Editing Tolleson, Arizona

{{short description|City in Arizona, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Tolleson, Arizona
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| motto              = "Honoring Our Past, Positioning Our Future"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tollesonaz.org/|title=City of Tolleson, Arizona|publisher=City of Tolleson, Arizona|access-date=August 24, 2012}}</ref>
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Mural in Tolleson
| image_flag         = TollesonAZflag.gif
| image_seal         = Tolleson AZ seal.png
| seal_size          = 90px
| image_map          = File:Maricopa County Arizona Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Tolleson Highlighted 0474190.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in Maricopa County, Arizona
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_label      = Tolleson
| pushpin_map        = USA Arizona Maricopa County#USA Arizona#USA
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Arizona|County]]
| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Arizona]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Maricopa County, Arizona|Maricopa]]
| government_type    = [[City council]]
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Juan F. Rodriguez
| established_date   = 
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Arizona |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_place_04.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=May 10, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 14.85
| area_total_sq_mi   = 5.73
| area_land_km2      = 14.85
| area_land_sq_mi    = 5.73
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 1014
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US0474190&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Tolleson city, Arizona: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=May 10, 2022}}</ref>
| population_total   = 7216
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_km2 = 485.94
| population_density_sq_mi = 1258.68
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| timezone           = [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]] (no [[Daylight savings time|DST]])
| utc_offset         = -7
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|27|00|N|112|15|34|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| timezone_DST       = 
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code        = 85353
| area_code          = [[Area code 623|623]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 04-74190
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2412078<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412078}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|www.tollesonaz.org}}
| footnotes          = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
}}

'''Tolleson''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɒ|l|ᵻ|s|ən}} is a city in [[Maricopa County, Arizona|Maricopa County]], [[Arizona]], United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of the city was 7,216 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2020"/> up from 6,545 in 2010.

==History==
The city was incorporated in 1929<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Tolleson-Arizona.html|title=Tolleson, Arizona |publisher= City-data.com|access-date=August 24, 2012}}</ref> and named after founders [[Walter G. Tolleson]] and his wife Alethea H. Tolleson.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=11329 |title=Profile for Tolleson, Arizona, AZ|publisher= ePodunk|access-date=August 24, 2012}}</ref> The Tollesons moved to the area in 1910, buying a 160-acre ranch at the intersection of 91st Avenue and [[Van Buren Street (Arizona)|Van Buren Street.]] Walter Tolleson reopened the Ten Mile Store which was the first stagecoach stop and general merchandise store in route to [[Yuma, Arizona|Yuma]] from [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]. The store was located on what is now the intersection of 91st Drive and Monroe Street.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Green |first=Jim |title=Tolleson |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |date=July 28, 2008 |isbn=978-0738556307 }}</ref>

In 1912, the Tollesons subdivided their ranch, allowing more people to buy their land. In an effort to market his new community as a good opportunity for farmers, Mr. Tolleson chartered a train and provided free lunches for anyone to make the journey. He also gave away five dollars worth  of gold to better entice people. Eighty lots were sold at a price of $50.00 per lot.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 19, 1995 |title=A town is born |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123735753/ |access-date=June 28, 2023 |website=Arizona Republic |language=en}}</ref>

Leon Tolleson, Walter’s brother, became the first postmaster of the development in 1913. The with rural mail route operated out of Walter's general merchandise store for a time before a stand alone post office was built at what is now 91st Avenue and Van Buren Street, where it is still located today.<ref name=":0" />

Beginning in the 1940s, agriculture in the surrounding area began to take off, providing a great economic boost to the city. By the 1950s, Tolleson had become known as the "Vegetable Center of the World."<ref name=":0" />{{rp|44}} The early 1960s saw a rapid decline of agri-business as more machinery became available to farmers in the area, leading to decreased need for labor.

The 1970s city planners developed a master plan, began street beautification projects, encouraged new housing development and built a multi-million dollar sewage treatment plant essential for industrial and residential growth. The city hoped that this would help entice new businesses and homebuyers to move in driving up population and revenue once again, seen as an investment in the city’s future. Tolleson also expanded its land during the Phoenix metropolitan area’s “range war” in the late 1970s. Cities such as [[Avondale, Arizona|Avondale]], [[Goodyear, Arizona|Goodyear]], and Phoenix, began annexing large chunks of land around where the [[Interstate 10|I-10]] was set to go through. Tolleson went from one square mile to six square miles during this time. The cities around Tolleson often had much more buying power so the small town could not grow as much as others. In one instance, Phoenix bought two strips of land measuring thirty and fifty feet wide between Tolleson and Avondale solely so that Tolleson would be confined to its existing space.<ref>Savage, Neal (March 23, 1983). "Growing up - Tolleson tackles big job: expanding in a small way". ''Arizona Republic''. Retrieved June 30, 2023.</ref>

The 1980s marked the entry of [[Fry's Food and Drug]] and [[Albertsons|Albertson's]] Distribution Centers that generated spinoff industrial development to Tolleson. These distributors showed other businesses the strategic placement of Tolleson in moving supplies and products due to its close proximity to Phoenix as well as California, allowing for easy shipment of imports coming from the west coast. Tolleson also sits along [[Interstate 10 in Arizona|Interstate 10]], [[Union Pacific Railroad]] and State Route 85, as well as the newly constructed [[Arizona State Route 202|Loop 202]] only 3 miles to the east creating an efficient transporting environment.

