El Mirage, “Gateway to the West Valley,” lies approximately 16 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix and borders Luke Air Force Base. Incorporated in 1951, El Mirage has transcended its modest agricultural beginnings to become a growing economy supporting several different industry sectors.
El Mirage continues to develop its economic potential. It has adopted an aggressive strategy to attract new commercial and industrial businesses to the city. The 1600-acre Usage Driven Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) located in the city’s commerce/industry park, Northern Parkway transportation corridor and on-going road expansions/improvements make El Mirage a great place to live, work and play.
Construction, manufacturing, mining, fabrication and agriculture are the primary employment sectors in El Mirage. Local companies include a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) vehicle distribution center for automobiles, a mining operation (Cemex), a concrete pipe manufacturer (Forterra Pipe & Precast) and a new mineral extraction equipment fabricator (Goodfellow Crushers). Other area employers include Luke Air Force Base, Wal-Mart and Dysart Unified School District. The FTZ Commerce/Industry Park has direct access to Loop 303 and U.S. Highway 60, connecting two major interstates (I-10 and I-17) and access to the greater Phoenix area via Grand Ave (U.S. 60).
El Mirage celebrates Founders Day in March and hosts several other special events throughout the year. The city maintains two parks, Gateway and Bill Gentry. The city built a new recreational facility operated by the YMCA with a swimming pool adjacent to Bill Gentry Park. The city is also near the 7,000-seat Sundome Center for the Performing Arts in nearby Sun City West which features top-rated entertainers. The 10,000-acre Lake Pleasant Regional Park to the north offers boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing, camping and picnicking.
A new city hall was built and completed in January 2017. The city of El Mirage has a wide range of community facilities including a senior center, library, three city parks, skateboard facility, splash pad, dog park, ball fields and a community garden. The city has new fire and police stations plus a new 28,000 square-foot recreational facility managed by the YMCA.
| Founded | 1937 | Incorporated | 1951 |
| Elevation | 1,126 ft. | Location | Maricopa County |
| Phoenix | 20 miles | San Diego | 356 miles |
| Tucson | 142 miles | Los Angeles | 374 miles |
| Las Vegas | 268 miles |
| 2000 | 2010 | 2023 (est.) | |
| El Mirage | 7,609 | 31,911 | 36,101 |
| Maricopa County | 3,072,149 | 3,824,058 | 4,507,419 |
| State of Arizona | 5,130,632 | 6,401,569 | 7,285,370 |
Office of Economic Opportunity
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| El Mirage | 3.00% |
| Maricopa County | 0.70% |
| State | 5.60% |
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| 2000 | 2010 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian Labor Force | 3,880 | 14,624 | 17,104 |
| Unemployed | 197 | 1,349 | 931 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 9.2% | 5.4% |
Office of Economic Opportunity
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than high school | 4,666 | 21.5% |
| High school or equivalent, no college | 6,692 | 30.8% |
| Some college or Associate degree | 7,122 | 32.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree | 3,234 | 14.9% |
American Community Survey
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Education, health care & social assistance | 3,775 | 22.5% |
| Retail trade | 2,293 | 13.6% |
| Professional, scientific, & administrative services | 2,097 | 12.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services | 1,769 | 10.5% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 1,341 | 8.0% |
| Manufacturing | 1,339 | 8.0% |
| Construction | 1,109 | 6.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, & utilities | 952 | 5.7% |
| Public administration | 890 | 5.3% |
| Other services, except public administration | 674 | 4.0% |
| Information | 273 | 1.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 213 | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining | 74 | 0.4% |
American Community Survey
This profile was prepared by the Arizona Commerce Authority in cooperation with local sources. For further information, please contact: