List of census-designated places in Arizona facts for kids
The 2010 Census found 360 special places in Arizona called census-designated places (CDPs). About 14% of Arizona's population, or 894,461 people, live in these areas.
What exactly is a CDP? Imagine a neighborhood or community that looks like a town, with houses, roads, and people, but it hasn't officially become its own city or town. That's a CDP! The United States Census Bureau works with local officials to draw the lines around these places so they can count everyone living there accurately. However, these lines aren't permanent. A CDP might later become a real city, or a nearby city might grow and take over parts of it.
Even though many CDPs are small, quiet communities, some are quite large. For example, Sun City is a CDP that's a retirement community with nearly 37,500 residents. Another huge CDP is San Tan Valley, which is a big suburb near Phoenix. It has over 81,000 people! If San Tan Valley were an official city, it would be the largest city in its county, Pinal County.
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Understanding Census-Designated Places
CDPs are important because they help the government understand where people live, even in areas that aren't formal cities or towns. This information is used for many things, like planning for schools, roads, and other services.
Why Aren't They Cities?
Many CDPs are small and don't have enough people to become an official city or town. Becoming an incorporated city means setting up a local government, like a mayor and city council, and providing services such as police and fire departments. This can be expensive and complicated. For some communities, staying a CDP works just fine!
How CDPs Change Over Time
The boundaries of CDPs can change. Sometimes, a CDP might grow big enough and decide to become an official city. Other times, a nearby city might expand and take over parts or all of a CDP. The Census Bureau updates these definitions every ten years during the census to make sure they are accurate.
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