The city of Maricopa is a community with a “Proud History and a Prosperous Future.” Strategically located between Phoenix and Tucson in the high growth Sun Corridor, Maricopa is poised for continued success. Maricopa became Arizona’s 88th municipality when it incorporated in October 2003. Over the last decade, it has become Arizona’s fastest growing community, transforming almost overnight from a quiet town of fewer than 2,000 residents to a bustling city of more than 47,000.

Principal Economic Activities

Historically an agricultural community, Maricopa is emerging as a regional hotbed for the agritech industry. Maricopa is home to a thriving cluster of local businesses and research facilities, including the USDA’s Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center and the University of Arizona’s Maricopa Agricultural Center. In the automotive industry, Maricopa is helping to pave the way in vehicle research and development. Both Volkswagen and Nissan located their North American proving grounds in Maricopa, where they put vehicles to the test under extreme heat and sun conditions. Leaders in the renewable energy arena have also been drawn to Maricopa, including Pinal Energy, which opened Arizona’s first ethanol plant in Maricopa in 2007.

Scenic Attractions

Maricopa is home to two golf courses: Southern Dunes Golf Club and The Duke at Rancho El Dorado. Southern Dunes has been named one of Arizona’s top five courses and hosts U.S. Open qualifying rounds each year. The Duke at Rancho El Dorado has been recognized as one of the top five intermediate-priced courses in Arizona, and the most player-friendly course in the Phoenix area. Arizona Soaring, just west of Maricopa, offers flight training and rides for the casual flyer or high-flying thrill seeker. Pacana Park, the city’s first community park, sees an average of more than 5,000 visitors each weekend. In March 2014 the city opened the 140-acre Copper Sky Recreation Complex, which includes a multi-generational facility, aquatics center, park facilities, lake, ball fields and many other park amenities. The complex also hosts regional athletic tournaments and special community events such as the Salsa Festival, the Great American BBQ and the Maricopa Fishing Derby.

Community Facilities

Maricopa offers convenient access to major markets throughout the Southwest. Interstate 10, the southernmost coast-to-coast highway in the United States, is just 15 minutes from Maricopa along State Route 347 and directly connects to Phoenix, Tucson and Los Angeles. Interstate 8, immediately south of Maricopa, runs west to San Diego and merges with Interstate 10 to the east. Freight trains operate daily through Maricopa along the Union Pacific Railroad’s Sunset Route, and Maricopa also offers passenger rail access as the greater Phoenix area’s Amtrak hub.