If you are visiting Phoenix, considering moving to Phoenix, or even if you have lived here for 30 years or more, there are a few things about Phoenix that you may not know. Some of these elements are important when evaluating a community. Some of these facts are totally useless, but fun nonetheless! Note that statistics vary greatly depending on when they were obtained, the source, and the exact population measured. Therefore, none of these numbers represented here are accurate, rather they are simply the most recent and reasonable numbers that I have been able to collect.
About the Phoenix metropolitan area
- The metropolitan area is actually defined as Maricopa and Pinal counties, according to the US Census It is called Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area).
- Maricopa County’s population is over 4 million people. Maricopa County consists of the cities / towns of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, and several other neighboring cities and towns.
- More than half of the Arizona population lives in Maricopa County.
- The Phoenix metropolitan area is just over 9,000 square miles in area.
About people
- There are slightly more men than women in the state.
- About 86% of the people in Maricopa County are high school graduates. About 29% have at least a college degree. There are about 20 institutions of higher education, including Arizona State University and the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
- 34.2% of people in Maricopa County age 15 and older have never been married. 12.4% have been divorced.
- About 30% of Maricopa County’s population is Hispanic / Latino, 5.7% is African American, 4% is Asian, and 2.7% is Native American.
- Although the Phoenix area is well known as a place of retirement, only 13.4% of Maricopa County’s population is over the age of 65 compared to 14.9% in Miami-Dade County (2013).
- The median household income in Maricopa County is approximately $ 54,385 (2012 estimate). About 22% of households have an annual income greater than $ 100,000. In Maricopa County, 11.6% of families fall below the poverty level.
About the environment
- The sky is clear 59% of the time, partly cloudy 22% and cloudy 19%. Annual rainfall is about 7 inches. July is technically the hottest month, but in June and August, when the temperature goes above 115 ° F, it seems the same to me. Phoenix’s unofficial greeting is “… but it’s a dry heat.” Do you know why we say that? See the monthly temperature averages for Phoenix.
- The main industries are services (includes tourism) and manufacturing.
- Sales tax is in the range of 9-11%, and varies slightly depending on the city.
- As with any large city, Phoenix is trying to deal with crime. Gang and drug-related crimes are more common in west and south Phoenix. Areas in Tempe near ASU that are off the beaten path can be dangerous.
Other Phoenix stuff
- There are three area codes in the Phoenix area: 602, 480, and 623. If you are dialing from one of those area codes, you do not need to dial a “1” to access the other three, and they are considered local calls.
- Phoenix is in Mountain Standard Time and never moves the watch forward or backward. Only the Navajo nation observes daylight saving time.
- The median price for a new single-family home in Maricopa County is approximately $ 222,000 (March 2011). Different cities and towns within Maricopa County have property tax rates that vary within the range of about 8% to 15%, averaging about 10% of the assessed value.
- Phoenix originated in 1866 as a hay camp.
- There are six main lakes within an hour’s drive from Phoenix.
Arizona official
- State Flower: Saguaro Cactus Flower
- State Bird: Cactus Wren
- State Tree: Palo Verde
- Fossil state: petrified wood
- State gemstone: turquoise
- State Amphibian: Arizona Tree Frog
- State Reptile: Arizona Singing-nosed Rattlesnake
- State Nickname: The Grand Canyon State
- (Yes, Grand Canyon is in Arizona, NOT Nevada).