Today, Tolleson is an employment center for the [[West Valley (Phoenix metropolitan area)|West Valley]], hosting over twenty Fortune 500 companies. The city employs more than 20,000 people, while having a population just over 7,000 residents. Tolleson has one of the highest jobs-to-residents ratios in the nation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Tolleson {{!}} Tolleson AZ - Official Website |url=https://www.tolleson.az.gov/291/History-of-Tolleson |access-date=June 28, 2023 |website=www.tolleson.az.gov}}</ref>

==Geography==
Tolleson is located on the western side of the [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] metropolitan area. The community lies just south of [[I-10]]. The city of [[Avondale, Arizona|Avondale]] lies approximately {{convert|6|mi|0}} to the southwest, and [[Fowler, Arizona|Fowler]], a former unincorporated community now within the Phoenix city limits, is {{convert|3|mi|0}} to the east. The [[Agua Fria River]] is about {{convert|4|mi|0}} to the west.<ref>''Arizona Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 4th edition, 2001, p. 57 {{isbn|0899333257}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city of Tolleson has a total area of {{convert|5.7|sqmi}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 910
|1940= 1731
|1950= 3042
|1960= 3886
|1970= 3881
|1980= 4433
|1990= 4434
|2000= 4974
|2010= 6545
|2020= 7216
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}

As of the 2010 census Tolleson had a population of 6,545. The ethnic and racial makeup of the population was 80.1% Hispanic (72.7% of the total population identifying as of Mexican descent, 1.0% identifying as being of Puerto Rican descent), 11.0% non-Hispanic white, 5.8% non-Hispanic blacks, 1.0% non-Hispanic Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.2% non-Hispanic reporting some other race and 4.2% reporting two or more races (only 1.1% of the population was non-Hispanics reporting two or more races, however Hispanicness itself is not treated as something one can be partly).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|publisher=United States Census Bureau|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 19, 2018}}</ref>

At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]], there were 4,974 people, 1,432 households, and 1,151 families living in the city.  The population density was {{convert|894.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,485 housing units at an average density of {{convert|266.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 52.2% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 40.8% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races.  78.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,432 households 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 15.9% of households were one person and 7.1% were one person aged 65 or older.  The average household size was 3.47 and the average family size was 3.83.

The age distribution was 32.4% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% 65 or older.  The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median household income was $38,773 and the median family income  was $43,894. Males had a median income of $26,934 versus $23,511 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,747.  About 9.9% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
SK Food Group, in a partnership with Phoenix and Tolleson, expanded operations in 2016. Their food processing plant is projected to bring 550 jobs, with an emphasis on helping unemployed youth ages 16–24 who are not attending school and on attracting talent across the Valley.

===Top employers===
According to Tolleson's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tolleson.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6218/Fiscal-Year-Ended-June-2021---Annual-Comprehensive-Annual-Report-PDF|title=City of Tolleson CAFR|website=tollesonaz.org|access-date=August 18, 2022 |page=154}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|[[JBS USA|JBS Packerland]]
|1,150
|-
|2
|Papa Johns Salads Produce
|960
|-
|3
|[[Albertsons, Inc.]]
|810
|-
|4
|Atlas Retail Services
|650
|-
|5
|[[SK Foods|SK Food Group]]
|550
|-
|6
|[[PepsiCo]]
|440
|-
|7
|[[Carvana|Carvana Co]]
|400
|-
|8
|[[AutoZone]]
|380
|-
|9
|[[Salt River Project]]
|380
|-
|10
|[[Sysco]] Arizona
|370
|}

==Notable people==
* [[Merle Keagle]], baseball player
* [[Bob Stump]], congressman<ref>{{cite book |title=The Almanac of American Politics 2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/almanacofamerica00 |url-access=registration |last1=Barone |first1=Michael |last2=Ujifussa |first2= Grant |publisher=National Journal Group Inc. |year= 1999 |page=[https://archive.org/details/almanacofamerica00/page/125 125] }}</ref>
* [[Anna Tovar]], state legislator and former mayor of Tolleson

==Governmental representation==
The city is in [[Arizona's 3rd congressional district]], served by [[United States House of Representatives|Representative]] [[Yassamin Ansari]], and [[Arizona's 22nd legislative district]], served by [[Arizona House of Representatives|Representatives]] [[Elda Luna-Nájera]] and [[Lupe Contreras]] and [[Arizona Senate|Senator]] [[Eva Diaz (Arizona politician)|Eva Diaz ]], all Democrats.

==Education==
The city is served by [[Tolleson Union High School District]], [[Tolleson Elementary School District]], [[Littleton Elementary School District]], [[Union Elementary School District]] and [[Fowler Elementary School District]].

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.tollesonaz.org}}
* [http://www.southwestvalleychamber.org/ Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce]

{{Portal bar|Arizona}}
{{Maricopa County, Arizona}}
{{Phoenix Metropolitan Area}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Maricopa County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Cities in Arizona]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Sonoran Desert]]
[[Category:Phoenix metropolitan area]]
[[Category:1929 establishments in Arizona]]