Gisela ( ) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) in

Gila County Gila County ( ) is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,272. The county seat is Globe. Gila County comprises the Payson, Arizona Micropolitan Statistical Area. Gila County contains p ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, United States. The population was 570 at the 2010 census. Gisela was named after the heroine in the book ''Countess Gisela'' by

E. Marlitt E. Marlitt is the pseudonym of Eugenie John (December 5, 18251887), a popular German novelist. Biography She was born at Arnstadt. Her father was a portrait painter; her patroness was the , who adopted her in 1841 and sent her to Vienna to st ...

. The town schoolteacher was reading the book to her students when she was asked by her husband, the postmaster, to help name the little settlement. She asked the school children what names they liked, and they voted to name their new town Gisela. The students did not know how to pronounce the name correctly, so they called it .

Geography

Gisela is located in northwestern Gila County at (34.101809, -111.285194). It is east of

Arizona State Route 87 State Route 87 (SR 87) is a north–south highway that travels from I-10 near Picacho northward to State Route 264 near Second Mesa. Route description SR 87 begins to the north of I-10 at a junction with an unsigned orphan segment of SR 84 ...

, the Beeline Highway, and by road south of Payson. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the Gisela CDP has a total area of , of which , or 0.7%, is water.

Tonto Creek Tonto Creek is a stream located in the Mogollon Rim area of the state of Arizona on the north edge of the Tonto National Forest. The closest town, Payson, Arizona, Payson, is away. Tonto Creek is a stream that flows year round, starting just ...

flows through Gisela on its way to Roosevelt Lake on the Salt River.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 532 people, 225 households, and 161 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 295 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.2% Native American, 2.3% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.2% from two or more races. 5.6% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 225 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.81. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $24,044, and the median income for a family was $28,750. Males had a median income of $31,328 versus $18,472 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $15,974. About 5.8% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 30.2% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions

*The Gisela Ruin

are Salado culture, Salado ruins along

just downstream of Gisela.

References

{{authority control Populated places of the Mogollon Rim Census-designated places in Gila County, Arizona