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List of municipalities in Arizona facts for kids

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Arizona in United States
Map of the United States with Arizona highlighted

Arizona is a cool state located in the western part of the U.S.. It's known for its deserts and amazing landscapes! In 2020, about 7.15 million people lived here, making it the 14th most populated state. It's also really big, the 6th largest by land area, covering about 113,623 square miles (294,289 square kilometers).

Arizona is split into 15 counties. Inside these counties, there are 91 official cities and towns. When a place is "incorporated," it means it has its own local government, like a city or town council, to make decisions for its residents. Most people in Arizona live in the Phoenix metropolitan area, which has about 4.8 million residents.

Phoenix is the capital and the biggest city in Arizona. It has over 1.6 million people and is the fifth largest city in the whole United States! It covers a huge area of about 517.5 square miles (1,340 square kilometers). On the other hand, Winkelman is the smallest town, with only 296 people living in about 0.75 square miles (1.9 square kilometers). The oldest city in Arizona is Tucson, which became official in 1877. The newest is Tusayan, which became a town in March 2010.

Becoming an Official City or Town

Have you ever wondered how a community becomes an official city or town? In Arizona, it's a special process! Since 1912, the state's rules have allowed communities with at least 3,500 people to form their own local governments. This means they can make their own rules, instead of the state making all the decisions for them.

The state has made it a bit easier over time. Now, most places only need 1,500 people to become a town. If a community is super close to a national park or national monument (within 10 miles), it only needs 500 people! However, new towns can't pop up right next to existing big cities. There's a special "buffer zone" around bigger cities to prevent this.

Cities vs. Towns

In Arizona, cities and towns work pretty similarly. The main difference is that to become a city, a place needs at least 3,000 people. Cities also have a few extra powers, especially when it comes to managing things like utilities (water, electricity) and building rules within their borders.

Towns can become cities once they reach 3,000 people. But some really big communities choose to stay as towns! For example, Gilbert has over 267,000 residents, which is more than many cities, but it's still officially a town.

Before Arizona became a state in 1912, some cities and towns became official in different ways. Phoenix, for instance, was made a city way back in 1881 by the Arizona Territorial Legislature, which was the government before Arizona was a state.

Arizona's Biggest Cities and Towns

Here are some of the largest cities and towns in Arizona, based on their population:

  • Largest cities and towns in Arizona by population
  • Downtown Phoenix Aerial Looking Northeast

    Phoenix, Arizona's state capital and most populous municipality

  • CatalinasAndTusconAZ

    Tucson, Arizona's second largest city by population

  • Downtown Mesa Arizona

    Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's third largest city by population

  • Chandler AZ downtown

    Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's fourth largest city by population

  • Gilbert-Gilbert Heritage District as viewed from Gilbert Rd.

    Gilbert, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's largest town and fifth largest municipality by population

  • Glendale-Downtown Glendale

    Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's sixth largest city by population

  • Scottsdale waterfront

    Scottsdale, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's seventh largest city by population

  • Peoria High School, Old Main Building

    Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's eighth largest city by population

  • Haydenferry

    Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's ninth largest city by population

