Mesa, Arizona

City in Arizona, United States

Mesa, Arizona

City

Mesa Arts Center building in downtown Mesa

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Location of Mesa in Maricopa County, Arizona

Mesa

Location in Arizona

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Mesa

Location in the United States

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Coordinates: 33°25′20″N 111°49′22″W﻿ / ﻿33.42222°N 111.82278°W﻿ / 33.42222; -111.82278[1]
Country| United States
State| Arizona
County| Maricopa
Founded| 1878
Government

• Type| Mayor–council
• Mayor| Mark Freeman (R)
Area

[2]

• Total

| 139.42 sq mi (361.09 km2)
• Land| 138.79 sq mi (359.48 km2)
• Water| 0.62 sq mi (1.62 km2)
Elevation

[1]

| 1,326 ft (404 m)
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 504,258

• Estimate

(2024)[3]

| 517,151
• Rank| 37th in the United States
3rd in Arizona
• Density| 3,633.14/sq mi (1,402.76/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP codes|

85201-85216, 85274-85275, 85277

Area code| 480 602
FIPS code| 04-46000
GNIS feature ID| 2411087[1]
Website| www.mesaaz.gov

Mesa (/ˈmeɪsə/ ⓘ MAY-sə) is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 504,258 at the 2020 census.[4] It is the third-most populous city in Arizona, after Phoenix and Tucson, the 37th-most populous city in the U.S., and the most populous city that is not a county seat (except for independent cities Washington, D.C. and Baltimore which are not part of any county). It is the most populous city in the East Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area.[5] It borders Tempe on the west, the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community on the north, Chandler and Gilbert on the south along with Queen Creek, and Apache Junction on the east.

At least ten colleges and universities are located in Mesa, as is the Mesa Arizona Temple, one of the first LDS temples constructed outside of Utah. The city is home to the largest relief airport in the Phoenix area, Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, located in the southeastern corner of the city.

## History

[edit]

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Mesa, Arizona.

The history of Mesa dates back at least 2,000 years to the arrival of the Hohokam people. The Hohokam, whose name means "All Used Up" or "The Departed Ones", built the original canal system. The canals were the largest and most sophisticated in the prehistoric New World. Some were up to 90 feet (27 m) wide and 10 feet (3.0 m) deep at their head gates, extending for as far as 16 miles (26 km) across the desert. By AD 1100, water could be delivered to an area over 110,000 acres (450 km2), transforming the Sonoran Desert into an agricultural oasis. By 1450, the Hohokam had constructed hundreds of miles of canals, many of which are still in use.[6]

After the disappearance of the Hohokam and before the arrival of the early settlers, little is known; explorers did not venture into this area. By the late 19th century near present-day Mesa, U.S. Army troops relocated the Apache, opening the way for settlement.[7]

In March 1877, Mormon pioneer Daniel Webster Jones and Henry Clay Rogers left St. George, Utah. Jones had been asked by Mormon officials to direct a party of people in establishing a settlement in Arizona. They traveled south and settled on the north side of the present Mesa area. This settlement was initially known as Fort Utah and later as Jonesville. It was located near Lehi Road. In 1883, it was named Lehi at the suggestion of Brigham Young, Jr.[8]

About this same time, another group dubbed the First Mesa Company arrived from Utah and Idaho. Their leaders were Francis Martin Pomeroy, Charles Crismon, George Warren Sirrine and Charles I. Robson. Rather than accepting an invitation to settle at Jones's Lehi settlement, they moved up onto the mesa that serves as the city's namesake. They dug irrigation canals and used some of the original Hohokam canals. By April 1878, water was flowing through them.[9] The Second Mesa Company arrived in 1879 and settled to the west of the First Mesa Company because of more available farmland. This settlement was originally called Alma and later Stringtown. It was located near where Alma School Road.[10]

On July 17, 1878, Mesa City was registered as a 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) townsite. The first school was built in 1879. In 1883, Mesa City was incorporated with a population of 300 people. Dr. A. J. Chandler, who would later go on to found the city of Chandler, worked on widening the Mesa Canal in 1895 to allow for enough flow to build a power plant. In 1917, the city of Mesa purchased this utility company. The revenues from the company provided enough for capital expenditures until the 1960s. During the Great Depression, WPA funds provided paved streets, a new hospital, a new town hall and a library.[11]

