Bullhead City began as the headquarters for construction of the Davis Dam in the late 1940s. The Davis Dam was completed in 1951, creating Lake Mohave, a recreational paradise with more than 33 miles of shoreline located in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. In the mid-1800s, the area was home to several gold mines that operated well into the 1930s. Today, at least two of the original mine sites have been reactivated and are producing gold, employing more than 250 people. Bullhead City incorporated in 1984 and has grown in population to nearly 45,000 residents.
Bullhead City is the retail hub of Mohave County and Southern Clark County, Nevada. The City serves 118,000 residents within a 20-mile trade radius and 210,000 residents within a 60-mile trade radius. In addition, the city caters to millions of tourists each year. The major employers in the Bullhead City Economic Region include Western Arizona Regional Medical Center, Golden Vertex Mine, City of Bullhead City, DOT Foods Distribution Center and Mohave Community College. Bullhead City is strategically located within a 5-hour drive of Southern California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; and Northern Utah; making it a prime location for shipping distribution centers. The City competes for new business aggressively and is growing rapidly.
Bullhead City has year-round blue skies, warm sunshine, and cool flowing water in the Colorado River. Visitors come to hike, bike, and explore our premiere nature trails, fish in the bountiful waters of Lake Mohave and the Colorado River, and experience the views from the top of Davis Dam. Off-road enthusiasts have endless miles to explore on our OHV trails. The nearby mountains offer horseback riding, ghost towns, rockhounding and unique wildlife. Visitors love to stop for photos with two large statues in the Community Park: Poke the tortoise and Bravo the bull.
Bullhead City has nine public parks with several playgrounds, picnic areas, miles of sandy beaches, boat launches, premiere sports complexes, walking, biking, and hiking trails, and dog parks. The city has a heated municipal pool with water slides and splash park. Bullhead’s Senior Campus provides seniors with daily nutritious meals, fun activities and great companionship. Bullhead City hosts a public library, and a historical cultural center and museum. Bullhead City has recreational amenities for people of all ages, skill levels and abilities.
| Founded | 1942 | Incorporated | 1984 |
| Elevation | 504 ft. | Location | Mohave County |
| Phoenix | 221 miles | San Diego | 341 miles |
| Tucson | 335 miles | Los Angeles | 279 miles |
| Las Vegas | 99 miles |
| 2000 | 2010 | 2023 (est.) | |
| Bullhead City | 33,769 | 39,518 | 42,027 |
| Mohave County | 155,032 | 200,099 | 216,527 |
| State of Arizona | 5,130,632 | 6,401,569 | 7,285,370 |
Office of Economic Opportunity
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| Bullhead City | 2.00% |
| Mohave County | 0.25% |
| State | 5.60% |
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| 2000 | 2010 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian Labor Force | 16,202 | 16,994 | 17,314 |
| Unemployed | 691 | 2,392 | 1,078 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 14.1% | 6.2% |
Office of Economic Opportunity
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than high school | 5,035 | 16.2% |
| High school or equivalent, no college | 11,599 | 37.2% |
| Some college or Associate degree | 11,058 | 35.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree | 3,471 | 11.1% |
American Community Survey
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services | 4,756 | 31.6% |
| Education, health care & social assistance | 3,135 | 20.8% |
| Retail trade | 1,684 | 11.2% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 951 | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, & administrative services | 833 | 5.5% |
| Construction | 710 | 4.7% |
| Other services, except public administration | 616 | 4.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, & utilities | 565 | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 558 | 3.7% |
| Manufacturing | 453 | 3.0% |
| Information | 357 | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 307 | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining | 122 | 0.8% |
American Community Survey
This profile was prepared by the Arizona Commerce Authority in cooperation with local sources. For further information, please contact: