Gila County, Arizona


Gila County is a county 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 which is included in the greater Phoenix–Mesa, AZ combined statistical area.
Gila County contains parts of Fort Apache Indian Reservation and San Carlos Indian Reservation.

History

The county was formed from parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties on February 8, 1881. The boundary was then extended eastward to the San Carlos River by public petition in 1889. The original county seat was in the mining community of Globe City, now Globe.
Popular theory holds that the word "Gila" was derived from a Spanish contraction of Hah-quah-sa-eel, a Yuma word meaning "running water which is salty".
In the 1880s, a long, range war broke out in Gila County resulting in an almost complete annihilation of the families involved. The Pleasant Valley War matched the cattle-herding Grahams against the sheep-herding Tewksburys. Once partisan feelings became tense and hostilities began, Frederick Russell Burnham, who later became a celebrated scout and the inspiration for the boy scouts, was drawn into the conflict on the losing side.
Burnham shot many men in the feud, and was himself nearly killed by a bounty hunter. Tom Horn, an infamous assassin, was known to have taken part as a killer for hire, but it is unknown which side employed him. Both sides suffered fatalities. No one was ever charged or prosecuted.
In the 1960s, it was home of Gerald Gault, who was the subject of the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in re Gault, that stated juveniles have the same rights as adults when arrested: to be notified of the charges against them, their rights to attorneys, for family members to be notified of their arrests, to confront their accusers and to not be punished more harshly than adults who are convicted of the same crime, especially if an adult's penalty for the crime would be less than that accorded a juvenile convict.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Adjacent counties

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 53,272. Of the residents, 19.3% were under the age of 18 and 29.8% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 51.7 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.8 males. 55.6% of residents lived in urban areas while 44.4% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 67.4% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 16.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.8% from some other race, and 8.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 17.4% of the population.
The most reported ancestries in 2020 were:
There were 22,312 households in the county, of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 32,373 housing units, of which 31.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.9% were owner-occupied and 24.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.4%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 53,597 people, 22,000 households, and 14,294 families living in the county. The population density was. There were 32,698 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 76.8% white, 14.8% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 17.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.4% were German, 13.3% were English, 11.4% were Irish, and 3.4% were American.
Of the 22,000 households, 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.0% were non-families, and 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 47.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,580 and the median income for a family was $46,292. Males had a median income of $41,698 versus $30,023 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,600. About 11.6% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 51,335 people, 20,140 households, and 14,098 families living in the county. The population density was. There were 28,189 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 77.8% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 12.9% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. 16.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 9.8% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 6.3% speak Western Apache.
There were 20,140 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,917, and the median income for a family was $36,593. Males had a median income of $31,579 versus $22,315 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,315. About 12.6% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Historically, Gila County was a Democratic-leaning county in largely-Republican Arizona – for example, it voted for Adlai Stevenson II in 1952, Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and for John W. Davis in 1924. In much of the "dealignment" period from 1960 to 1980, when Arizona was the only state never carried by a Democrat, Gila was the second most-Democratic county in Arizona, behind massively unionized Greenlee. Only during very large Presidential landslides was Gila County carried by Republicans before 2000: indeed, apart from Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Richard Nixon in 1972, no Republican before 2000 ever carried the county by more than seven percentage points.
Since 2000, however, like Greenlee County, Gila County has trended heavily towards the Republican Party, with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 performance being the worst ever by a Democratic presidential nominee at the time. Moreover, Barack Obama did worse here in 2008 than John Kerry did in 2004, one of a few non-Ozark or non-Appalachian counties where this occurred.
Gila County was covered in the papers as the site of a confluence between politics and public health as the conservatism of the county
The county was one of two in Arizona to vote against 2024 Arizona Proposition 139, which established a right to abortion in the state's constitution, along with neighboring Graham County.

Transportation

Major highways

The following public-use airports are located in the county:

City

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Gila County.
† county seat
RankCity/Town/etc.Population Municipal typeIncorporated
1Payson15,301Town
2† Globe7,532City1875
3San Carlos4,038CDP
4Central Heights-Midland City2,534CDP
5Star Valley2,310Town2005
6Pine1,963CDP
7Miami1,837Town
8Claypool1,538CDP
9Tonto Basin1,424CDP
10Peridot1,350CDP
11Canyon Day1,209CDP
12Six Shooter Canyon1,019CDP
13Strawberry961CDP
14Wheatfields785CDP
15Mesa del Caballo765CDP
16Icehouse Canyon677CDP
17Young666CDP
18Hayden 662Town
19Gisela570CDP
20Round Valley487CDP
21Pinal439CDP
22Winkelman 353Town
23Cedar Creek318CDP
24Tonto Village256CDP
25Dripping Springs235CDP
t-26Beaver Valley231CDP
t-26Top-of-the-World231CDP
27East Globe226CDP
28Oxbow Estates217CDP
29Deer Creek216CDP
30East Verde Estates170CDP
31Christopher Creek156CDP
32Whispering Pines148CDP
33Carrizo127CDP
34Copper Hill108CDP
35Freedom Acres84CDP
36Rye77CDP
37Jakes Corner76CDP
38Cutter74CDP
39Washington Park70CDP
40Geronimo Estates60CDP
41Rock House50CDP
42Hunter Creek48CDP
43Kohls Ranch46CDP
44Flowing Springs42CDP
45Mead Ranch38CDP
46El Capitan37CDP
47Roosevelt28CDP
48Haigler Creek19CDP
49Bear Flat18CDP