Pinal County, Arizona

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Pinal County is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264,<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was established in 1875.

Pinal County contains parts of the Tohono Oʼodham Nation, the Gila River Indian Community and the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, as well as all of the Ak-Chin Indian Community.

Pinal County is included in the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, Arizona Metropolitan Statistical Area. Suburban growth southward from greater Phoenix has begun to spread into the county's northern parts; similarly, growth northward from Tucson is spreading into the county's southern portions. Pinal County has five cities: Maricopa, Casa Grande, Apache Junction, Eloy, and Coolidge. There are also many unincorporated areas, which have shown accelerated growth patterns in recent years; such suburban development is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

History

Pinal County was carved out of neighboring Maricopa County and Pima County on February 1, 1875, during the Eighth Legislature. In the August 18, 1899, issue of The Arizona Magazine, the name "Pinal" is said to come from the pine-clad Pinal Mountains.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Pinal County was the second-fastest-growing county in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2010, CNN Money named Pinal County as the second fastest growing county in the USA.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Pinal County has been identified as the second riskiest county for combined impacts of climate change from 2040 to 2060, largely due to high risks of extreme heat, fire hazard and economic and crop damages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

File:Pickepost Peak, AZ.jpg

Picketpost Peak, a prominent landmark above Superior

File:Sondes.jpg

Spring wildflowers in the Sonoran Desert National Monument

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Mountain ranges

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Adjacent counties

Maricopa County – west, north
Gila County – north
Graham County – east
Pima County – south

Major highways

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National protected areas

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Coronado National Forest (part)
Hohokam Pima National Monument
Ironwood Forest National Monument (part)
Sonoran Desert National Monument (part)
Tonto National Forest (part)

Demographics

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2020 census

**Pinal County, Arizona – Racial and ethnic composition**
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	105,641	220,486	240,006	58.78%	58.68%	56.44%
Black or African American alone (NH)	4,658	16,007	20,712	2.59%	4.26%	4.87%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	12,419	17,410	17,156	6.91%	4.63%	4.03%
Asian alone (NH)	1,001	6,114	6,290	0.56%	1.63%	1.48%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	111	1,489	1,081	0.06%	0.40%	0.25%
Other race alone (NH)	169	487	1,658	0.09%	0.13%	0.39%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	2,057	6,800	16,828	1.14%	1.81%	3.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	53,671	106,977	121,533	29.86%	28.47%	28.58%
Total	179,727	375,770	425,264	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 375,770 people, 125,590 households, and 92,157 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 159,222 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="census-density">Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 72.4% white, 5.6% American Indian, 4.6% black or African American, 1.7% Asian, 0.4% Pacific islander, 11.5% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 28.5% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1" /> In terms of ancestry, 16.9% were German, 10.6% were Irish, 9.5% were English, and 2.8% were American.<ref name="census-dp2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 125,590 households, 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.6% were non-families, and 20.5% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.21. The median age was 35.3 years.<ref name="census-dp1" />

The median household income was $51,310 and the median family income was $56,299. Males had a median income of $45,082 versus $34,785 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,716. About 10.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">Template:Cite web</ref>

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 179,727 people, 61,364 households, and 45,225 families living in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 81,154 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 70.4% White, 2.8% Black or African American, 7.8% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 15.7% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. 29.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.9% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.4% speak O'odham and <0.1% speak Apache.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 61,364 households 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 21.1% of households were one person and 9.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.

The age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.0 males.

The median household income was $35,856 and the median family income was $39,548. Males had a median income of $31,544 versus $23,726 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,025. About 12.1% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty threshold, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

During the 20th century, Pinal was very much a bellwether county in U.S. presidential elections, having supported the winning candidate in every election between Arizona's statehood in 1912 and 2004 except for that of 1968, when Hubert Humphrey won the county by 3.2 percentage points but lost to Richard M. Nixon. As a result of the urban sprawl from Phoenix spreading into the county, a major political reversal has taken place between it and neighboring Maricopa County since the turn of the millennium. Maricopa County is now becoming more progressive as is the trend of most largely populated city centers in America. Pinal voters currently still trend more conservative for now. Donald Trump carried the county by the second-largest margin for a Republican since statehood. The county is one of the most conservative suburban areas outside of the deep South, and one of the few that has continued to trend rightward in the Trump era. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Government

Salaries for county elected officials are set by the Arizona Revised Statutes. All county elected officials except the Sheriff (Ross Teeple as of 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) and the County Attorney make a salary of $63,800, along with county benefits and compulsory participation in the Arizona State Elected Official Retirement Plan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, the Republican Party won complete control of the Board of Supervisors. In 2022, the Arizona Supreme Court deemed their Road Improvement Tax (passed in 2018) as illegal due to the tax only applied to purchases under $10,000. In 2022, the county's elections department came under intense scrutiny following several mistakes in the primary election. At the time, the Elections Department had only two full-time employees. The Board of Supervisors found themselves being accused of not properly funding the Elections Department.

Economy

Template:Expand section CoreCivic, while still known as Corrections Corporation of America, operated the privately owned Saguaro Correctional Center.<ref name="Brady">Brady, Kat. "Using private prisons costs more than it seems." (editorial) Honolulu Star Advertiser. June 18, 2010. Retrieved on September 29, 2010.</ref> located in Eloy in Pinal County,<ref>"Saguaro Correctional Center Template:Webarchive." Corrections Corporation of America. Retrieved on September 30, 2010.</ref> It is paid by the state of Hawaii to house the majority of Hawaii's male prison inmate population.<ref name="Brady"/>Template:Dead link

Communities

File:Pinal County Arizona Incorporated and Unincorporated areas.svg

Map of incorporated areas and Indian reservations in Pinal County

File:Copper-Cuprite-260138.jpg

Native copper with cuprite from the Ray Mine near Kearny

Cities

Apache Junction (partially in Maricopa County)
Casa Grande
Coolidge
Eloy
Maricopa

Towns

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Florence (county seat)
Hayden (partially in Gila County)
Kearny
Mammoth
Marana (mostly in Pima County)
Queen Creek (partially in Maricopa County)
Superior
Winkelman (partially in Gila County)

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County population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Pinal County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> † county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Population (2020 Census)	Municipal type	Incorporated
1	San Tan Valley	99,894	CDP
2	Queen Creek (Mostly in Maricopa County)	59,519	Town	1990
3	Maricopa	58,125	City	2003
4	Casa Grande	53,658	City	1879 (founded)
5	Marana (mostly in Pima County)	51,908	Town	1977
6	Apache Junction (partially in Maricopa County)	38,499	City	1978
7	† Florence	26,785	Town	1900<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
8	Eloy	15,635	City	1949
9	Coolidge	13,218	City	1945
10	Saddlebrooke	12,574	CDP
11	Gold Canyon	11,404	CDP
12	Arizona City	9,868	CDP
13	San Manuel	3,692	CDP
14	Oracle	3,656	CDP
15	Superior	3,319	Town	1976
16	Kearny	2,261	Town	1959
17	Sacaton	1,824	CDP
18	Mammoth	1,759	Town	1958
19	Dudleyville	1,068	CDP
20	Casa Blanca	1,004	CDP
21	Queen Valley	566	CDP
22	Stanfield	515	CDP

References

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External links

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