Here are some population figures for Maricopa County.
(Please note: there have been some reports that the population growth projections put out by DES have been overestimated. Additional reports from other sources now in the process of being compiled, will be out in the Fall 2008.)
- Maricopa County led the nation in growth. It grew by 808,000 new residents from 2000-2007.
- Harris County, TX grew by 535,000
- Clark County, TX grew by 461,000
- Only 10 counties grew by more then $200,000 for that time period.
As a percentage, Maricopa County grew 26.3% over that period which put it in 5th position. Take a look at the chart below which is from AZREIA.org (Arizona Real Estate Investors Association) shown at the monthly meeting. 
The older more established cities are growing slower then the new outer cities. These will remain the high growth areas for the coming decades but whether they are the best investment is not clear. They may or may not be. A friend of mine purchased a 2 acre lot in Goodyear in 1999, for $3,500. That same lot is now worth $90,000 in the current market, which is down from $145,000 in 2005. From $3,500 to $90,000 in 9 years is a superb return, especially for a property that is just there and requires little if any maintenance. That does mean you can repeat that return or that the outer cites are better for investment, just different. |
