List of cities and towns in Arizona
As of 2010, there are 91 incorporated cities and towns in the U.S. state of Arizona. Incorporated places in Arizona are those that have been granted home rule, possessing a local government in the form of a city or town council. 2010 census put 6,392,017 of the state's 6,392,017 residents within these cities and towns, accounting for 24.59% of the population. Most of the population is concentrated within the Phoenix metropolitan area, with an 2010 census population of 4,192,887.
All 91 incorporated cities and towns are included in the following list. The oldest is Tucson, which was incorporated in 1877, and the most recent was the town of Tusayan, which was incorporated in March 2010.[1] As of 2009, Phoenix, the capital and largest city in Arizona, is ranked as the fifth most populous city in the United States. Other Arizona cities among the 100 most populous in the country are Tucson, Mesa, Glendale, Chandler and Scottsdale.
Unincorporated communities are not included on this list. For a listing of every populated place in Arizona, see List of localities in Arizona.
Contents |
[edit] Municipal incorporation
The Arizona Constitution has, since its ratification in 1912, allowed for the creation of municipal corporations in any community with a population of 3,500 or greater.[2] According to the constitution, a municipal charter cannot be created by special laws or by the legislature, but rather by the communities themselves as provided by general law.[3] The population limit specified by the constitution was lowered by state law to a minimum of population of 1,500 for most locations, and further reduced to 500 for communities located within 10 miles (16 km) of a national park or national monument.[4] State law further restricts the incorporation of new municipalities within urbanized areas, which are defined as a specific buffer zone surrounding existing cities and towns.[5]
State law allows for the incorporation of a community as either a city or a town; the only additional requirement to incorporate as a city is a minimum population of 3,000.[6] Cities and towns in Arizona function largely in an identical manner, but cities are provided with additional powers that a town charter does not provide, limited primarily to certain powers regarding the regulation of utilities and construction within the city limits.[7] State law allows adjoining towns to merge and it allows a city to annex a town, but it does not allow cities to merge.[8][9] Additionally, a town may change its form of government to a city upon reaching the minimum population of 3,000.[10] There are, however, large communities that have remained incorporated as a town in spite of attaining a large population; Gilbert, with more than 200,000 residents, remains incorporated as a town.
Twenty Arizona municipalities were incorporated before 1912, when the state was admitted to the Union. As such, these cities and towns were incorporated by means other than those stipulated by current state law and the constitution. Phoenix, for example, was incorporated in 1881 by an act of the territorial legislature.[11]
[edit] Incorporated places
| Name | Type of incorporation[12] |
County | Population (2010 Census)[13] | Area (2000)[14] | Incorporated[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Junction | City | Pinal[a] | 35,840 | 34.2 sq mi (88.6 km2) | 1978 |
| Avondale | City | Maricopa | 76,238 | 41.3 sq mi (107.0 km2) | 1946 |
| Benson | City | Cochise | 5,105 | 35.7 sq mi (92.5 km2) | 1924 |
| Bisbee[b] | City | Cochise | 5,575 | 4.8 sq mi (12.4 km2) | 1902 |
| Buckeye | Town | Maricopa | 50,876 | 145.8 sq mi (377.6 km2) | 1929 |
| Bullhead City | City | Mohave | 39,540 | 46.0 sq mi (119.1 km2) | 1984 |
| Camp Verde | Town | Yavapai | 10,873 | 42.6 sq mi (110.3 km2) | 1986 |
| Carefree | Town | Maricopa | 3,363 | 8.9 sq mi (23.1 km2) | 1986 |
| Casa Grande | City | Pinal | 48,571 | 48.2 sq mi (124.8 km2) | 1915 |
| Cave Creek | Town | Maricopa | 5,015 | 28.2 sq mi (73.0 km2) | 1986 |
| Chandler | City | Maricopa | 236,123 | 58.0 sq mi (150.2 km2) | 1920 |
| Chino Valley | Town | Yavapai | 10,817 | 18.6 sq mi (48.2 km2) | 1970 |
| Clarkdale | Town | Yavapai | 4,097 | 7.5 sq mi (19.4 km2) | 1957 |
| Clifton[b] | Town | Greenlee | 3,311 | 15.0 sq mi (38.8 km2) | 1909 |
| Colorado City | Town | Mohave | 4,821 | 10.5 sq mi (27.2 km2) | 1985 |
| Coolidge | City | Pinal | 11,825 | 5.0 sq mi (12.9 km2) | 1945 |
| Cottonwood | Town | Yavapai | 11,265 | 10.7 sq mi (27.7 km2) | 1960 |
| Dewey-Humboldt | Town | Yavapai | 3,894 | N/A[c] | 2004 |
| Douglas | City | Cochise | 17,378 | 7.7 sq mi (19.9 km2) | 1905 |
