America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers

Business Growth in Desert Southwest More than Twice National Average

The Desert Southwest region has long set a dizzying pace for population growth, expanding by at least twice the national average every decade from 1950 and 2010.

Does business growth in this region mirror this population change? In a word — yes.

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Driven by big, growing counties and fueled by industries such as health care and information, the Desert Southwest outpaced national averages for adding businesses and employees from 2015 to 2019, according to the Census Bureau’s 2019 County Business Patterns (CBP) program.

Health care — the region’s second largest employer with 723,263 workers — was one of the driving forces behind business growth in the Desert Southwest.

Continue reading to learn more about:

• Population growth in the Desert Southwest
• Business growth in the Desert Southwest
• Business growth does not always mean large salary gains
• Top economic sectors in the region
• 2019 and beyond

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