Coconino County, Arizona is located in the northern part of the state and is the second largest county in Arizona. It covers an area of 18,661 square miles and is home to a population of over 134,000 people. The county seat is Flagstaff, while other important towns include Williams, Grand Canyon Village and Page.
Geographically, Coconino County is divided into three distinct regions: the Colorado Plateau, the Mogollon Rim and the Basin and Range Province. The Colorado Plateau covers most of the county’s northern region and includes Grand Canyon National Park as well as some smaller canyons. In contrast to its desert-like surroundings, this region has lush vegetation due to its high elevation. The Mogollon Rim lies along a portion of Coconino County’s eastern border and features heavily wooded mountains and deep canyons that are popular with hikers. Finally, the Basin and Range Province covers most of Coconino County’s southern region and includes vast areas of desert land as well as some low-lying mountain ranges such as San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff.
The climate in Coconino County varies greatly from one area to another due to its diverse geography. The higher elevations generally experience cooler temperatures than lower elevations while precipitation levels vary significantly throughout the county depending on location. In general, Flagstaff receives an average of 19 inches of rain annually while parts of Grand Canyon National Park can receive over 40 inches per year. Meanwhile, temperatures range from lows near 0°F in winter months to highs above 90°F during summer months across much of Coconino County.
As for population demographics, Native Americans make up roughly 13% of Coconino County’s population while Whites comprise nearly 70%. Hispanics account for another 11%, making them the second largest racial/ethnic group in Coconino County after Whites. Additionally, there are small but significant numbers of African Americans (1%), Asians (2%) and Pacific Islanders (1%) living within county limits as well. Finally, nearly 10% percent of residents identify as two or more races or ethnicities combined making it one of the most racially diverse counties in Arizona overall.
Economy of Coconino County, Arizona
Coconino County, Arizona is home to a diverse and thriving economy that offers a variety of employment opportunities. The county’s main economic sectors include tourism, construction, retail, education, health care and government services. Together, these industries account for approximately 75% of the county’s total employment.
The tourism industry is one of the largest contributors to the economy in Coconino County. Tourists are drawn to the area’s stunning natural beauty and cultural attractions such as Grand Canyon National Park and Flagstaff’s historic downtown district. In 2018 alone, more than 6 million visitors spent an estimated $1 billion in Coconino County while visiting from all over the world. Furthermore, hotels and restaurants in the area employ thousands of people each year providing jobs for local residents as well as seasonal workers from other parts of the country.
Construction is another major industry in Coconino County that has grown significantly over recent years due to an increase in investment from both public and private sources. The building boom has been most pronounced in Flagstaff where new housing developments have sprung up along with businesses such as retail stores and restaurants creating jobs for many tradespeople including plumbers, electricians and carpenters. Additionally, numerous public works projects have been completed or are currently underway throughout the county including road improvements, parks upgrades and water system expansions which have provided even more employment opportunities for local contractors.
Retail is another important part of Coconino County’s economy providing a variety of jobs ranging from sales associates to managers at stores such as Walmart and Target which are located throughout the county. Additionally, Flagstaff Mall houses over 60 stores while other large retailers like Best Buy are located nearby offering even more job opportunities for area residents.
Education also plays an important role in Coconino County’s economy with Northern Arizona University being one of its largest employers with close to 11 thousand workers on staff annually. Other educational institutions such as community colleges also provide employment opportunities for teachers as well as administrative support staff while numerous private schools offer teaching positions within their own districts too.
Health care is yet another large sector within Coconino County employing thousands of people each year at its various hospitals, medical centers and clinics located throughout the county including Flagstaff Medical Center which is one of its largest employers with close to three thousand employees on staff annually. In addition to doctors and nurses who provide medical care directly there are also numerous support staff including receptionists, technicians and administrative personnel who keep these facilities running smoothly day-in-and-day-out too.
Libraries in Coconino County, Arizona
According to babyinger, Coconino County, Arizona is home to a wide array of libraries that provide access to books, magazines, newspapers, audiovisual materials and other resources for county residents. The Coconino County Public Library system consists of 13 branches located throughout the county including one main library in Flagstaff and 12 branch libraries scattered throughout the rural areas. Each library offers a variety of services such as reference assistance, computer use, book clubs and children’s programs.
