Yuma County growth continues, San Luis and Wellton gain residents

Growth in Yuma County is showing up town by town, not just on a spreadsheet. Yuma climbed to 105,227 residents, San Luis was among the Arizona places growing by more than 5%, and Wellton stayed on the upswing while Somerton moved the least, signaling where demand for housing, roads, schools and retail space is likely to tighten next.

Arizona’s Office of Economic Opportunity says its population estimates are the state’s official source, and the agency publishes July 1 estimates for the state, counties and incorporated places by Dec. 15 each year. Its 2025 overview said Arizona added more than 97,000 residents, a gain of 1.3%, with growth spread across most counties, cities and towns.

The countywide numbers help explain the pressure ahead. Yuma County’s population rose from 203,881 in the 2020 Census to 224,449 in the July 1, 2025 estimate, a jump that came alongside a county that is 66.1% Hispanic or Latino. Census Bureau QuickFacts also show a median gross rent of $993, a median owner-occupied home value of $217,800 and a 17.0% uninsured rate for people under 65, all signs that growth will hit household budgets and public services quickly.

The city-by-city picture shows where the winners and laggards are lining up. Yuma grew from 103,559 to 105,227 between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, adding 1,668 people. San Luis remained one of the state’s faster growers, and earlier Census estimates had already shown strong momentum in Wellton, Yuma and Somerton. In the 2023-to-2024 comparison, Yuma grew 1.9%, San Luis 4.0%, Wellton 1.8% and Somerton 0.9%, a pattern that points to steady pressure along the county’s southern communities.

For business investment, that map favors San Luis and Yuma first, with Wellton still drawing attention as a smaller town with room to absorb more households. For public agencies, it means the next round of strain is likely to show up in classrooms, roadway wear, water demand and the search for attainable rentals before it ever shows up in a headline.