After the founding of the city, the elected official that most impacted the municipality was George Nicholas Goodman. He was mayor five different times[12] during three different decades (1938–1942, 1946–1948, 1952–1956) (see: List of mayors of Mesa, Arizona). As mayor, he was directly involved in the process of acquiring land for both Falcon Field and Williams Field.[12]

With the opening of Falcon Field and Williams Field in the early 1940s, more military personnel began to move into the Mesa area. With the advent of air conditioning and the rise of tourism, population growth exploded in Mesa as well as the rest of the Phoenix area. Industry—especially early aerospace companies—grew in the 1950s and 1960s. As late as 1960, half of the residents of Mesa made a living with agriculture, but that number declined substantially as Mesa's suburban growth continued on track with the rest of the Phoenix metro area.[13]

## Geography

[edit]

### Defining east and west Mesa

[edit]

Mesa stretches 18 miles (29 km) from Price Road in the west to Meridian Road in the east and has a land area of 138.70 square miles (359.2 km2).[14] Mesa employs a grid system for street numbering that is different from that used in Phoenix and other portions of the metropolitan area. Center Street, running north to south, bisects Mesa into eastern and western halves and serves as the east and west numbering point of origin within Mesa.[15] Streets west of Center St., such as W. University Drive or W. Main St. are considered to be in West Mesa, whereas streets east of Center St., such as E. University or E. Main St., are considered to be in East Mesa.

### Climate

[edit]

Located in the Sonoran Desert, Mesa has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh), with mild winters and very hot summers.

Climate data for East Mesa, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °F (°C)  | 84
(29)  | 89
(32)  | 102
(39)  | 105
(41)  | 112
(44)  | 120
(49)  | 121
(49)  | 117
(47)  | 115
(46)  | 105
(41)  | 98
(37)  | 85
(29)  | 121
(49)
Mean maximum °F (°C)  | 78.8
(26.0)  | 83.1
(28.4)  | 90.4
(32.4)  | 99.5
(37.5)  | 105.7
(40.9)  | 113.2
(45.1)  | 115.0
(46.1)  | 113.3
(45.2)  | 109.6
(43.1)  | 101.1
(38.4)  | 91.4
(33.0)  | 78.9
(26.1)  | 116.6
(47.0)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)  | 67.5
(19.7)  | 70.1
(21.2)  | 77.2
(25.1)  | 85.2
(29.6)  | 94.4
(34.7)  | 104.1
(40.1)  | 105.9
(41.1)  | 104.6
(40.3)  | 100.2
(37.9)  | 89.5
(31.9)  | 76.8
(24.9)  | 66.1
(18.9)  | 86.8
(30.4)
Daily mean °F (°C)  | 54.2
(12.3)  | 56.4
(13.6)  | 62.4
(16.9)  | 69.3
(20.7)  | 78.0
(25.6)  | 87.4
(30.8)  | 92.4
(33.6)  | 91.5
(33.1)  | 85.8
(29.9)  | 74.3
(23.5)  | 62.2
(16.8)  | 53.1
(11.7)  | 72.3
(22.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)  | 41.0
(5.0)  | 42.7
(5.9)  | 47.6
(8.7)  | 53.3
(11.8)  | 61.6
(16.4)  | 70.7
(21.5)  | 78.9
(26.1)  | 78.4
(25.8)  | 71.4
(21.9)  | 59.1
(15.1)  | 47.6
(8.7)  | 40.1
(4.5)  | 57.7
(14.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C)  | 28.0
(−2.2)  | 30.4
(−0.9)  | 36.0
(2.2)  | 42.1
(5.6)  | 51.3
(10.7)  | 61.7
(16.5)  | 71.1
(21.7)  | 70.4
(21.3)  | 59.7
(15.4)  | 45.8
(7.7)  | 35.6
(2.0)  | 28.3
(−2.1)  | 25.5
(−3.6)
Record low °F (°C)  | 20
(−7)  | 20
(−7)  | 30
(−1)  | 35
(2)  | 46
(8)  | 57
(14)  | 63
(17)  | 65
(18)  | 50
(10)  | 35
(2)  | 27
(−3)  | 24
(−4)  | 20
(−7)
Average precipitation inches (mm)  | 1.36
(35)  | 1.46
(37)  | 1.31
(33)  | 0.36
(9.1)  | 0.16
(4.1)  | 0.05
(1.3)  | 1.18
(30)  | 1.29
(33)  | 1.13
(29)  | 0.56
(14)  | 0.79
(20)  | 1.11
(28)  | 10.76
(273.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 4.1  | 3.7  | 2.6  | 1.5  | 1.1  | 0.7  | 4.8  | 5.2  | 3.3  | 2.4  | 2.3  | 4.6  | 36.3
Source 1: NOAA[16]
Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020)[17]

