Phoenix metropolitan area

Last updated

Phoenix metropolitan area
Valley of the Sun
Metropolitan statistical area
Downtown Phoenix Skyline (6974043971).jpg
Aerial view of Downtown Phoenix in July 2011
Phoenix metropolitan area
Interactive Map of Phoenix–Mesa, AZ CSA
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States
State Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona
Largest city Flag of Phoenix, Arizona.svg Phoenix
Other Major Cities• Maricopa County
• Pinal County
Area
[1]
 •  Metropolitan statistical area 14,598.63 sq mi (37,810.27 km2)
 • Land14,565.76 sq mi (37,725.14 km2)
 • Water32.87 sq mi (85.13 km2)
 • Urban
1,146.6 sq mi (2,969.6 km2)
Highest elevation
4,890 [2]  ft (1,490.5 m)
Lowest elevation
735 ft (224.03 m)
Population
 (Census 2020) [3]
 •  Metropolitan statistical area 4,845,832
 • Density332.7/sq mi (128.5/km2)
 •  Urban
3,629,114
 • Urban density3,165.2/sq mi (1,222.1/km2)
GDP
[4]
 • MSA$362.1 billion (2022)
Time zone UTC−7 (MST)
ZIP codes
850xx to 853xx, 856xx [5]
Area codes 623, 602, 480, 520, 928

The Phoenix metropolitan area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, metro Phoenix, or The Valley, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the Southwestern United States, with its largest principal city being the city of Phoenix. It includes much of central Arizona. The United States Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), defining it as Maricopa and Pinal counties. It anchors the Arizona Sun Corridor megaregion along with the second-most populous metropolitan area in the state, the Tucson metropolitan area. The gross domestic product of the Phoenix metropolitan area was $255 billion in 2018, 16th highest amongst metro areas in the United States.

Contents

As of the 2020 census, the two-county metropolitan area had 4,845,832 residents, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the nation by population. Metro Phoenix grew by 652,945 people from April 2010 to April 2020, making it one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. This also contributed to the entire state's exceptional growth; the area is home to just over two-thirds of Arizona's population. The population of the Phoenix metropolitan area increased by 45.3% from 1990 through 2000, compared to the overall U.S. rate of 13.2%, helping make Arizona the second-fastest growing state in the nation in the 1990s behind Nevada. [6] The 2000 census reported the population of the metropolitan area to be 3,251,876. Water insecurity and drought in conjunction with climate change have become a significant concern for the metropolitan area's future growth prospects. [7]

Combined Statistical Area

The Phoenix–Mesa combined statistical area (CSA) was designated in September 2018 by U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and by the Census Bureau which consists of the entirety of the counties of Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila. [8] This includes the Phoenix metropolitan area and the Payson, AZ micropolitan statistical area.

As of April 1, 2020, the Phoenix–Mesa CSA had a population of 4,899,104, making it the fourteenth-most populous in the nation. [9]

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The Phoenix Metropolitan Area comprises Maricopa County (2020 population: 4,420,568) and Pinal County (2020 population: 425,264). It is officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area. The total population for metropolitan Phoenix at the 2020 Census was 4,845,832. [10]

The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is hundreds of miles away from any other metropolitan area of similar population size. For instance, the closest metropolitan area with almost the same population size is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area, which is 300 miles away.

Table of nearby metropolitan areas to the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metro Area
Metropolitan Area Name [10] Distance from Phoenix (miles)Population (2020 Census) [10] Urban Density (2010 Pop. per Sq. Mile) [11]
Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metro Area04,845,8323,165.2
Tucson, AZ Metro Area 1051,043,4332,385.4
Yuma, AZ Metro Area 155203,8812,299.9
Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise, NV Metro Area 2552,265,4614,524.5
San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad, CA Metro Area 3003,298,6344,037.0
Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario, CA Metro Area 3004,599,8393,546.4
Albuquerque, NM Metro Area 330916,5282,958.5
El Paso, TX Metro Area 345868,8593,205.0
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA Metro Area 36013,200,9986,999.3
Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura, CA Metro Area 410843,843
Bakersfield, CA Metro Area 420909,2353,785.0
Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area 5051,257,9363,675.1
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metro Area 5852,963,8213,554.4

