Yuma’s two military bases are critical to the nation’s defense and a stabilizing influence on the local economy. MCAS Yuma conducts pilot tactical training using the adjacent Barry M. Goldwater Range. Along with several attack squadrons, including the famous Black Sheep squadron, the base is home to the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, which is the host of the graduate-level Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI). WTI is the Marine Corps version of “Top Gun.” MCAS hosted the first operational squadron of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. MCAS’ total annual economic impact is nearly $700 million. 

• MCAS is home to 4,000 active-duty Marines and Sailors and over 2,000 civilian employees.
• Over 600 Marine avionics technicians and maintenance repair mechanics exit MCAS each year.

Another critical installation is YPG, one of the largest military installations in the world. YPG is the Army’s center for desert natural environment testing and evaluation. This includes testing of all types of materiel, including prototype combat vehicles, artillery, conventional munitions, aircraft and other items critical to the Army’s mission. YPG also contracts with other nations to test specialized equipment from around the globe. 

• YPG has a restricted airspace of over 2,000 sq. miles
• Over 2,000 people (mostly civilians) are employed at YPG

Agribusiness now contributes more than $3 billion annually to Yuma’s economy. The success of agriculture in the area is due to Yuma’s geographic location, fertile soils, agricultural efficiency, technological innovation, high-priority use water, an available workforce and environmental stewardship. The Yuma area is one of the most productive agricultural centers in the United States. 

• Yuma is recognized as the Lettuce Capital of the World
• Agriculture provides more than 80% of the U.S. winter supply of lettuce and other leafy greens

 The Colorado River is the foundation of Yuma’s booming agribusiness sector, delivering $3.2 billion in economic impact each year. Attesting to the region’s water supply, the Yuma area holds senior water rights on the Colorado River equal to 40 percent of the total available allocation.

Abundant sunshine and reliably pleasant winter weather annually draws an estimated 90,000 winter visitors, nearly doubling Yuma’s population. Canadians account for about 33 % of Yuma’s annual winter visitors.  The average visitor stays three months; collectively their spending helps support local retail and hospitality sectors. Annual winter visitor spending is estimated at more than $179 million.

Adding to this segment is the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. Established in 2000 by Congress, it is one of only two national heritage areas west of the Mississippi River. 

Reflecting the strength of the tourism industry, Yuma has seen valuable new investments in hotels in the last three years. These investments total more than $27 million and add 307 rooms to the region’s inventory of more than 4,200 rooms.

• Hilton Home2 Suites 114 rooms
• Sheraton Four Points 110 rooms
• La Quinta by Wyndham83 rooms (U/C)

Yuma is gaining traction as a location for new manufacturing operations due to its lower cost of doing business (especially compared to California), labor availability, and its proximity to the Southern California market and Mexico. Recent activity includes:

• Almark Foods230 new jobs100,000 sf new construction
• MPW Industrial Services44 new jobs30,000 sf new construction
• Alside Windows 73 new jobsExisting business
• Swire Coca Cola, USA 10 new jobs57,000 sf new construction

 Yuma is the retailing center of Yuma County. The city has a retail shed of nearly 50 miles with a resident population of 235,000, a gain of nearly 20 % over 2010. Consumers currently support approximately 580 Yuma County retail establishments including 415 located in the city of Yuma. The retail sector employs approximately 6,750 people.

The importance of the retail sector to Yuma is further magnified when considering the cross-border spending of Mexican visitors. Although curtailed during the pandemic, this spending is now regaining its footing. The estimated annual impact of these visitors is nearly $2.4 billion.