| Duncan | Town | Greenlee | 696 | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) | 1938 |
| Eagar | Town | Apache | 4,885 | 11.3 sq mi (29.3 km2) | 1948 |
| El Mirage | City | Maricopa | 31,797 | 9.7 sq mi (25.1 km2) | 1951 |
| Eloy | City | Pinal | 16,631 | 71.7 sq mi (185.7 km2) | 1949 |
| Flagstaff[b] | City | Coconino | 65,870 | 63.6 sq mi (164.7 km2) | 1894 |
| Florence[b] | Town | Pinal | 25,536 | 8.3 sq mi (21.5 km2) | 1908 |
| Fountain Hills | Town | Maricopa | 22,489 | 18.2 sq mi (47.1 km2) | 1989 |
| Fredonia | Town | Coconino | 1,314 | 7.4 sq mi (19.2 km2) | 1956 |
| Gila Bend | Town | Maricopa | 1,922 | 22.8 sq mi (59.1 km2) | 1962 |
| Gilbert | Town | Maricopa | 208,453 | 43.2 sq mi (111.9 km2) | 1920 |
| Glendale | City | Maricopa | 226,721 | 55.8 sq mi (144.5 km2) | 1910 |
| Globe[b] | City | Gila | 7,532 | 18.0 sq mi (46.6 km2) | 1907 |
| Goodyear | City | Maricopa | 65,275 | 116.5 sq mi (301.7 km2) | 1946 |
| Guadalupe | Town | Maricopa | 5,523 | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) | 1975 |
| Hayden | Town | Gila | 662 | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) | 1956 |
| Holbrook[b] | City | Navajo | 5,053 | 15.5 sq mi (40.1 km2) | 1917 |
| Huachuca City | Town | Cochise | 1,853 | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2) | 1958 |
| Jerome | Town | Yavapai | 444 | 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km2) | 1889 |
| Kearny | Town | Pinal | 1,950 | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2) | 1959 |
| Kingman[b] | City | Mohave | 28,068 | 30.00 sq mi (77.7 km2) | 1952 |
| Lake Havasu City | City | Mohave | 52,527 | 43.1 sq mi (111.6 km2) | 1978 |
| Litchfield Park | City | Maricopa | 5,476 | 3.1 sq mi (8.0 km2) | 1987 |
| Mammoth | Town | Pinal | 1,426 | 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2) | 1958 |
| Marana | Town | Pima | 34,961 | 73.6 sq mi (190.6 km2) | 1977 |
| Maricopa | City | Pinal | 43,482 | N/A[c] | 2003 |
| Mesa | City | Maricopa | 439,041 | 125.2 sq mi (324.3 km2) | 1883 |
| Miami | Town | Gila | 1,837 | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) | 1918 |
| Nogales[b] | City | Santa Cruz | 20,837 | 20.8 sq mi (53.9 km2) | 1893 |
| Oro Valley | Town | Pima | 41,011 | 31.9 sq mi (82.6 km2) | 1974 |
| Page | City | Coconino | 7,247 | 16.6 sq mi (43.0 km2) | 1975 |
| Paradise Valley | Town | Maricopa | 12,820 | 15.5 sq mi (40.1 km2) | 1961 |
| Parker[b] | Town | La Paz | 3,083 | 22.0 sq mi (57.0 km2) | 1948 |
| Patagonia | Town | Santa Cruz | 913 | 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km2) | 1948 |
| Payson | Town | Gila | 15,301 | 19.5 sq mi (50.5 km2) | 1973 |
| Peoria | City | Maricopa[a] | 154,065 | 141.7 sq mi (367.0 km2) | 1954 |
| Phoenix[b] | City | Maricopa | 1,445,632 | 475.1 sq mi (1,230.5 km2) | 1881 |
| Pima | Town | Graham | 2,387 | 2.5 sq mi (6.5 km2) | 1916 |
| Pinetop-Lakeside | Town | Navajo | 4,282 | 11.3 sq mi (29.3 km2) | 1984 |
| Prescott[b] | City | Yavapai | 39,843 | 37.3 sq mi (96.6 km2) | 1883 |
| Prescott Valley | Town | Yavapai | 38,822 | 31.7 sq mi (82.1 km2) | 1978 |
| Quartzsite | Town | La Paz | 3,677 | 36.3 sq mi (94.0 km2) | 1989 |
| Queen Creek | Town | Maricopa[a] | 26,361 | 25.8 sq mi (66.8 km2) | 1989 |
| Safford[b] | City | Graham | 9,566 | 8.0 sq mi (20.7 km2) | 1901 |
| Sahuarita | Town | Pima | 25,259 | 15.2 sq mi (39.4 km2) | 1994 |
| San Luis | City | Yuma | 25,505 | 26.5 sq mi (68.6 km2) | 1979 |
| Scottsdale | City | Maricopa | 217,385 | 184.4 sq mi (477.6 km2) | 1951 |
| Sedona | City | Yavapai[a] | 10,031 | 18.6 sq mi (48.2 km2) | 1988 |
| Show Low | City | Navajo | 10,660 | 27.9 sq mi (72.3 km2) | 1953 |
| Sierra Vista | City | Cochise | 43,888 | 153.5 sq mi (397.6 km2) | 1956 |
| Snowflake | Town | Navajo | 5,590 | 30.9 sq mi (80.0 km2) | 1948 |
| Somerton | City | Yuma | 14,287 | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) | 1918 |
| South Tucson | City | Pima | 5,652 | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) | 1940 |
| Springerville | Town | Apache | 1,961 | 11.7 sq mi (30.3 km2) | 1948 |
| St. Johns[b] | City | Apache | 3,480 | 6.6 sq mi (17.1 km2) | 1946 |
| Star Valley | Town | Gila | 1,970 | N/A[c] | 2005 |
| Superior | Town | Pinal | 2,837 | 1.9 sq mi (4.9 km2) | 1976 |
| Surprise | City | Maricopa | 117,517 | 69.5 sq mi (180.0 km2) | 1960 |
| Taylor | Town | Navajo | 4,112 | 24.6 sq mi (63.7 km2) | 1966 |
| Tempe | City | Maricopa | 161,719 | 40.2 sq mi (104.1 km2) | 1894 |
| Thatcher | Town | Graham | 4,865 | 4.4 sq mi (11.4 km2) | 1899 |
| Tolleson | City | Maricopa | 6,545 | 5.6 sq mi (14.5 km2) | 1929 |
| Tombstone | City | Cochise | 1,380 | 4.3 sq mi (11.1 km2) | 1881 |
| Tucson[b] | City | Pima | 520,116 | 195.1 sq mi (505.3 km2) | 1877 |
