Gilbert, Arizona

Gilbert, Arizona
Town
Gilbert's Heritage Court as viewed from Gilbert Road

Seal
Motto(s): "a service organization"

Location of Gilbert in Maricopa County, Arizona
Gilbert, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Gilbert, Arizona
Location in United States
Gilbert, Arizona
Location in North America
Coordinates: 33°21′00″N 111°47′21″W / 33.35000°N 111.78917°W / 33.35000; -111.78917Coordinates: 33°21′00″N 111°47′21″W / 33.35000°N 111.78917°W / 33.35000; -111.78917
Country United States
State Arizona
County Maricopa
Government
 • Mayor Jenn Daniels (R)
Area[1]
 • Town 68.20 sq mi (176.63 km2)
 • Land 68.00 sq mi (176.12 km2)
 • Water 0.20 sq mi (0.51 km2)
Elevation 1,237 ft (377 m)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Town 208,453
 • Estimate (2017)[3] 242,354
 • Rank US: 91st
 • Density 3,487.20/sq mi (1,346.41/km2)
 • Metro 4,737,270 (US: 11th)
Time zone UTC-7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP codes 85233, 85234, 85295-85298
Area code(s) 480
FIPS code 04-27400
GNIS ID(s) 5032
Website www.gilbertaz.gov

Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located southeast of Phoenix, within the Phoenix metropolitan area. Once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World",[4] Gilbert is currently the most populous incorporated town in the United States. It is the sixth-largest municipality in Arizona, and the fifth-largest in the Metropolitan Phoenix Area.

Gilbert encompasses 76 square miles (197 km2) and has made a rapid transformation from an agriculture-based community to an economically diverse suburban center located in the southeast valley of the Greater Phoenix area. In the last three decades, Gilbert has grown at an extremely high rate, increasing in population from 5,717 in 1980 to 208,453 as of the 2010 census. The town grew at an average annual growth rate of nearly 13% during this 30-year period.

History

Gilbert owes its beginnings to 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, the first store in Gilbert, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. The location of the town post office moved several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it still stands today. In 1912, many Mormons who had fled the Mormon colonies in Mexico due to the actions of the forces of Pancho Villa settled in Gilbert. By 1915, they began holding church meetings at the Gilbert Elementary School. In 1918, they were organized into the Gilbert Ward.[5]

Incorporated in July 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"[6] from 1911 until the late 1920s.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, in the 2000 Census, the town had an estimated area of 40 square miles (104 km2). As of 2009, and due to annexations the current Municipal Planning Area of Gilbert has a total area of 76.0 square miles (197 km2), of which, 75.76 square miles (196.2 km2) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.6 km2) is water.

Climate

Gilbert has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh).

Climate data for Gilbert, Arizona
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 89
(32)		 95
(35)		 99
(37)		 106
(41)		 118
(48)		 116
(47)		 119
(48)		 115
(46)		 113
(45)		 107
(42)		 97
(36)		 86
(30)		 119
(48)
Average high °F (°C) 67
(19)		 71
(22)		 77
(25)		 85
(29)		 94
(34)		 104
(40)		 106
(41)		 104
(40)		 99
(37)		 89
(32)		 75
(24)		 67
(19)		 87
(30)
Average low °F (°C) 41
(5)		 45
(7)		 49
(9)		 54
(12)		 61
(16)		 70
(21)		 77
(25)		 76
(24)		 70
(21)		 59
(15)		 47
(8)		 40
(4)		 57
(14)
Record low °F (°C) 15
(−9)		 19
(−7)		 24
(−4)		 30
(−1)		 37
(3)		 43
(6)		 54
(12)		 51
(11)		 40
(4)		 30
(−1)		 22
(−6)		 17
(−8)		 15
(−9)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.01
(25.7)		 1.03
(26.2)		 1.19
(30.2)		 0.33
(8.4)		 0.13
(3.3)		 0.04
(1)		 0.89
(22.6)		 1.14
(29)		 0.89
(22.6)		 0.81
(20.6)		 0.77
(19.6)		 0.98
(24.9)		 9.21
(234.1)
Source: The Weather Channel [7]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1920865—
1930791−8.6%
19408375.8%
19501,11433.1%
19601,83364.5%
19701,9717.5%
19805,717190.1%
199029,188410.5%
2000109,697275.8%
2010208,45390.0%
Est. 2017242,354[3]16.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
Town Hall building at the Civic Center
A waterfront in the Val Vista Lakes Community in Gilbert
The Liberty Market and the water tower in March 2009
SanTan Village in September 2009

As of the census of 2010, there were 208,453 people, 74,147 housing units, and 3.01 persons per household.