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 8,733—
1890 15,23774.5%
1900 28,23685.3%
1910 43,53354.2%
1920 105,706142.8%
1930 173,05163.7%
1940 215,03424.3%
1950 374,96174.4%
1960 726,18393.7%
1970 1,039,14443.1%
1980 1,600,09354.0%
1990 2,238,48039.9%
2000 3,251,87645.3%
2010 4,192,88728.9%
2020 4,845,83215.6%
2022 (est.)5,015,6783.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [12]
1790–1960 [13] 1900–1990 [14]
1990–2000 [15] 2010–2020 [16]
Median Household Income across metro Phoenix; the darker the green, the higher the income. Median Household Income Maricopa County.png
Median Household Income across metro Phoenix; the darker the green, the higher the income.
Percent of people living in poverty across Metro Phoenix; the darker the red, the higher the concentration of poverty Poverty in Maricopa County.png
Percent of people living in poverty across Metro Phoenix; the darker the red, the higher the concentration of poverty

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,192,887 people, 1,537,137 households, and 1,024,971 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 73.0% White (58.7% White Non-Hispanic), 5.0% Black, 3.3% Asian, 2.4% Native American or Alaska Native (virtually all Native American) and 16.2% of other or mixed race. 29.5% were Hispanic of any race. [19]

In 2010 the median income for a household in the MSA was $50,385 and the median income for a family was $58,497. The per capita income was $24,809. [20]

County 2020 Census2010 CensusChangeAreaDensity
Maricopa County 4,420,5683,817,117+15.81%9,200.14 sq mi (23,828.3 km2)
Pinal County 425,264375,770+13.17%5,365.61 sq mi (13,896.9 km2)
Gila County 53,27253,597−0.61%4,795 sq mi (12,420 km2)
Total4,899,1044,246,484+15.37%19,360.75 sq mi (50,144.1 km2)

Communities

What follows is a list of places in Metro Phoenix (populations for incorporated places are as of the 2020 census). [21] The Office of Management and Budget defines a metropolitan area as the core city plus its county and any nearby counties that are economically dependent on the core city. However, Arizona has relatively large counties and a harsh, rugged desert landscape. For these reasons, much of the land that is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area is rural or completely uninhabited. The core part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area is the Phoenix–Mesa, Arizona Urban Area, which is far smaller than the Metropolitan Statistical Area. [22]

Places that fall completely or partially within the boundaries of the Phoenix–Mesa, AZ US are in bold below. [22]

Cities and suburbs

Principal city

Places with 250,000+ inhabitants

Places with 150,000–249,999 inhabitants

Places with 75,000–149,999 inhabitants

Places with 30,000–74,999 inhabitants

Places with 10,000–29,999 inhabitants

Fewer than 10,000 inhabitants

Map showing cities and highways in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler MSA, as defined by the U.S. Census as both Maricopa and Pinal counties. Phoenix MPA Incorporated and Planning areas.svg
Map showing cities and highways in the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler MSA, as defined by the U.S. Census as both Maricopa and Pinal counties.

Unincorporated communities

Over 10,000 inhabitants

Under 10,000 inhabitants

Geography

As of 2020, the Phoenix Metropolitan area consists of Maricopa and Pinal counties, comprising a total area of about 14,600 square miles. Because of the size of counties in Arizona, even though Maricopa and Pinal counties together contain nearly 4.9 million people, most of the area is uninhabited, which gives the MSA an extremely low density compared to other major MSAs in the nation.

The average elevation in the city itself is about 1,100 feet (340 m), with the highest point being in South Mountain Park Preserve 2,704 feet (824 m).The highest point in the two county area is 7,657 feet (2,334 m) in the Four Peaks mountain range.

Climate

Metropolitan Phoenix is notable for its warm, desert climate. On average, the area receives about 9 inches of rain annually, with less than 1 inch of snow every decade. In total, the region will see about 32 days of measurable precipitation each year. The MSA is one of the sunniest major metropolitan areas, receiving 295 days of sunshine, compared to the national average of 205. The average July high is about 104 °F (40 °C), with the average January low being about 36 °F (3 °C), still above freezing. Bestplaces gives Metropolitan Phoenix a comfort index [lower-alpha 1] of 44/100, which is also the national average. [23]

Below is a chart showing climate data collected from Sky Harbor Airport. Note that due to the vast area covered by the MSA, climates vary throughout the valley.