| Tusayan | Town | Coconino | 558 [d] | N/A[c] | 2010 |
| Wellton | Town | Yuma | 2,882 | 2.5 sq mi (6.5 km2) | 1970 |
| Wickenburg | Town | Maricopa | 6,363 | 11.5 sq mi (29.8 km2) | 1909 |
| Willcox | City | Cochise | 3,757 | 6.1 sq mi (15.8 km2) | 1915 |
| Williams | City | Coconino | 3,023 | 43.8 sq mi (113.4 km2) | 1901 |
| Winkelman | Town | Gila | 353 | 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km2) | 1949 |
| Winslow | City | Navajo | 9,655 | 12.3 sq mi (31.9 km2) | 1900 |
| Youngtown | Town | Maricopa | 6,156 | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) | 1960 |
| Yuma[b] | City | Yuma | 93,064 | 106.7 sq mi (276.4 km2) | 1914 |
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d The municipal boundaries of Peoria, Apache Junction, Queen Creek and Sedona cross the county border into, respectively: Yavapai County, Maricopa County, Pinal County and Coconino County. The above table lists the primary county in which each of these cities and towns is located.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o indicates this city or town is the county seat of its respective county.
- ^ a b c d Because Dewey-Humboldt, Maricopa, Star Valley and Tusayan were incorporated after the 2000 Census, their areas are not reported by the Census Bureau. The 2000 areas of the Census-designated places corresponding to these cities are 22.9 sq mi (59 km2), 4 sq mi (10 km2), 6.4 sq mi (17 km2) and 28.6 sq mi (74 km2). The City of Maricopa has annexed beyond the boundaries of the former CDP and reports an area (as of 2008[update]) of approximately 59 sq mi (150 km2). At its incorporation, the Town of Tusayan included an area of only 0.2 sq mi (0.52 km2), much smaller than its CDP counterpart.
- ^ Because Tusayan was incorporated in 2010, its population was not included in the most recent Census estimates. The 2000 Census count for the now defunct Tusayan CDP was 562.
[edit] References
- ^ Wagner, Dennis (2010-04-12). "Competing interests divide new Arizona town". The Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/12/20100412new-arizona-town-tusayan.html. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ "Article 13, Section 2". Arizona Constitution. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/13/2.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ "Article 13, Section 1". Arizona Constitution. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/13/1.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-101. Incorporation; definition". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00101.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-101.01. Incorporation, urbanized area". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00101-01.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-281. Adoption procedure; board of freeholders; election". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00281.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-276. Additional powers of cities". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00276.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-121. Consolidation of towns". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00121.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-122. Unification of a city and a town". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00122.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
- ^ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-271. Procedure for change; city officers". Arizona State Legislature. http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00271.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
- ^ "Out of the Ashes: The History of the City of Phoenix". City of Phoenix. http://phoenix.gov/CITYGOV/history.html#INC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ "About the League: Member Cities and Towns". Arizona League of Cities and Towns. http://www.azleague.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=about.cities. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Arizona". United States Census Bureau. 2009-07-07. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2008-04-04.csv. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
- ^ "Arizona by Place". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-CONTEXT=gct&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_ST7&-tree_id=4001&-redoLog=true&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=04000US04&-format=ST-7. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ "Community Profiles". Arizona Department of Commerce. http://www.azcommerce.com/SiteSel/Profiles/Community+Profile+Index.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
