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Young Talent

Arizona’s long-term success depends on the contributions of all our young people.

What success looks like:

Arizona is “the place to be” for the next generation of doers, makers, thinkers, and innovators to advance their lives and communities.

 

Young Talent Report Cover

DOWNLOAD REPORT (PDF)

The following 13 issues have been identified through a rigorous process involving input from thousands of young Arizonans. CFA will continue to identify the best and most accurate data possible to track progress on the issues that matter most to young people across the state.

  1. Elected leaders who are focused on the future and whose decisions match the goals & values of Arizonans
  2. Representation of Diverse Voices
  3. Quality of K-12 Education
  4. Cost of Living
  5. Cost of Housing
  6. Quality of Higher Education
  1. Access to Healthcare
  2. Access to Mental Health Services
  3. Access to Healthcare Insurance
  4. Sustainable Water Supplies
  5. Planning that Balances Natural Resources with Economic Growth
  6. Workplace Culture
  7. Work Benefits

 

Representation of Diverse Voices

Mayors
35.0%
Arizona
50.3%
0
50
100

Arizona Female Distribution of Mayors

Arizona Gender Distribution of Mayors vs State Population (Female)
CFA Survey of City Websites.(Mayors) / US Census Bureau. 1-year Estimate. (State Population) (2020/2019)
Legislators
7%
Arizona
31%
0
50
100

Arizona Millennial Distribution of Legislators

Arizona Generation Distribution of Legislators vs State Population (Millennial Generation)
National Conference of State Legislatures.(Legislators) / Kaiser Family Foundation. (State Population) (2015)
Legislatures
29%
Arizona
46%
0
50
100

Arizona Minority Distribution of Legislatures

Arizona Minority Distribution of Legislators vs State Population (All Minorities)
National Conference of State Legislatures.(Legislators) / US Census Bureau. (State Population) (2015/2019)

 

Quality of K-12 Education
Goal
45%
21% 

Quality Early Learning

Percent of Arizona 3- and 4-year Old Children that are in Quality Early Learning Settings
Quality Early Learning
First Things First, Arizona Department of Education, Arizona Department of Economic Security, U.S. Census Bureau, 2017-18 (2021)
Goal
72%
41% 

Third Grade Reading

Third Grade Reading AASA passing rate percentage; students scoring as proficient or highly proficient
Third Grade Reading
Arizona Department of Education, AZMERIT, AZM2 and AASA results. Year is end year of school year (ex. 2019 = 2018-2019 school year) Blank indicates 10 or fewer students tested or passed. (2022)
Goal
69%
27% 

Eighth Grade Math

ALL SECTIONS OF MATH; AASA passing rate percentage; students scoring as proficient or highly proficient
Eighth Grade Math
Arizona Department of Education, AZMERIT, AZM2 and AASA results. Year is end year of school year (ex. 2019 = 2018-2019 school year) Blank indicates 10 or fewer students tested or passed. (2022)
Goal
90%
76% 

High School Graduation Rate

Percentage of Students Graduating from High School in 4 years.
4-year High School Graduation Rate
Arizona Board of Regents (2021)
Goal
7%
 12%

Opportunity Youth

Percent of Persons Age 16-24 Neither Working Nor in School
Opportunity Youth
U.S. Census Bureau, 1-year Public Use Microdata Series Person File for Arizona. (2021)
Goal
70%
47% 

Post-High School Enrollment

Percentage of High School Graduates Enrolling in College the Semester Following Graduation
Post-High School Enrollment
Arizona Board of Regents and National Center for Education Statistics (2021)
Goal
60%
48% 

Post-Secondary Attainment

Percent of Persons Age 25-64 with an Associate's Degree or Better, or Professional Certification
Attainment
U.S. Census Bureau, 1-year Public Use Microdata Series person file for Arizona, Current Population Survey. (2021)
Arizona
50th
Trend

Teacher Pay

Teacher Pay and Comparable Professions Adjusted for Cost-of-Living
Teacher Pay
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. (2022)

 

Cost of Living

153.00
Phoenix-Mesa Scottsdale
287.50
West Urban

Consumer Price Index

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021)

 

Cost of Housing

29.2
Flagstaff
38.2
Flagstaff (Previous Year)

Flagstaff

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)
41.9
Lake Havasu City-Kingman
51.5
Lake Havasu City-Kingman (Previous Year)

Lake Havasu City-Kingman

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)
34.3
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
43.9
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (Previous Year)

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)
23.9
Prescott
40.5
Prescott (Previous Year)

Prescott

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)
64.6
Sierra Vista-Douglas
69.1
Sierra Vista-Douglas (Previous Year)

Sierra Vista-Douglas

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)
46.8
Tucson
66.0
Tucson (Previous Year)

Tucson

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)
63.6
Yuma
69.3
Yuma (Previous Year)

Yuma

Housing Opportunity Index
National Association of Home Builders. Index indicates percentage of homes sold that are considered affordable to the local median wage household. (January) (2023/2022)

 

