The determination of the number of businesses operating in Arizona is not a straightforward proposition due to data deficiencies and definitional issues. The best data — from the U.S. Census Bureau — are more than two years old. The Census Bureau data are divided into two series: businesses with employees and nonemployer businesses. Each series is based on administrative records. While neither series is affected by sampling error, both are subject to nonsampling error. Certain industries are excluded from each series.

This report profiles Yavapai County’s senior industries, beginning with a brief overview of senior industries components and a listing of significant findings of the study. In following sections, the report presents more detailed information on the age group characteristics of county residents, the spending patterns of seniors, the economic composition and relative size of senior industries, and the dynamics and requirements for growth of senior industries. In its conclusion, the report presents a menu of options for strengthening senior industries in Yavapai County. All analysis is based on the latest available demographic and economic data at the time of writing, as well as primary and secondary research performed by Morrison Institute for Public Policy in the fall of 2001.