Climate data for Phoenix Int'l, Arizona (1991–2020 normals, [lower-alpha 2] extremes 1895–present) [lower-alpha 3]
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)88
(31)		92
(33)		100
(38)		105
(41)		114
(46)		122
(50)		121
(49)		117
(47)		116
(47)		107
(42)		99
(37)		87
(31)		122
(50)
Mean maximum °F (°C)78.2
(25.7)		82.1
(27.8)		90.4
(32.4)		99.0
(37.2)		105.7
(40.9)		112.7
(44.8)		114.6
(45.9)		113.2
(45.1)		108.9
(42.7)		100.7
(38.2)		88.9
(31.6)		77.7
(25.4)		115.7
(46.5)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)67.6
(19.8)		70.8
(21.6)		78.1
(25.6)		85.5
(29.7)		94.5
(34.7)		104.2
(40.1)		106.5
(41.4)		105.1
(40.6)		100.4
(38.0)		89.2
(31.8)		76.5
(24.7)		66.2
(19.0)		87.1
(30.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)56.8
(13.8)		59.9
(15.5)		66.3
(19.1)		73.2
(22.9)		82.0
(27.8)		91.4
(33.0)		95.5
(35.3)		94.4
(34.7)		89.2
(31.8)		77.4
(25.2)		65.1
(18.4)		55.8
(13.2)		75.6
(24.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)46.0
(7.8)		49.0
(9.4)		54.5
(12.5)		60.8
(16.0)		69.5
(20.8)		78.6
(25.9)		84.5
(29.2)		83.6
(28.7)		78.1
(25.6)		65.6
(18.7)		53.7
(12.1)		45.3
(7.4)		64.1
(17.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C)36.0
(2.2)		40.0
(4.4)		44.4
(6.9)		50.1
(10.1)		58.4
(14.7)		69.4
(20.8)		74.4
(23.6)		74.2
(23.4)		68.3
(20.2)		53.8
(12.1)		42.0
(5.6)		35.4
(1.9)		33.8
(1.0)
Record low °F (°C)16
(−9)		24
(−4)		25
(−4)		35
(2)		39
(4)		49
(9)		63
(17)		58
(14)		47
(8)		34
(1)		27
(−3)		22
(−6)		16
(−9)
Average precipitation inches (mm)0.87
(22)		0.87
(22)		0.83
(21)		0.22
(5.6)		0.13
(3.3)		0.02
(0.51)		0.91
(23)		0.93
(24)		0.57
(14)		0.56
(14)		0.57
(14)		0.74
(19)		7.22
(183)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)3.84.13.11.51.00.53.94.62.52.22.24.033.4
Average relative humidity (%)50.944.439.327.821.919.431.636.235.636.943.851.836.6
Average dew point °F (°C)32.4
(0.2)		32.2
(0.1)		32.9
(0.5)		31.6
(−0.2)		34.3
(1.3)		39.0
(3.9)		56.1
(13.4)		58.3
(14.6)		52.3
(11.3)		43.0
(6.1)		35.8
(2.1)		33.1
(0.6)		40.1
(4.5)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 256.0257.2318.4353.6401.0407.8378.5360.8328.6308.9256.0244.83,871.6
Percent possible sunshine 81848690939586878988827987
Average ultraviolet index 3.14.46.68.59.710.911.010.18.35.63.72.77.0
Source 1: NOAA (dew points, relative humidity, and sun 1961–1990) [24] [25] [26] , Weather.com [27]
Source 2: UV Index Today (1995 to 2022) [28]

Economy

Metropolitan Phoenix has historically been the center of the state's economy. As with the state of Arizona, the area relied on the 5 C's (copper, cattle, climate, citrus, and cotton) for its economic growth and expansion. However, after World War II, the area entered the manufacturing industry, which spurred the growth of what would eventually be one of the largest urban areas in the nation. Currently, the two largest industries are manufacturing and tourism. About 10 million people visit from other states and Canada each year, due to the area's mild winters and long, sunny days. The technology and service industries currently account for almost 77% of total employment in the region. [29] As well as a strong tourism industry, the Phoenix area has a significant business sector. Several Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies have their international headquarters in the area, including Avnet, PetSmart, Apollo Education Group, Republic Services, ON Semiconductor, Insight Enterprises, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Other Fortune 500 companies with significant presence include Banner Health, the state's largest private employer, American Airlines, which merged with Tempe-based US Airways, American Express, Wells Fargo, Boeing, and Intel, which has a large regional campus in Chandler. [30]

The Metropolitan Area ranks 5th in the nation in economic growth, which is a major comeback from the recession. [31] The unemployment rate of the area is 5.3%, lower than the national rate of 6.3%. It also has slightly higher recent job growth (2.0% compared to 1.2%) and higher projected job growth (38.7% compared to 36.1%). Although the area has significantly higher sales tax rates compared with the nation as a whole (8.3% to 6.0%), income tax rates are lower than the national average (3.4% to 4.7%). The largest occupation by population is in the office/administrative sector, comprising more than a quarter of all jobs in the region. [32]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Freeways and expressways

Freeway map of the Phoenix Area Phoenix Area Freeways map.svg
Freeway map of the Phoenix Area

The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is served by several controlled-access freeways, including:

  • I-10.svg I-10 (Papago Freeway, Maricopa Freeway)
  • I-17.svg I-17 (Black Canyon Freeway, Maricopa Freeway)
  • US 60.svg US 60 (Maricopa Freeway, Superstition Freeway)
  • Arizona 51.svg SR 51 (Piestewa Freeway)
  • Arizona 143.svg SR 143 (Hohokam Expressway)
  • Arizona Loop 101.svg Loop 101 (Agua Fria, Pima, Price Freeway)
  • Arizona Loop 202.svg Loop 202 (Red Mountain, Santan, South Mountain Freeway)
  • Arizona Loop 303.svg Loop 303 (Estrella Freeway)

New freeways are planned in the future, either through upgrades of existing roads such as SR 74, SR 85, and Northern Parkway; or through the construction of new freeways where no road existed before such as SR 24, SR 30, and I-11.

Arterial roads

Arterial streets in Central Phoenix Road Map of Central Phoenix.png
Arterial streets in Central Phoenix

Most of the arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area are laid out on a regular grid, following the section lines established in the Public Land Survey System. As a result, arterial roads in cities that had once been geographically separate may have been given different names while occupying the same section line. When these roads were extended to accommodate the growth in the area they eventually merged into a single road while the previous segments retained their existing names. This results in several cases of a road abruptly changing names; for example, Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix becomes Olive Avenue west of 43rd Avenue, in Glendale.

Another quirk of a grid system based upon the Public Land Survey System is due to the occasional corrections in the grid caused by the curvature of the Earth. This results in arterial roadways deviating slightly from a straight line, as can be seen in many locations where roads abruptly curve either just north or just south of Baseline Road to follow a new section line.

The majority of the cities in the metropolitan area, as well as unincorporated areas in Maricopa County, observe the addressing system employed by the city of Phoenix. A number of cities, however, retain their own addressing systems with differing reference points, creating the potential for multiple instances of a house number being found on the same named road.

In terms of numbering systems, some roads that continue through multiple cities will switch numbering conventions several times. Broadway Road, for example, starts and stops multiple times, passing through Goodyear, Avondale, Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction, each with their own reference point for address numbering. [33] Though the street does not curve, the direction changes from west to east in each city and back again when moving from one city to the next, causing considerable overlap in numbers.

Street numbering systems

[34] [35] Most communities in Maricopa County use the Phoenix-County numbering system, with the point of origin at Central Avenue and Washington Street. In the Phoenix-County system, north-south numbered roads labeled "avenue", "drive", and "lane" are West of Central Avenue, while those labeled "street", "place" and "way" are east of Central Avenue. Starting with 579th Avenue [36] in the west near Tonopah the avenues count down with approximately 8 numbers per mile to 19th Avenue and count up again to from 16th Street to 228th Street [37] near Queen Creek in the east. They go, in order from west to east (although not all necessarily exist):

  • 2nd Avenue – 1st Dale – 1st Glen – 1st Lane – 1st Drive – 1st Avenue
  • Central Avenue
  • 1st Street – 1st Place – 1st Way – 1st Terrace – 1st Run – 2nd Street

This has been a source of confusion for a few newcomers, who might end up, for example, at 91st Avenue and Thunderbird Road, when in fact they intended to go to 91st Street and Thunderbird Road, between 30 minutes and an hour away from one another depending on traffic.

One beneficial quality of this arrangement for unfamiliar travelers is that the major north-south arterial roads are rarely similarly named; the "avenue" arterials in the West Valley are all odd-numbered and the "street" arterials in the East Valley are even-numbered, with the exception of 7th Ave. & 7th St., both being major roadways running parallel and each one-half mile from Central Ave.

Communities in Maricopa County that have their own street numbering systems include:

CommunityPoint of Origin
Apache Junction (Pinal County)Idaho Road & Junction Drive
Avondale (historic downtown only)Central Avenue & Western Avenue
Buckeye (historic downtown only)Monroe Avenue & 1st Street
ChandlerCommonwealth Place & Arizona Avenue
GilbertGilbert Road & Elliot Road
Litchfield ParkOld Litchfield Road & Wigwam Boulevard
MesaCenter Street & Main Street
Goodyear (historic district only)Western Avenue & Litchfield Road
TempeMill Avenue & the Salt River
WickenburgCenter Street & Frontier Street
Wittmann (core area only)Center Street & Grand Avenue

Additional confusion can be encountered in Mesa in its urban core, with east-west numbered avenues and drives counting down from 11th Avenue north towards Main Street), [38] and numbered streets and places counting down from 11th Place south towards Main Street. [39] Then, in the eastern part of the city, north-south streets and places count up from 22nd St east of Gilbert Rd, [40] to 112th Street on the Apache Junction border. [41] Numerous trailer parks inside the city limits run their own contradictory variations of the numbered street system. [42]

Most communities in Pinal County use the Pinal County street numbering system, whose point of origin is at SR 287 and 11 Mile Corner Road (the intersection of which is known as "11 Mile Corner"). Exceptions include:

CommunityPoint of origin
Apache JunctionIdaho Road & Junction Drive
Casa GrandeAsh Avenue & Center Street
CoolidgeCentral Avenue & Union Pacific Railroad
EloyAlsdorf Road & Main Street
FlorenceButte Avenue & Main Street
Queen Creek(follows Maricopa County)
Stanfield SR 84 & Stanfield Road

Apache Junction continues Mesa's convention of numbered north-south street names by having the sequence continue east from 112th St while simultaneously having east-west numbered avenues south of Apache Trail and east-west numbered streets north of Apache Trail. [43]

Traffic safety

In terms of safety, the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ metropolitan area has been ranked 16th most dangerous in the USA, based on its Pedestrian Danger Index, computed on the share of local commuters who walk to work and the most recent data on pedestrian deaths as found in a 2016 report released by Smart Growth America. [44]

Rail

Amtrak serves the Phoenix metropolitan area with their Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle trains—both of which stop in Maricopa, located about 40 miles south of downtown Phoenix. Amtrak's Stagecoach Express provides Amtrak Thruway service from Maricopa station to both Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Tempe station. Amtrak also provides additional Thruway Motorcoach service from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Flagstaff station, which is served by the Southwest Chief .

Amtrak's Los Angeles-New Orleans Sunset Limited served the city of Phoenix directly from 1971 until it was rerouted on June 2, 1996, to a more southerly route between Tucson and Yuma, Arizona, in order to accommodate the Union Pacific Railroad's desire to abandon a portion of its Phoenix-to-Yuma "West Line." This made Phoenix one of the largest cities in the nation without direct passenger service.

A light rail system (dubbed the "METRO Light Rail") runs more than 20 miles from suburban Mesa, through Tempe and into Phoenix, traveling through the downtown area, offering access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and linking two of the four metro area campuses of Arizona State University. The light rail began public operation on December 27, 2008, and it was projected to accommodate 26,000 boardings a day, or more than 8 million boardings in its first year. Valley Metro Rail boardings has experienced constant growth since the beginning. In the year 2012, the light rail boarded just over 14 million people.

Many expansions to the METRO system are currently in the early planning stages, and others are under construction. The Central Mesa extension project, which extends the Main Street line 2+1⁄2 miles from Sycamore to Mesa Drive in Downtown Mesa, finished construction and opened on August 22, 2015. [45] The Northwest rail project opened March 2016. The project extended the 19th Avenue track from its former terminus at Montebello Ave to Dunlap Avenue, 3 miles north. [46] Many more extensions are funded, with further projects being studied for feasibility.

