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 | This article's introduction contains content that is written like an advertisement. (May 2024) |
Gilbert, Arizona | |
|---|---|
 Gilbert's Heritage Court as viewed from Gilbert Road | |
 Flag | |
| Motto(s): "Gilbert: Clean, Safe, Vibrant" | |
 Location in Maricopa County, Arizona | |
| Coordinates: 33°21′10″N 111°47′20″W / 33.35278°N 111.78889°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Maricopa |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Incorporated | July 6, 1920 |
| Named for | Robert Gilbert |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brigette Peterson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 68.86 sq mi (178.35 km2) |
| • Land | 68.66 sq mi (177.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,237 ft (377 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 267,918 |
| • Estimate (2022)[4] | 275,346 |
| • Rank | US: 80th AZ: 5th |
| • Density | 4,010/sq mi (1,549/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–7 (Mountain (MST) (no DST)) |
| ZIP Codes | 85233, 85234, 85295, 85296, 85297, 85298, 85299 |
| Area code | 480 |
| FIPS code | 04-27400 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0005032[2] |
| Sales tax | 7.8%[5] |
| Website | gilbertaz.gov |
Gilbert is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona. Located southeast of Phoenix, Gilbert is home to 288,128 residents.[6] It is the fifth-largest municipality in Arizona. Nearly a third of Gilbert residents are under the age of 18.[7] As Gilbert approaches buildout, the estimated population is expected to reach 330,000 people.[8]
Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World".[9] It’s since transformed into an economically diverse suburban community, characterized by a strong economy, competitive schools, and safe neighborhoods. Gilbert is home to many companies with focuses on advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, biotechnology, clean technology, and renewable energy. In 2023, Gilbert was declared one of the fastest-growing communities in the United States.[10]
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, 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.[11]
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"[12] from 1911 until the late 1920s.
In 2019, the town ranked highly on three national surveys, related to safety, livability and family life; it was named the fourth-safest (of 182 communities), twelfth-most livable town, and seventh-best place to raise a family in the United States.[13]
Geography
Gilbert is located in the southeast portion of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is south of Mesa, northeast of Chandler, and northwest of Queen Creek.[14]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 68.86 square miles (178.35 km2), of which, 68.65 square miles (177.80 km2) is land and 0.20 square miles (0.52 km2) is water.[1]
Climate
Gilbert has a subtropical, hot desert type of climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with dry and hot summers, and mild to warm winters, with little rainfall.
| 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) |
| Mean daily maximum °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) |
| Mean daily minimum °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 (26) |
1.03 (26) |
1.19 (30) |
0.33 (8.4) |
0.13 (3.3) |
0.04 (1.0) |
0.89 (23) |
1.14 (29) |
0.89 (23) |
0.81 (21) |
0.77 (20) |
0.98 (25) |
9.21 (235.7) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[15] | |||||||||||||
| 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[16] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
 |
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 865 | — | |
| 1930 | 791 | −8.6% | |
| 1940 | 837 | 5.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,114 | 33.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,833 | 64.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,971 | 7.5% | |
| 1980 | 5,717 | 190.1% | |
| 1990 | 29,188 | 410.5% | |
| 2000 | 109,697 | 275.8% | |
| 2010 | 208,453 | 90.0% | |
| 2020 | 267,918 | 28.5% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 275,346 | [4] | 2.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] 2020 Census[3] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 267,918 people and 88,896 households, and 69,603 families residing in the town.[18] There were 93,230 housing units.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[19] | Pop 2010[20] | Pop 2020[21] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 87,597 | 151,930 | 178,671 | 79.85% | 72.88% | 66.69% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,515 | 6,606 | 9,601 | 2.29% | 3.17% | 3.58% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 559 | 1,394 | 1,998 | 0.51% | 0.67% | 0.75% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 3,863 | 11,877 | 17,690 | 3.52% | 5.70% | 6.60% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 120 | 406 | 574 | 0.11% | 0.19% | 0.21% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 111 | 264 | 1,211 | 0.10% | 0.13% | 0.45% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,906 | 4,902 | 13,041 | 1.74% | 2.35% | 4.87% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 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%.[22]
- Fastest growing municipality in the United States from 1990 to 2003 (U.S. Census Bureau)
- 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[citation needed]
- One of the top 25 safest cities in the United States[23]
- 34.5% of Gilbert residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.[24]
- Highest household median income in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area with population 50,000+ (U.S. Census Bureau – 2005)
According to Nielsen's Claritas demographics,[24] in 2009 the estimated racial makeup of the town was:
- 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
2009 estimated population data by gender/age:[24]
- 31.37 average age male/female. By 2019, the average age was reported as 33.6.[13]
- 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
2009 estimated population age 15+ by marital status:[24]
- 20.9% never married
- 66.7% married, spouse present
- 2.2% married, spouse absent
- 2.1% widowed
- 8.1% divorced
2009 estimated population age 25+ educational attainment:[24]
- 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.[13]
- 10.5% master's degree or higher
2009 estimated household by household income:[24]
- $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.[13]
- $35,559 per capita Income
- 2.3% of families were below the poverty level
Religion
Various religious denominations are represented in Gilbert. The town has been known for its high population of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a fact evidenced by the building of the Gilbert Arizona Temple, which was dedicated on March 2, 2014.[25][26]
Economy
Largest employers
According to the town's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[27] the top employers in the city 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
Gilbert offers something for everybody when it comes to 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 is home to a 9/11 Memorial, located at Town Hall[28] that features an eight-foot steel girder beam[29] which held up the North Tower of the World Trade Center.[citation needed] Former Gilbert Fire Chief Collin DeWitt fund-raised extensively for three years to create the memorial, and to bring the beam from New York City to Arizona. He drove to collect it himself along with his then Assistant Fire Chief Jim Jobusch.[30]
The design of the memorial angles the beam, which puts it in reach of everyone. Four granite walls bear the names of those lost to the attacks. Concrete was poured in the shape of a pentagon for the foundation of the memorial,[31] and is surrounded by bricks which carry names of some of those who helped to donate to bring the memorial to life. There was an unveiling ceremony of the memorial on the 10th anniversary of the attack on September 11, 2011.[32]
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.[33]
Parks and recreation
The Gilbert Parks and Recreation department provides superior 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 (CAPRA). It is also recognized as a Certified Autism Center by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).[34]
Government
Gilbert was named by FinanceBuzz as the “2nd Fasting-Rising City in the United States” in 2023.[35] The prior year, Gilbert earned the “#1 Place to Live in Arizona”[36] recognition by Ranking Arizona and the 2nd Safest Big City in America, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program’s 2022 report.
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.[37] Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Gilbert is theoretically vulnerable to annexation.[38]
The town is part of Arizona's 5th congressional district, which is currently represented by Republican and Gilbert resident Andy Biggs.[39] The current mayor of Gilbert is Brigette Peterson.[40]