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Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
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 ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,420,568, making it the state's most populous county, and the fourth-most populous in the United States. It contains about 62% of Arizona's population, making Arizona one of the most centralized states in the nation. The
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, the state capital and fifth-most populous city in the United States. Maricopa County is the central county of the
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
-
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by a ...
- Chandler, AZ
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. The Office of Management and Budget renamed the metropolitan area in September 2018. Previously, it was the Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale metropolitan area, and in 2000, that was changed to Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale. Maricopa County was named after the Maricopa Native Americans. Five
Native American Reservations An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
are located in the county. The largest are the
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
(east of Scottsdale) and the
Gila River Indian Community The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) (O'odham language: Keli Akimel Oʼotham, ''meaning "Gila River People"'', Maricopa language: Pee-Posh) is an Indian reservation in the U.S. state of Arizona, lying adjacent to the south side of the city of ...
(south of Chandler).


Geography

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 county has a total area of , of which (0.3%) are covered by water. Maricopa County is one of the largest counties in the United States by
area Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while '' surface area'' refers to the area of an ope ...
, with a land area greater than that of four other US states. From west to east, it stretches , and from north to south. It is by far Arizona's most populous county, encompassing well over half of the state's residents. It is the largest county in the United States to have a capital city.


Adjacent counties

*
La Paz County La Paz County is the 15th county in the U.S. state of Arizona, located in the western part of the state. As of the 2020 census, its population was 16,557, making it the second-least populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Parker. Th ...
– west * Yuma County – west *
Pima County Pima County ( ) is a county in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,043,433, making it Arizona's second-most populous county. The county seat is Tucson, where most of the populati ...
– south *
Pinal County Pinal County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264, making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was founded in 187 ...
– southeast and south *
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 ...
– east *
Yavapai County Yavapai County is near the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 236,209, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Prescott. Yavapai County comprises the Prescott, AZ M ...
– north


National protected areas

*
Sonoran Desert National Monument Sonoran Desert National Monument is south of Goodyear and Buckeye and east of Gila Bend, Arizona. Created by Presidential proclamation on January 17, 2001, the monument is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as part of the Natio ...
(part) *
Tonto National Forest The Tonto National Forest, encompassing , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in ...
(part)


