Forbes’ annual Best States for Business, we look at 35 factors to determine the best and worst states, including projected employment. Arizona is expected to have the fastest job growth at 3% annually over the next five years, according to Moody’s Analytics. The job gains are projected to boost household incomes 3.6% annually through 2017, which ranks second best in the U.S. after Illinois. The added jobs also go hand-in-hand with the state’s economic growth, which Moody’s forecasts to expand at a U.S.-best 4.6% annually.
