Maricopa County, Arizona

County in Arizona, United States

Not to be confused with Maricopa, Arizona.

County in Arizona

Maricopa County

County

County of Maricopa[1]
The Maricopa County Courthouse and Old Phoenix City Hall, also known as the County-City Administration Building, in 2013

The Maricopa County Courthouse and Old Phoenix City Hall, also known as the County-City Administration Building, in 2013

Flag of Maricopa County

Flag

Official seal of Maricopa County

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Arizona

Arizona's location within the U.S.

Arizona's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State| File:Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona
Founded| February 14, 1871
Named for| Maricopa people
Seat| Phoenix
Largest city| Phoenix
Area

• Total| 9,224 sq mi (23,890 km2)
• Land| 9,200 sq mi (24,000 km2)
• Water| 24 sq mi (60 km2)  0.3%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 4,420,568
• Estimate

(2021)

| 4,496,588
• Density| 480/sq mi (190/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (Mountain)
Congressional districts| 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th
Website| www.maricopa.gov

Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,420,568,[2] making it the state's most populous county, and the fourth-most populous in the United States. It contains about 62% of Arizona's population, making Arizona one of the most centralized states in the nation. The county seat is Phoenix,[3] the state capital and fifth-most populous city in the United States.

Maricopa County is the central county of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Office of Management and Budget renamed the metropolitan area in September 2018. Previously, it was the Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale metropolitan area, and in 2000, that was changed to Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale.

Maricopa County was named after the Maricopa Native Americans.[4] Five Native American Reservations are located in the county.[5] The largest are the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (east of Scottsdale) and the Gila River Indian Community (south of Chandler).

## Contents

* 1 Geography
* 1.1 Adjacent counties
* 1.2 National protected areas
* 2 Demographics
* 2.1 Racial and ethnic composition since 1960
* 2.2 2000 census
* 2.3 2010 census
* 2.4 Religion
* 3 Government, policing, and politics
* 3.1 Government
* 3.2 Maricopa County sheriff
* 3.3 Politics
* 3.4 Elected officials
* 3.4.1 United States Congress
* 3.4.2 Board of Supervisors
* 3.4.3 Elected county officials
* 4 Education
* 4.1 K-12 schools
* 5 Transportation
* 5.1 Major highways
* 5.2 Air
* 5.3 Rail
* 6 Communities
* 6.1 Cities
* 6.2 Towns
* 6.3 Ghost towns
* 6.4 Census-designated places
* 6.5 Unincorporated communities
* 6.6 Native American communities
* 6.7 County population ranking
* 7 Climate
* 8 Economy
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 Further reading
* 12 External links

## Geography[edit | edit source]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 9,224 sq mi (23,890 km2), of which 24 sq mi (62 km2) (0.3%) are covered by water.[6] Maricopa County is one of the largest counties in the United States by area, with a land area greater than that of four other US states. From west to east, it stretches 132 miles (212 km), and 103 miles (166 km) from north to south.[7] It is by far Arizona's most populous county, encompassing well over half of the state's residents. It is the largest county in the United States to have a capital city.

### Adjacent counties[edit | edit source]

* La Paz County – west
* Yuma County – west
* Pima County – south
* Pinal County – southeast
* Gila County – east
* Yavapai County – north

### National protected areas[edit | edit source]

* Sonoran Desert National Monument (part)
* Tonto National Forest (part)

## Demographics[edit | edit source]

File:Median Household Income Maricopa County.png

Median Household Income in 2015 across metro Phoenix; the darker the green, the higher the income[8]

File:Poverty in Maricopa County.png

Percent of people living in poverty across metro Phoenix in 2016; the darker the red, the higher the concentration of poverty[9]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1880| 5,689| | —
1890| 10,986| | 93.1%
1900| 20,457| | 86.2%
1910| 34,488| | 68.6%
1920| 89,576| | 159.7%
1930| 150,970| | 68.5%
1940| 186,193| | 23.3%
1950| 331,770| | 78.2%
1960| 663,510| | 100.0%
1970| 971,228| | 46.4%
1980| 1,509,175| | 55.4%
1990| 2,122,101| | 40.6%
2000| 3,072,149| | 44.8%
2010| 3,817,117| | 24.2%
2020| 4,420,568| | 15.8%
2021 (est.)| 4,496,588| [10]| 1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[2]

### Racial and ethnic composition since 1960[edit | edit source]

Racial composition  | 2020[15] | 2010[15][16] | 2000[16] | 1990[16] | 1980[16] | 1970[16] | 1960[16]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

White | 59.8% | 73.0% | 77.3% | 84.7% | 86.6% | 94.8% | 94.5%
—Non-Hispanic  | 53.3% | 58.7% | 66.2% | 77.1% | 81.1% | - | \-
Black or African American | 5.9% | 5.0% | 3.7% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)  | 30.6% | 29.6% | 24.8% | 16.2% | 13.1% | 14.5% | \-
Asian | 4.6% | 3.5% | 2.1% | 1.7% | - | - | 0.3%
Native American | 2.3% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.7% | - | - | 1.2%
Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | - | - | - | \-
Mixed Race | 13.6% | 2.4% | 2.9% | - | - | - | \-

### 2000 census[edit | edit source]

As of the census of 2000, 3,072,149 people, 1,132,886 households, and 763,565 families were living in the county. The population density was 334 people/sq mi (129/km2). The 1,250,231 housing units averaged of 136/sq mi (52/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.4% White, 3.7% African American, 1.9% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 12.0% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. About 29.5% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. About 19.1% reported speaking Spanish at home.[17]

Of the 1,132,886 households, 33.0% had children under 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.67, and the average family size was 3.21.