Regional parks

Maricopa county has 14 regional parks, namely
Adobe Mountain Desert Park The Adobe Mountain Desert Park a.k.a. "The Railroad Park" is a park complex that houses the Sahuaro Central Railroad Heritage preservation Society, Sahuaro Central Railroad Museum, Arizona Model Railroading Society, and the Maricopa Live Steamers. ...
,
Chaparral Lake Chaparral Lake is located in Chaparral Park in west Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, at the northeast corner of Hayden and Chaparral Roads. It was the location of Balloon 2 in the 2009 DARPA Network Challenge. Fish species * Rainbow trout ...
, Estrella Mountain Regional Park,
Hassayampa River Preserve The Hassayampa River Preserve is a 770-acre riparian nature reserve owned by The Nature Conservancy in the US state of Arizona, near Wickenburg in Maricopa County. The Hassayampa River has mostly subterranean flows for most of its length, the ...
,
Indian Mesa Indian Mesa is a flat top hill whose sides are steep cliffs. Indian Mesa is located within the Lake Pleasant Regional Park grounds by the shores of Lake Pleasant and Agua Fria River in the Bradshaw Mountain Range. Lake Pleasant Regional Park is ...
,
Lake Pleasant Regional Park Lake Pleasant Regional Park is a large outdoors recreation area straddling the Maricopa and Yavapai county border northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. The park is located within the municipal boundaries of Peoria, Arizona, and serves as a major rec ...
,
Litchfield Park, Arizona Litchfield Park is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is located west of Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,847, up from 5,476 in 2010. History The town of Litchfield Park is a historically af ...
, Manistee Ranch, McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park,
Papago Park Papago Park () is a municipal park of the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, United States. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride. It includes Hunt's Tomb, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Description ...
, Phoenix Mountains Preserve , Sahuaro Ranch, San Tan Mountain Regional Park,
White Tank Mountain Regional Park The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a large regional park located in west-central Maricopa County, Arizona. Encompassing of desert and mountain landscape, it is the largest regional park in the county. The bulk of the White Tank Mountain ...
. It also has at least 21 protected areas:
Big Horn Mountains Wilderness The Big Horn Mountains Wilderness is a wilderness area located in central Arizona, USA, within the arid Sonora Desert. The wilderness lies midway between Phoenix and Quartzsite. Consisting of 21,000 acres, it was established by the United States ...
Daisy Mountain Preserve The Daisy Mountain Potential Preserve is a undeveloped Arizona State Land Department, Arizona State Trust Land area straddling the communities of Anthem, Arizona, Anthem, Desert Hills, Arizona (Maricopa County), Desert Hills, New River, Arizona ...
Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve
Eagletail Mountains Wilderness The Eagletail Mountains Wilderness is part of the Eagletail Mountains of central-west Arizona, about 65 mi west of Phoenix. The wilderness is of moderate size, with the Eagletail Mountains forming its northeast perimeter, and the much short ...
Harquahala Mountains The Harquahala Mountains ( Yavapai: ʼHakhe:la) are the highest mountain range in southwestern Arizona, United States and are located southwest of the towns of Aguila and Wenden. The name originated from the Yavapai 'ʼHakhe:la", which means "r ...
Hells Canyon Wilderness (Arizona)
Hummingbird Springs Wilderness The Hummingbird Springs Wilderness is a wilderness administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The wilderness is located in the northwest of Maricopa County in northern regions of the central Sonoran Desert of Arizona. The wilderness ...
Mesa Grande Mesa Grande Cultural Park, in Mesa, Arizona, preserves a group of Hohokam structures constructed during the Classic Period. The ruins were occupied between AD 1100 and 1400 ( Pueblo II – Pueblo IV Era) and were a product of the Hohokam civi ...
Mummy Mountain (Arizona) Mummy Mountain is a mountain situated in Paradise Valley, Arizona, United States. The formation is predominantly Precambrian granite with outcroppings of quartz and schorl. The slopes of the mountain incorporate primarily suburban residential ...
National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, also known as Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Phoenix in Maricopa County, Arizona. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 43,672 interm ...
Painted Rock Petroglyph Site The Painted Rock Petroglyph Site is a collection of hundreds of ancient petroglyphs near the town of Theba, Arizona, United States, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The site is operated and maintained by the Bureau of ...
Sierra Estrella The Sierra Estrella ( ood, Komaḍk, mrc, Vii Lyxa, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kchasa) is a mountain range located southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. Much of the range falls within the Gila River Indian Reservation, but of BLM land is protected as the Sier ...
Signal Mountain Wilderness Signal Mountain Wilderness is a protected wilderness area centered around its namesake Signal Mountain, rising to a summit at in the Gila Bend Mountains in the U.S. state of Arizona. Established in 1990 under the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act ...
Sonoran Desert National Monument Sonoran Desert National Monument is south of Goodyear and Buckeye and east of Gila Bend, Arizona. Created by Presidential proclamation on January 17, 2001, the monument is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as part of the Natio ...
St. Francis Catholic Cemetery St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, established in 1897, is one of the oldest in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. It consists of , 45 of which are developed. Before 1969, the cemetery was run by the Order of St. Francis, under the Diocese of Tucson. How ...
Superstition Mountains The Superstition Mountains ( yuf-x-yav, Wi:kchsawa) is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination fo ...
Table Top Mountain (Arizona)
Tonto National Forest The Tonto National Forest, encompassing , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in ...
Wabayuma Peak
White Tank Mountain Regional Park The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a large regional park located in west-central Maricopa County, Arizona. Encompassing of desert and mountain landscape, it is the largest regional park in the county. The bulk of the White Tank Mountain ...
Woolsey Peak Woolsey Peak Wilderness is a protected wilderness area centered around its namesake Woolsey Peak, rising 2,500 feet to a summit at 3270 feet (996 m) in the Gila Bend Mountains in the U.S. state of Arizona. Established in 1990 under the Arizon ...


Flora and fauna

From 2009-2011, an inventory of all
vascular plant Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They ...
s growing along the
Salt River (Arizona) The Salt River (Spanish: , O'odham ima , Yavapai: or , Maricopa language: Va Shly’ay) is a river in Gila and Maricopa counties in Arizona, United States, that is the largest tributary of the Gila River. The river is about 200 miles (320&nb ...
, Gila River, New River and
Agua Fria River The Agua Fria River (Spanish for "cold water") is a long intermittent stream which flows generally south from east-northeast of Prescott in the U.S. state of Arizona. Prescott draws much of its municipal water supply from the upper Agua Fria w ...
and their tributaries in the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
was done. In October 2022, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department detected Dengue virus in mosquitoes they had trapped; in November the first locally transmitted case of dengue fever was reported in the County and Arizona state as a whole - previous dengue cases in Maricopa County had been related to travel.


