About the Arizona Community Economic Base Analyses

The Arizona Department of Commerce undertook the Community Economic Base Analyses as a result of input received during the Statewide Economic Study public outreach sessions regarding the need for more community-level economic information. In 2004, Commerce contracted with ASU Center for Business Research to prepare community economic base studies for each incorporated city and town in the state using the most current federal data available (2001 ZIP Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau).

The economic base studies, published in June 2004, provide a snapshot description of the structure and composition of the local economy using 2001 data of employment by industry. This is the first effort of its kind to incorporate estimates of agriculture employment, government employment, and private business employment together to provide a complete picture of what drives the local economies. Click here for more about methodology and data limitations.

As we found in conducting the statewide economic study, current, community-level data are difficult to obtain. Commerce undertook this project to assist communities with more information about what drives their economies using an existing federal data source. We understand that some communities have used their own resources to obtain more current information. We encourage all interested parties to check with the local economic development organizations for additional information. (Click here for a list of local ED organizations.)

Drafts of the reports were sent to the communities for review and comment in mid-May 2004. The final reports contain information about the local economy--number of establishments, employment, and wages--arranged by industry code. The reports also compare employment distribution with state and national averages and with similar communities in the state. Comparing the distribution of employment in the community in various sectors with state or national averages can help the community determine how different or similar the local economy is with the average.

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