Aviation

In 2010, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was the 24th busiest passenger facility in the world and the 10th busiest in the United States, with more than 38 million passengers using the facility. With three terminal buildings encompassing 120 gates, more than 20 airlines offer daily non-stop flights to destinations throughout the world.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport began commercial passenger flights in 2004. The airport provides service to over 40 destinations.

There are several municipal and regional airports in the metropolitan area that are not used by commercial airlines for passenger flights. They include, but are not limited to, Glendale Airport, Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix Goodyear Airport, Scottsdale Airport, Falcon Field, Chandler Municipal Airport, Buckeye Airport, Phoenix Regional Airport, Pleasant Valley Airport, Estrella Sailport, Stellar Airpark, Skyranch at Carefree, Gila River Memorial Airport, Pegasus Airpark.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people. Higher values indicate a more comfortable climate.
  2. ↑ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
  3. ↑ Official records for Phoenix kept at downtown August 1895 to September 1953, and at Sky Harbor Int'l since October 1953. For more information see ThreadEx.

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Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2020 population of 180,587. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale and the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community on the north, Chandler on the south, and Mesa on the east. Tempe is also the location of the main campus of Arizona State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona State Route 101</span> Freeway in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Arizona, United States

Arizona State Route 101 or Loop 101 is a semi-beltway looping around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in central Arizona, United States. It connects several suburbs of Phoenix, including Tolleson, Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler. Construction began in the late-1980s and was completed in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona State Route 202</span> Freeway in the Phoenix metropolitan area in Arizona, United States

Arizona State Route 202 (SR 202) or Loop 202 (202L) is a semi-beltway circling the eastern and southern areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area in central Maricopa County, Arizona. It traverses the eastern end and the southern end of the city of Phoenix, in addition to the cities of Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert, and is a vital route in the metropolitan area freeway system. Loop 202 has three officially designated sections along its route; the Red Mountain Freeway, the SanTan Freeway, and the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway, also known as the South Mountain Freeway. The Red Mountain Freeway runs from the Mini Stack Interchange with Interstate 10 (I-10) and State Route 51 (SR 51) in Phoenix to the SuperRedTan Interchange with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) in Mesa. The SanTan Freeway runs from there to an interchange with Interstate 10 (I-10) in Chandler. The Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway runs from there to I-10 in western Phoenix.

The Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority, more popularly known as Valley Metro, is the unified public brand of the regional transit system for the Phoenix metropolitan area. Within the system, it is divided between Valley Metro Bus, which runs all bus operations, Valley Metro Rail, which is responsible for light rail and streetcar operations in the Valley. In 2023, the combined bus and rail system had a ridership of 36,374,000, or about 122,500 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North/Northwest Phoenix</span> Region of the city

North/Northwest Phoenix is a region in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. While the area with this name has no official separate status, it usually refers to the Urban Villages of Paradise Valley, North Mountain, Deer Valley, Desert View, and North Gateway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona State Route 24</span> Planned state highway in Arizona

State Route 24, also known as the Gateway Freeway or the Williams Gateway Freeway, is a freeway in the extreme southeastern region of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The roadway is planned as a controlled-access highway to move traffic from the southeastern suburbs of Phoenix to planned ones in northwestern Pinal County. It is the lowest-numbered state route in Arizona. The first mile from Loop 202 to Ellsworth Road opened on May 4, 2014. An extension to Ironwood Drive opened in 2022, with the completion of "Interim Phase II"; the first mile of this extension from Ellsworth Road to Williams Field Road opened on April 1, 2022, with the remainder following on August 11. Planning for future sections has been halted until studies for the Pinal North-South Freeway are completed to confirm how the two freeways will intersect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 60 in Arizona</span> Section of U.S. Highway in Arizona, United States

U.S. Route 60 (US 60) is an east–west United States Highway within Arizona. The highway runs for 369 miles (594 km) from a junction with Interstate 10 near Quartzsite to the New Mexico state line near Springerville. As it crosses the state, US 60 overlaps at various points: I-17, I-10, SR 77, SR 260, US 191, and US 180. Between Wickenburg and Phoenix, the route is known as Grand Avenue. From Tempe to Apache Junction, it is known as the Superstition Freeway.

