Flagstaff
RANK #689 / 996 NAT · #8 / 11 AZ · POP 144,705
1YR FORECAST: -0.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +19%
Encompassing nearly 18,661 square miles, Coconino County is the second-largest county by area in the contiguous United States, larger than nine individual U.S. states. It is home to a diverse landscape, from the deep canyons of the Grand Canyon National Park to the thick forests of the Coconino National Forest and the peaks of the San Francisco Mountains, including Humphreys Peak, Arizona's highest point. Flagstaff, the county seat, is approximately 145 miles north of Phoenix. The county offers extensive outdoor recreation, including multi-use trails, fishing, wildlife viewing, and winter sports. Public transportation options like Mountain Line provide bus and vanpool services, particularly for commutes into Flagstaff. Coconino County's economy is influenced by its natural resources, with tourism, logging, and ranching historically playing significant roles. Major employers include Northern Arizona University and Flagstaff Medical Center. The healthcare and biomedical manufacturing sector is expanding, with companies like W.L. Gore & Associates contributing to job growth. The county also sees investment in renewable energy, with solar and wind power projects developing due to abundant natural resources. Educational services, healthcare, and accommodation and food services are among the most common employment sectors.
Above national median (4.7x)
Well below national median
Above national median (13x)
Housing is fairly valued at 6.6x relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Huntley Page Data Center
Huntley LLC
|
$1,000M | Planned |
|
CO Bar Solar Plant
Salt River Project (SRP) and Clenera
|
$1,000M | Under Construction |
|
Red Antelope Solar & Energy Storage Farm
Undisclosed
|
$400M | Planned |
|
Forged Ethic Wind Energy Project
RWE
|
$323M | Under Development |
|
Chevelon Butte Wind Farm (Phases 1 & 2)
AES Corporation
|
$267M | Operating |
|
Babbitt Ranch Energy Center (Wind & Solar with Battery Storage)
SRP and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC
|
$161M | Completed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
At 30/100, Coconino County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 996 counties we track. Median income of $67,266 combined with job growth of +3.4% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Coconino County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $379,400 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.18 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,353/month on average.
Employers in Coconino County are hiring — job growth of +3.4% — but the population is close to flat (-0.2% YoY). Home values moved +0.4% over the past year. Labor demand is outpacing local population growth, which tends to tighten wages and housing.
In significant numbers — 6.68% of Coconino County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.