Climate data for Mesa

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Mean daily daylight hours  | 10.0  | 11.0  | 12.0  | 13.0  | 14.0  | 14.5  | 14.0  | 13.5  | 12.5  | 11.5  | 10.5  | 10.0  | 12.2
Source: Weather Atlas [18]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1900| 722| | —
1910| 1,692| | 134.3%
1920| 3,036| | 79.4%
1930| 3,711| | 22.2%
1940| 7,224| | 94.7%
1950| 16,790| | 132.4%
1960| 33,772| | 101.1%
1970| 63,049| | 86.7%
1980| 152,404| | 141.7%
1990| 288,104| | 89.0%
2000| 396,375| | 37.6%
2010| 439,041| | 10.8%
2020| 504,258| | 14.9%
2024 (est.)| 517,151| [19]| 2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[20]
2010–2020[4]

According to the 2020 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was:[21]

* White: 65.7% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 59.6%)
* Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 27.3%
* Black or African American: 4.2%
* Two or more races: 12.3%
* Native American: 2.7%
* Asian: 2.6%
* Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.4%

According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was:[22]

* White: 83.8% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 62.6%)
* Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 27.4%
* Black or African American: 3.7%
* Two or more races: 3.1%
* Native American: 2.3%
* Asian: 2.0%
* Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.4%

### 2020 census

[edit]

Mesa city, Arizona – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[23] | Pop 2010[24] | Pop 2020[25] | % 2000  | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 290,180  | 282,505  | 300,502  | 73.21%  | 64.35%  | 59.59%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 9,377  | 14,101  | 18,819  | 2.37%  | 3.21%  | 3.93%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 5,454  | 8,359  | 9,754  | 1.38%  | 1.90%  | 1.93%
Asian alone (NH)  | 5,755  | 8,174  | 12,725  | 1.45%  | 1.86%  | 2.52%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 874  | 1,532  | 1,892  | 0.22%  | 0.35%  | 0.38%
Some Other Race alone (NH)  | 402  | 555  | 2,250  | 0.10%  | 0.13%  | 0.45%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)  | 6,052  | 8,062  | 19,826  | 1.53%  | 1.84%  | 3.93%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 78,281  | 115,753  | 137,490  | 19.75%  | 26.36%  | 27.27%
Total | 396,375 | 439,041 | 504,258 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the census of 2010, there were 439,041 people, 146,643 households, and 99,863 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,171.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,224.4/km2). There were 175,701 housing units at an average density of 1,405.7 per square mile (542.7/km2).

The racial make-up of the city was 81.6% White, 2.4% Black or African American, 2.2% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 9.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 24.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 146,643 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.

The age distribution was 27.3% under 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,817, and the median income for a family was $49,232. Males had a median income of $35,960 versus $27,005 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,601. About 6.2% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

## Government

[edit]

Main article: List of mayors of Mesa, Arizona

The Mesa City Charter of 1967 established a Council-manager government consisting of a mayor and six Councilmembers who appoint a City Manager, City Clerk, City Attorney, auditor, and magistrates.[26][27] The City Manager administers and staffs various departments.[28] The council can also appoint citizens to Advisory Boards, Commissions, and Committees.[29]

In May 1998 voters approved Proposition 100 which created 6 geographical council districts.[30][31] Councilmembers are elected to represent these districts for four year terms. The mayor is elected to represent the city at large and also has a four-year term. Both Councilmembers and mayors cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. A partial term does not count towards these two consecutive terms; for instance, Mayor John Giles served a partial term from 2014 to 2016[32] then served two consecutive terms from 2016 to 2024.[33]

### Political climate

[edit]

In a 2014 study, academic researchers from MIT and UCLA analyzed over a decade's worth of public opinion surveys. They determined that Mesa was the "most conservative American city of more than 250,000 residents".[34] In 2017, the Pew Research Center also determined that Mesa was the most conservative city in the United States.[35]

## Economy

[edit]

### Top employers

[edit]

According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[36] the top employers in the city are:

#  | Employer  | Employees  | Percentage of Total City Employment

|
|
|

1  | Mesa Public Schools | 7,726  | 4.35%
2  | Banner Health | 6,826  | 3.84%
3  | The Boeing Company | 3,945  | 2.22%
4  | City of Mesa  | 3,579  | 2.02%
5  | Walmart | 3,269  | 1.84%
6  | Fry's Food and Drug | 1,371  | 0.77%
7  | DriveTime Automotive Group | 1,367  | 0.77%
8  | The Home Depot | 1,309  | 0.74%
9  | Maricopa County Community College | 1,215  | 0.68%
10  | Gilbert Public Schools | 1,004  | 0.57%

## Cultural attractions

[edit]

Mesa Grande Ruins

* HoHoKam Park of the Cactus League, home of the Athletics and former home of the Chicago Cubs during spring training, the WAC baseball tournament and former summer home to the now defunct Mesa Miners professional baseball team of the Golden Baseball League
* Sloan Park, opened in 2014 as the new Cactus League spring training home of the Chicago Cubs
* Mesa Arts Center
* Mesa Amphitheater
* Museums
* I.d.e.a. Museum
* Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aircraft Museum, located at Falcon Field – B-17 Sentimental Journey
* Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Mesa Arts Center
* Mesa Historical Museum
* Arizona Museum of Natural History
* Archeological sites
* Mesa Grande Ruins
* Park of the Canals
* Public libraries
* Main Library (MN)
* Dobson Ranch Branch (DR)
* Mesa Express Library (MEL)
* Red Mountain Branch (RM)
* Water parks
* Golfland Sunsplash waterpark on U.S. 60
* The only highrise in Mesa is the Bank of America (formerly Western Savings) building near Fiesta Mall.
* Organ Stop Pizza, containing the world's largest Wurlitzer organ
* Bell Bank Park a 320-acre sports and recreation complex

### Historic properties in Mesa

[edit]

Main article: List of historic properties in Mesa, Arizona

The Mesa Arizona Temple, the namesake of the NRHP's Historic Mesa Temple District

Numerous properties in the city are considered to be historical and have been included either in the National Register of Historic Places[37] or the listings of the Mesa Historic Properties.

## Parks and recreation

[edit]

Mesa has over 2,280 acres of parkland in the city limits. Its largest is Red Mountain Park which spans 1,146 acres. It includes a lake, playgrounds, a basketball court and a cement volleyball court.[38]

### Golf

[edit]

Mesa is home to numerous championship golf courses, including the original course in town, Mesa Country Club.[39] This course was founded in the late 1940s by the original leaders of the town, and "Country Club Drive", the most prominent street in Mesa, was at one point the modest entrance to the club.[citation needed]

### West Mesa

[edit]

Main articles: Fiesta Mall and Mesa Riverview

The abandoned Fiesta Mall is located in West Mesa and owned by Westcor. Its anchors were Sears and Best Buy. It is located near several shopping centers, Mesa's Bank of America,[40] and other retail stores, banks, and restaurants. Though deserted, a refurbishment and expansion of the mall has been planned.[41]

Mesa Riverview is a new outdoor destination retail center in the northwestern corner of the city, near Loop 202 and Dobson Road. At build-out the center will include 1,300,000 square feet (120,000 m2) of retail space.[42]

### East Mesa

[edit]

Located in East Mesa is Superstition Springs Business Park.[43] It includes the Superstition Springs Center, a shopping mall owned by Macerich. It features an outdoor amphitheatre and fountain which convert to a stage. Anchor stores at the mall are Dillard's, JCPenney, and Macy's. Mission Community Church, previously known as Superstition Springs Community Church, was initially named after this business park.[44]

## Education

[edit]

Almost all of the city of Mesa is served by public schools operated by Mesa Public Schools; however, the southern portion is served by Gilbert Public Schools, the Higley Unified School District and the Queen Creek Unified School District, and a small western portion is served by the Tempe Elementary School District and the Tempe Union High School District.[45]

Pilgrim Lutheran School is a Christian Pre-K-8 school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Mesa.[46]

More than 40,000 students are enrolled in more than 10 colleges and universities located in Mesa.[47] Mesa is home to Mesa Community College, the largest of the Maricopa Community Colleges, which enrolls over 24,000 full and part-time students, and Chandler–Gilbert Community College. The Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University lies in southeast Mesa. This satellite campus enrolls over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students in scientific and engineering fields. A. T. Still University operates an Osteopathic Medical School in Mesa.