The age distribution in the county was 27.0% under 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,358, and for a family was $51,827. Males had a median income of $36,858 versus $28,703 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,251. About 8.0% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

### 2010 census[edit | edit source]

As of the 2010 census, 3,817,117 people, 1,411,583 households, and 932,814 families were living in the county.[18] The population density was 414.9/sq mi (160.2/km2). The 1,639,279 housing units averaged 178.2/sq mi (68.8/km2).[19] The racial makeup of the county was 73.0% white (58.7% non-Hispanic white), 5.0% African American, 3.5% Asian, 2.1% American Indian, 0.2% Pacific islander, 12.8% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 29.6% of the population.[18] The largest ancestry groups were:[20]

* 25.6% Mexican
* 16.2% German
* 10.6% Irish
* 9.7% English
* 5.2% American
* 5.1% Italian
* 2.8% Polish
* 2.8% French
* 2.0% Scottish
* 1.9% Norwegian
* 1.8% Swedish
* 1.6% Dutch
* 1.5% Scotch-Irish
* 1.0% Russian

Of the 1,411,583 households, 35.1% had children under 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.9% were not families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.25. The median age was 34.6 years.[18]

The median income for a household in the county was $55,054 and the median income for a family was $65,438. Males had a median income of $45,799 versus $37,601 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,816. About 10.0% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.[21]

According to data provided by the United States Census Bureau in October 2015 and collected from 2009 to 2013, 73.7% of the population aged five years and over spoke only English at home, while 20.3% spoke Spanish, 0.6% spoke Chinese, 0.5% Vietnamese, 0.4% Tagalog, 0.4% Arabic, 0.4% German, 0.3% French, 0.3% Navajo, 0.2% Korean, 0.2% Hindi, 0.2% Italian, 0.1% Persian, 0.1% Russian, 0.1% Serbo-Croatian, 0.1% Telugu, 0.1% Polish, 0.1% Syriac, 0.1% Japanese, 0.1% spoke Romanian, and 0.1% spoke other Native North American languages at home.[22]

### Religion[edit | edit source]

In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Maricopa County was the Diocese of Phoenix, with 519,950 Catholics worshipping at 99 parishes, followed by 242,732 LDS Mormons with 503 congregations, 213,640 non-denominational adherents with 309 congregations, 93,252 AG Pentecostals with 120 congregations, 73,207 SBC Baptists with 149 congregations, 35,804 Christian churches and churches of Christ Christians with 29 congregations, 30,014 ELCA Lutherans with 47 congregations, 28,634 UMC Methodists with 55 congregations, 18,408 LCMS Lutherans with 34 congregations, and 15,001 PC-USA Presbyterians with 42 congregations. Altogether, 39.1% of the population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information.[23] In 2014, the county had 1,177 religious organizations, the fifth most out of all US counties.[24]

## Government, policing, and politics[edit | edit source]

### Government[edit | edit source]

The governing body of Maricopa County is its board of supervisors. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors consists of five members chosen by popular vote within their own districts. Currently, the board consists of four Republicans and one Democrat. Each member serves a four-year term, with no term limits.

### Maricopa County sheriff[edit | edit source]

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office provides court protection, administers the county jail, and patrols the unincorporated areas of the county plus incorporated towns by contract.

### Politics[edit | edit source]

For much of the time after World War II, Maricopa County was one of the more conservative urban counties in the United States. While the city of Phoenix has been evenly split between the two major parties, most of the rest of the county was strongly Republican. Until 2020, every Republican presidential candidate since 1952 had carried Maricopa County. This includes the 1964 presidential run of native son Barry Goldwater, who would not have carried his own state had it not been for a 21,000-vote margin in Maricopa County. Until 2020, it was the largest county in the country to vote Republican. From 1968 to 2016, Democrats held the margin within single digits only three times–in 1992, 1996, and 2016. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat in 72 years to win the county, which flipped Arizona to the Democratic column for the first time since 1996 and only the second time since 1948.[25] Furthermore, Biden became the first presidential candidate to win more than one million votes in the county. This makes Maricopa County the third county in American history to cast more than one million votes for a presidential candidate. The county is also a statewide bellwether, voting for the statewide winning candidate in all elections except 1996.

