Maricopa County, named after the Maricopa Tribe, was created from portions of Pima and Yavapai counties in 1871. It was the fifth county formed in Arizona, and eventually portions were used to create Gila and Pinal counties.

In the late 19th century, citizens living far south of Prescott, the territorial capital and site of the Territorial Legislature, petitioned for a more local seat of government. Residents of the Salt River Valley and the Gila River area wanted a new county in their respective locations. After weighing both proposals, the legislature agreed with the Salt River Valley group and created Maricopa County. In 1889, Phoenix became the final site of the territorial capital and retains its status as Arizona’s capital city.

More than half of the state’s population resides in Maricopa County, which includes the cities of Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Peoria and the town of Gilbert. This metropolitan area is the state’s major center of political and economic activity. In addition to housing the state capital, the county is home to a growing high-tech industry; manufacturing and agricultural industries; 15 institutions of higher learning, including Arizona State University and the Thunderbird Garvin School of International Management; various cultural attractions; major league professional basketball (Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury), football (Arizona Cardinals), hockey (Phoenix Coyotes) and baseball’s 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks; and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, fifth busiest in the world with over 1,300 daily flights.

Today Maricopa County measures 9,222 square miles, 98 square miles of which is water. Twenty-nine percent of this area is owned individually or by corporation, and 28 percent is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The U.S. Forest Service and the State of Arizona each control 11 percent of the county; an additional 16 percent is owned by other public entities. Almost 5 percent is Indian reservation land.

Population

  2000 2010 2023
Arizona 5,130,632 6,401,569 7,285,370
Maricopa County 3,072,149 3,824,058 4,507,419
Incorporated Cities & Towns
   Phoenix 1,321,045 1,449,242 1,630,195
   Mesa 396,375 439,929 510,792
   Glendale 218,812 227,217 250,585
   Chandler 176,581 236,687 280,189
   Gilbert 109,697 209,048 273,796
   Scottsdale 202,705 217,365 243,528
   Peoria 108,364 154,171 195,585
   Tempe 158,625 161,974 181,548
   Surprise 30,848 117,688 149,710
   Avondale 35,883 76,468 90,755
   Buckeye 6,537 51,019 101,987
   Queen Creek 4,316 26,448 66,275
   Goodyear 18,911 65,404 101,662
   El Mirage 7,609 31,911 36,101
   Apache Junction 31,814 35,828 39,009
   Fountain Hills 20,235 22,444 23,906
   Paradise Valley 13,664 12,810 12,707
   Youngtown 3,010 6,154 7,060
   Tolleson 4,974 6,573 7,309
   Wickenburg 5,082 6,353 6,687
   Litchfield Park 3,810 5,467 6,957
   Guadalupe 5,228 5,540 5,329
   Cave Creek 3,955 5,005 5,021
   Carefree 2,790 3,358 3,708
   Gila Bend 1,980 1,932 1,893

Office of Economic Opportunity

Age Distribution

0-14 20.9%
15-24 13.8%
25-44 27.5%
45-64 24.0%
65+ 13.8%

American Community Survey

Distance to Major Cities (from Phoenix)

Tucson 111 miles
Los Angeles 372 miles
San Diego 355 miles
Las Vegas 287 miles

Labor Force

  Labor Force Unemployment Rate
Arizona 3,312,720 4.9%
Maricopa County 2,311,889 4.5%
Incorporated Cities & Towns
   Phoenix 863,731 4.9%
   Mesa 261,960 4.4%
   Glendale 126,539 5.0%
   Chandler 152,461 3.8%
   Gilbert 142,725 3.4%
   Scottsdale 148,944 3.5%
   Peoria 93,608 4.2%
   Tempe 120,296 4.0%
   Surprise 62,146 4.7%
   Avondale 46,429 5.5%
   Buckeye 34,970 5.9%
   Queen Creek 28,722 3.4%
   Goodyear 43,488 4.5%
   El Mirage 17,104 5.4%
   Apache Junction 15,835 5.6%
   Fountain Hills 13,302 3.4%
   Paradise Valley 6,531 1.9%
   Youngtown 3,017 4.7%
   Tolleson 3,513 3.6%
   Wickenburg 3,319 1.3%
   Litchfield Park 3,248 2.6%
   Guadalupe 2,825 6.1%
   Cave Creek 3,500 2.5%
   Carefree 1,343 0.1%
   Gila Bend 944 0.8%

