By Pinal Central
CASA GRANDE — Pinal was the fastest growing Arizona county from 2024 to 2025, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Pinal leaders, both in and out of the government, emphasize preparation and acknowledge that the incorporation of San Tan Valley as a town will shift the population balance.
According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pinal County grew by 3.7% from July 2024 to July 2025 — far outpacing the next closest county, Yuma, at 1.9%. When boiled down to growth in numbers, Maricopa County — the fourth most populous in the country according to the U.S. Census 2024 stats — assumed more than three times that of Pinal with more than 61,000 new residents. Pinal was second, welcoming more than 18,000.
It’s an exciting time to be in Arizona, according to Craig McFarland, former mayor of Casa Grande and current CEO of Pinal Partnership, a nonprofit focused on planning for Pinal’s developmental future. After eight years as mayor, McFarland has probably been asked to forecast what Pinal’s heavy growth might mean more times than just about anyone else. So what’s one more time?
High growth has all sorts of implications, from the economy to development, housing to water. To McFarland, a community needs energy, water and transportation: “if you don’t have those three, you don’t have economic development.”