  • Fastest growing municipality in the United States from 1990–2003 (U.S. Census Bureau)
  • Currently the 4th fastest growing municipality in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau – 2009)
  • Ranked by CNN's Money magazine in 2008 as one of the best places to live in the United States[9]
  • One of the top 25 safest cities in the United States[10]
  • 34.5% of Gilbert residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.[11]
  • Highest household median income in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area with population 50,000+ (U.S. Census Bureau 2005)

According to Nielsen's Claritas demographics,[11] in 2009 the racial makeup of the town was:

2009 estimated population data by gender/age:[11]

  • 31.37 average age male/female
  • 50.22% male
    • 30.03 est. average age
  • 49.78% female
    • 31.82 est. average age
  • 37.14% population under 21
  • 33.25% population under 18
  • 70.01% population over 16
  • 66.76% population over 18
  • 62.86% population over 21
  • 5.30% population over 65

2009 estimated population age 15+ by marital status:[11]

  • 20.87% never married
  • 66.71% married, spouse present
  • 2.23% married, spouse absent
  • 2.11% widowed
  • 8.07% divorced

2009 estimated population age 25+ educational attainment:[11]

  • 92.33% high school/GED or higher
  • 37.5% bachelor's degree or higher
  • 10.46% master's degree or higher

2009 estimated household by household income:[11]

  • $109,213 average household income
  • $89,077 median household income
  • $35,559 per capita Income
  • 2.28% of families are below the poverty level

Religion

Various religious denominations are represented in Gilbert. The town has been known for its high Mormon population, a fact evidenced by the LDS church's building of a temple in Gilbert, dedicated March 2, 2014.[12][13]

Economy

Largest employers

According to the town's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[14] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of employees
1 Gilbert Public Schools 3,642
2 Banner Health 2,268
3 Mercy Gilbert Medical Center 1,233
4 Town of Gilbert 1,191
5 Fry's Food and Drug 966
6 Go Daddy 950
7 Walmart 791
8 Chandler Unified School District 518
9 B H Drywall 500
10 Dillard's Retail and Distribution 490

Arts and culture

Historic properties

Various properties in the town of Gilbert are considered historical and have been included either in the National Register of Historic Places[15] or listed as such in the Gilbert Historic District. In the gallery at the end of the article are images of some of these properties.

Music and dance

These performers have been associated with Gilbert:

Government

Gilbert was recognized in 2010 as the "36th Best Place to Live in the nation",[18] as well as among the nation's "top places to live and learn",[18] by GreatSchools.org. Washington, DC-based CQ Press rated Gilbert the "safest municipality in Arizona, and 25th safest in the nation." [19]

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 possess.[20] Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Gilbert is theoretically vulnerable to annexation.[21]

The town is part of Arizona's 5th congressional district, which is represented by Republican and Gilbert resident Andy Biggs.[22] The mayor of Gilbert is Jenn Daniels.

Crime

Gilbert
Crime rates* (2014)
Violent crimes
Homicide 0
Robbery 17
Aggravated assault 60
Total violent crime 89
Property crimes
Burglary 246
Larceny-theft 1,175
Motor vehicle theft 54
Arson 10
Total property crime 1,475
Notes

*Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population.

2014 population: 235,430

Source: 2014 FBI UCR Data

Gilbert is rated as a town of relatively low crime. According to FBI records, Gilbert was the largest town in the United States with zero murders in 2005, 2007, and 2014.

