Gilbert, Arizona
Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Located southeast of Phoenix, Gilbert is home to 293,630 residents. It is the fourth-most populous municipality in Arizona and is considered a suburb of Phoenix. Gilbert is the most populous incorporated town in the United States and has been described as the “largest town in America.”
Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World".
History
Gilbert was established by William "Bobby" Gilbert, who provided land to the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902 to construct a rail line between Phoenix and Florence, Arizona. Ayer's Grocery Store, Gilbert's first store, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. The post office moved several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it stands today. In 1912, many Mormons who had fled the Mormon colonies in Mexico due to the actions of Pancho Villa's forces settled in Gilbert. By 1915, they began holding church meetings at the Gilbert Elementary School. In 1918, they were organized into the Gilbert Ward.Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was primarily a farming community fueled by the rail line and construction of the Roosevelt Dam and the Eastern and Consolidated Canals. It remained an agricultural town for many years and was known as the "Hay Capital of the World" from 1911 until the late 1920s.
Geography
Gilbert is in the southeastern Phoenix metropolitan area. It is south of Mesa, northeast of Chandler, and northwest of Queen Creek.According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of, of which is land and is water.
Climate
Gilbert has a subtropical, hot desert climate with dry and hot summers, and mild to warm winters, with little rainfall.| Climate data for Gilbert | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.0 | 13.5 | 12.5 | 11.5 | 10.5 | 10.0 | 12.2 |
| Source: Weather Atlas | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 267,918 people, 88,896 households, and 69,603 families residing in the town. There were 93,230 housing units.| Race / ethnicity | Pop. 2000 | Pop. 2010 | % 2000 | % 2010 | ||
| White alone | 87,597 | 151,930 | 178,671 | 79.85% | 72.88% | 66.69% |
| Black or African American alone | 2,515 | 6,606 | 9,601 | 2.29% | 3.17% | 3.58% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone | 559 | 1,394 | 1,998 | 0.51% | 0.67% | 0.75% |
| Asian alone | 3,863 | 11,877 | 17,690 | 3.52% | 5.70% | 6.60% |
| Pacific Islander alone | 120 | 406 | 574 | 0.11% | 0.19% | 0.21% |
| Some other race alone | 111 | 264 | 1,211 | 0.10% | 0.13% | 0.45% |
| Mixed-race or multi-racial | 1,906 | 4,902 | 13,041 | 1.74% | 2.35% | 4.87% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13,026 | 31,074 | 45,132 | 11.87% | 14.91% | 16.85% |
| Total | 109,697 | 208,453 | 267,918 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 208,453 people, 74,147 housing units, and 3.01 persons per household.- Between 2000 and 2010, the town of Gilbert was the fastest-growing incorporated place among populations of 100,000 or more in the United States, with an increase of 90%.
- Fastest growing municipality in the United States from 1990 to 2003
- 4th fastest growing municipality in the United States
- One of the top 25 safest cities in the United States
- 34.5% of Gilbert residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
- Highest household median income in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area with population 50,000+
- 81.5% White
- 15.4% Hispanics or Latinos
- 3.1% Black or African American
- 0.8% Native American
- 4.7% Asian
- 0.2% Pacific Islander
- 6.0% from other races
- 3.7% from two or more races
- 31.37 average age male/female. By 2019, the average age was reported as 33.6.
- 50.2% male
- * 30.0 est. average age
- 49.8% female
- * 31.8 est. average age
- 37.1% population under 21
- 33.3% population under 18
- 70.0% population over 16
- 66.8% population over 18
- 62.9% population over 21
- 5.3% population over 65
- 20.9% never married
- 66.7% married, spouse present
- 2.2% married, spouse absent
- 2.1% widowed
- 8.1% divorced
- 92.3% high school/GED or higher
- 37.5% bachelor's degree or higher. A 2019 report put the rate at close to 50% for residents over the age of 25.
- 10.5% master's degree or higher
- $109,213 average household income
- $89,077 median household income. Median income noted as >$87,000 in a report of 2013–2017 US Census data, as compared to a state-wide median of $53,000.
- $35,559 per capita Income
- 2.3% of families were below the poverty level
Religion
Economy
Largest employers
According to its 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Gilbert's top employers are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
| 1 | Gilbert Public Schools | 2,918 |
| 2 | Banner Health | 2,539 |
| 3 | Town of Gilbert | 1,815 |
| 4 | Fry's Food and Drug | 1,484 |
| 5 | Higley Unified School District | 1,296 |
| 6 | Northrop Grumman | 1,152 |
| 7 | Walmart | 1,111 |
| 8 | Dignity Health | 1,052 |
| 9 | Deloitte | 835 |
| 10 | Silent Aire USA | 778 |
Arts and culture
The town's official tourism site, Discover Gilbert, highlights attractions for new and returning visitors. Sightseeing opportunities include the mural-clad brick walls, the color-changing water tower, waterways art, a solo gopher, and glowing benches. Gilbert also features an established theater, historical museum, and gallery.9/11 Memorial
Gilbert Town Hall is home to a 9/11 Memorial that features an eight-foot steel girder beam that held up the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Former Gilbert Fire Chief Collin DeWitt raised money for three years to create the memorial and bring the beam from New York City to Arizona. He drove to collect it himself along with then Assistant Fire Chief Jim Jobusch.The memorial's design angles the beam, putting it in reach of everyone. Four granite walls bear the names of those killed in the attacks. Concrete was poured in the shape of a pentagon for the memorial's foundation, and is surrounded by bricks that bear the names of some of those who donated to the memorial's creation. The memorial was unveiled in a ceremony on the attacks' 10th anniversary, on September 11, 2011.
Historic place
Gilbert Elementary School was built in 1913, and now houses the Gilbert Historical Museum. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.Parks and recreation
The Gilbert Parks and Recreation department provides parks, recreation, and cultural programs for residents and visitors. Gilbert has over 600 acres of open space, 37 park ramadas, four public pools, a riparian area, and over 40 sports fields. Gilbert Parks and Recreation is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. It is also recognized as a Certified Autism Center by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.Government
Since Gilbert remains incorporated as a town, it lacks the additional powers possessed by nearby Mesa and Chandler, which are incorporated as cities. For instance, Arizona towns do not have as much power to regulate utilities and construction within their borders as cities do. Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Gilbert is theoretically vulnerable to annexation.The town is part of, which is represented by Republican and Gilbert resident Andy Biggs.