Private for-profit institutions include Arizona College, Carrington College, DeVry University, Pima Medical Institute, and CAE Global Academy Phoenix.[47] Arizona State University opened the Media and Immersive eXperience Center in the ASU at Mesa City Center complex in 2022, offering programs from the Herberger Institute for Design and Arts including a film school with media production facilities and a theater.[48][49]

After launching a higher education initiative in 2012, Mesa became home to branch campuses of five private, liberal arts institutions: Albright College, Westminster College, Benedictine University, Upper Iowa University and Wilkes University.[50] Albright College[51] and Westminster College[52] are no longer in the city, and Wilkes University has moved entirely online.[53]

## Transportation

[edit]

Mesa City Hall in downtown Mesa

Main article: Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways

Several area freeways serve the Mesa area, such as U.S. Route 60, locally known as the Superstition Freeway, which runs between Apache Junction and Phoenix. It is also served by SR 87 and bypass loops Loop 101, which skirts the western city limits as the Price Freeway, and Loop 202, which bypasses the city on the north and east. The main east–west arterial road in Mesa is Main Street (former US 60/70/80/89), serving Downtown Mesa. The primary north–south arterials include Country Club Drive, Gilbert Road, and Power Road.

Public transportation in Mesa is provided by Valley Metro via bus and light rail (Valley Metro Rail). The light rail section in Mesa spans about four miles from Sycamore/Main St. in the west of the city, through downtown to Gilbert/Main St. Until July 2008, Mesa was the largest U.S. city with no public transit service on Sundays. The city has Sunday service available on Routes 40-Apache/Main, 45-Broadway, 61-Southern, 96-Dobson, 108-Elliot, 112-Country Club/Arizona, 156-Chandler/Williams Field, and 184-Power. Up until the final years of Southern Pacific passenger railroad service, the Sunset Limited passenger train used to make stops in Mesa.[54]

Air service in the city is provided by two airports. Falcon Field, located in the northeastern part of the area, was established as a training field for British RAF pilots during World War II and was transferred to the city at the end of the war. Falcon Field has 605 aircraft based there.[55] Boeing builds the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter at a facility adjoining Falcon Field. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is located in the far southeastern area of the city and provides alternate but limited air service when compared to Sky Harbor International Airport. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway was formerly Williams Gateway Airport, and before that, Williams Air Force Base, which closed in 1993. Williams Gateway was announced as a new Focus City for Allegiant Air. Service started October 25, 2007.

## Healthcare

[edit]

The public hospital system, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System), operates Valleywise Community Health Center – Mesa and Valleywise Behavioral Health Center – Mesa. Its sole hospital, Valleywise Health Medical Center, is in Phoenix.[56]

## Notable people

[edit]

The band Authority Zero has its homebase in Mesa, here playing a gig in Frankfurt, Germany.

* Jim Adkins, vocalist and lead guitarist of Jimmy Eat World[57]
* Travis Alexander, murder victim
* Beau Allred, professional baseball pitcher[58]
* Janice Merrill Allred, author[59]
* Helen Andelin, author
* Tyson Apostol, reality television star
* Authority Zero, punk rock band[57]
* John Beck, professional football player
* Art Bisch, race car driver
* Mike Brown, professional basketball coach[60]
* Marcus Brunson, professional sprinter
* Dustinn Craig (White Mountain Apache/Diné), filmmaker and skateboarder[61]
* Bruce Crandall, Medal of Honor pilot, 1st Cavalry Veteran of Ia Drang November 14, 1965[62]
* Jonathan Dean, ambassador, representative to the Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions
* Jagger Eaton, professional skateboarder, youngest X Games competitor, and Olympian
* Julie Ertz, world champion soccer player
* Austin Gibbs, musician[63]
* George Nicholas Goodman, pharmacist and former mayor of Mesa[64]
* Max Hall, professional football player
* Mickey Hatcher, professional baseball player
* Carl Hayden, Arizona senator, and its first representative in the House; died in Mesa in 1972[65]
* Todd Heap, professional football player
* Jamar Hunt, professional football player[66]
* Autumn Hurlbert, actress
* Misty Hyman, Olympic gold medalist in swimming
* Troy Kotsur, Academy Award-winning deaf actor
* Rudy Lavik, college basketball coach
* Mike Lee, U.S. senator
* Albie Lopez, professional baseball player[67]
* Brad Mills, professional baseball pitcher
* Ernesto Miranda, conviction overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States in Miranda v. Arizona creating the Miranda warning, buried in the City of Mesa Cemetery
* Carolyn Morris, professional baseball player (A.A.G.P.B.L.)[citation needed]
* Buck Owens, singer, member of the Country Music Hall of Fame
* Rudy Owens, professional baseball player
* John Jacob Rhodes, politician, House Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives
* John Jacob Rhodes III, politician, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
* Larry Schweikart, author
* Jake Shears, lead male singer for the pop band Scissor Sisters
* Vai Sikahema, professional football player, General Authority the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* Lynn Toler, judge for Divorce Court
* Kelly Townsend, Arizona state representative, Legislative District 16 (including parts of East Mesa)
* Don Taylor Udall, state legislator and judge
* Tara VanFlower, singer, songwriter of Lycia
* Brooke White, singer-songwriter and fifth place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol
* Danny White, professional football player, Arizona Athlete of the Century (20th)
* Wilford "Whizzer" White, professional football player
* Vance Wilson, former New York Mets catcher and current coach for the Kansas City Royals
* Roger L. Worsley, educator, formerly with Mesa High School and Mesa Community College