Despite its consistent Republican allegiance since 1952, its fast-growing Hispanic population and influx of conservative retirees and Mormons, which were traditionally conservative voting blocs but were increasingly skeptical of President Donald Trump, signaled that it was a crucial bellwether in the 2020 election.[26]

Voter Registration as of April 2022[update][27]

Party  | Number of voters  | Percentage
| Other/Independents  | 894,088  | 34.5%
| Republican | 888,426  | 34.3%
| Democratic | 787,971  | 30.4%
| Libertarian Party | 22,315  | 0.9%
Total  | 2,592,800  | 100%
United States presidential election results for Maricopa County, Arizona[28] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 995,665  | 47.96%  | 1,040,774  | 50.13% | 39,647  | 1.91%
2016 | 747,361  | 47.67% | 702,907  | 44.83%  | 117,566  | 7.50%
2012 | 749,885  | 54.30% | 602,288  | 43.61%  | 28,786  | 2.08%
2008 | 746,448  | 54.43% | 602,166  | 43.91%  | 22,756  | 1.66%
2004 | 679,455  | 56.86% | 504,849  | 42.25%  | 10,657  | 0.89%
2000 | 479,967  | 53.23% | 386,683  | 42.88%  | 35,049  | 3.89%
1996 | 386,015  | 47.22% | 363,991  | 44.53%  | 67,426  | 8.25%
1992 | 360,049  | 41.06% | 285,457  | 32.56%  | 231,326  | 26.38%
1988 | 442,337  | 64.90% | 230,952  | 33.89%  | 8,229  | 1.21%
1984 | 411,902  | 71.98% | 154,833  | 27.06%  | 5,538  | 0.97%
1980 | 316,287  | 64.97% | 119,752  | 24.60%  | 50,795  | 10.43%
1976 | 258,262  | 61.66% | 144,613  | 34.53%  | 15,966  | 3.81%
1972 | 244,593  | 69.29% | 95,135  | 26.95%  | 13,272  | 3.76%
1968 | 162,262  | 59.08% | 86,204  | 31.39%  | 26,185  | 9.53%
1964 | 143,114  | 53.94% | 122,042  | 46.00%  | 170  | 0.06%
1960 | 127,090  | 59.37% | 86,834  | 40.57%  | 135  | 0.06%
1956 | 92,140  | 62.96% | 54,010  | 36.91%  | 191  | 0.13%
1952 | 77,249  | 60.57% | 50,285  | 39.43%  | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 36,585  | 46.31%  | 40,498  | 51.27% | 1,909  | 2.42%
1944 | 24,853  | 43.41%  | 32,197  | 56.23% | 208  | 0.36%
1940 | 22,610  | 38.93%  | 35,055  | 60.36% | 414  | 0.71%
1936 | 13,671  | 28.71%  | 32,031  | 67.28% | 1,908  | 4.01%
1932 | 15,086  | 34.07%  | 28,601  | 64.59% | 593  | 1.34%
1928 | 20,089  | 62.25% | 12,146  | 37.64%  | 34  | 0.11%
1924 | 10,611  | 44.66% | 9,177  | 38.63%  | 3,970  | 16.71%
1920 | 11,336  | 56.23% | 8,825  | 43.77%  | 0  | 0.00%
1916 | 5,747  | 39.26%  | 7,634  | 52.14% | 1,259  | 8.60%
1912 | 642  | 11.32%  | 2,606  | 45.97% | 2,421  | 42.71%

Despite its political leanings at the time, Maricopa County voted against Proposition 107 in the 2006 election. This referendum, designed to ban gay marriage and restrict domestic partner benefits, was rejected by a 51.6–48.4% margin within the county, and statewide by a similar margin. Two years later, however, a majority of county residents voted to pass a successful state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The amendment was later invalidated by the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right in the United States.

Unlike cities and towns in Arizona, counties are politically and legally subordinate to the state and do not have charters of their own. The county Board of Supervisors acts under powers delegated by state law, mainly related to minor ordinances and revenue collection. With few exceptions, these powers are narrowly construed. The state legislature devotes considerable time to local matters, with legislative approval required for many routine local issues. The chairperson of the board presides for a one-year term, selected by the board members during a public hearing.

The County Sheriff, County Attorney, County Assessor, County Treasurer, Superintendent of Schools, County Recorder, Constables, Justices of the Peace, and Clerk of the Superior Court are elected by the people. Retention of Superior Court Judges is also determined by popular vote.

The county's dominant political figure for over two decades (from 1993 to 2017) was Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who called himself "America's Toughest Sheriff" and gained national notoriety for his flamboyant and often controversial practices and policies.[29]

Maricopa County is home to 62 percent of the state's population and therefore dominates Arizona's politics. For example, in the 2018 Senate election, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema carried the county en route to becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Arizona since 1988.[30] She won the county by over 60,000 votes, more than enough for the victory; she won statewide by 55,900 votes.[31] All but one of the state's nine congressional districts include part of the county, and five of the districts have their population center located there. Most of the state's prominent elected officials live in the county. Further underlining Maricopa County's political dominance, Biden's margin of 45,109 votes was more than enough to carry the state; he only won Arizona by 10,457 votes.