The Flagstaff Public Library is the largest and most comprehensive library in the Coconino County system with over 200,000 volumes available for loan. It also houses a large collection of DVDs and audiobooks as well as digital materials such as e-books and streaming media. Other services include public computers with internet access, Wi-Fi hotspots, 3D printing capabilities and an extensive genealogy collection. Additionally, the library hosts a variety of events for adults including book discussions and lectures while providing numerous educational programs for children such as story times and after school activities.
In addition to the main library in Flagstaff there are 12 branch libraries located throughout Coconino County offering many of the same services but on a smaller scale. These include Page Public Library in Page; Williams Public Library in Williams; Sedona Public Library in Sedona; Grand Canyon Branch Library at Grand Canyon Village; Tuba City Branch Library in Tuba City; Fredonia Branch Library in Fredonia; Cameron Branch Library near Cameron; Lake Valley Branch Library near Lake Valley; Valle Bracchi Branch Library near Valle Bracchi; Winslow Public Library in Winslow; Moenkopi Legacy Inn & Suites Community Center near Moenkopi Village; and Chinle Community Center near Chinle. Each branch library offers its own unique selection of materials tailored to meet the needs of local patrons while also providing access to the larger collections available at Flagstaff’s main library through interlibrary loan services.
In addition to its 13 public libraries Coconino County is also home to several academic libraries belonging to Northern Arizona University (NAU) which have collections focused on science, engineering, social sciences and humanities topics relevant to students enrolled at NAU. These include Cline Library located on NAU’s Flagstaff campus which houses over 1 million volumes plus numerous special collections related to Arizona history and Native American studies among other topics as well as The Armerding Research Center which provides access to rare books dating back centuries along with archival materials related to NAU’s history.
Landmarks in Coconino County, Arizona
Coconino County, Arizona is home to many stunning natural and man-made landmarks. Located in the northern part of the state, Coconino County is home to the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon stretches over 277 miles and is up to 18 miles wide in some places. It was carved out by the Colorado River over millions of years and offers breathtaking views from its many overlooks. The Grand Canyon National Park also features several other attractions including Havasu Falls, Bright Angel Trail, and Desert View Watchtower. See EHOTELAT for hotels in Arizona.
The Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is another popular landmark in Coconino County. Located just north of Flagstaff, this volcano erupted about 900 years ago creating a landscape full of lava flows and cinder cones. Visitors can explore the area on several trails or take a guided tour with a park ranger to learn more about this fascinating natural wonder.
Wupatki National Monument is also located in Coconino County and features ruins from an ancient Native American culture called Sinagua that occupied this area from 500-1400 AD. This site includes several pueblo ruins such as Wupatki Pueblo which is believed to have been built around 1150 AD. Visitors can explore these ruins as well as nearby Lomaki Ruins which are believed to have been constructed by Sinagua people around 1100 AD.
Coconino County also has many man-made landmarks including historic buildings, monuments, parks, and museums. Flagstaff’s Riordan Mansion State Historic Park showcases a beautiful two-story Arts and Crafts style mansion built in 1904 for Michael Riordan who made his fortune in timber operations near Flagstaff during the late 19th century. The city also contains historic Route 66 which was once a major highway connecting Chicago with Los Angeles that passed through Flagstaff between 1926-1984 before it was replaced by Interstate 40 today.
Montezuma Castle National Monument is another popular attraction located near Camp Verde that showcases some of Arizona’s best-preserved cliff dwellings dating back to around 1250 AD when they were occupied by Sinagua people who lived there until about 1400 AD when they mysteriously disappeared from this region without a trace leaving behind their impressive cliff dwellings for visitors today to explore and marvel at their architectural achievements so many centuries ago.
These are just some of the amazing landmarks that can be found throughout Coconino County making it an ideal destination for those looking for adventure or those simply looking to immerse themselves in Arizona’s rich history.