## Sister cities

[edit]

Mesa has five sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

* Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
* Caraz, Ancash, Peru
* Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico
* Kaiping, Guangdong, China
* Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand

## See also

[edit]

* Geography portal
* North America portal
* United States portal
* Arizona portal

* Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arizona
* City of Mesa Cemetery
* Life Teen
* Mesa Distance Learning Program
* Shooting of Daniel Shaver
* Tri-City Pavilions

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mesa, Arizona
2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
3. ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
4. ^ a b "QuickFacts: Mesa city, Arizona". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
5. ^ "How to Tell If You Live in the Suburbs". Bloomberg News. July 7, 2020.
6. ^ "A Brief History of Mesa, Arizona: Hohokam", Mesalibrary.org, City of Mesa Library, July 2003, archived from the original on March 7, 2012, retrieved March 13, 2012
7. ^ Bourke, John, Battle with the Apache, 1872
8. ^ Jenson, Andrew (1941), Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City: Deseret News Publishing Company, p. 426
9. ^ "A Brief History of Mesa, Arizona: First Mesa Company", Mesalibrary.org, City of Mesa Library, July 2003, archived from the original on October 7, 2011, retrieved March 13, 2012
10. ^ "A Brief History of Mesa, Arizona: Second Mesa Company", Mesalibrary.org, City of Mesa Library, July 2003, archived from the original on October 7, 2011, retrieved March 13, 2012
11. ^ "A Brief History of Mesa, Arizona: Mesa City – 1878 to Depression", Mesalibrary.org, City of Mesa Library, July 2003, archived from the original on March 7, 2012, retrieved March 13, 2012
12. ^ a b "Nice article & photo of George N. Goodman, mayor 1952 June 10 AZ Republic". Arizona Republic. June 10, 1952. p. 11 – via newspapers.com.
13. ^ "A Brief History of Mesa, Arizona: World War II to Present", Mesalibrary.org, City of Mesa Library, July 2003, archived from the original on March 7, 2012, retrieved March 13, 2012
14. ^ "QuickFacts Mesa city, Arizona; United States". census.gov. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
15. ^ "Mesa ZIP codes" (PDF), mesaaz.gov, City of Mesa, October 15, 2009, archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2012, retrieved March 13, 2012
16. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: E Mesa, AZ". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
17. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Phoenix". National Weather Service. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
18. ^ "Mesa, Arizona, USA – Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
19. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mesacityarizona/PST045224
20. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
21. ^ "2020 census".
22. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mesa city, Arizona". census.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
23. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Mesa city, Arizona". United States Census Bureau.
24. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mesa city, Arizona". United States Census Bureau.
25. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mesa city, Arizona". United States Census Bureau.
26. ^ "City Charter City of Mesa". mesaaz.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
27. ^ "Mesa City Charter". library.municode.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
28. ^ "Mesa AZ - City Manager". mesaaz.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
29. ^ "Mesa AZ - Advisory Boards & Committees". mesaaz.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
30. ^ "May 19, 1998 - General Election Results". mesaaz.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
31. ^ "Election '98 Sample Ballot/Publicity Pamphlet". mesaaz.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
32. ^ Polletta, Maria. "Mesa voters elect John Giles as mayor". The Arizona Republic.
33. ^ Writer, Scott Shumaker, Tribune Staff (May 9, 2023). "Candidates already eyeing Mesa mayor seat". The Mesa Tribune.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