### Elected officials[edit | edit source]

#### United States Congress[edit | edit source]

District  | Name  | Party  | First elected [a] | Area(s) represented

|
|
|
|

United States Senate
| Class I Senator  | Kyrsten Sinema | Democratic  | 2018  | At Large
| Class III Senator  | Mark Kelly | Democratic  | 2020
United States House of Representatives
| 1  | Tom O'Halleran | Democratic  | 2016  | Phoenix, Gila River Indian Community
| 3  | Raul Grijalva | Democratic  | 2002  | Buckeye, Gila Bend, Avondale, Phoenix
| 4  | Paul Gosar | Republican  | 2010  | Apache Junction, Camp Creek, Phoenix
| 5  | Andy Biggs | Republican  | 2016  | Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Queen Creek
| 6  | David Schweikert | Republican  | 2010  | Fountain Hills, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley
| 7  | Ruben Gallego | Democratic  | 2014  | Glendale, Phoenix
| 8  | Debbie Lesko | Republican  | 2018  | Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise
| 9  | Greg Stanton | Democratic  | 2018  | Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix

1. ^ Due to redistricting in 2012, many of the Representatives listed were first elected to a district other than the one they currently represent.

The 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th districts are all centered in Maricopa County. The 1st and 4th are centered in rural Arizona, while the 2nd is primarily Tucson-based.

#### Board of Supervisors[edit | edit source]

Main article: Maricopa County Board of Supervisors

#### Elected county officials[edit | edit source]

Party  | Office  | Name  | First elected  | Reference

|
|
|
|

| Republican  | Assessor  | Eddie Cook  | 2020†  | [32]
| Republican  | Clerk of the Superior Court  | Jeff Fine  | 2018†  | [33]
| Republican  | County Attorney  | Rachel Mitchell | 2022†  | [34]
| Republican  | County Recorder  | Stephen Richer  | 2020  | [35]
| Republican  | County School Superintendent  | Steve Watson  | 2016  | [35]
| Democratic  | Sheriff  | Paul Penzone | 2016  | [35]
| Republican  | Treasurer  | John Allen  | 2020  | [35]

†Member was originally appointed to the office.

## Education[edit | edit source]

* Maricopa County Library District operates the county libraries in Maricopa County.
* The Maricopa County School Superintendent is charged with the general conduct and supervision of the public school system in Maricopa County. The Superintendent is one of six county-wide elected officials, elected by the voters of Maricopa County every four years. Since the inception of the office, there have been thirteen Maricopa County School Superintendents. The incumbent, Steve Watson, took office January 1, 2017.

### K-12 schools[edit | edit source]

School districts with territory in the county (no matter how slight, even if the administration and schools are in other counties) include:[36]

Unified:

* Cave Creek Unified School District
* Chandler Unified School District
* Deer Valley Unified District
* Dysart Unified School District
* Fountain Hills Unified School District
* Gila Bend Unified School District
* Gilbert Unified School District
* Higley Unified School District
* Mesa Unified School District
* Nadaburg Unified School District
* Paradise Valley Unified School District
* Peoria Unified School District
* Queen Creek Unified School District
* Saddle Mountain Unified School District
* Scottsdale Unified School District
* Wickenburg Unified School District

Secondary:

* Agua Fria Union High School District
* Buckeye Union High School District
* Glendale Union High School District
* Phoenix Union High School District
* Tempe Union High School District
* Tolleson Union High School District

Elementary:

* Aguila Elementary School District
* Alhambra Elementary School District
* Arlington Elementary School District
* Avondale Elementary School District
* Balsz Elementary School District
* Buckeye Elementary School District
* Cartwright Elementary School District
* Creighton Elementary School District
* Fowler Elementary School District
* Glendale Elementary School District
* Isaac Elementary School District
* Kyrene Elementary School District
* Laveen Elementary School District
* Liberty Elementary School District
* Litchfield Elementary School District
* Littleton Elementary School District
* Madison Elementary School District
* Mobile Elementary School District
* Morristown Elementary School District
* Murphy Elementary School District
* Osborn Elementary School District
* Palo Verde Elementary School District
* Paloma School District
* Pendergast Elementary School District
* Phoenix Elementary School District
* Riverside Elementary School District
* Roosevelt Elementary School District
* Sentinel Elementary School District
* Tempe School District
* Tolleson Elementary School District
* Union Elementary School District
* Washington Elementary School District
* Wilson Elementary School District

There is also a state-operated school, Phoenix Day School for the Deaf.

The Phoenix Indian School was formerly in the county.

