Measuring Progress, Inspiring Action

The MAP Dashboard project was created to measurably improve Southern Arizona through data driven collective civic action and education. This website provides users with indicators on our region’s progress, as well as access to the latest information and research. MAP fills a gap by providing a common collection of information upon which to evaluate our community and collaborate to address our shared issues.

Use This Site

For each indicator, users can learn how Southern Arizona is doing, how it compares, and what the latest trends tell us about our progress. Users can compare Southern Arizona to the U.S., states in the West, and select metropolitan areas. With this information, Southern Arizonans can decide priorities, shape and pursue effective policies, and seek external funding opportunities. They can also use the data to drive business and organizational decisions, as well as to build collaboration and cross-sector partnerships capable of taking action throughout our region. 

Find Important Indicators

Users will find data and analysis for 36 socio-economic indicators grouped into six categories.

  • Economy
    • Business Growth
    • Employment Growth by Industry
    • GDP by Industry
    • Housing Affordability
    • Median Household Income
    • Patents
  • Education
    • College Major
    • Educational Attainment
    • High School Graduation Rates
    • PreK-12 Enrollment
    • Student Achievement
    • Teacher Wages
  • Health and Social Well-Being
    • Behavioral Health
    • Health Insurance Coverage
    • Housing Cost Burden
    • Physical Well-Being
    • Poverty Rate
    • Teen Birth Rate
  • Infrastructure
    • Air Travel
    • Bicycling Capacity
    • Energy Use
    • Internet Access
    • Residential Water Use
    • Transportation to Work
  • Quality of Place
    • Air Quality
    • Cost of Living
    • Creative Occupations
    • Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
    • Public Safety
    • Voter Turn-Out
  • Workforce and Demographics
    • Employment Share by Industry
    • Labor Force Participation Rate
    • Occupational Wages
    • Population Profile
    • Wage Distribution
    • Working Age College Graduates

Each category page includes an easy-to-understand scorecard summarizing current performance for six key indicators. For each indicator, the site includes a Summary page, with charts and explanations, as well as a detailed Comparison and Maps page.

Compare to Other Regions

For most indicators, the site contains data for Southern Arizona, Arizona, the U.S., all Arizona counties, as well as data for comparable metropolitan areas and states in the West. Additionally, data for the 25 largest cities in Southern Arizona will be available for select indicators. Thus, users can generally find data for the following geographies:

  • Tucson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
  • Arizona
  • United States
  • Arizona Counties: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai, and Yuma
  • Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs): Albuquerque, Austin, Colorado Springs, Denver, El Paso, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, and San Diego.
  • Western States: California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington
  • Southern Arizona Cities: Ajo, Benson, Bisbee, Casa Grande, Clifton, Coolidge, Douglas, Eloy, Florence, Green Valley, Marana, Maricopa, Morenci, Nogales, Oro Valley, Safford, Sahuarita, San Luis, Sierra Vista, Somerton, South Tucson, Thatcher, Tucson, Willcox, and Yuma.

Selection of Indicators

A series of community meetings were held to determine which indicators were of interest to our stakeholders. The Economic and Business Research Center used their judgment, along with the set of general criteria listed below, to select the 36 indicators.  All indicators included were approved by MAP’s board of advisors. 

  • Data is available for a reliable source
  • Data is available for multiple years
  • Data is updated regularly
  • Data will most likely continue to be available in future years
  • Data is available for all/most of the comparable geographic regions
  • Indicator can be influenced by our stakeholders
  • Indicator is clearly understood and interpreted

Selection of Comparison Regions

Community input from our non-profit, government, and business stakeholders was gathered at a series of community meetings to identify which comparison regions should be included on MAP. The selection of comparable geographies falls in-line with the regions of the western United States that Southern Arizona is commonly compared to by similar organizations.

Partners

The MAP Dashboard is sponsored by the local community. It is the product of a partnership between the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, Pima Association of Governments, the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, and the University of Arizona. The Economic and Business Research Center maintains, updates, and administers the MAP Dashboard website. See the Partners page for more information.

Contact

For further information, please contact the MAP program coordinator at jpullen@eller.arizona.edu.