Internal Migration – Arizona
Arizona is ranked as one of the states whose population is growing fast nationally. Over the past five years, the state’s population grew by over a quarter million. Much of this growth is concentrated within Phoenix. The growth comes in the backdrop of a 2020 census, which shows that Phoenix is experiencing strong economic growth. A report from the 2020 data shows that between 2010 and 2020, the state’s population increased by 163,000 people, becoming the first growing city in the US. These statistics show a trend where more people are migrating from other states to leverage opportunities arising from the expansion of Phoenix City.
Domestic migration is the number one contributing factor to Arizona’s population growth. The state became the third largest recipient of people migrating domestically after Florida and Texas (Rex, 2016). The latest figures show that about 93,000 people migrated to the state from other domestic destinations. These figures show that the state is experiencing a net population gain.
Many of the people moving into Arizona originally come from California. The state of California accounted for 22.6% of the total number of people who moved to Arizona from other states. Exhibits also show that many migrants to Arizona came from the West and Midwest states (Greiner, 2018). The states of the South region also sent a good number of migrants to Arizona. However, the Northeast region represents the lowest number of migrants who moved to Arizona within the five-year period (2015-2019). Specifically, migrants from Vermont and the District of Columbia constituted the least number of people moving into Arizona from other states within the US.
The factors contributing to the movement to Arizona include home closure crises. African American households lost their homes to subprime loans, hence deciding to move to Arizona to take advantage of the state’s relatively affordable homes (Greiner, 2018). Also, Arizona is home to some of the US’s largest ranches. These ranches have been sold to parties interested in residential development. Arizona tends to favor low-income residents over other states with opportunities similar to those in Arizona.
The increasing immigration to Arizona has serious environmental and economic impacts. As more people settle in the state, more buildings are coming up. Most of these buildings use cement and asphalt materials, which take longer to cool off (Greiner, 2018). People have to rely on air conditioning since trees are on the decline. Since air conditioning runs longer, residents will spend more on energy costs. On the other hand, the influx of people into Arizona continues to trigger inflation. Although the state’s current inflation rate tallies with the national average, the in-migration is causing home prices to rise.
I have lived in Arizona since the place is good, and I have no reason to migrate out of the state. Arizona is known for its affordable cost of living and affordable housing. Besides, Arizona has more job opportunities than other US states. With a job growth rate that is double the national figure, I do not see a reason why I would migrate from Arizona. In addition, the sunny climate in Arizona has kept me there. Also, since the state is sunnier than other states characterized by long winters, I do not see myself moving out of the state soon.
References
Greiner, A. L. (2018). Visualizing Human Geography: At Home In A Diverse World. Wiley.
Rex, T. (2016). MIGRATION TO AND FROM ARIZONA: A Report from the Office of the University Economist. https://ccpr.wpcarey.asu.edu/sites/default/files/migration05-16.pdf.
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Question 
Internal Migration – Arizona
We discussed in the unit lesson that most migration is internal, and there are three main reasons why people move internally in their country: age, employment, and a location’s physical environment. Write a two-page essay about the impact of internal migration on your state or a state where you previously resided.
- How has the population changed in your state over the past 5 years?
- Is your state gaining or losing residents?
- Where are the residents mainly coming from or going to?
- What are the push-pull factors accounting for the population changes?
- What economic and environmental impacts are the population changes having in your state?
- Conclude the essay with a section discussing your own internal migration story. Have you moved within or between states? What were the push and pull factors relating to your move or moves? If you have not moved, please list some factors that have kept you from moving.
Note: If you reside outside the United States, you can either discuss any U.S. state where you previously lived or discuss your current location