## Transportation[edit | edit source]

Further information: Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways

### Major highways[edit | edit source]

* File:I-8 (AZ).svg Interstate 8
* Interstate 10
* File:I-17 (AZ).svg Interstate 17
* U.S. Route 60
* File:US 80 (AZ historic).svg Historic U.S. Route 80
* File:US 93.svg U.S. Route 93
* File:Arizona 101.svg Loop 101
* Loop 202
* File:Arizona 303.svg Loop 303
* File:Arizona 51.svg State Route 51
* File:Arizona 71.svg State Route 71
* File:Arizona 74.svg State Route 74
* File:Arizona 85.svg State Route 85
* File:Arizona 87.svg State Route 87
* File:Arizona 143.svg State Route 143
* State Route 347

### Air[edit | edit source]

The major primary commercial airport of the county is Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

Other airports located in the county include:

* Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa (AZA)
* Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Scottsdale (SCF)
* Deer Valley Airport in Deer Valley Village in Phoenix (DVT)
* Chandler Municipal Airport in Chandler (CHD)
* Phoenix Goodyear Airport in Goodyear (GYR)
* Glendale Municipal Airport in Glendale (GEU)
* Buckeye Municipal Airport in Buckeye (BXK)
* Falcon Field in Mesa (MSC)
* Gila Bend Municipal Airport in Gila Bend (E63)
* Wickenburg Municipal Airport in Wickenburg (E25)

### Rail[edit | edit source]

In terms of freight rail, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad serve the county.

In terms of passenger rail, greater Phoenix is served by a light rail system. The county has no other passenger rail transport as Amtrak's Sunset Limited, which served Phoenix until June 2, 1996, has its closest stop in Maricopa in neighboring Pinal County. The train connects Maricopa to Tucson, Los Angeles, and New Orleans three times a week. However it does not stop in Phoenix itself.

## Communities[edit | edit source]

### Cities[edit | edit source]

* Avondale
* Buckeye
* Chandler
* El Mirage
* Glendale
* Goodyear
* Litchfield Park
* Mesa
* Peoria (partly in Yavapai County)
* Phoenix (county seat)
* Scottsdale
* Surprise
* Tempe
* Tolleson

### Towns[edit | edit source]

* Carefree
* Cave Creek
* Fountain Hills
* Gila Bend
* Gilbert
* Guadalupe
* Paradise Valley
* Queen Creek (partly in Pinal County)
* Wickenburg (partly in Yavapai County)
* Youngtown

### Ghost towns[edit | edit source]

* Agua Caliente
* Alma
* Angel Camp
* Marinette
* Vulture City

### Census-designated places[edit | edit source]

* Aguila
* Anthem
* Arlington
* Citrus Park
* Gila Crossing
* Kaka
* Komatke
* Maricopa Colony
* Morristown
* New River
* Rio Verde
* St. Johns
* Sun City
* Sun City West
* Sun Lakes
* Theba
* Tonopah
* Wintersburg
* Wittmann

### Unincorporated communities[edit | edit source]

* Chandler Heights
* Circle City
* Co-op Village
* Desert Hills
* Fort McDowell
* Higley
* Laveen
* Liberty
* Mobile
* Palo Verde
* Rainbow Valley
* Sunflower
* Tortilla Flat
* Waddell

### Native American communities[edit | edit source]

* Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
* Gila River Indian Community
* Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community
* Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation

### County population ranking[edit | edit source]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Maricopa County.[37][38]

† county seat

Rank  | City/Town/etc.  | Population (2020 Census)  | Population (2021 Estimate)  | Municipal type  | Incorporated

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Phoenix † | 1,608,139  | 1,624,569  | City  | 1881
2  | Mesa | 504,258  | 509,475  | City  | 1878 (founded)
3  | Chandler | 275,987  | 279,458  | City  | 1920
4  | Gilbert | 267,918  | 273,136  | Town  | 1920
5  | Glendale | 248,325  | 249,630  | City  | 1910
6  | Scottsdale | 241,361  | 242,753  | City  | 1951
7  | Peoria (partially in Yavapai County)  | 190,985  | 194,917  | City  | 1954
8  | Tempe | 180,587  | 184,118  | City  | 1894
9  | Surprise | 143,148  | 149,191  | City  | 1960
10  | Goodyear | 95,294  | 101,733  | City  | 1946
11  | Buckeye | 91,502  | 101,315  | City  | 1929
12  | Avondale | 89,334  | 90,564  | City  | 1946
13  | Queen Creek (partially in Pinal County)  | 59,519  | 66,346  | Town  | 1990
14  | Sun City | 39,931  | \--  | CDP |
15  | El Mirage | 35,805  | 36,016  | City  | 1951
16  | Sun City West | 25,806  | \--  | CDP  |
17  | Fountain Hills | 23,820  | 23,819  | Town  | 1989
18  | Anthem | 23,190  | \--  | CDP  |
19  | New River | 17,290  | \--  | CDP  |
20  | Sun Lakes | 14,868  | \--  | CDP  |
21  | Paradise Valley | 12,658  | 12,682  | Town  | 1961
22  | Wickenburg | 7,474  | 7,695  | Town  | 1909
23  | Tolleson | 7,216  | 7,295  | City  | 1929
24  | Youngtown | 7,056  | 7,012  | Town  | 1960
25  | Litchfield Park | 6,847  | 6,942  | City  | 1987
26  | Guadalupe | 5,322  | 5,307  | Town  | 1975
27  | Citrus Park | 5,194  | \--  | CDP  |
28  | Cave Creek | 4,892  | 5,015  | Town  | 1986
29  | Carefree | 3,690  | 3,685  | Town  | 1984
30  | Rio Verde | 2,210  | \--  | CDP  |
31  | Gila Bend | 1,892  | 1,887  | Town  | 1962
32  | Komatke | 1,013  | \--  | CDP  |
33  | Maricopa Colony | 854  | \--  | CDP  |
34  | St. Johns | 690  | \--  | CDP  |
35  | Wittmann | 684  | \--  | CDP  |
36  | Gila Crossing | 636  | \--  | CDP  |
37  | Aguila | 565  | \--  | CDP  |
38  | Morristown | 186  | \--  | CDP  |
39  | Arlington | 150  | \--  | CDP  |
40  | Theba | 111  | \--  | CDP  |
41  | Kaka | 83  | \--  | CDP  |
42  | Wintersburg | 51  | \--  | CDP  |
43  | Tonopah | 23  | \--  | CDP  |