34. ^ Epstein, Ethan (September 17, 2014). "Are Conservative Cities Better?". Politico Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
35. ^ "Mesa ranked most conservative large city in the U.S. by Pew". East Valley Tribune. July 24, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
36. ^ "City of Mesa 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report" (PDF). City of Mesa. p. 150. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
37. ^ "National Register of Historical Places – Arizona (AZ), Maricopa County". nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
38. ^ "Red Mountain Park" Archived September 1, 2013, at the Wayback Machine City of Mesa, Arizona. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
39. ^ "Arizona Private Country Club | Phoenix Arizona Private Golf Course, Wedding Venue". mesacountryclub.com. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
40. ^ Boyle, Tim (April 2001), A Big Bang in Downtown, or The History of the Financial Plaza, archived from the original on February 27, 2012, retrieved March 13, 2012
41. ^ Fiesta Mall – Center Redevelopment, archived from the original on December 20, 2008, retrieved April 6, 2008
42. ^ Mesa Riverview – Center Information, archived from the original on March 12, 2008, retrieved April 6, 2008
43. ^ "Superstition Springs Business Park Trades for $13.98M". AZ Big Media. September 21, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
44. ^ "Our History". Mission Community Church. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
45. ^ "The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas".
46. ^ "Welcome to Pilgrim Lutheran School". Retrieved March 1, 2020.
47. ^ a b "Mesa – Higher Education Institutions". Retrieved November 8, 2021.
48. ^ "State-of-the-art project to offer programs from Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, feature spaces for entrepreneurship and community collaboration". January 10, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
49. ^ "ASU at Mesa City Center Grand Opening". October 27, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
50. ^ "Higher Education Initiative". Archived from the original on July 8, 2014.
51. ^ Poletta, Maria (June 26, 2015). "Albright College to close its Mesa campus". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
52. ^ Westminster College (April 22, 2014). "Westminster College To Close Mesa, Arizona Campus". WestMO News and Events. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
53. ^ "What is the state of higher education in Mesa, Gilbert?". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
54. ^ "Southern Pacific Lines, Table 1". Official Guide of the Railways. 101 (1). National Railway Publication Company. June 1968.
55. ^ "Airport Information – KFFZ: Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona, USA", airnav.com, AirNav, LLC
56. ^ "Locations". Valleywise Health. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
57. ^ a b Leatherman, Benjamin (August 6, 2014). "The 15 Biggest Rock Stars Who Live in Arizona". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
58. ^ "98 players born in Arizona". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
59. ^ Steenblik, Rachel Hunt; Wheelwright, Hannah (2015). Mormon Feminism: Essential Writings. Oxford University Press. p. 196\. ISBN 978-0190248031.
60. ^ "NBA Coach Mike Brown Began Career at MCC". Alumni & Friends. Mesa Community College Alumni Association. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
61. ^ "Remix: New Modernities in a Post-Indian World". Art Gallery of Ontario. 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
62. ^ Medal of Honor Pilot Bruce Crandall, 1st Cavalry Veteran of Ia Drang (Full Interview)
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67. ^ "Albie Lopez". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2016.

## Further reading

[edit]

See also: Bibliography of the history of Mesa, Arizona

## External links

[edit]

Mesa, Arizona at Wikipedia's sister projects

* Definitions from Wiktionary
* Media from Commons
* News from Wikinews
* Quotations from Wikiquote
* Texts from Wikisource
* Textbooks from Wikibooks
* Resources from Wikiversity
* Travel information from Wikivoyage

* Official government website
* Mesa Arizona Convention and Visitors Bureau – Tourism
* Mesa news, sports and things to do from The Mesa Republic newspaper
* Mesa Public Library
* Mesa Chamber of Commerce

