Arizona Voters Want More Done to Develop Arizona’s Own Talent and Help People Build Their Futures Here

New statewide, nonpartisan public opinion research from Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) shows that Arizona voters across political affiliations and age groups want more done to develop the skills and talents of the state’s own students and workers.

The latest findings from the 2026 Arizona Voters’ Agenda reveal strong support for education and training opportunities that lead to good careers and expanding access to affordable childcare. The majority of voters also say it is difficult to improve their financial circumstances, citing wages that do not keep pace with living costs and high housing costs as the leading barriers to getting ahead. The findings point to broad agreement on the need for developing and retaining Arizona’s talent that includes both pathways to opportunity and the conditions that allow people to pursue them and build their lives here.

“Arizona’s future will be shaped by whether Arizonans are supported and equipped to develop their potential and see a future for themselves here,” said Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President & CEO of CFA. “These findings give us a fuller picture of what it is that Arizonans are looking for in building their lives here and what it will take for them to be successful. The more success Arizonans enjoy the better off we will be as a state. Our leaders need to embrace that and act on it.

Voters See Arizona’s Own Students and Workers as Central to Economic Success

Nine in ten voters (91%) agree that “Arizona’s long-term economic success depends on doing more to develop the skills and talents of its own students and workers, not just attracting skilled workers from other states.” Sixty-nine percent strongly agree. The agreement includes 90% of Republicans, 92% of independent and unaffiliated voters, and 93% of Democrats, and all age groups.

Voters overwhelmingly support specific actions to develop that talent. Across political affiliations and generations, they agree on:

• Increasing access to affordable, high-quality early learning for three- and four-year-olds
• Expanding career exploration before graduation, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning
• Increasing the number who pursue and complete education or training beyond high school
• Increasing state investment to help more students afford and attend Arizona’s public universities and community colleges
• Helping more adults gain job skills and credentials via community colleges and workforce training

Arizona has also long benefited from attracting skilled workers from elsewhere. The findings raise an important question about whether the state can continue to rely on that advantage to the same degree as housing and other living costs rise. Developing the people already here—and creating conditions that help workers and families remain—can strengthen Arizona’s talent base for the long term.

Affordability Affects Whether Arizonans Can Advance and Stay

The new research finds 58% of voters say it is very or somewhat difficult to improve their financial circumstances in Arizona, while 35% say it is very or somewhat easy.

When asked to identify up to two of the biggest barriers preventing more Arizonans from improving their financial circumstances, 57% say wages not keeping pace with the cost of living, and 54% say high housing costs. Other top barriers for voters include a lack of affordable childcare (14%), no available good-paying jobs (10%), and a lack of job training opportunities (8%).

These findings add to the broader picture of affordability emerging from the 2026 Arizona Voters’ Agenda. Eighty-two percent of voters say Arizona’s cost of living has worsened over the past two years, with housing identified as the leading source of financial strain.

Rising costs may also affect Arizona’s ability to retain talent – 43% of voters report that rising housing and other living costs have made them more likely to consider moving to another state, with higher shares among younger and middle-aged voters (69% ages 20-29, 49% ages 30-39, and 52% ages 40-49).

For Arizona’s workforce, affordability affects more than household budgets. It can shape whether people are able to pursue opportunities, remain in their communities, and contribute their skills to Arizona.

Access to Affordable Childcare Helps Make Work and Advancement Possible

Four in five voters (80%) agree with the statement, “Childcare is important to both families and Arizona's workforce. Our state and our economy would benefit significantly from expanding access to affordable childcare.” Sixty percent strongly agree. The agreement includes 62% of Republicans, 86% of independent and unaffiliated voters, and 98% of Democrats, along with majorities in every age group.

That view is consistent with CFA’s research over time. The Gallup Arizona Survey found that parents across income levels reported childcare costs and limited availability as barriers to returning to work or school. The 2024 Arizona Voters’ Agenda found broad support for increasing investment in childcare assistance for qualifying families, while the 2022 Arizona Voters’ Agenda found broad support for expanding access to affordable early learning for three- and four-year-olds.

For leaders considering how to develop and retain Arizona’s talent, the findings place childcare alongside education and affordability as part of the infrastructure that makes work, continued learning, and career advancement possible.

Acting on Voters’ Priorities Could Produce Major Economic Gains

CFA’s Unlocking Potential economic analysis, conducted by Rounds Consulting Group, examined several priorities identified through the 2024 Arizona Voters’ Agenda. It found that improving childcare access and affordability, housing affordability, and education beyond high school could each produce substantial economic returns. Across the issues analyzed, the potential benefits include billions of dollars in annual economic output, higher household earnings, greater workforce participation, more jobs, stronger businesses, and increased public revenues.

“Developing Arizona’s talent means paying attention to the full set of conditions that allow people to succeed,” Dr. Francis added. “Education and training open doors, but people also need to be able to afford a home, find childcare, and see a future for themselves here. Voters’ priorities can strengthen both individual opportunity and Arizona’s economy. Leaders now need to show how they will connect those priorities through action and deliver results. That is how we build The Arizona We Want.”

Questions for Candidates and Leaders on Talent and Opportunity

The findings raise important questions for candidates and leaders.

• What would you do to help Arizona develop and retain the talents of its own students and workers?
• How would you support efforts to bring education and employers together to expand pathways into good jobs and career advancement?
• How would you address housing and childcare as part of the infrastructure that makes work possible?
• What would you do about the living costs that make it harder for Arizonans to get ahead and build their futures here?

As Election Day approaches, CFA will continue sharing findings from the full 2026 Arizona Voters’ Agenda and questions for candidates and leaders. The goal is to keep voters’ priorities visible throughout the election and into governing, providing a foundation for assessing whether those priorities translate into action and results.

Explore the research and join the conversation. Find the 2026 Arizona Voters’ Agenda findings, methodology, and resources at ArizonaFuture.org/AVA.