Today we are presenting the list of cities and towns from the 2019 salary analysis along with population figures from the 2017 U.S. Census. The Town analyzed 13 cities/towns in the 2019 study. (They analyzed 11 cities/towns in the 2013 study.)
City/Town/County ------ Population 2017
Cities shown in blue were included in both studies.
Apache Junction. . . . . . . . . . 40,500
Avondale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84,000
Chandler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253,000
Flagstaff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72,000
Marana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,800
Mesa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496,400
Peoria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168,000
Pima County. . . . . . . . . . . 1,000,000
Queen Creek. . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,000
Scottsdale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250,000
Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134,000
Tolleson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,200
Tucson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530,000
Our Analysis
The 2019 salary analysis relies heavily on cities/towns in the Phoenix area.
The only towns with a population comparable to Oro Valley are Apache Junction, Marana, and Queen Creek.
Oro Valley does not have a property tax. The following cities/towns used in the 2019 study all have a property tax:
Avondale, Chandler, Flagstaff, Peoria, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Surprise, Tolleson, and Tucson.
Therefore, the only towns in the 2019 study that are actually “comparable” to Oro Valley (similar population and no property tax) are Apache Junction and Marana.
The reason employees leave the Town of Oro Valley is not because of the pay and benefits. It is because of the working conditions. Former Town Manager, Greg Caton, eliminated the “360 Evaluation” which was a confidential way that employees could rate and discuss their superiors. Of note is that Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, with over 10,000 employees, utilizes the "360 Evaluation." They apparently understand that there is more to employee satisfaction than what’s in their paycheck.