Education

Most of Gilbert is zoned to schools in the Gilbert Public Schools, while other portions are zoned to districts including the Chandler Unified School District, Mesa Public Schools, and the Higley Unified School District. Also in Gilbert are charter schools such as Edu-Prize (the first charter school in Arizona). The town is also home to Gilbert Christian Schools, a chain of private schools.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Gilbert is primarily served by one area freeway—the Santan Freeway portion of Loop 202. A small section of the US 60 Superstition Freeway also skirts the northern boundary of the town at the Higley Road interchange (Exit 186). Several regional arterials also serve the area, including Williams Field Road, Chandler Boulevard, and Gilbert Road. The town enjoys relative closeness to Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, which is located in east Mesa, and is a twenty-five-minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Recently, a park-and-ride facility was constructed in downtown Gilbert for bus service and future commuter rail service. Although the facility borders the Union Pacific (formerly Southern Pacific) tracks and has provisions for commuter rail service, there is currently no such service. Bus service is limited in Gilbert, with some north-south routes in Mesa dead-ending at Baseline Road before entering Gilbert. Routes that serve portions of Gilbert include the 108-Elliot Road, 112-Country Club/Arizona Avenue, 136-Gilbert Road, 140-Ray Road, 156-Chandler Boulevard/Williams Field Road, 184-Power Road, and 531-Mesa/Gilbert Express, with most of these routes operating at 30 minute frequency on weekdays. Sunday service is only available on Routes 108, 112, 156, and 184. Most people get around by cars or bikes. The city of Gilbert has a low percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 1.9 percent of Gilbert households lacked a car, and the figure was virtually unchanged in 2016 (1.7 percent). The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Gilbert averaged 2.08 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.[23]

Notable people

Sister cities

Gilbert has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  2. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Gilbert town, Arizona". Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  4. ↑ Gilbert Profile
  5. ↑ "Gilbert Arizona Community's roots date to 1920". Church News. November 19, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Gilbert History". Ci.gilbert.az.us. Archived from the original on April 17, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Average Weather for Gilbert, AZ – Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  9. ↑ "CNN Money Magazine 2008". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  10. ↑ "FBI Crime Statistics". Fbi.gov. March 17, 2010. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nielsen Claritas Archived June 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "LDS Church announces two new temples in Arizona – Salt Lake Tribune". Sltrib.com. April 27, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  13. ↑ Gilbert Arizona Temple, ldschurchtemples.com. Last accessed on April 27, 2008.
  14. ↑ "City of Gilbert 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). June 18, 2014. p. 141. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  15. ↑ National Register of Historic Places
  16. ↑ Burnsilver, Glenn (November 9, 2016). "Gilbert's Lydia to Perform with Full String Section at Mesa Arts Center". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Gilbert's Lindsey Stirling No. 2 on Billboard chart". AZCentral.com. Retrieved May 8, 2004.
  18. 1 2 "Best Places to Live 2010". CNN. Archived from the original on August 13, 2010.
  19. ↑ "CQ Press: City Crime Rankings 2012" (PDF). Os.cqpress.com. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9-276. Additional powers of cities". Arizona State Legislature. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Arizona Revised Statutes §9–122. Unification of a city and a town". Arizona State Legislature. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  22. ↑ "Official biography, Congressman Andy Biggs". Congressman Andy Biggs. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Car Ownership in U.S. Cities Data and Map". Governing. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  24. ↑ "For 1993 champ Jim Bechtel, Main Event always stirs up memories of competing at Binion's". LasVegasSun.com. July 7, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  25. ↑ "OSU Time And Change: Dave Burba". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  26. ↑ "NFL Players". Nfl.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  27. ↑ "NFL Players". Nfl.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  28. ↑ "Los Angeles Galaxy: Roster: Player Bio". La.galaxy.mlsnet.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  29. ↑ Midey, Connie (July 3, 2011). "Former Miss USA and TV news anchor is still a farm girl at heart". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Gilbert woman vies for Miss USA". Azcentral.com. April 11, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  31. ↑ "The Valley's priciest home sales". AZCentral.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  32. ↑ "Astronaut Bio: Carlos I. Noriega (1/2008)". Jsc.nasa.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  33. ↑ "Phil Ortega Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

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