Gila County, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gila County
U.S. county
Gila County Courthouse in Globe
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Arizona
Arizona's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Arizona
Founded	February 8, 1881
Named for	Gila River
Seat	Globe
Largest town	Payson
Area
• Total	4,795 sq mi (12,420 km2)
• Land	4,758 sq mi (12,320 km2)
• Water	38 sq mi (100 km2)  0.8%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	53,272
• Estimate  (2023)	54,003
• Density	11.1099/sq mi (4.2896/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
Congressional district	2nd

Gila County (/ˈhiːlə/ HEE-lə) is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,272. The county seat is Globe.

Gila County comprises the Payson, Arizona micropolitan statistical area which is included in the greater Phoenix–Mesa, AZ combined statistical area.

Gila County contains parts of Fort Apache Indian Reservation and San Carlos Indian Reservation.

History

The county was formed from parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties on February 8, 1881. The boundary was then extended eastward to the San Carlos River by public petition in 1889. The original county seat was in the mining community of Globe City, now Globe.

Popular theory holds that the word "Gila" was derived from a Spanish contraction of Hah-quah-sa-eel, a Yuma word meaning "running water which is salty".

In the 1880s, a long range war broke out in Gila County that became the most costly feud in American history, resulting in an almost complete annihilation of the families involved. The Pleasant Valley War (also sometimes called the Tonto Basin Feud or Tonto Basin War) matched the cattle-herding Grahams against the sheep-herding Tewksburys. Once partisan feelings became tense and hostilities began, Frederick Russell Burnham, who later became a celebrated scout and the inspiration for the boy scouts, was drawn into the conflict on the losing side.

Burnham shot many men in the feud, and was himself nearly killed by a bounty hunter. Tom Horn, an infamous assassin, was known to have taken part as a killer for hire, but it is unknown which side employed him. Both sides suffered fatalities. No one was ever charged or prosecuted.

In the 1960s, it was home of Gerald Gault, who was the subject of the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in re Gault, that stated juveniles have the same rights as adults when arrested to be notified of the charges against them, the rights to attorneys, for family members to be notified of their arrests and to confront their accusers and to not be punished more harshly than adults who are convicted of the same crime, especially if an adult's penalty for the crime would be less than that accorded a juvenile convict.

Geography

Pinto Creek Bridge on US 60

The "Most Beautiful Bridge" plaque.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,795 square miles (12,420 km²), of which 4,758 square miles (12,320 km²) is land and 38 square miles (98 km²) (0.8%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Yavapai County – northwest-north
• Maricopa County – west
• Pinal County – south
• Graham County – south
• Navajo County – east, northeast
• Coconino County – north

National protected areas

• Coconino National Forest (part)
• Tonto National Forest (part)
• Tonto National Monument

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 53,597 people, 22,000 households, and 14,294 families living in the county. The population density was 11.3 inhabitants per square mile (4.4 inhabitants/km²). There were 32,698 housing units at an average density of 6.9 units per square mile (2.7 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.8% white, 14.8% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 17.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.4% were German, 13.3% were English, 11.4% were Irish, and 3.4% were American.

Of the 22,000 households, 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.0% were non-families, and 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 47.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,580 and the median income for a family was $46,292. Males had a median income of $41,698 versus $30,023 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,600. About 11.6% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

• U.S. Route 60
• U.S. Route 70
• State Route 77
• State Route 87
• State Route 188
• State Route 260

Airports

The following public-use airports are located in the county:

• Payson Airport in Payson
• San Carlos Apache Airport near Globe

Communities

Map of the incorporated and major unincorporated areas in Gila County. Also shown are borders for Indian reservations in the county.

City

• Globe (county seat)

Towns

• Hayden (partly in Pinal County)
• Miami
• Payson
• Star Valley
• Winkelman (partly in Pinal County)

Census-designated places

Other communities

• Inspiration
• Punkin Center

Ghost towns

• Bellevue
• McMillenville

Indian communities

• Fort Apache Indian Reservation
• San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation
• Tonto Apache

County population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Gila County.

† county seat

Notable people

• George W. P. Hunt
• David Gowan
• Rose Mofford

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Gila para niños