Arizona Land Rush Is Heating Up

Americans are on the move. And they’re coming to Arizona.

The Phoenix metro area is growing faster than almost every comparable city in the U.S. Traditional large urban areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, D.C., and even Manhattan are seeing residents flee for sunnier climates in record numbers. (U.S. Census data). 

Corporations are close behind as they escape overly regulated municipalities and hunt for raw land and skilled workers.

Their loss is Arizona’s gain. 

A combination of retiring baby boomers and younger people searching for affordable housing is making the desert bloom with new towns, businesses, and opportunities to harness the growth.

Buckeye, AZ. A Case Study in Growth

As stunning as the growth is in Arizona overall, one burgeoning city takes the prize. Buckeye, Arizona. 

Once a sleepy Phoenix suburb of 6,000 people in the year 2000, Buckeye has exploded to almost 90,000 citizens in 2020. Projections place the population in 2040 to be an eye-popping 300,000 residents (City of Buckeye Government Data).

Buckeye is the fastest-growing city in America. With no signs of letting up.

With its well-educated (65% college degrees), and young population (median age of 33), businesses are taking note and moving where the workers are. Buckeye is buzzing with energy and capital, from planned communities to retail to high-tech.

7 New Projects in Buckeye

Here are just seven examples of what’s in the works.

1. Homes

Douglas Ranch is a master-planned community on 37,000 acres. The 100,000 high-end homes are set to house 300,000 residents. Fifty-five million square feet of commercial space are slated for development. 

2. Retail

To meet shopping demand, the developers of the Verrado planned community are breaking ground on the Verrado Marketplace. 500,000 sf of grocery, home décor, and department stores along with theaters and restaurants

3. Solar Energy

NextEra Energy’s “Sonoran Solar Project” will harness Arizona’s most significant resource on 3,000 acres in Buckeye. It will create 260 megawatts of clean energy and bring in millions in tax revenue.

4. Battery Manufacturing

KOREPower, a leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer, is breaking ground on a 2 million S.F. facility on 214 acres. The project will create 1,700 advanced manufacturing jobs during phase one, another 1,300 jobs in phase two, plus nearly 3,400 construction jobs in the interim.

5. Distribution Facilities

Funko, a well-known toy company with Hollywood studios, Disney, and Hasbro, is setting up warehouses and a distribution center in the south of town, citing a “strong talent pool.”

6. Beverages

In nearby Glendale, Nestle USA is building a sustainable production facility. The $675 million investment is expected to bring in 350 jobs, including professional staff, manufacturing and production leaders, technical staff, engineers, and more.

7. Chip Manufacturing

The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest manufacturer of semiconductors, is set to invest $12 billion in a 3.8 million-square-foot complex in Phoenix. And did you know that a fabrication plant three times larger than that is being discussed? Over the next 10-15 years, $25 in construction may be realized.

Nothing But Potential

Buckeye stands at the crossroads, literally, of multiple freeways. It is situated in a foreign trade zone. It’s gobbling up Californians desperate for a friendly business climate and affordable housing. It has shovel-ready, raw land zoned for development.

The future is bright in Buckeye, Arizona.

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