Arizona experiences rapid population growth, but this trend doesn’t apply uniformly to all its cities. According to SafeWise, a platform specializing in security product reviews, the city of Hayden is Arizona’s fastest-shrinking urban center. Nestled in Gila County, approximately 100 miles east of Phoenix, Hayden has seen a decline of more than 40% in its population since 2000. This raises questions about the reasons behind Hayden’s decline and its impact on the residents.
How SafeWise Ranks the Swiftest Shrinking Cities
SafeWise compiles its list of the fastest shrinking cities by analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. This ranking assesses the percentage change in population from 2000 to 2019 and arranges cities from the lowest to the highest decline. It includes only cities with a population of at least 5,000 that report comprehensive crime data to the FBI.
The percentage change is computed by taking the difference between the population in 2000 and 2019, divided by the population in 2000, and then multiplied by 100. It excludes data related to births, deaths, or migration.
Why Hayden Holds the Title of Arizona’s Fastest-Shrinking City
Hayden is a small city with a population of approximately 600 people. Established in 1912, it evolved into a copper mining town during the early 20th century. It was home to several significant mining companies, including ASARCO, Kennecott, and Magma Copper, and produced notable figures such as former Arizona Governor Raul Castro and former U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini.
Nevertheless, Hayden encountered a slew of challenges, including environmental pollution, economic hardships, and societal deterioration, which contributed to its rapid population decline. According to SafeWise, Hayden’s population was 1,024 in 2000, but dwindled to 599 in 2019. This translates to a staggering 41.7% population decrease over 19 years, making it the city with the most significant decline in Arizona.
Some plausible factors behind Hayden’s population drop include:
- Declining Mining Activity and Employment: Hayden’s economy was heavily reliant on the mining industry, which was susceptible to market fluctuations, environmental regulations, and technological advancements. As mining became less profitable and more automated, many residents lost their jobs or relocated in search of better opportunities.
- Air Quality and Public Health Deterioration: The mining operations in Hayden emitted copious amounts of dust, smoke, and harmful chemicals, severely polluting the air and jeopardizing the health of its inhabitants. Hayden was reported to have some of the worst air quality in the state, surpassing federal standards for particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. These pollutants posed serious health risks, including respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and premature mortality.
- Lack of Social Services and Amenities: Hayden suffered from a dearth of essential social services and amenities that enhance residents’ quality of life and well-being. Comparatively, Hayden exhibited lower levels of education, income, health insurance coverage, and internet access than other Arizona cities. Additionally, the city lacked options for recreational activities, entertainment, shopping, and dining.
How Hayden Can Reinvigorate Its Population
Hayden is not condemned to remain Arizona’s fastest shrinking city indefinitely. There are steps that can be taken to rejuvenate its population and community:
- Diversification and Modernization of the Economy: By attracting new industries and businesses offering stable, well-paying jobs, Hayden can diversify and modernize its economy. This might involve sectors such as renewable energy, tourism, agriculture, or education.
- Improvement of Environment and Public Health: Hayden can enhance its environment and public health by decreasing its reliance on mining, implementing more stringent environmental standards and practices, and undertaking initiatives such as closing or rehabilitating old mines, installing air quality monitors and filters, and promoting green initiatives.
- Enhancement of Social Services and Amenities: Hayden can strengthen its social services and amenities by increasing investments in its education system, healthcare system, housing sector, and public transportation system. These enhancements can offer greater opportunities and benefits for all residents, especially those who are low-income or marginalized, and increase access to information, communication, and technology.
Conclusion
Hayden has secured the title of Arizona’s fastest shrinking city based on SafeWise’s analysis of Census data. This decline is primarily attributed to the city’s waning mining industry, deteriorating air quality and public health, and a dearth of essential social services and amenities. Nevertheless, Hayden has the potential to transform itself into a more vibrant and prosperous city in the future by diversifying its economy, improving its environment and public health, and enriching its social services and amenities.