Demographics


Racial and ethnic composition since 1960


2000 census

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, 3,072,149 people, 1,132,886 households, and 763,565 families were living in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 334 people/sq mi (129/km2). The 1,250,231 housing units averaged of 136/sq mi (52/km2). The
racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 77.4% White, 3.7% African American, 1.9% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 12.0% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. About 29.5% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. About 19.1% reported speaking
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
at home. Of the 1,132,886 households, 33.0% had children under 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.67, and the average family size was 3.21. The age distribution in the county was 27.0% under 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $45,358, and for a family was $51,827. Males had a median income of $36,858 versus $28,703 for females. The
per capita income 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 county was $22,251. About 8.0% of families and 11.7% 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 t ...
, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 3,817,117 people, 1,411,583 households, and 932,814 families were living in the county. The population density was . The 1,639,279 housing units averaged . The racial makeup of the county was 73.0% white (58.7% non-Hispanic white), 5.0% African American, 3.5% Asian, 2.1% American Indian, 0.2% Pacific islander, 12.8% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 29.6% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: * 25.6% Mexican * 16.2%
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
* 10.6%
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
* 9.7%
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
* 5.2%
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
* 5.1%
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
* 2.8%
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
* 2.8% French * 2.0% Scottish * 1.9%
Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...
* 1.8%
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
* 1.6%
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
* 1.5% Scotch-Irish * 1.0%
Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
Of the 1,411,583 households, 35.1% had children under 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.9% were not families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.25. The median age was 34.6 years. The median income for a household in the county was $55,054 and the median income for a family was $65,438. Males had a median income of $45,799 versus $37,601 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,816. About 10.0% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the
poverty line 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 19.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. According to data provided by the United States Census Bureau in October 2015 and collected from 2009 to 2013, 73.7% of the population aged five years and over spoke only English at home, while 20.3% spoke Spanish, 0.6% spoke Chinese, 0.5% Vietnamese, 0.4% Tagalog, 0.4% Arabic, 0.4% German, 0.3% French, 0.3%
Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...
, 0.2% Korean, 0.2%
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
, 0.2% Italian, 0.1%
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
, 0.1% Russian, 0.1%
Serbo-Croatian Serbo-Croatian () – also called Serbo-Croat (), Serbo-Croat-Bosnian (SCB), Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS), and Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) – is a South Slavic language and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and ...
, 0.1%
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...
, 0.1% Polish, 0.1%
Syriac Syriac may refer to: *Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic *Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region * Syriac alphabet ** Syriac (Unicode block) ** Syriac Supplement * Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
, 0.1% Japanese, 0.1% spoke Romanian, and 0.1% spoke other Native North American languages at home.


Religion

In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Maricopa County was the
Diocese of Phoenix The Diocese of Phoenix ( la, Dioecesis Phoenicensis; es, Diócesis de Phoenix) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory or diocese in the state of Arizona in the United States. It was established on December 2, 1969, when it was split off ...
, with 519,950 Catholics worshipping at 99 parishes, followed by 242,732
LDS LDS may refer to: Organizations * LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, US Religion * Latter Day Saint movement (LDS movement), a collection of independent church groups **The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest group within t ...
Mormons with 503 congregations, 213,640 non-denominational adherents with 309 congregations, 93,252 AG Pentecostals with 120 congregations, 73,207 SBC Baptists with 149 congregations, 35,804
Christian churches and churches of Christ The group of churches known as the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ is a fellowship of congregations within the Restoration Movement (also known as the Stone-Campbell Movement and the Reformation of the 19th Century) that have no forma ...
Christians with 29 congregations, 30,014 ELCA Lutherans with 47 congregations, 28,634 UMC Methodists with 55 congregations, 18,408 LCMS Lutherans with 34 congregations, and 15,001 PC-USA Presbyterians with 42 congregations. Altogether, 39.1% of the population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, the county had 1,177 religious organizations, the fifth most out of all US counties.


Government, policing, and politics


Government

The governing body of Maricopa County is its board of supervisors. The
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is the governing body of Maricopa County, a county of over four million in Arizona. The five supervisors are each elected from single-member districts to serve four-year terms. Primary elections and general ...
consists of five members chosen by popular vote within their own districts. Currently, the board consists of four Republicans and one Democrat. Each member serves a four-year term, with no term limits.


Maricopa County sheriff

The
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) is the law enforcement agency that serves Maricopa County, Arizona, and is the largest sheriff's office in Arizona. The MCSO provides patrol services and criminal investigation to unincorporated areas ...
provides court protection, administers the county jail, and patrols the unincorporated areas of the county plus incorporated towns by contract.


