At the city level, Benson's taxable sales in 2006 were up 45.8 percent. This was the highest annual rate of growth of total sales of the seven incorporated cities in Cochise County.

Population estimates and projections

• The population of Benson as of July 2006 was 4,820, accoridng to estimated byu the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES). This represents a 1.7 percent increase from 2005, the highest rate of annual growth the city has seen since Census 2000.

• The state of Arizona exprerienced rapid population growth of 40 percent during the 1990's.

• With the recent surge in construction, Benson is poised to become the fastest-growing city in the county over the next few years.

•The Cochise College Center for Economic Research projects Benson's population will grow at an average rate of 3.1 percent per year over the next few year, reaching 5,620 in 2011.

•Cochise County's population is projected to grow by an average annual rate of 2.4 percent, reaching 152,107 in 2011.