Cochise County ( ) is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

. It is named after Cochise, a

Chiricahua Chiricahua ( ) is a band of Apache Native Americans. Based in the Southern Plains and Southwestern United States, the Chiricahua historically shared a common area, language, customs, and intertwined family relations with their fellow Apaches. ...

Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...

who was a key war leader during the

Apache Wars The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States Army and various Apache tribal confederations fought in the Southwestern United States, southwest between 1849 and 1886, though minor hostilities continued until as l ...

. The population was 125,447 at the 2020 census. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Bisbee and the most populous city is Sierra Vista. Cochise County includes the Sierra Vista- Douglas, Arizona Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county borders southwestern

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

and the northwestern Mexican state of

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...

History

In 1528, Spanish explorers

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (; 1488/90/92"Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar Núñez (1492?-1559?)." American Eras. Vol. 1: Early American Civilizations and Exploration to 1600. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 50-51. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 December ...

, Estevanico, and Fray Marcos de Niza survived a shipwreck off the Texas coast. Captured by Native Americans, they spent eight years finding their way back to Mexico City, via the San Pedro Valley. Their journals, maps, and stories led to the Cibola,

seven cities of gold The myth of the Seven Cities of Gold, also known as the Seven Cities of Cíbola (), was popular in the 16th century and later featured in several works of popular culture. According to legend, the seven cities of gold referred to Aztec mythology ...

myth. The Expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1539 using it as his route north through what they called the Guachuca Mountains of Pima ( Tohono O'odham) lands and later part of the mission routes north, but was actually occupied by the Sobaipuri descendants of the Hohokam. They found a large Pueblo (described as a small city) between modern Benson and Whetstone, and several smaller satellite villages and smaller pueblos including ones on Fort Huachuca, Huachuca City and North Eastern Fry. About 1657 Father Kino visited the Sobaipuris just before the Apache forced most from the valley, as they were struggling to survive due to increasing Chiricahua Apache attacks as they moved into the area of Texas Canyon of the

Dragoon Mountains The Dragoon Mountains is a range of mountains located in Cochise County, Arizona. The range is about long, running on an axis extending south-south east through Willcox. The name originates from the 3rd U.S. Cavalry Dragoons who battled the C ...

. In 1775, Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate was founded on the west bank of the San Pedro River to protect the natives as well as the Spanish settlers who supplied the mission stations. The presidio was chronically short on provisions due to raids, however, and lacked personnel to adequately patrol the eastern route due to wars with France and England, so the main route north shifted west to the Santa Cruz valley, farther from the range of the Chiricahua Apache who almost exclusively controlled the area by 1821. Cochise_County_1881

Cochise County was created on February 1, 1881, out of the eastern portion of

Pima County Pima County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona, one of 15 List of counties in Arizona, counties in the state. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1 ...

. It took its name from the

war chief Cochise. The county seat was

Tombstone A gravestone or tombstone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. A marker set at the head of the grave may be called a headstone. An especially old or elaborate stone slab may be called a funeral stele, stela, or slab. The us ...

until 1929 when it moved to Bisbee. Notable men who once held the position of County

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

were Johnny Behan, who served as the first sheriff of the new county, and who was one of the main characters during the events leading to and following the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Later, in 1886, Texas John Slaughter became sheriff. Lawman Jeff Milton and lawman/

outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them. ...

Burt Alvord both served as deputies under Slaughter. A syndicated

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

which aired from 1956 to 1958, '' The Sheriff of Cochise'' starring John Bromfield, was filmed on location in Cochise County. The Jimmy Stewart movie '' Broken Arrow'' and subsequent television show of the same name starring John Lupton, which also aired from 1956 to 1958, were set in Cochise County but filmed at other locations. J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady mystery series takes place in Cochise County, where Brady is sheriff. Beginning in the late 1950s, the small community of Miracle Valley was the site of a series of bible colleges and similar religious organizations, founded by television evangelist A. A. Allen. In 1982, Miracle Valley and neighboring Palominas were the site of a series of escalating conflicts between a newly arrived black religious community and the county sheriff and deputies that culminated in the Miracle Valley shootout.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water. Cochise County is close to the size of the states of

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

and

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

combined.

Adjacent counties and municipios

* Santa Cruz County – south and west *

– west * Graham County – north * Greenlee County – north * Hidalgo County, New Mexico – east * Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico – south * Cananea, Sonora, Mexico – south * Naco, Sonora, Mexico – south * Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico – south

Protected areas

* Chiricahua National Monument * Coronado National Forest (part) * Coronado National Memorial * Fort Bowie National Historic Site * Kartchner Caverns State Park * Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge * San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 131,346 people, 50,865 households, and 33,653 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 59,041 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 78.5% white, 4.2% black or African American, 1.9% Asian, 1.2% American Indian, 0.3% Pacific islander, 9.9% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 32.4% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: * 28.3% Mexican * 16.2% German * 11.6% Irish * 9.8% English * 4.5% American * 3.7% Italian * 2.6% French * 2.1% Scottish * 2.0% Dutch * 1.9% Scotch-Irish * 1.9% Polish * 1.5% Norwegian * 1.1% Puerto Rican * 1.1% Swedish Of the 50,865 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 39.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $44,876 and the median income for a family was $53,077. Males had a median income of $42,164 versus $31,019 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,010. About 11.8% of families and 15.7% 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 ...

, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 117,755 people, 43,893 households, and 30,768 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 51,126 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 76.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 4.5%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.2% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.3%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 12.1% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. 30.7% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. 25.4% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.3% speak German. There were 43,893 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,105, and the median income for a family was $38,005. Males had a median income of $30,533 versus $22,252 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $15,988. About 13.5% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the

, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. In 2000, the largest denominational group was the

Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

(with 25,837 adherents) and

Evangelical Protestant Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of the Christian ...

s (with 12,548 adherents). The largest religious bodies were The

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

(with 25,837 members) and The

Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...

(with 5,999 members).

Politics

Cochise County leans strongly towards the Republican Party in presidential elections. Although

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

carried the county narrowly in 1992, it has supported the Republican nominee by large margins in every other election since 1968, except for 1996 and 1976 when Clinton and

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

each lost only narrowly. Although the county includes the relatively liberal town of Bisbee, as well as the city of Douglas which has a large Latino population, this is outweighed by the heavily Republican tilt of the more populous Sierra Vista, which is adjacent to Fort Huachuca and thus has a heavy military presence. In the United States House of Representatives, the county is mostly part of Arizona's 6th congressional district, which is represented by Republican Juan Ciscomani. In the Arizona Legislature, the county is part of the 19th district and is represented by Republican David Gowan in the State Senate and Republicans Gail Griffin and Lupe Diaz in the State House of Representatives. This district also includes the entirety of Greenlee County, as well as portions of

, Graham County, and Santa Cruz County.

Transportation

Major highways

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the origina ...

* Historic U.S. Route 80 * U.S. Route 191 * State Route 80 * State Route 82 * State Route 83 * State Route 90 * 20px State Route 92 * 20px State Route 186

Airports

Bisbee Municipal Airport is owned by the City of Bisbee and located five nautical miles (9 km) southeast of its

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (IATA: FHU, ICAO: KFHU, FAA LID: FHU), a joint-use civil-military airport which shares facilities with Libby Army Airfield, is located on the U.S. Army installation Fort Huachuca in the city of Sierra Vista. The airport has three runways and one helipad. It is mostly used for military aviation for the surrounding military base. There are no commercial flights out of Cochise County; the nearest commercial airport is at Tucson Airport, Tucson, approximately 70 miles from Sierra Vista.

Communities

Cities

* Benson * Bisbee (county seat) * Douglas * Sierra Vista *

* Willcox, Arizona, Willcox

Towns

* Huachuca City, Arizona, Huachuca City

Census-designated places

* Bowie, Arizona, Bowie * Dragoon, Arizona, Dragoon * Elfrida, Arizona, Elfrida * McNeal, Arizona, McNeal * Mescal, Arizona, Mescal * Miracle Valley * Naco, Arizona, Naco * Palominas * Pirtleville, Arizona, Pirtleville * Sierra Vista Southeast, Arizona, Sierra Vista Southeast * St. David, Arizona, St. David * San Simon, Arizona, San Simon * Sunizona, Arizona, Sunizona * Sunsites, Arizona, Sunsites * Whetstone

Other places

* Amber * Babocomari * Charleston, Arizona, Charleston * Cochise, Arizona, Cochise * Cross Rail Ranch * Dos Cabezas, Arizona, Dos Cabezas * Double Adobe, Arizona, Double Adobe * El Dorado * Hereford, Arizona, Hereford * Hookers Hot Springs, Arizona, Hookers Hot Springs * Kansas Settlement * Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge, Leslie Canyon National Wildlife refuge * Nicksville * Paul Spur * Pomerene, Arizona, Pomerene * Portal, Arizona, Portal * Paradise, Arizona, Paradise * Rucker * Stewart District * Sunnyside * Sunsites, Arizona, Sunsites * Tintown

Military sites

* Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Fort Huachuca * Willcox Playa (proving ground)

Ghost towns

* Black Diamond, Arizona, Black Diamond * Cascabel, Arizona, Cascabel * Charleston, Arizona, Charleston * Cochise, Arizona, Cochise * Contention City, Arizona, Contention City * Courtland, Arizona, Courtland * Fairbank, Arizona, Fairbank * Galeyville, Arizona, Galeyville * Gleeson, Arizona, Gleeson * Hilltop, Arizona, Hilltop * Johnson, Arizona, Johnson * Millville, Arizona, Millville * Paradise, Arizona, Paradise * Pearce, Arizona, Pearce * Tres Alamos, Arizona, Tres Alamos

County population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 United States census, 2010 census of Cochise County. † county seat

Education

School districts include: Unified: * Benson Unified School District * Bisbee Unified District (Bisbee High School) * Bowie Unified District * Douglas Unified District * Fort Huachuca Accommodation District * San Simon Unified District * St. David Unified District * Sierra Vista Unified District * Tombstone Unified District * Willcox Unified District Secondary: * Valley Union High School District Elementary: * Apache Elementary District * Ash Creek Elementary District * Cochise Elementary District * Double Adobe Elementary District * Elfrida Elementary District * McNeal Elementary District * Naco Elementary District * Palominas Elementary District * Pearce Elementary District * Pomerene Elementary District * Rucker Elementary District The Rucker Elementary School district, in 2002, operated no schools and sent its elementary students to the Elfrida district. The Rucker district had a bus driver and an administrator as employees. The residents liked the arrangement as they could pay less tax.
Clipping
from Newspapers.com.

References

External links

County website

Official Tourism Council Site
{{authority control Cochise County, Arizona, 1881 establishments in Arizona Territory Populated places established in 1881 Arizona placenames of Native American origin Cochise County conflict