Politics

For much of the time after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Maricopa County was one of the more conservative urban counties in the United States. While the city of
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
has been evenly split between the two major parties, most of the rest of the county was strongly
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
. Until 2020, every Republican presidential candidate since 1952 had carried Maricopa County. This includes the 1964 presidential run of native son Barry Goldwater, who would not have carried his own state had it not been for a 21,000-vote margin in Maricopa County. Until 2020, it was the largest county in the country to vote Republican. From 1968 to 2016, Democrats held the margin within single digits only three times–in 1992, 1996, and 2016. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat in 72 years to win the county, which flipped Arizona to the Democratic column for the first time since 1996 and only the second time since 1948. Furthermore, Biden became the first presidential candidate to win more than one million votes in the county. This makes Maricopa County the third county in American history to cast more than one million votes for a presidential candidate. The county is also a statewide bellwether, voting for the statewide winning candidate in all elections except 1996. Despite its consistent Republican allegiance since 1952, its fast-growing Hispanic population and influx of conservative retirees and Mormons, which were traditionally conservative voting blocs but were increasingly skeptical of President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, signaled that it was a crucial
bellwether A bellwether is a leader or an indicator of trends.bellwether
" ''Cambridge Dictionary''. Ret ...
in the 2020 election. Despite its political leanings at the time, Maricopa County voted against Proposition 107 in the 2006 election. This referendum, designed to ban gay marriage and restrict domestic partner benefits, was rejected by a 51.6–48.4% margin within the county, and statewide by a similar margin. Two years later, however, a majority of county residents voted to pass a successful state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The amendment was later invalidated by the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in ''
Obergefell v. Hodges ''Obergefell v. Hodges'', ( ), is a landmark LGBT rights case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protect ...
'', which declared that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right in the United States. Unlike cities and towns in Arizona, counties are politically and legally subordinate to the state and do not have charters of their own. The county Board of Supervisors acts under powers delegated by state law, mainly related to minor ordinances and revenue collection. With few exceptions, these powers are narrowly construed.The chairperson of the board presides for a one-year term, selected by the board members during a public hearing. The County Sheriff, County Attorney, County Assessor, County Treasurer, Superintendent of Schools, County Recorder, Constables, Justices of the Peace, and Clerk of the Superior Court are elected by the people. Retention of Superior Court Judges is also determined by popular vote. The county's dominant political figure for over two decades (from 1993 to 2017) was Sheriff
Joe Arpaio Joseph Michael Arpaio (; born June 14, 1932) is an American former law enforcement officer and politician. He served as the 36th Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017, losing reelection to Democrat Paul Penzone i ...
, who called himself "America's Toughest Sheriff" and gained national notoriety for his flamboyant and often controversial practices and policies. Maricopa County is home to 62 percent of the state's population and therefore dominates Arizona's politics. For example, in the 2018 Senate election, Democrat
Kyrsten Sinema Kyrsten Lea Sinema (; born July 12, 1976) is an American politician and former social worker serving as the senior United States senator from Arizona since January 2019. A former member of the Democratic Party, Sinema became an independent in ...
carried the county en route to becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Arizona since 1988. She won the county by over 60,000 votes, more than enough for the victory; she won statewide by 55,900 votes. All but one of the state's nine congressional districts include part of the county, and five of the districts have their population center located there. Most of the state's prominent elected officials live in the county. Further underlining Maricopa County's political dominance, Biden's margin of 45,109 votes was more than enough to carry the state; he only won Arizona by 10,457 votes.


Elected officials


United States Congress

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


Board of Supervisors


Elected county officials

†Member was originally appointed to the office.