The transportation system of Arizona comprises car, rail, air, bus, and bicycle transport.

The metropolitan area of Phoenix in the U.S. state of Arizona contains one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing freeway systems, with over 1,405 lane miles (2,261 km) as of 2005.

Transportation in Phoenix, Arizona is primarily via private cars. Public transport is run under the brand Valley Metro, and consists of buses, light rail, and a streetcar system.

Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard in Tempe continues east as Main Street in neighboring Mesa and then as Apache Trail in Apache Junction. Although Broadway Road maintains the same name through Goodyear, Avondale, Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction, each town uses a different reference point for address numbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell Road (Phoenix Metro)</span> Arterial road in the northern Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area

Bell Road is a major east-west arterial road in the northern Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. It is one of the few roadways to cross the Agua Fria River in the northwestern part of the metro area, providing a vital link between the growing suburb of Surprise with Phoenix. As a result, the portion of Bell Road passing through Surprise and Sun City is the busiest arterial road in the state of Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Sun Corridor</span> Megaregion in Arizona, United States

The Arizona Sun Corridor, shortened Sun Corridor, is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of Arizona. The Sun Corridor is comparable to Indiana in both size and population. It is one of the fastest growing conurbations in the country and is speculated to double its population by 2040. The largest metropolitan areas are the Phoenix metropolitan area – Valley of the Sun, and the Tucson metropolitan area – The Old Pueblo. The regions' populace is nestled in the valley of a desert environment. Similar to Southern California, the urban area extends into Mexico, reaching the communities of Heroica Nogales and Agua Prieta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Arizona</span> Timeline of the history of Arizona

The following is a timeline of the history of the area which today comprises the U.S. state of Arizona. Situated in the desert southwest, for millennia the area was home to a series of Pre-Columbian peoples. By 1 AD, the dominant groups in the area were the Hohokam, the Mogollon, and the Ancestral Puebloans. The Hohokam dominated the center of the area which is now Arizona, the Mogollon the southeast, and the Puebloans the north and northeast. As these cultures disappeared between 1000 and 1400 AD, other Indian groups settled in Arizona. These tribes included the Navajo, Apache, Southern Paiute, Hopi, Yavapai, Akimel O'odham, and the Tohono O'odham.

References

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  2. ↑ "Butte Peak AZ – www.surgent.net".
  3. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Total Gross Domestic Product for Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ (MSA)". Federal Reserve Economic Data . Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
  5. ↑ "Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler Metro Area, Arizona: 155 Zip Codes". bestplaces.net.
  6. ↑ "Table 5: Metropolitan Areas Ranked by Percent Population Change: 1990 to 2000", Census 2000 PHC-T-3. Ranking Tables for Metropolitan Areas: 1990 and 2000, United States Census Bureau, April 2, 2001, archived from the original on September 3, 2006, retrieved July 8, 2006
  7. ↑ Brandon Loomis (June 1, 2023). "Arizona will halt new home approvals in parts of metro Phoenix as water supplies tighten". USA TODAY Network. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  8. ↑ "OMG Bulletin" (PDF). Retrieved June 14, 2020.
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  13. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  16. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ "Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months". American Fact Finder. US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  19. ↑ DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010–2010 Demographic Profile Data, U.S. Census Bureau, archived from the original on May 21, 2019
  20. ↑ DP03, Selected Economic Characteristics – 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau, archived from the original on February 13, 2016, retrieved April 3, 2020
  21. ↑ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  22. 1 2 Urbanized Area Outline Map (Census 2000): Phoenix–Mesa, AZ (PDF), U.S. Deoartment of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau
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  28. ↑ "Historical UV Index Data - Phoenix, AZ". UV Index Today. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
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  30. ↑ "Arizona Republic 100: State's largest employers".
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  33. ↑ Valley Metro System Map
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  35. ↑ Google Maps
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  43. ↑ 56 S 111th Pl (January 1, 1970). "56 S 111 pl, Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona 85208 – Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved October 31, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  44. ↑ "Dangerous by Design 2021".
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  46. ↑ "Providing Public Transportation Alternatives for the Greater Phoenix Metro Area - Valley Metro". www.valleymetro.org. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2015.

33°10′N112°02′W / 33.17°N 112.04°W / 33.17; -112.04

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