Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located southeast of Phoenix within the city's metropolitan area. Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World".[6] The population was 267,918 at the 2020 census,[3] and was estimated to be 275,346 in 2022.[4] It is the fifth-largest municipality in Arizona, and the fourth-largest in the Phoenix metro area. It covers an area of nearly 69 square miles (179 km2).
Gilbert has made a rapid transformation from an agriculture-based community to an economically diverse suburban center located in the southeastern valley of the Greater Phoenix area. It has grown at an extremely high rate over the last three decades, increasing in population from 5,717 in 1980 to 267,918 as of the 2020 census. The town grew at an average annual rate of over 10% during this 40-year period. It is the largest incorporated town in the United States.[3]
Historyedit
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.[7]
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"[8] 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.[9]
Geographyedit
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.[10]
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]
Climateedit
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.
As of the 2020 census, there were 267,918 people and 88,896 households, and 69,603 families residing in the town.[14] There were 93,230 housing units.
2010 censusedit
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%.[15]
Fastest growing municipality in the United States from 1990 to 2003 (U.S. Census Bureau)
$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.[9]
$35,559 per capita Income
2.3% of families were below the poverty level
Race/ethnicityedit
Gilbert town, Arizona - Demographic Profile (NH = Non-Hispanic) Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Gilbert is home to a 9/11 Memorial, located at Town Hall[23] that features an eight-foot steel girder beam[24] 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.[25]
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,[26] 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.[27]
Gilbert Regional Park and Desert Sky Park were established in 2019 with multi-million dollar investments.
The Freestone Recreation Center, north of Freestone Park, was opened in 2002. It has a rock wall, a gymnasium, a steam room and dry sauna, and exercise equipment.[9]
Governmentedit
Gilbert was recognized in 2010 as the "36th Best Place to Live in the nation",[29] as well as among the nation's "top places to live and learn",[29] by GreatSchools.org. Washington, DC-based CQ Press rated Gilbert the "safest municipality in Arizona, and 25th safest in the nation."[30]
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.[31] Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Gilbert is theoretically vulnerable to annexation.[32]
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 25-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.[39]
In 2018 Waymo started testing in a small portion of the northwest portion of the town of Gilbert.[40]
Notable peopleedit
Jim Bechtel, professional poker player; World Champion of Poker in 1993; lives in Gilbert[41]
^"Gilbert Arizona Community's roots date to 1920". Church News. November 19, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^"Gilbert History". Ci.gilbert.az.us. Archived from the original on April 17, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^ abcdeSteinbach, Alison (December 26, 2019). "Gilbert ranks highest on safety, livability". Arizona Business Gazette. Vol. 139, no. 52. Phoenix, Arizona: Gannett. USA Today Network. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
^Chandler, AZ, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1952 (1982 rev.)
^"Average Weather for Gilbert, AZ – Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
^"Gilbert, Arizona, USA – Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
^"Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^"US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
^Cohen, Darryl (March 2015). "Population Trends in Incorporated Places: 2000 to 2013" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau.
^"FBI Crime Statistics". Fbi.gov. March 17, 2010. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Gilbert town, Arizona". United States Census Bureau.
^"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Gilbert town, Arizona". United States Census Bureau.
^"LDS Church announces two new temples in Arizona". The Salt Lake Tribune. April 27, 2008. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^Gilbert Arizona Temple, ldschurchtemples.com. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
^"City of Gilbert 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). October 6, 2023. p. 134. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
^"Town Hall | Town of Gilbert, Arizona". www.gilbertaz.gov. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
^Atridim, Captain Rick (September 25, 2011), 9-11 Memorial in Gilbert Arizona, retrieved February 28, 2020
^"Gilbert Digital Newsroom | Town of Gilbert, Arizona". www.gilbertaz.gov. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
^9/11 Memorial – Gilbert, Arizona, archived from the original on November 17, 2021, retrieved February 28, 2020
^Aug. 9; azcentral.com, 2011 11:01 AM The Republic |. "Gilbert 9/11 memorial: Work begins on site". azcentral.com. Retrieved February 28, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^National Register of Historic Places Maricopa County, Arizona
^ ab"Best Places to Live 2010". CNN. Archived from the original on August 13, 2010.
^"CQ Press: City Crime Rankings 2012" (PDF). Os.cqpress.com. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
^"Arizona Revised Statutes §9-276. Additional powers of cities". Arizona State Legislature. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
^"Arizona Revised Statutes §9–122. Unification of a city and a town". Arizona State Legislature. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
^"Official biography, Congressman Andy Biggs". Congressman Andy Biggs. January 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
^"Mayor & Town Council | Town of Gilbert, Arizona". www.gilbertaz.gov. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
^Steinbach, Alison (August 18, 2020). "Gilbert Town Council promotes Scott Anderson to interim mayor, taps newly elected Kathy Tilque to council". AZCentral.
^Staff (April 1, 2020). "Park University to expand campus in downtown Gilbert". KTAR News. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
^"Car Ownership in U.S. Cities Data and Map". Governing. December 9, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
^"Waymo Expanding Chandler Operations Ahead of Launch of Arizona Public Ride Service". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
^"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.
^"OSU Time And Change: Dave Burba". ESPN. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
^Dellenger, Ross (July 1, 2021). "Behind the Scenes as the Cavinder Twins Became the Faces of Day 1 of NIL". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
^"NFL Players". National Football League. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^"NFL Players". National Football League. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^"Los Angeles Galaxy: Roster: Player Bio". La.galaxy.mlsnet.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^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.
^TucsonSentinel.com; Prezelski, Ted. "Arizonan Gordon scores one for the Quakes | Soccer notes". TucsonSentinel.com. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
^Thomas, Mike (ed.). "Whatever Happened To: Shea Hillenbrand". Wicked Local. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
^"Gilbert woman vies for Miss USA". The Arizona Republic. April 11, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^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.
^"The Valley's priciest home sales". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
^"Astronaut Bio: Carlos I. Noriega (1/2008)". Jsc.nasa.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^"Phil Ortega Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
^"Gilbert's Lindsey Stirling No. 2 on Billboard chart". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 8, 2004.
^"Lifehouse is 'All In:' Pop band's Gilbert-born drummer still sharing 'moments' with fans". entertainermag.com – Entertainer Magazine. Retrieved February 17, 2022.