Graham County, formed in 1881 by the 11th Territorial Legislature, was created from parts of Apache and Pima counties. The Legislature broke with the tradition of naming Arizona counties after local Indian tribes when the new county called "Graham" was named after the 10,516-foot Mount Graham, the highest peak in the area. The mountain, in turn, had been named "Graham" after Lt. Col. James Duncan Graham, a senior officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers.

Graham County was inhabited by Apache Indians from prehistoric times up to the present day. Indian village sites and sacred sites abound in Graham County, rich in archaeological artifacts. There were no Spanish or Mexican settlements in Graham County until about 1850. Camp Goodwin was established in 1866, but abandoned when the troops moved to establish Fort Apache in 1871.

In the 1870s, farming communities began to appear along the Gila River, which traverses the county from east to west. Munsonville, now San Jose, was established in 1873; Safford followed in 1874; Solomonville in 1876; Smithville, now known as Pima, in 1879. In the next decade, Thatcher, Eden, Central, and Bryce were settled – all within a few miles of each other. This was, and is today, a rich agricultural area.

Safford was the first county seat, but it was moved to Solomonville after two years. In 1915, after an election, the county seat was returned to Safford where it remains.

Graham County was almost twice its present size prior to the formation of Greenlee County. The county now measures 4,630 square miles, of which 22 square miles are water. The San Carlos Indian Reservation covers approximately one-third of the land, with San Carlos Lake a popular site for its excellent fishing and camping. Recreation and tourism follow farming and ranching as the principal industries in Graham County.

Individual or corporate ownership accounts for 10 percent of land ownership; the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, 38 percent; the state of Arizona, 18 percent; Indian reservations, 36 percent.

Population

  2000 2010 2023
Arizona 5,130,632 6,401,569 7,285,370
Graham County 33,489 37,299 39,025
Incorporated Cities & Towns
   Safford 9,232 9,580 10,324
   Thatcher 4,022 4,872 5,332
   Pima 1,989 2,390 2,921

Office of Economic Opportunity

Age Distribution

0-14 23.2%
15-24 15.5%
25-44 27.4%
45-64 21.5%
65+ 12.3%

American Community Survey

Distance to Major Cities (from Safford)

Phoenix 164 miles
Tucson 130 miles
Los Angeles 537 miles
San Diego 535 miles
Las Vegas 458 miles

Labor Force

  Labor Force Unemployment Rate
Arizona 3,312,720 4.9%
Graham County 15,695 4.1%
Incorporated Cities & Towns
   Safford 5,280 2.7%
   Thatcher 2,213 3.6%
   Pima 1,178 3.3%

Office of Economic Opportunity

Employment by Sector (in thousands)

Education, health care & social assistance 3.1 22.9%
Retail trade 1.7 12.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining 1.6 11.8%
Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services 1.5 11.4%
Construction 1.3 9.6%
Public administration 1.0 7.2%
Professional, scientific, & administrative services 0.6 4.7%
Finance, insurance & real estate 0.6 4.6%
Other services, except public administration 0.6 4.2%
Transportation, warehousing, & utilities 0.6 4.1%
Manufacturing 0.5 3.6%
Wholesale trade 0.2 1.8%
Information 0.1 1.1%

American Community Survey

Property Tax

  Schools City/Fire County Total
Pima 6.21 0.15 6.20 12.56
Safford 4.66 0.53 6.20 11.39
Thatcher 7.37 0.00 6.20 13.57

Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Association

SALES TAX / TRANSACTION PRIVILEGE TAX

  City County State Total
Pima 2.00% 1.00% 5.60% 8.60%
Safford 2.50% 1.00% 5.60% 9.10%
Thatcher 2.50% 1.00% 5.60% 9.10%

Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Association

CONTACT INFORMATION

Arizona Commerce Authority
Phone: 602-845-1200
Website: www.azcommerce.com
Local First Arizona
Phone: 602-956-0909
Website: www.localfirstaz.com
Town of Pima
Phone: 928-485-2611
Website: www.pimatown.az.gov
Graham County Chamber of Commerce
Website: www.graham-chamber.com
City of Safford
Phone: 928-432-4010
Website: www.cityofsafford.us
Town of Thatcher
Phone: 928-428-2290
Website: www.thatcher.az.gov