Education

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


K-12 schools

School districts with territory in the county (no matter how slight, even if the administration and schools are in other counties) include: Unified: *
Cave Creek Unified School District The Cave Creek Unified School District is the school district serving Cave Creek and Carefree, Arizona, as well as the northern portion of Scottsdale and a sliver of eastern Phoenix. It operates one high school (Cactus Shadows High School C ...
*
Chandler Unified School District Chandler Unified School District serves most of the city of Chandler, Arizona, plus portions of Gilbert, and Queen Creek. The district serves over 45,000 students, making it the 3rd largest school district in Arizona.Deer Valley Unified District *
Dysart Unified School District Dysart Schools is a school district in Maricopa County, Arizona. It has 24,000 pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students in the Northwest Phoenix Metropolitan area. The district encompasses , serving parts of El Mirage, Glendale, Surprise, ...
*
Fountain Hills Unified School District The Fountain Hills Unified School District is a public school district in Maricopa County, Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th mo ...
* Gila Bend Unified School District *
Gilbert Unified School District Gilbert Unified School District #41 (GUSD), also known as Gilbert Public Schools (GPS), is a school district based in Gilbert, Arizona, United States in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The district is the 7th largest in Arizona, and serves over ...
*
Higley Unified School District The Higley Unified School District #60, abbreviated HUSD #60 is a school district in Gilbert, Arizona. The school district serves portions of Gilbert and Queen Creek. It is one of Arizona's fastest growing school districts, with modest continued ...
* Mesa Unified School District * Nadaburg Unified School District *
Paradise Valley Unified School District Paradise Valley Unified School District #69 (PVSchools) is a school district serving northeast Phoenix, Arizona, and Scottsdale, Arizona. The district serves students in kindergarten through grade 12 with 30 elementary schools (free, full-day kin ...
*
Peoria Unified School District Peoria Unified School District #11 (PUSD) is a school district headquartered in the District Administration Center (DAC) in Glendale, Arizona. It provides both primary and secondary education for most of Peoria, some areas of Glendale and Young ...
*
Queen Creek Unified School District __NOTOC__ Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) is a school district based in Queen Creek, Arizona, United States.
*
Saddle Mountain Unified School District The Saddle Mountain Unified School District is the school district for parts of Tonopah and Buckeye, Arizona Buckeye is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is the westernmost suburb in the Phoenix metropolitan area. As o ...
*
Scottsdale Unified School District The Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is a school district with its headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. The district serves most of Scottsdale, most of Paradise Valley, a portion of Phoenix, and a portion of Tempe. Its 22 schools earnin ...
*
Wickenburg Unified School District Wickenburg Unified School District #9 (WUSD) is a school district headquartered in Wickenburg, Arizona. History In 1997 the question of whether the Wickenburg district and the Congress Elementary School District should merge was put on the ball ...
Secondary: *
Agua Fria Union High School District The Agua Fria Union High School District (AFUHSD) is a high school district serving Goodyear, Buckeye, Avondale, Waddell and Litchfield Park, Arizona. It was founded in 1955. The district has five high schools, and operates a non-traditional ...
*
Buckeye Union High School District The Buckeye Union High School District #201 (BUHSD) is a school district serving the town of Buckeye, Arizona and the far southern section of the city of Goodyear, Arizona. Situated approximately 30 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona the district ser ...
*
Glendale Union High School District Glendale Union High School District No. 205 is a school district headquartered in Glendale, Arizona, United States. The union high school district operates nine comprehensive high schools and serves most of Glendale and a portion of Phoenix. It ...
*
Phoenix Union High School District The Phoenix Union High School District is a high school-only school district in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is one of five high school-only districts in the Phoenix area. Overview The school district serves students within a area of P ...
*
Tempe Union High School District The Tempe Union High School District is a school district of high schools in Tempe, Arizona, USA. Its service area includes all of Tempe, the city of Chandler, Arizona west of the Loop 101, Guadalupe, the Gila River Indian Community in Maricopa ...
*
Tolleson Union High School District The Tolleson Union High School District is a high school district in the city of Tolleson, Arizona. Portions of Glendale, far west Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Pho ...
Elementary: * Aguila Elementary School District *
Alhambra Elementary School District Alhambra Elementary School District provides education for more than 14,000 students in the Phoenix and Glendale areas of Arizona. Alhambra has 15 schools. These schools educate students from kindergarten to eighth grade. The district feeds i ...
*
Arlington Elementary School District Arlington School District 47 is a public school district based in Maricopa County, Arizona. It feeds into Buckeye Union High School District The Buckeye Union High School District #201 (BUHSD) is a school district serving the town of Buckeye, A ...
*
Avondale Elementary School District The Avondale Elementary School District was established in 1894. Located west of Phoenix, Arizona, the district is home to nine schools ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade with several magnet programs. Avondale schools have been recogniz ...
*
Balsz Elementary School District The Balsz Elementary School District #31 is a school district on the east side of Phoenix, Arizona. It currently includes five schools, which are: Pat Tillman Middle School (formerly Balsz Elementary School), established as a one-room school hou ...
*
Buckeye Elementary School District Buckeye Elementary School District 33 is a school district in Buckeye, Maricopa County, Arizona, feeding into Buckeye Union High School District The Buckeye Union High School District #201 (BUHSD) is a school district serving the town of Buckey ...
*
Cartwright Elementary School District Cartwright Elementary School District is a school district in Phoenix, Arizona, United States which operates 21 schools in the city's Maryvale neighborhood. The district contains twelve K–5 elementary schools, four K–8 elementary schools, fo ...
* Creighton Elementary School District *
Fowler Elementary School District The Fowler Elementary School District is an elementary school district in southwest Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, wi ...
*
Glendale Elementary School District The Glendale Elementary School District is the elementary school district for Glendale, Arizona Glendale () is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located approximately northwest of Downtown Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, it ...
* Isaac Elementary School District *
Kyrene Elementary School District Kyrene School District is a K-8 school district that serves parts of Tempe, Arizona, Tempe, Chandler, Arizona, Chandler, Guadalupe, Arizona, Guadalupe, and Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, as well as portions of the Gila River Indian Community ...
*
Laveen Elementary School District The Laveen Elementary School District is the K–8 school district for Laveen, Arizona, Laveen, an area of southwest Phoenix, Arizona, USA. It operates eight schools, serving about 7,200 students in 2018. Laveen ESD is one of 13 elementary scho ...
*
Liberty Elementary School District Liberty School District 25 is a school district in Maricopa County, Arizona. It serves Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the wo ...
*
Litchfield Elementary School District The Litchfield Elementary School District is an elementary school district in Litchfield Park, Arizona Litchfield Park is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is located west of Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the population ...
*
Littleton Elementary School District The Littleton Elementary School District is an elementary school district in Avondale and Tolleson, Arizona Tolleson is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of the city was 7,21 ...
*
Madison Elementary School District The Madison Elementary School District is an elementary school district in Phoenix, 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 po ...
* Mobile Elementary School District *
Morristown Elementary School District Morristown School District 75 is a school district in Maricopa County, Arizona Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 4,420,568, making ...
*
Murphy Elementary School District The Murphy Elementary School District 21 is an elementary school district in Phoenix, Arizona. It operates three K-8 schools and previously operated a fourth. History The district was established on September 16, 1886. It originally used a one ro ...
*
Osborn Elementary School District The Osborn School District #8 is an elementary school district in Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Ariz ...
*
Palo Verde Elementary School District Palo Verde School District 49 is a public school district based in Maricopa County, Arizona Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 4,420 ...
* Paloma School District *
Pendergast Elementary School District The Pendergast Elementary School District is an elementary school district in Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and tow ...
* Phoenix Elementary School District *
Riverside Elementary School District Riverside Elementary School District #2 is an elementary school district in the southwestern region of Phoenix, Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th ...
*
Roosevelt Elementary School District The Roosevelt Elementary School District is a public school district located in the Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, w ...
*
Sentinel Elementary School District Sentinel Elementary School District No. 71 is a public school district based in the unincorporated community of Sentinel in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Its mailing address is officially in Dateland, Arizona Dateland is both a CDP ...
* Tempe School District *
Tolleson Elementary School District The Tolleson Elementary School District is an elementary school district in Tolleson, Arizona Tolleson is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of the city was 7,216 as of the ...
* Union Elementary School District *
Washington Elementary School District The Washington Elementary School District provides education for more than 25,300 students in the north central Phoenix and east Glendale areas of Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwes ...
*
Wilson Elementary School District The Wilson Elementary School District is a small elementary school district in Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1, ...
There is also a state-operated school, Phoenix Day School for the Deaf. The
Phoenix Indian School The Phoenix Indian School, or Phoenix Indian High School in its later years, was a Bureau of Indian Affairs-operated school in Encanto Village, in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. It served lower grades also from 1891 to 1935, and then served as a ...
was formerly in the county.


