Phoenix metropolitan area


The Phoenix metropolitan area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, metro Phoenix, or locally, The Valley, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the Southwestern United States, with its largest principal city being the city of Phoenix. It includes much of central Arizona. The United States Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area, defining it as Maricopa and Pinal counties. It anchors the Arizona Sun Corridor megaregion along with the second-most populous metropolitan area in the state, the Tucson metropolitan area. The gross domestic product of the Phoenix metropolitan area was around $400 billion in 2023, 14th highest amongst metro areas in the United States.
As of the 2020 census, the two-county metropolitan area had 4,845,832 residents, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the nation by population. Metro Phoenix grew by 652,945 people from April 2010 to April 2020, making it one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. This also contributed to the entire state's exceptional growth; the area is home to just over two-thirds of Arizona's population. The population of the Phoenix metropolitan area increased by 45.3% from 1990 through 2000, compared to the overall U.S. rate of 13.2%, helping make Arizona the second-fastest growing state in the nation in the 1990s behind Nevada. The 2000 census reported the population of the metropolitan area to be 3,251,876. Water insecurity and drought in conjunction with climate change have become a significant concern for the metropolitan area's future growth prospects.

Combined Statistical Area

The Phoenix–Mesa combined statistical area was designated in September 2018 by U.S. Office of Management and Budget and by the Census Bureau which consists of the entirety of the counties of Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila. This includes the Phoenix metropolitan area and the Payson, AZ micropolitan statistical area.
As of April 1, 2020, the Phoenix–Mesa CSA had a population of 4,899,104, making it the fourteenth-most populous in the nation.

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The Phoenix Metropolitan Area comprises Maricopa County and Pinal County. It is officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area. The total population for metropolitan Phoenix at the 2020 Census was 4,845,832.
The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is hundreds of miles away from any other metropolitan area of similar population size. For instance, the closest metropolitan area with almost the same population size is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area, which is 300 miles away.
Metropolitan Area NameDistance from Phoenix Population Urban Density
Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metro Area04,845,8323,165.2
Tucson, AZ Metro Area1051,043,4332,385.4
Yuma, AZ Metro Area155203,8812,299.9
Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise, NV Metro Area2552,265,4614,524.5
San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad, CA Metro Area3003,298,6344,037.0
Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario, CA Metro Area3004,599,8393,546.4
Albuquerque, NM Metro Area330916,5282,958.5
El Paso, TX Metro Area345868,8593,205.0
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA Metro Area36013,200,9986,999.3
Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura, CA Metro Area410843,843
Bakersfield, CA Metro Area420909,2353,785.0
Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area5051,257,9363,675.1
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metro Area5852,963,8213,554.4

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,192,887 people, 1,537,137 households, and 1,024,971 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 73.0% White, 5.0% Black, 3.3% Asian, 2.4% Native American or Alaska Native and 16.2% of other or mixed race. 29.5% were Hispanic of any race.
In 2010 the median income for a household in the MSA was $50,385 and the median income for a family was $58,497. The per capita income was $24,809.
County2020 Census2010 CensusChangeAreaDensity
Maricopa County--
Pinal County--
Gila County--
Total--

Communities

What follows is a list of places in Metro Phoenix. The Office of Management and Budget defines a metropolitan area as the core city plus its county and any nearby counties that are economically dependent on the core city. However, Arizona has relatively large counties and a harsh, rugged desert landscape. For these reasons, much of the land that is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area is rural or completely uninhabited. The core part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area is the Phoenix–Mesa, Arizona Urban Area, which is far smaller than the Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Places that fall completely or partially within the boundaries of the Phoenix–Mesa, AZ US are in bold below.

Cities and suburbs

Principal city
  • Phoenix pop. 1,648,540
Places with 250,000+ inhabitants
Places with 150,000–249,999 inhabitants
Places with 75,000–149,999 inhabitants
Places with 30,000–74,999 inhabitants
Places with 10,000–29,999 inhabitants
Fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
File:Phoenix MPA Incorporated and Planning areas.svg|thumb|Map showing cities and highways in the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler MSA, as defined by the U.S. Census as both Maricopa and Pinal counties.

Unincorporated communities

Over 10,000 inhabitants
Under 10,000 inhabitants
As of 2020, the Phoenix Metropolitan area consists of Maricopa and Pinal counties, comprising a total area of about 14,600 square miles. Because of the size of counties in Arizona, even though Maricopa and Pinal counties together contain nearly 4.9 million people, most of the area is uninhabited, which gives the MSA an extremely low density compared to other major MSAs in the nation.
The average elevation in the city itself is about, with the highest point being in South Mountain Park Preserve.The highest point in the two county area is in the Four Peaks mountain range.

Climate

Metropolitan Phoenix is notable for its warm, desert climate. On average, the area receives about 9 inches of rain annually, with less than 1 inch of snow every decade. In total, the region will see about 32 days of measurable precipitation each year. The MSA is one of the sunniest major metropolitan areas, receiving 295 days of sunshine, compared to the national average of 205. The average July high is about 104 °F, with the average January low being about 36 °F, still above freezing. Bestplaces gives Metropolitan Phoenix a comfort index of 44/100, which is also the national average.
Below is a chart showing climate data collected from Sky Harbor Airport. Due to the vast area covered by the MSA, climates vary throughout the valley.

Economy

Metropolitan Phoenix has historically been the center of the state's economy. As with the state of Arizona, the area relied on the 5 C's for its economic growth and expansion. However, after World War II, the area entered the manufacturing industry, which spurred the growth of what would eventually be one of the largest urban areas in the nation. Currently, the two largest industries are manufacturing and tourism. About 10 million people visit from other states and Canada each year, due to the area's mild winters and long, sunny days. The technology and service industries currently account for almost 77% of total employment in the region. As well as a strong tourism industry, the Phoenix area has a significant business sector. Several Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies have their international headquarters in the area, including Avnet, PetSmart, Apollo Education Group, Republic Services, ON Semiconductor, Insight Enterprises, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Other Fortune 500 companies with significant presence include Banner Health, the state's largest private employer, American Airlines, which merged with Tempe-based US Airways, American Express, Wells Fargo, Boeing, and Intel, which has a large regional campus in Chandler.
The Metropolitan Area ranks 5th in the nation in economic growth, which is a major comeback from the recession. The unemployment rate of the area is 5.3%, lower than the national rate of 6.3%. It also has slightly higher recent job growth and higher projected job growth. Although the area has significantly higher sales tax rates compared with the nation as a whole, income tax rates are lower than the national average. The largest occupation by population is in the office/administrative sector, comprising more than a quarter of all jobs in the region.