Office of Economic Opportunity

Employment by Sector (in thousands)

Education, health care & social assistance 442.4 20.8%
Professional, scientific, & administrative services 287.1 13.5%
Retail trade 253.9 11.9%
Finance, insurance & real estate 218.9 10.3%
Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services 209.6 9.8%
Manufacturing 158.0 7.4%
Construction 154.1 7.2%
Transportation, warehousing, & utilities 120.0 5.6%
Other services, except public administration 98.8 4.6%
Public administration 79.9 3.8%
Wholesale trade 53.5 2.5%
Information 41.5 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining 11.2 0.5%

American Community Survey

Property Tax

  Schools City/Fire County Total
Apache Junction (Maricopa County) 0.00 0.00 4.06 4.06
Avondale 9.96 1.70 4.06 15.71
Buckeye 9.23 1.80 4.06 15.09
Carefree 2.41 0.00 4.06 6.47
Cave Creek 2.41 2.17 4.06 8.64
Chandler 6.57 1.16 4.06 11.79
El Mirage 7.21 3.78 4.06 15.05
Fountain Hills 3.25 0.45 4.06 7.75
Gila Bend 2.98 0.38 4.06 7.42
Gilbert 6.99 1.06 4.06 12.11
Glendale 10.82 2.15 4.06 17.03
Goodyear 7.10 1.86 4.06 13.02
Guadalupe 8.23 0.00 4.06 12.29
Litchfield Park 7.37 0.00 4.06 11.43
Mesa 7.61 1.16 4.06 12.82
Paradise Valley 7.05 2.17 4.06 13.28
Peoria (Maricopa County) 8.13 1.44 4.06 13.63
Phoenix 12.29 2.17 4.06 18.52
Queen Creek (Maricopa County) 8.10 1.95 4.06 14.10
Scottsdale 3.91 1.13 4.06 9.10
Surprise 5.49 0.76 4.06 10.31
Tempe 8.23 2.53 4.06 14.82
Tolleson 8.45 3.97 4.06 16.48
Wickenburg (Maricopa County) 5.45 1.54 4.06 11.05
Youngtown 7.21 0.00 4.06 11.27

Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Association

SALES TAX / TRANSACTION PRIVILEGE TAX

  City County State Total
Apache Junction (Maricopa County) 2.40% 0.70% 5.60% 8.70%
Avondale 2.50% 0.70% 5.60% 8.80%
Buckeye 3.00% 0.70% 5.60% 9.30%
Carefree 3.00% 0.70% 5.60% 9.30%
Cave Creek 3.00% 0.70% 5.60% 9.30%
Chandler 1.50% 0.70% 5.60% 7.80%
El Mirage 3.00% 0.70% 5.60% 9.30%
Fountain Hills 2.60% 0.70% 5.60% 8.90%
Gila Bend 3.50% 0.70% 5.60% 9.80%
Gilbert 1.50% 0.70% 5.60% 7.80%
Glendale 2.90% 0.70% 5.60% 9.20%
Goodyear 2.50% 0.70% 5.60% 8.80%
Guadalupe 4.00% 0.70% 5.60% 10.30%
Litchfield Park 2.80% 0.70% 5.60% 9.10%
Mesa 1.75% 0.70% 5.60% 8.05%
Paradise Valley 2.50% 0.70% 5.60% 8.80%
Peoria (Maricopa County) 1.80% 0.70% 5.60% 8.10%
Phoenix 2.30% 0.70% 5.60% 8.60%
Queen Creek (Maricopa County) 2.25% 0.70% 5.60% 8.55%
Scottsdale 1.65% 0.70% 5.60% 7.95%
Surprise 2.20% 0.70% 5.60% 8.50%
Tempe 1.80% 0.70% 5.60% 8.10%
Tolleson 2.50% 0.70% 5.60% 8.80%
Wickenburg (Maricopa County) 2.20% 0.70% 5.60% 8.50%
Youngtown 3.00% 0.70% 5.60% 9.30%

Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Association

CONTACT INFORMATION

Arizona Commerce Authority
Phone: 602-845-1200
Website: www.azcommerce.com
Local First Arizona
Phone: 602-956-0909
Website: www.localfirstaz.com
Apache Junction Economic Development
Phone: 480-474-5076
Website: www.apachejunctionaz.gov
Pinal County Economic Development
Phone: 520-866-6309
Website: pinalcountyaz.gov
Apache Junction Chamber of
Commerce

Phone: 480-982-3141
Website: www.ajchamber.com
City of Avondale Economic
Development

Phone: 623-333-1411
Website: https://www.avondaleaz.gov/
Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Phone: 602-256-7700
Website: http://www.gpec.org
City of Buckeye
Phone: 623-349-6992
Website: www.buckeyeaz.org
WESTMARC (Western Maricopa
Coalition)

Phone: 623-435-0431
Website: www.westmarc.org
Town of Carefree
Phone: 480-488-3686
Website: http://www.carefree.org
Town of Cave Creek
Phone: 480-488-6612
Website: www.cavecreekaz.gov
City of Chandler, Economic
Development Office

Phone: 480-782-3035
Website: www.chandleraz.gov
Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 480-963-4571
Website: www.chandlerchamber.com
City of El Mirage
Phone: 623-972-8116
Website: www.cityofelmirage.org
Town of Fountain Hills
Phone: 480-816-5104
Website: www.fh.az.gov
Fountain Hills Chamber of
Commerce

Phone: 480-837-1654
Website: www.fountainhillschamber.com
Town of Gila Bend
Phone: 928-683-2255
Website: www.gilabendaz.org
Town of Gila Bend, Economic
Development

Phone: 928-683-2255
Website: www.gilabendaz.org
Town of Gilbert
Phone: 480-503-6912
Website: www.gilbertaz.gov
City of Glendale
Phone: 623-930-2000
Website: www.glendaleaz.com
City of Glendale Economic
Development

Phone: 623-930-2984
Website: http://www.glendaleaz.com
City of Goodyear
Phone: 623-882-7547
Website: www.goodyearaz.gov
City of Goodyear, Economic
Development Department

Phone: 623-932-3025
Website: www.developgoodyearaz.com
Town of Guadalupe
Phone: 480-505-5376
Website: www.guadalupeaz.org
Town of Guadalupe, Economic
Development

Phone: 480-730-3080
Website: www.guadalupeaz.org
City of Litchfield Park
Phone: 623-935-5033
Website: www.litchfield-park.org
City of Mesa
Phone: 480-644-3457
Website: www.mesaaz.gov
City of Mesa, Office of Economic
Development

Phone: 480-644-3962
Website: mesaaz.gov/business/economic-development
Town of Paradise Valley
Phone: 480-348-3522
Website: https://www.paradisevalleyaz.gov/
Paradise Valley Chamber of
Commerce

Website: http://www.paradisevalleychamber.com/
City of Peoria
Phone: 623-773-7642
Website: www.peoriaaz.gov
City of Phoenix
Phone: 602-534-9049
Website: www.phoenix.gov
Greater Phoenix Chamber of
Commerce

Phone: 602-495-2195
Website: www.phoenixchamber.com
Town of Queen Creek
Phone: 480-358-3522
Website: www.queencreek.org
Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 480-888-1709
Website: www.queencreekchamber.org
City of Scottsdale
Phone: 480-312-2533
Website: www.scottsdaleaz.gov
City of Scottsdale, Economic
Development Department

Phone: 480-312-7057
Website: http://www.choosescottsdale.com/
City of Surprise
Phone: 623-222-3300
Website: www.surpriseaz.gov
City of Tempe
Phone: 480-858-2395
Website: www.tempe.gov
Downtown Tempe Community, Inc.
Phone: 480-921-2300
Website: www.downtowntempe.com
City of Tolleson
Phone: 623-474-4998
Website: www.tollesonaz.org
Town of Wickenburg
Phone: 928-668-0522
Website: wickenburgaz.org
Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 928-684-5479
Website: www.wickenburgchamber.com
Western Maricopa Coalition
Phone: 623-435-0431
Website: westmarc.org
Town of Youngtown
Phone: 623-933-8286
Website: www.youngtownaz.org