  • City Hall - Surprise, AZ, USA 2250094

    Surprise, a suburb of Phoenix and Arizona's tenth largest city by population

       County seat        State capital and county seat

Name Type County Population
(2020)		 Population
(2010)		 Change Land area (2020) Population density (2020) Incorporation year
sq mi km2
Apache Junction City Pinal, Maricopa 38,499 35,840 &10000000000000007419084+7.4% 35.07 90.8 1,097.8/sq mi (423.9/km2) 1978
Avondale City Maricopa 89,334 76,238 &10000000000000017177785+17.2% 47.28 122.5 1,889.5/sq mi (729.5/km2) 1946
Benson City Cochise 5,355 5,105 &10000000000000004897159+4.9% 41.64 107.8 128.6/sq mi (49.7/km2) 1924
Bisbee City Cochise 4,923 5,575 Template:Number table sorting/negative−11.7% 5.18 13.4 950.4/sq mi (367.0/km2) 1902
Buckeye City Maricopa 91,502 50,876 &10000000000000079852975+79.9% 392.98 1,017.8 232.8/sq mi (89.9/km2) 1929
Bullhead City City Mohave 41,348 39,540 &10000000000000004572584+4.6% 59.37 153.8 696.4/sq mi (268.9/km2) 1984
Camp Verde Town Yavapai 12,147 10,873 &10000000000000011717097+11.7% 42.35 109.7 286.8/sq mi (110.7/km2) 1986
Carefree Town Maricopa 3,690 3,363 &10000000000000009723461+9.7% 8.81 22.8 418.8/sq mi (161.7/km2) 1984
Casa Grande City Pinal 53,658 48,571 &10000000000000010473327+10.5% 110.87 287.2 484.0/sq mi (186.9/km2) 1915
Cave Creek Town Maricopa 4,892 5,015 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.5% 37.71 97.7 129.7/sq mi (50.1/km2) 1986
Chandler City Maricopa 275,987 236,123 &10000000000000016882726+16.9% 65.30 169.1 4,226.4/sq mi (1,631.8/km2) 1920
Chino Valley Town Yavapai 13,020 10,817 &10000000000000020366090+20.4% 62.42 161.7 208.6/sq mi (80.5/km2) 1970
Clarkdale Town Yavapai 4,424 4,097 &10000000000000007981449+8.0% 10.18 26.4 434.6/sq mi (167.8/km2) 1957
CliftonCounty seat Town Greenlee 3,933 3,311 &10000000000000018785865+18.8% 14.62 37.9 269.0/sq mi (103.9/km2) 1909
Colorado City Town Mohave 2,478 4,821 Template:Number table sorting/negative−48.6% 9.20 23.8 269.3/sq mi (104.0/km2) 1985
Coolidge City Pinal 13,218 11,825 &10000000000000011780126+11.8% 76.27 197.5 173.3/sq mi (66.9/km2) 1945
Cottonwood City Yavapai 12,029 11,265 &10000000000000006782068+6.8% 16.60 43.0 724.6/sq mi (279.8/km2) 1960
Dewey-Humboldt Town Yavapai 4,326 3,894 &10000000000000011093990+11.1% 18.79 48.7 230.2/sq mi (88.9/km2) 2004
Douglas City Cochise 16,534 17,378 Template:Number table sorting/negative−4.9% 9.98 25.8 1,656.7/sq mi (639.7/km2) 1905
Duncan Town Greenlee 694 696 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.3% 2.15 5.6 322.8/sq mi (124.6/km2) 1938
Eagar Town Apache 4,395 4,885 Template:Number table sorting/negative−10.0% 11.58 30.0 379.5/sq mi (146.5/km2) 1948
El Mirage City Maricopa 35,805 31,797 &10000000000000012604962+12.6% 9.90 25.6 3,616.7/sq mi (1,396.4/km2) 1951
Eloy City Pinal 15,635 16,631 Template:Number table sorting/negative−6.0% 113.57 294.1 137.7/sq mi (53.2/km2) 1949
FlagstaffCounty seat City Coconino 76,831 65,870 &10000000000000016640352+16.6% 66.03 171.0 1,163.6/sq mi (449.3/km2) 1894
FlorenceCounty seat Town Pinal 26,785 25,536 &10000000000000004891134+4.9% 62.62 162.2 427.7/sq mi (165.1/km2) 1908
Fountain Hills Town Maricopa 23,820 22,489 &10000000000000005918449+5.9% 20.28 52.5 1,174.6/sq mi (453.5/km2) 1989
Fredonia Town Coconino 1,323 1,314 &10000000000000000684931+0.7% 8.88 23.0 149.0/sq mi (57.5/km2) 1956
Gila Bend Town Maricopa 1,892 1,922 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.6% 64.37 166.7 29.4/sq mi (11.4/km2) 1962
Gilbert Town Maricopa 267,918 208,453 &10000000000000028526814+28.5% 68.57 177.6 3,907.2/sq mi (1,508.6/km2) 1920
Glendale City Maricopa 248,325 226,721 &10000000000000009528892+9.5% 61.60 159.5 4,031.3/sq mi (1,556.5/km2) 1910
GlobeCounty seat City Gila 7,249 7,532 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.8% 18.26 47.3 397.0/sq mi (153.3/km2) 1907
Goodyear City Maricopa 95,294 65,275 &10000000000000045988510+46.0% 191.30 495.5 498.1/sq mi (192.3/km2) 1946
Guadalupe Town Maricopa 5,322 5,523 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.6% 0.80 2.1 6,652.5/sq mi (2,568.5/km2) 1975
Hayden Town Gila, Pinal 512 662 Template:Number table sorting/negative−22.7% 1.27 3.3 403.1/sq mi (155.6/km2) 1956
HolbrookCounty seat City Navajo 4,858 5,053 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.9% 17.34 44.9 280.2/sq mi (108.2/km2) 1917
Huachuca City Town Cochise 1,626 1,853 Template:Number table sorting/negative−12.3% 2.83 7.3 574.6/sq mi (221.9/km2) 1958
Jerome Town Yavapai 464 444 &10000000000000004504504+4.5% 0.79 2.0 587.3/sq mi (226.8/km2) 1889
Kearny Town Pinal 1,741 1,950 Template:Number table sorting/negative−10.7% 2.70 7.0 644.8/sq mi (249.0/km2) 1959
KingmanCounty seat City Mohave 32,689 28,068 &10000000000000016463588+16.5% 37.55 97.3 870.5/sq mi (336.1/km2) 1952
Lake Havasu City City Mohave 57,144 52,527 &10000000000000008789765+8.8% 46.34 120.0 1,233.1/sq mi (476.1/km2) 1978
Litchfield Park City Maricopa 6,847 5,476 &10000000000000025036523+25.0% 3.28 8.5 2,087.5/sq mi (806.0/km2) 1987
Mammoth Town Pinal 1,076 1,426 Template:Number table sorting/negative−24.5% 26.32 68.2 40.9/sq mi (15.8/km2) 1958
Marana Town Pima, Pinal 51,908 34,961 &10000000000000048474013+48.5% 121.10 313.6 428.6/sq mi (165.5/km2) 1977
Maricopa City Pinal 58,125 43,482 &10000000000000033676003+33.7% 42.46 110.0 1,368.9/sq mi (528.5/km2) 2003
Mesa City Maricopa 504,258 439,041 &10000000000000014854421+14.9% 138.70 359.2 3,635.6/sq mi (1,403.7/km2) 1883
Miami Town Gila 1,541 1,837 Template:Number table sorting/negative−16.1% 0.89 2.3 1,731.5/sq mi (668.5/km2) 1918
NogalesCounty seat City Santa Cruz 19,770 20,837 Template:Number table sorting/negative−5.1% 20.82 53.9 949.6/sq mi (366.6/km2) 1893
Oro Valley Town Pima 47,070 41,011 &10000000000000014774085+14.8% 34.87 90.3 1,349.9/sq mi (521.2/km2) 1974
Page City Coconino 7,440 7,247 &10000000000000002663170+2.7% 38.18 98.9 194.9/sq mi (75.3/km2) 1975
Paradise Valley Town Maricopa 12,658 12,820 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.3% 15.38 39.8 823.0/sq mi (317.8/km2) 1961
ParkerCounty seat Town La Paz 3,417 3,083 &10000000000000010833603+10.8% 21.98 56.9 155.5/sq mi (60.0/km2) 1948
Patagonia Town Santa Cruz 804 913 Template:Number table sorting/negative−11.9% 1.29 3.3 623.3/sq mi (240.7/km2) 1948
Payson Town Gila 16,351 15,301 &10000000000000006862296+6.9% 19.35 50.1 845.0/sq mi (326.3/km2) 1973
Peoria City Maricopa, Yavapai 190,985 154,065 &10000000000000023963911+24.0% 176.08 456.0 1,084.6/sq mi (418.8/km2) 1954
PhoenixState capital City Maricopa 1,608,139 1,445,632 &10000000000000011241242+11.2% 518.00 1,341.6 3,104.5/sq mi (1,198.7/km2) 1881
Pima Town Graham 2,847 2,387 &10000000000000019271051+19.3% 7.30 18.9 390.0/sq mi (150.6/km2) 1916