Articles relating to Mesa and Maricopa County

* 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|

* Apache Wells
* Arrowhead Ranch
* Beardsley
* Camp Creek
* Chandler Heights‡
* Chiulikam
* Co-op Village
* Cotton Center
* Crag
* Desert Hills
* Dreamland Villa
* Forepaugh
* Fort McDowell
* Hassayampa
* Higley
* Laveen
* Leisure World
* Liberty
* Maricopa Village
* Moivayi
* Palo Verde
* Papago
* Rainbow Valley
* Salt River
* San Lucy Village
* Sentinel
* Sunflower
* Sunnyslope
* Tortilla Flat
* Totopitk
* 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
* Perryville
* Sundad
* Vulture City

Footnotes|

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

* Arizona portal
* 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

Exurbs|

* 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|

* Agriculture
* Geography
* Government
* Constitution
* Governor
* Legislature
* Index
* Congressional Delegations
* Senators
* Representatives
* Museums
* Music
* Native Americans
* People
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions
* Transportation

Society|

* Abortion
* Climate change
* Culture
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Elections
* Gun laws
* LGBTQ rights
* Politics
* Homelessness

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

History|

* Arizona Territory
* Aztec Land & Cattle Company
* Battle of Ambos Nogales
* Hualapai War
* Mohave War
* Pah-Ute County
* Sheep wars
* Sitgreaves Expedition
* Territorial evolution
* Timeline
* Mesa
* Phoenix
* Tucson
* World War II
* Women's suffrage

Arizona portal

* v
* t
* e

The 100 most populous cities of the United States

|    |

1. New York, New York
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Chicago, Illinois
4. Houston, Texas
5. Phoenix, Arizona
6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. San Antonio, Texas
8. San Diego, California
9. Dallas, Texas
10. Jacksonville, Florida
11. Fort Worth, Texas
12. San Jose, California
13. Austin, Texas
14. Charlotte, North Carolina
15. Columbus, Ohio
16. Indianapolis, Indiana
17. San Francisco, California
18. Seattle, Washington
19. Denver, Colorado
20. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
21. Nashville, Tennessee
22. Washington, D.C.
23. El Paso, Texas
24. Las Vegas, Nevada
25. Boston, Massachusetts

26. Detroit, Michigan
27. Louisville, Kentucky
28. Portland, Oregon
29. Memphis, Tennessee
30. Baltimore, Maryland
31. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
32. Albuquerque, New Mexico
33. Tucson, Arizona
34. Fresno, California
35. Sacramento, California
36. Atlanta, Georgia
37. Mesa, Arizona
38. Kansas City, Missouri
39. Raleigh, North Carolina
40. Colorado Springs, Colorado
41. Omaha, Nebraska
42. Miami, Florida
43. Virginia Beach, Virginia
44. Long Beach, California
45. Oakland, California
46. Minneapolis, Minnesota
47. Bakersfield, California
48. Tulsa, Oklahoma
49. Tampa, Florida
50. Arlington, Texas

51. Aurora, Colorado
52. Wichita, Kansas
53. Cleveland, Ohio
54. New Orleans, Louisiana
55. Henderson, Nevada
56. Honolulu, Hawaii
57. Anaheim, California
58. Orlando, Florida
59. Lexington, Kentucky
60. Stockton, California
61. Riverside, California
62. Irvine, California
63. Corpus Christi, Texas
64. Newark, New Jersey
65. Santa Ana, California
66. Cincinnati, Ohio
67. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
68. Saint Paul, Minnesota
69. Greensboro, North Carolina
70. Jersey City, New Jersey
71. Durham, North Carolina
72. Lincoln, Nebraska
73. North Las Vegas, Nevada
74. Plano, Texas
75. Anchorage, Alaska

76. Gilbert, Arizona
77. Madison, Wisconsin
78. Reno, Nevada
79. Chandler, Arizona
80. St. Louis, Missouri
81. Chula Vista, California
82. Buffalo, New York
83. Fort Wayne, Indiana
84. Lubbock, Texas
85. St. Petersburg, Florida
86. Toledo, Ohio
87. Laredo, Texas
88. Port St. Lucie, Florida
89. Glendale, Arizona
90. Irving, Texas
91. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
92. Chesapeake, Virginia
93. Garland, Texas
94. Scottsdale, Arizona
95. Boise, Idaho
96. Hialeah, Florida
97. Frisco, Texas
98. Richmond, Virginia
99. Cape Coral, Florida
100. Norfolk, Virginia

|
|
|
|

Cities ranked by United States Census Bureau population estimates for July 1, 2024.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Spain
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* IdRef
* Yale LUX

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