In 2018, Arizona posted a patent rate of 8.6 patents per 10,000 workers. This ranked Arizona seventh among 10 western states and slightly behind the national rate. Arizona’s patent rate has declined for two straight years, but remains well above the level posted a decade ago. The Tucson Metropolitan Area posted a patent rate of 17.4 patents per 10,000 workers, nearly double the state and national rates, in 2015. Metropolitan patent data beyond 2015 are not currently available. The patent rate is an important measure of innovative activity and technological change for a region. An increasing rate over time, as seen in Tucson, indicates that individuals and firms are seeking to improve the efficiency of their productive capabilities. Patent rates can also serve as a measure of entrepreneurial activity and collaboration between an educated workforce and local industry.
In 2018, Arizona posted a patent rate of 8.6 patents per 10,000 workers. This ranked Arizona seventh among 10 western states and slightly behind the national rate. Arizona’s patent rate has declined for two straight years, but remains well above the level posted a decade ago. The Tucson Metropolitan Area posted a patent rate of 17.4 patents per 10,000 workers, nearly double the state and national rates, in 2015. Metropolitan patent data beyond 2015 are not currently available. The patent rate is an important measure of innovative activity and technological change for a region. An increasing rate over time, as seen in Tucson, indicates that individuals and firms are seeking to improve the efficiency of their productive capabilities. Patent rates can also serve as a measure of entrepreneurial activity and collaboration between an educated workforce and local industry.