Transportation


Major highways

* Interstate 8 * Interstate 10 *
Interstate 17 Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Arizona. I-17's southern terminus lies in Phoenix, at I-10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Milton Road north of I-40. Most of I-17 ...
* U.S. Route 60 * Historic U.S. Route 80 * U.S. Route 93 *
Loop 101 Arizona State Route 101 (SR 101) or Loop 101 is a semi-beltway looping around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in central Arizona. It connects several suburbs of Phoenix, including Tolleson, Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and C ...
*
Loop 202 Arizona State Route 202 (SR 202) or Loop 202 is a semi-beltway circling the eastern and southern areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area in central Arizona. It traverses the eastern end and the southern end of the city of Phoenix, ...
*
Loop 303 Arizona State Route 303 (SR 303) or Loop 303, also known as the Bob Stump Memorial Parkway (formerly the Estrella Freeway), is a freeway that serves the west part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The freeway, originally a two-lane r ...
* State Route 51 * State Route 71 * State Route 74 * State Route 85 * State Route 87 * State Route 143 * State Route 347


Air

The major primary commercial airport of the county is
Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a civil–military public airport east of downtown Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is Arizona's largest and busiest airport, and among the largest commercial airports in th ...
(PHX). Other airports located in the county include: * Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by a ...
(AZA) *
Scottsdale Municipal Airport Scottsdale Airport is north of downtown Scottsdale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Scottsdale Airport is SDL to the FAA and SCF to the IA ...
in Scottsdale (SCF) * Deer Valley Airport in Deer Valley Village in Phoenix (DVT) *
Chandler Municipal Airport Chandler Municipal Airport is in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, southeast of Chandler, which owns it. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation '' reliever airport''. Chand ...
in Chandler (CHD) *
Phoenix Goodyear Airport Phoenix Goodyear Airport (formerly Goodyear Municipal Airport) is a public airport southwest of Goodyear, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It was built during World War II as a naval air facility, NAF Litchfield Park, then upgrade ...
in Goodyear (GYR) *
Glendale Municipal Airport Glendale Municipal Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located west of the central business district of Glendale, a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for ...
in
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
(GEU) *
Buckeye Municipal Airport Buckeye Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located northwest of the central business district of Buckeye, a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated A ...
in Buckeye (BXK) * Falcon Field in
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by a ...
(MSC) *
Gila Bend Municipal Airport Gila Bend Municipal Airport is east of Gila Bend, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Facilities The airport covers at an elevation of . It has one runway: * 4/22 is 5,200 by 75 feet (1,585 x 23 m) asphalt. It has a VORTAC (116.60 ...
in
Gila Bend Gila Bend (; O'odham: Hila Wi:n), founded in 1872, is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River, which is near the community's current location. As of the 2020 cen ...
(E63) *
Wickenburg Municipal Airport Wickenburg Municipal Airport is a public use airport located west of the central business district of Wickenburg, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is owned by the Town of Wickenburg. According to the FAA's National Plan of Inte ...
in
Wickenburg Wickenburg is a town in Maricopa and Yavapai counties, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 7,474, up from 6,363 in 2010. History The Wickenburg area, along with much of the Southwest, became part of ...
(E25)


