Pinal Housing Growth Leads Arizona
VIA PINALCENTRAL.COM| October 24th, 2024
CASA GRANDE — Pinal County leads the state in growth rate for single-family building permits issued in 2024, just ahead of the city of Phoenix but more than double that of rural Maricopa County, according to a new study and data from Pinal County Community Development.
According to the new study by SmartAsset, an organization that studies and compiles data for financial advisers, Pinal County ranks first in new building permit rate with 38.3 per 1,000 homes in 2024. Maricopa County came in second, by a wide gap, with 19.5 permits per 1,000 homes. Coconino County came in third with just under 16 per 1,000 homes.
According to data shared with PinalCentral by Brent Billingsley, the director of Pinal County Community Development, the county has been in the top two statewide for the last two years even when comparing single-family permits issued by different jurisdictions like cities and towns, along with counties. Currently, Pinal County leads the state at 3,488, Maricopa County stands at 1,549. The areas of San Tan Valley and Queen Creek have seen the highest number of issued permits in the county.
In 2024 so far, Pinal County has seen a 52% increase year over year from 2023 in single-family permits issued. Pinal already has issued more total single-family permits this year than in 2023, with 3,488 just from January through September. In 2023, the total was 2,299, which was second to the city of Phoenix at 3,069.
The growth the county has seen has been spread widely, as Billingsley highlighted primary areas of growth: San Tan Valley, Gold Canyon, Saddlebrooke, Casa Grande area, Coolidge area, Florence area and Maricopa area. The numbers are rural Pinal County numbers, not including permits issued by individual cities:
Pinal County: 3,488
Queen Creek: 1,212
Apache Junction: 820
Maricopa: 766
Casa Grande: 437
Florence: 253
Coolidge: 202
According to the same SmartAsset metrics in 2019, Pinal County led the state with just under 21 permits issued for every 1,000 homes. Yavapai County was second with 17, and Maricopa County was third with just under 15. Though Pinal led the state at that time, it continues to lead the state now in 2024, but at a much higher rate.
Though Pinal County currently leads the state at 3,488, cities in Maricopa County have high permitting numbers. Thus far in 2024, the city of Phoenix has issued 3,111, city of Surprise has 2,368 and town of Buckeye has 1,799.
Billingsley added that along with single- family permits, all types of permits are up on a year over year basis. Pinal County has also seen eight Major Comprehensive Plan Amendments, which is an all-time high. These amendments are “substantial alterations of land use mixture or balance,” as defined by Arizona state statute. These changes include a long process. Public hearings are held by the Board of Supervisors and Planning and Zoning Commission to solicit public feedback before the change is made.
Since 2012 when Pinal county board expanded to 5 Supervisors 4 of which were Republicans, the goals have been to bring in business to decrease the tax burden on homeowners. The growth has enabled the Board to reduce property taxes 4 out of the past 5 years. (Currently, all 5 Supervisors are Republicans.)
On the ballot is proposition 486 which maintains the current sales tax rate which funds road building and maintenance and is needed to continue the growth mode.