## Climate[edit | edit source]

|  Maricopa County

Climate chart (explanation)

|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [39]
| Imperial conversion

J| F| M| A| M| J| J| A| S| O| N| D

0.3

0.2

0.7

0.1

104

0.1

120

113

1.1

117

1.5

113

1.8

118

0.2

104

0.6

0.8

Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches

## Economy[edit | edit source]

In 2019, the largest employers in Maricopa County were:[40]

#  | Employer  | # of employees

|
|

1  | Banner Health | 27,650
2  | State of Arizona | 23,950
3  | Walmart | 16,870
4  | Frys Food Stores | 15,170
5  | Wells Fargo | 13,790
6  | Maricopa County  | 13,350
7  | City of Phoenix | 12,190
8  | Intel Corporation | 11,410
9  | Arizona State University | 10,950
10  | HonorHealth | 9,430
11  | JPMorgan Chase Bank National Association | 9,310
12  | Bank of America | 9,180
13  | Dignity Health | 9,100
14  | Amazon | 9,050
15  | Mesa Unified School District 4 | 8,500
16  | Honeywell | 8,450
17  | United States Department of the Air Force | 7,720
18  | Home Depot | 7,420
19  | State Farm Insurance | 7,420
20  | United States Postal Service | 7,260

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2019 the employment of Maricopa County in the following sectors was:[41]

Sector | Number of jobs | Percent | National percent

|
|
|

Health care and social assistance | 312,385 | 11.2% | 11.3%
Retail trade | 271,802 | 9.8% | 9.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 249,786 | 9.0% | 6.2%
Finance and insurance | 226,934 | 8.2% | 5.4%
Accommodation and food services | 204,917 | 7.4% | 7.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services | 200,508 | 7.2% | 7.2%
Construction | 172,119 | 6.2% | 5.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing | 169,363 | 6.1% | 4.8%
Local government | 152,939 | 5.5% | 7.1%
Other services (except government) | 140,788 | 5.1% | 5.8%
Manufacturing | 137,444 | 4.9% | 6.7%
Transportation and warehousing | 134,151 | 4.8% | 4.5%
Wholesale trade | 91,114 | 3.3% | 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 64,117 | 2.3% | 2.4%
Educational services | 63,445 | 2.3% | 2.4%
State government | 49,051 | 1.8% | 2.7%
Information | 48,195 | 1.7% | 1.7%
Management of companies and enterprises | 35,917 | 1.7% | 1.4%
Federal civilian | 21,366 | 0.8% | 1.4%
Military | 14,632 | 0.5% | 1.0%
Utilities | 8,229 | 0.3% | 0.3%
Farming | 6,237 | 0.2% | 1.3%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 5,356 | 0.2% | 0.6%
Forestry, fishing, and related activities | 2,994 | 0.1% | 0.5%
Total | 2,783,679 | 100% | 100%

Maricopa produces far more Brassica than anywhere else in the state, including far more cabbage,[42]: 288 collards,[42]: 289 and mustard greens,[42]: 292 and far more eggplant[42]: 290 and greenhouse production of tomato.[42]: 311 Slightly more kale is grown here than Yavapai,[42]: 291 and a close second to Yuma for broccoli,[42]: 288 cauliflower,[42]: 289 and spinach,[42]: 294 and to Yavapai for field tomato.[42]: 295 The county is top for parsley and is tied with Pima for other fresh herbs.[42]: 290 Some of the state's melon, okra, and bell pepper are also grown here.[42]: 289

Almost all the apricot,[42]: 298 freestone peach,[42]: 300 persimmon,[42]: 301 and nectarine[42]: 299 in the state are grown here. The county also ties for the highest amount of cling peach with Cochise,[42]: 300 along with Pima produces almost all the pomegranate,[42]: 302 and grows most of the kumquat.[42]: 302 Maricopa's farms grow a middling amount of fig,[42]: 299 grape (Vitis spp. including V. vinifera),[42]: 299 and pear (Pyrus spp.) other than Bartlett.[42]: 300 A small amount of plum is also produced here.[42]: 301

All of the boysenberry,[42]: 307 half of the elderberry (along with Yavapai),[42]: 307 and a small amount of the state's blackberry[42]: 307 and strawberry[42]: 308 are harvested here.