Rail

In terms of freight rail, the
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
and the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...
serve the county. In terms of passenger rail, greater Phoenix is served by a light rail system. The county has no other passenger rail transport as
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's Sunset Limited, which served Phoenix until June 2, 1996, has its closest stop in
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
in neighboring
Pinal County Pinal County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264, making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was founded in 187 ...
. The train connects Maricopa to
Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...
,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, and
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
three times a week. However it does not stop in Phoenix itself.


Communities


Cities

* Apache Junction * Avondale * Buckeye * Chandler * El Mirage *
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
* Goodyear * Litchfield Park *
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by a ...
* Peoria (partly in
Yavapai County Yavapai County is near the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 236,209, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Prescott. Yavapai County comprises the Prescott, AZ M ...
) *
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
(county seat) * Scottsdale * Surprise * Tempe * Tolleson


Towns

* Carefree * Cave Creek *
Fountain Hills Fountain Hills is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Known for its impressive fountain, once the tallest in the world, it borders the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and Scottsdale. The ...
*
Gila Bend Gila Bend (; O'odham: Hila Wi:n), founded in 1872, is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River, which is near the community's current location. As of the 2020 cen ...
*
Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...
* Guadalupe * Paradise Valley * Queen Creek (partly in
Pinal County Pinal County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264, making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was founded in 187 ...
) *
Wickenburg Wickenburg is a town in Maricopa and Yavapai counties, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 7,474, up from 6,363 in 2010. History The Wickenburg area, along with much of the Southwest, became part of ...
(partly in
Yavapai County Yavapai County is near the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 236,209, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Prescott. Yavapai County comprises the Prescott, AZ M ...
) * Youngtown


Census-designated places

*
Aguila Águila or Aguila is Spanish for "eagle". It may refer to: Places *El Aguila, Valle del Cauca, a town and municipality in Colombia *Aguila, Arizona, United States Ships * Chilean brigantine ''Águila'' (1796), the first ship of the Chilean Navy ...
* 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 City West is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 25,806 at the 2020 census. Geography Sun City West is located northwest of downtown Phoenix at (33 ...
* Sun Lakes *
Theba ''Theba'' is a taxonomic genus of air-breathing land snails, medium-sized pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicidae, the true snails. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Theba Risso, 1826. Accessed through: World Register of Mari ...
* Tonopah * Wintersburg * Wittmann


Unincorporated communities

* Chandler Heights * Co-op Village * Desert Hills * Fort McDowell * Higley * Laveen *
Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
*
Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ( ...
* Palo Verde * Rainbow Valley * Sunflower *
Tortilla Flat ''Tortilla Flat'' (1935) is an early John Steinbeck novel set in Monterey, California. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success. The book portrays a group of 'paisanos'—literally, countrymen—a small band of e ...
*
Waddell Waddell may refer to: Places * Waddell, Arizona ** New Waddell Dam, on the Agua Fria River * Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens, Macon, Georgia * Waddell Creek, a stream in California * E. E. Waddell Language Academy, Charlotte, North Carolina * ...


Ghost towns

* Agua Caliente *
Alma Alma or ALMA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film * ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922 * ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017 * ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...
* Angel Camp * Marinette *
Vulture City Vulture City is a ghost town situated at the site of the defunct Vulture Mine in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Vulture Mine Vulture Mine was a gold mine which was discovered in 1863. It was the most productive gold mine in the history ...