Quality of Higher Education

Arizona
182

Arizona State University

Arizona University International Ranking
CWUR World University Rankings. International Rank. (2022)
Arizona
821

Northern Arizona University

Arizona University International Ranking
CWUR World University Rankings. International Rank. (2022)
Arizona
93

University of Arizona

Arizona University International Ranking
CWUR World University Rankings. International Rank. (2022)

 

Access to Healthcare

Arizona
28.8%
National
22.4%
0
50
100

Access to Primary Care Practitioners

Shows percentage of Arizonans who report having no primary care physician.
Percent of Arizonans Who Report No Primary Care Physician
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. Not all questions asked in a given year. Data sourced from either Arizona Department of Health Services or Centers for Disease Control depending on availability (2020)

 

Access to Mental Health Services

Arizona
8.5%
National
27.7%
0
50
100

Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas

Percent of Need Met of Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)
Kaiser Family Foundation (2022)
Arizona
55.9%
National
59.8%
0
50
100

Youth with Major Depressive Episode

Youth with a Major Depressive Episode who Did Not Receive Mental Health Services
Mental Health America (2023)

 

Access to Healthcare Insurance

Arizona
14.6%
National
10.7%
0
50
100

Health Insurance

Shows percentage of Arizonans who report not having health insurance.
Arizonans Who Report Not Having Insurance
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. Not all questions asked in a given year. Data sourced from either Arizona Department of Health Services or Centers for Disease Control depending on availability (2020)

 

Sustainable Water Supplies
85.8%

Population in Protected Water Areas

Measures the percentage of the state's population that lives within protected or somewhat protected water areas.
Relative Amount of Population Within Protected or Somewhat Protected Water Areas of Arizona
Arizona Department of Water Resources. This metric is the percentage of the state?s population or land that is within the boundaries of a geographic area that provides statutory regulation greater than the general statewide provisions of the Groundwater Code. Currently, the Protected Areas are the Active Management Areas and the Somewhat Protected Areas are the Irrigation Non-expansion Areas and the Mandatory Adequacy jurisdictions. (2019)
24.3%

Land in Protected Water Areas

Measures the percentage of the state's land area that is within protected or somewhat protected water areas.
Relative Amount Land Area Within Protected or Somewhat Protected Water Areas of Arizona
Arizona Department of Water Resources. This metric is the percentage of the state?s population or land that is within the boundaries of a geographic area that provides statutory regulation greater than the general statewide provisions of the Groundwater Code. Currently, the Protected Areas are the Active Management Areas and the Somewhat Protected Areas are the Irrigation Non-expansion Areas and the Mandatory Adequacy jurisdictions. (2019)

 

Planning that Balances Natural Resources with Economic Growth

35
General Plans With Conservation Element
35
All General Plans

Cities with Conservation Element

Number of Cities with 20,000 Residents or Higher with a Conservation Element in their General Plan
Survey of General Plans (2020)

 

Workplace Culture

Arizona
19th

Top 50 Large Company Cultures

Top 50 Company Cultures with a Presence in Arizona
Comparably Best Company Culture. Companies with a physical location in the state as determined by map search. (2019)
Arizona
30th

Top 50 Rated Workplaces

Top 50 Rated Workplaces with a Presence in Arizona
indeed.com Top 50 Rated Workplaces. Companies with a physical location in the state as determined by map search. (2019)
Arizona
17th

Top 25 Rated Millennial Workplaces

Top 25 Workplaces as Rated by Millennials with a Presence in Arizona
indeed.com Top 25 Rated Millennial Workplaces. Companies with a physical location in the state as determined by map search. (2018)

 

Work Benefits

13
US States with Sick Leave
50
US States

Mandatory Paid Sick Leave

Number of States including Arizona with Mandatory Paid Sick Leave
National Conference of State Legislatures (2020)

 

Elected leaders who are focused on the future and whose decisions match the goals & values of Arizonans

Although this metric was identified as important to young Arizonans, data is unavailable at this time.

 

Young Talent Partners

  • African American Leadership Institute
  • Arizona Commerce Authority
  • Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
  • Arizona State University Alumni Association
  • Arizona State University Public Service Academy
  • Arizona Western College
  • CFA Staff
  • CFA Young African American Leaders
  • East Valley Partnership
  • Flinn Brown Fellows
  • Flinn Foundation
  • Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Phoenix Economic Council
  • Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp.
  • Greater Yuma Future Farmers of America
  • Group 91 – Friends of Public Radio
  • Hispanic Leadership Institute
  • Hopi Education Fund
  • Leadership West
  • Leading for Change
  • Local First Arizona
  • Northern Arizona University Alumni Association
  • One Community
  • Phoenix Indian Center
  • Prescott College
  • Scientific Technologies Corporation
  • Southern Arizona Leadership Council
  • State Farm
  • Tucson Metro Education Commission: HS Seniors
  • Tucson Young Professionals
  • University of Arizona Alumni Association
  • Valley Leadership
  • Vista Grande High School: HS Seniors
  • WESTMARC
  • Young Professionals