A large part of the vegetable seed in Arizona is grown here.[42]: 310

## See also[edit | edit source]

* 2021 Maricopa County presidential ballot audit
* History of Phoenix, Arizona
* Maricopa County Sheriff's Office
* Maricopa Trail
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Maricopa County, Arizona
* USS Maricopa County (LST-938)
* White Tank Mountain Regional Park

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ "Search Results - Maricopa County: "county of maricopa"". Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 199.
5. ^ Indian Reservations in the Continental United States, Bureau of Indian Affairs on National Park Service website. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
7. ^ "Quick Facts about Maricopa County". Maricopa County, Ariz. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
8. ^ "Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2016 Inflation-adjusted Dollars)". American Fact Finder. US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
9. ^ "Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months". American Fact Finder. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". Retrieved September 27, 2022.
11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
15. ^ a b Bureau, US Census. "Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census". Census.gov. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
16. ^ a b c d e f "Account Management - Social Explorer".
17. ^ "Language Map Data Center". apps.mla.org.
18. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
19. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
20. ^ "DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
21. ^ "DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
22. ^ "Table 2. Detailed Languages Spoken at Home and Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over for Maricopa County, AZ: 2009-2013". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
23. ^ "County Membership Report Maricopa County (Arizona)". The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
24. ^ "Social Capital Variables Spreadsheet for 2014". PennState College of Agricultural Sciences, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
25. ^ Merica, Dan (November 13, 2020). "Biden carries Arizona, flipping a longtime Republican stronghold". CNN. Retrieved November 13, 2020. "The Democratic victory -- declared days after CNN projected Biden's win in the presidential race -- was anchored by Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and nearly 60% of all people in the state. Maricopa is the fastest-growing county in the country, transforming over the last two decades into a sprawling mass of metropolitan hubs, sun-scorched planned communities and bustling strip malls."
26. ^ Wasserman, David (October 6, 2020). "Opinion | The 10 Bellwether Counties That Show How Trump Is in Serious Trouble". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 18, 2021.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
27. ^ "Voter Registration Statistics" (PDF). Arizona Secretary of State Elections Bureau. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
28. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
29. ^ Joseph M. Arpaio Archived June 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, 2005. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
30. ^ Romero, Simon (November 13, 2018). "How Kyrsten Sinema Won Her Senate Seat and Pulled Off a Historic Arizona Triumph". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
31. ^ "2018 Arizona Senate election results". CNN.
32. ^ Eddie Cook Maricopa County Assessor. "Maricopa County Assessor's Office". Mcassessor.maricopa.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
33. ^ "Clerk of the Superior Court of Maricopa County". www.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
34. ^ Jenkins, Jimmy (April 20, 2022). "Rachel Mitchell appointed interim Maricopa County attorney". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
35. ^ a b c d ":: Bad Request ::" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022.
36. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Maricopa County, AZ" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022. \- Text list
37. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Decennial Census by Decades". The United States Census Bureau.
38. ^ "2010 Census Block Maps - Geography - U.S. Census Bureau". Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
39. ^ "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
40. ^ "Business, Jobs, and Industry Explorer". azmag.gov.
41. ^ "CAEMP25N Total Full-Time and Part-Time Employment by NAICS Industry 1/". Bureau of Economic Analysis.
42. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "National Agricultural Statistics Service - 2017 Census of Agriculture - Volume 1, Chapter 1: State Level Data". USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2022.

## Further reading[edit | edit source]

* Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office History and Pictorial. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing. Co., 2005.

## External links[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maricopa County, Arizona.

* Official website
* File:Openstreetmap logo.svg Geographic data related to Maricopa County, Arizona at OpenStreetMap
* Maricopa County Chamber of Commerce

Coordinates: 33°30′50″N 112°28′33″W﻿ / ﻿33.51389°N 112.47583°W﻿ / 33.51389; -112.47583

Places adjacent to Maricopa County, Arizona

|  | Yavapai County |

|
|

|  |
La Paz County and Yuma County |

Maricopa County, Arizona

| Gila County
| South |
| Pima County | Pinal County

* v
* t
* e

Maricopa County, Arizona

Board of supervisors|

* Denny Barney, 1st Dist.
* Steve Chucri, 2nd Dist.
* Bill Gates 3rd Dist.
* Clint Hickman, 4th Dist.
* Steve Gallardo, 5th Dist.