Native American communities

*
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation (Yavapai: A'ba:ja), formerly the Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Community of the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation, is a federally recognized tribe and Indian reservation in Maricopa County, Arizona about northeast of ...
*
Gila River Indian Community The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) (O'odham language: Keli Akimel Oʼotham, ''meaning "Gila River People"'', Maricopa language: Pee-Posh) is an Indian reservation in the U.S. state of Arizona, lying adjacent to the south side of the city of ...
*
Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community The Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community comprises two distinct Native American tribes—the Pima (O'odham language: Onk Akimel O'odham, ''meaning "Salt River People"'') and the Maricopa (Maricopa language: Xalychidom Piipaash, ''mea ...
* Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation


County population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Maricopa County. † county seat


Climate


Economy

In 2019, the largest employers in Maricopa County were: According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2019 the employment of Maricopa County in the following
sectors Sector may refer to: Places * Sector, West Virginia, U.S. Geometry * Circular sector, the portion of a disc enclosed by two radii and a circular arc * Hyperbolic sector, a region enclosed by two radii and a hyperbolic arc * Spherical sector, a p ...
was: Maricopa produces far more ''
Brassica ''Brassica'' () is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family ( Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, or mustard plants. Crops from this genus are sometimes called ''cole c ...
'' than anywhere else in the state, including far more
cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...
,
collards Collard is a group of certain loose-leafed cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', the same species as many common vegetables including cabbage ( Capitata group) and broccoli ( Italica group). Collard is a member of the Viridis group of ''Brassic ...
, and
mustard greens ''Brassica juncea'', commonly brown mustard, Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, Oriental mustard and vegetable mustard, is a species of mustard plant. Cultivar ''Brassica juncea'' cultivars can be divided into four major subgroups ...
, and far more
eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mos ...
and
greenhouse A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...
production of
tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
. Slightly more kale is grown here than
Yavapai The Yavapai are a Native American tribe in Arizona. Historically, the Yavapai – literally “people of the sun” (from ''Enyaava'' “sun” + ''Paay'' “people”) – were divided into four geographical bands who identified as separate, i ...
, and a close second to Yuma for
broccoli Broccoli (''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''italica'') is an edible green plant in the cabbage family (family Brassicaceae, genus ''Brassica'') whose large flowering head, stalk and small associated leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Broccoli is cla ...
, cauliflower, and
spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...
, and to Yavapai for field
tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
. The county is top for parsley and is tied with
Pima Pima or PIMA may refer to: People * Pima people, the Akimel O'odham, Indigenous peoples in Arizona (U.S.) and Sonora (Mexico) Places * Pima, Arizona, a town in Graham County * Pima County, Arizona * Pima Canyon, in the Santa Catalina Mountains ...
for other fresh herbs. Some of the state's
melon A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a " pepo". Th ...
,
okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...
, and bell pepper are also grown here. Almost all the apricot, freestone peach,
persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus '' Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-per ...
, and
nectarine The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-f ...
in the state are grown here. The county also ties for the highest amount of cling peach with
Cochise Cochise (; Apache: ''Shi-ka-She'' or ''A-da-tli-chi'', lit.: ''having the quality or strength of an oak''; later ''K'uu-ch'ish'' or ''Cheis'', lit. ''oak''; June 8, 1874) was leader of the Chihuicahui local group of the Chokonen and principa ...
, along with Pima produces almost all the
pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...
, and grows most of the
kumquat Kumquats (; zh, 金桔), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''For ...
. Maricopa's farms grow a middling amount of
fig The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...
,
grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...
(''
Vitis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' spp. including '' V. vinifera''), and
pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the p ...
(''Pyrus'' spp.) other than Bartlett. A small amount of plum is also produced here. All of the boysenberry, half of the
elderberry ''Sambucus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly called elder or elderberry. The genus was formerly placed in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, but was reclassified as Adoxaceae due to ge ...
(along with
Yavapai The Yavapai are a Native American tribe in Arizona. Historically, the Yavapai – literally “people of the sun” (from ''Enyaava'' “sun” + ''Paay'' “people”) – were divided into four geographical bands who identified as separate, i ...
), and a small amount of the state's
blackberry The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus''. The taxonomy ...
and strawberry are harvested here. A large part of the vegetable seed in Arizona is grown here.


See also

* 2021 Maricopa County presidential ballot audit * History of Phoenix, Arizona *
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) is the law enforcement agency that serves Maricopa County, Arizona, and is the largest sheriff's office in Arizona. The MCSO provides patrol services and criminal investigation to unincorporated areas ...
* Maricopa Trail * National Register of Historic Places listings in Maricopa County, Arizona * USS Maricopa County (LST-938), USS ''Maricopa County'' (LST-938) *
White Tank Mountain Regional Park The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a large regional park located in west-central Maricopa County, Arizona. Encompassing of desert and mountain landscape, it is the largest regional park in the county. The bulk of the White Tank Mountain ...


References


Further reading

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


External links

* *
Maricopa County Chamber of Commerce
* {{authority control Maricopa County, Arizona, Phoenix metropolitan area Arizona placenames of Native American origin 1871 establishments in Arizona Territory Populated places established in 1871