Most rural counties in Arizona
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. compiled a list of the most rural counties in Arizona using data from the . Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2020 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
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#15. Maricopa County
- Rural area: 87.0% (8,005 square miles)
- Urban area: 13.0% (1,196 square miles)
- Total land area: 9,200 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #28 nationwide
- Population density: 479.6 people / square mile (4.4 million residents)
--- #15 lowest density county in state, #2,870 nationwide
#14. Pima County
- Rural area: 95.7% (8,791 square miles)
- Urban area: 4.3% (396 square miles)
- Total land area: 9,187 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #29 nationwide
- Population density: 113.0 people / square mile (1.0 million residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #2,341 nationwide
#13. Pinal County
- Rural area: 97.8% (5,246 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.2% (120 square miles)
- Total land area: 5,366 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #70 nationwide
- Population density: 83.4 people / square mile (447,559 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #2,127 nationwide
#12. Santa Cruz County
- Rural area: 97.8% (1,210 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.2% (27 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,237 square miles
--- #15 largest county in state, #494 nationwide
- Population density: 37.7 people / square mile (46,594 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #1,413 nationwide
#11. Yuma County
- Rural area: 98.8% (5,445 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.3% (69 square miles)
- Total land area: 5,514 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #66 nationwide
- Population density: 38.4 people / square mile (211,931 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #1,437 nationwide
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#10. Yavapai County
- Rural area: 98.9% (8,031 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.1% (92 square miles)
- Total land area: 8,123 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #35 nationwide
- Population density: 28.6 people / square mile (232,396 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #1,173 nationwide
#9. Cochise County
- Rural area: 99.3% (6,122 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.7% (43 square miles)
- Total land area: 6,166 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #57 nationwide
- Population density: 20.5 people / square mile (126,442 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #909 nationwide
#8. Mohave County
- Rural area: 99.3% (13,218 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.7% (93 square miles)
- Total land area: 13,311 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #17 nationwide
- Population density: 15.9 people / square mile (210,998 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #763 nationwide
#7. Navajo County
- Rural area: 99.6% (9,907 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (43 square miles)
- Total land area: 9,950 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #24 nationwide
- Population density: 11.1 people / square mile (110,271 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #609 nationwide
#6. Gila County
- Rural area: 99.6% (4,738 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (19 square miles)
- Total land area: 4,758 square miles
--- #11 largest county in state, #89 nationwide
- Population density: 11.3 people / square mile (53,846 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #614 nationwide
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#5. Graham County
- Rural area: 99.7% (4,609 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (14 square miles)
- Total land area: 4,623 square miles
--- #12 largest county in state, #93 nationwide
- Population density: 8.3 people / square mile (38,304 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #505 nationwide
#4. Coconino County
- Rural area: 99.7% (18,571 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (47 square miles)
- Total land area: 18,619 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #11 nationwide
- Population density: 7.6 people / square mile (142,254 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #478 nationwide
#3. Greenlee County
- Rural area: 99.8% (1,840 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,843 square miles
--- #14 largest county in state, #318 nationwide
- Population density: 5.1 people / square mile (9,465 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #374 nationwide
#2. Apache County
- Rural area: 99.9% (11,180 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (17 square miles)
- Total land area: 11,198 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #19 nationwide
- Population density: 6.4 people / square mile (71,714 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #431 nationwide
#1. La Paz County
- Rural area: 99.9% (4,494 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (6 square miles)
- Total land area: 4,500 square miles
--- #13 largest county in state, #100 nationwide
- Population density: 4.7 people / square mile (21,035 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #357 nationwide
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