Maricopa County Government|

* County Attorney
* County Sheriff
* Maricopa County Courthouse
* Maricopa County Sheriff's Office
* Maricopa County Library District

Airports|

* Buckeye Municipal Airport
* Chandler Municipal Airport
* Falcon Field (Arizona)
* Gila Bend Municipal Airport
* Phoenix Deer Valley Airport
* Phoenix Goodyear Airport
* Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport
* Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
* Scottsdale Airport

County hospitals|

* Barrow Neurological Institute
* Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center
* Mayo Clinic

Culture|

* Herberger Theater Center
* Mesa Arts Center
* Orpheum Theatre
* Pioneer and Military Memorial Park
* Phoenix Zoo
* Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Others|

* Anthem Veterans Memorial
* Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
* Valley Metro

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

County seat: Phoenix

Cities|

* Apache Junction‡
* Avondale
* Buckeye
* Chandler
* El Mirage
* Glendale
* Goodyear
* Litchfield Park
* Mesa
* Peoria‡
* Phoenix
* Scottsdale
* Surprise
* Tempe
* Tolleson

Towns|

* Carefree
* Cave Creek
* Fountain Hills
* Gila Bend
* Gilbert
* Guadalupe
* Paradise Valley
* Queen Creek‡
* Wickenburg‡
* Youngtown

CDPs|

* Aguila
* Anthem
* Arlington
* Circle City
* Citrus Park
* Gila Crossing
* Kaka
* Komatke
* Maricopa Colony
* Morristown
* New River
* Rio Verde
* St. Johns
* Sun City
* Sun City West
* Sun Lakes
* Theba
* Tonopah
* Wintersburg
* Wittmann

Populated
places|

* Agua Fria
* Apache Wells
* Arrowhead Ranch
* Beardsley
* Bosque
* Camel
* Camp Creek
* Chandler Heights‡
* Chiulikam
* Co-op Village
* Cotton Center
* Crag
* Desert Hills
* Dixie
* Dreamland Villa
* Forepaugh
* Fort McDowell
* Freeman
* Germann
* Gillespie
* Gladden
* Higley
* Horse Mesa Dam
* Laveen
* Leisure World
* Liberty
* Lone Butte Ranch
* Maricopa Village
* Matthie
* Moivayi
* Montezuma
* Palo Verde
* Papago
* Piedra
* Rainbow Valley
* Rocky Point
* Salt River
* San Lucy Village
* Santa Maria
* Sentinel
* Serape
* Smurr
* Stanwix
* Sundad
* Sunflower
* Sunnyslope
* Tortilla Flat
* Totopitk
* Troon
* Waddell
* Weedville

Indian reservations|

* Gila River Indian Community‡
* Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community
* Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
* Tohono Oʼodham Indian Reservation‡

Ghost towns/
former populated places|

* Agua Caliente
* Allenville
* Cashion
* Harqua
* Lizard Acres
* Marinette
* Vulture City

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Phoenix Metropolitan Area

Core city|

* Phoenix

Largest suburbs
(over 100,000 inhabitants)|

* Chandler
* Gilbert
* Glendale
* Mesa
* Peoria
* Scottsdale
* Surprise
* Tempe

Other suburbs and towns
(over 10,000 inhabitants)|

* Anthem
* Apache Junction
* Avondale
* Buckeye
* El Mirage
* Fountain Hills
* Goodyear
* Gold Canyon
* Luke Air Force Base
* New River
* Paradise Valley
* Queen Creek
* San Tan Valley
* Sun City
* Sun City West
* Sun Lakes
* Waddell

Smaller suburbs and towns
(over 5,000 inhabitants)|

* Carefree
* Cave Creek
* Guadalupe
* Litchfield Park
* Tolleson
* Youngtown

Exerbs|

* Superior
* Wickenburg
* Wittmann
* Morristown
* Coolidge
* Florence
* Casa Grande
* Black Canyon City
* Gila Bend
* Eloy
* Maricopa

Counties|

* Maricopa
* Pinal

Native American reservations|

* Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
* Gila River Indian Community

Subregions|

* East Valley
* North Valley
* West Valley

* v
* t
* e

State of Arizona

Phoenix (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Delegations
* Senators
* Representatives
* Geography
* Government
* Constitution
* Governor
* Legislature
* History
* World War II
* Museums
* Music
* People
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions
* Transportation
* Native Americans

Society|

* Culture
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Elections
* Politics

Regions|

* Arizona Strip
* Arizona Sun Corridor
* Coconino Plateau
* Colorado Plateau
* Grand Canyon
* Kaibab Plateau
* Mogollon Plateau
* Mogollon Rim
* Mojave Desert
* Monument Valley
* North Central Arizona
* Northeast Arizona
* Northern Arizona
* Oak Creek Canyon
* Phoenix Metropolitan Area
* Safford area
* San Francisco Volcanic Field
* Sonoran Desert
* Southern Arizona
* Traditional Arizona
* Transition zone
* Verde Valley
* White Mountains

Counties|

* Apache
* Cochise
* Coconino
* Gila
* Graham
* Greenlee
* La Paz
* Maricopa
* Mohave
* Navajo
* Pima
* Pinal
* Santa Cruz
* Yavapai
* Yuma

Cities|

* Avondale
* Buckeye
* Casa Grande
* Chandler
* Flagstaff
* Gilbert
* Glendale
* Goodyear
* Kingman
* Lake Havasu City
* Mesa
* Peoria
* Phoenix
* Prescott
* Scottsdale
* Surprise
* Sierra Vista
* Tempe
* Tucson
* Yuma

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template