Pinetop-Lakeside Town Navajo 4,030 4,282 Template:Number table sorting/negative−5.9% 11.15 28.9 361.4/sq mi (139.5/km2) 1984
PrescottCounty seat City Yavapai 45,827 39,843 &10000000000000015018949+15.0% 44.97 116.5 1,019.1/sq mi (393.5/km2) 1883
Prescott Valley Town Yavapai 46,785 38,822 &10000000000000020511565+20.5% 40.47 104.8 1,156.0/sq mi (446.3/km2) 1978
Quartzsite Town La Paz 2,413 3,677 Template:Number table sorting/negative−34.4% 36.30 94.0 66.5/sq mi (25.7/km2) 1989
Queen Creek Town Maricopa, Pinal 59,519 26,361 &10000000000000125784302+125.8% 40.32 104.4 1,476.2/sq mi (570.0/km2) 1989
SaffordCounty seat City Graham 10,129 9,566 &10000000000000005885427+5.9% 9.27 24.0 1,092.7/sq mi (421.9/km2) 1901
Sahuarita Town Pima 34,134 25,259 &10000000000000035135991+35.1% 31.69 82.1 1,077.1/sq mi (415.9/km2) 1994
San Luis City Yuma 35,257 25,505 &10000000000000038235640+38.2% 34.03 88.1 1,036.1/sq mi (400.0/km2) 1979
Scottsdale City Maricopa 241,361 217,385 &10000000000000011029279+11.0% 184.00 476.6 1,311.7/sq mi (506.5/km2) 1951
Sedona City Yavapai, Coconino 9,684 10,031 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.5% 18.26 47.3 530.3/sq mi (204.7/km2) 1988
Show Low City Navajo 11,732 10,660 &10000000000000010056285+10.1% 65.50 169.6 179.1/sq mi (69.2/km2) 1953
Sierra Vista City Cochise 45,308 43,888 &10000000000000003235508+3.2% 152.25 394.3 297.6/sq mi (114.9/km2) 1956
Snowflake Town Navajo 6,104 5,590 &10000000000000009194991+9.2% 33.74 87.4 180.9/sq mi (69.8/km2) 1948
Somerton City Yuma 14,197 14,287 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.6% 7.27 18.8 1,952.8/sq mi (754.0/km2) 1918
South Tucson City Pima 4,613 5,652 Template:Number table sorting/negative−18.4% 1.03 2.7 4,478.6/sq mi (1,729.2/km2) 1940
Springerville Town Apache 1,717 1,961 Template:Number table sorting/negative−12.4% 11.50 29.8 149.3/sq mi (57.6/km2) 1948
St. JohnsCounty seat City Apache 3,417 3,480 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.8% 25.91 67.1 131.9/sq mi (50.9/km2) 1946
Star Valley Town Gila 2,484 1,970 &10000000000000026091370+26.1% 36.14 93.6 68.7/sq mi (26.5/km2) 2005
Superior Town Pinal 2,407 2,837 Template:Number table sorting/negative−15.2% 1.96 5.1 1,228.1/sq mi (474.2/km2) 1976
Surprise City Maricopa 143,148 117,517 &10000000000000021810461+21.8% 110.30 285.7 1,297.8/sq mi (501.1/km2) 1960
Taylor Town Navajo 3,995 4,112 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.8% 32.66 84.6 122.3/sq mi (47.2/km2) 1966
Tempe City Maricopa 180,587 161,719 &10000000000000011667151+11.7% 39.94 103.4 4,521.5/sq mi (1,745.8/km2) 1894
Thatcher Town Graham 5,231 4,865 &10000000000000007523124+7.5% 6.60 17.1 792.6/sq mi (306.0/km2) 1899
Tolleson City Maricopa 7,216 6,545 &10000000000000010252100+10.3% 5.73 14.8 1,259.3/sq mi (486.2/km2) 1929
Tombstone City Cochise 1,308 1,380 Template:Number table sorting/negative−5.2% 9.25 24.0 141.4/sq mi (54.6/km2) 1881
TucsonCounty seat City Pima 542,629 520,116 &10000000000000004328457+4.3% 240.99 624.2 2,251.7/sq mi (869.4/km2) 1877
Tusayan Town Coconino 603 558 &10000000000000008064516+8.1% 16.83 43.6 35.8/sq mi (13.8/km2) 2010
Wellton Town Yuma 2,375 2,882 Template:Number table sorting/negative−17.6% 28.88 74.8 82.2/sq mi (31.7/km2) 1970
Wickenburg Town Maricopa, Yavapai 7,474 6,363 &10000000000000017460317+17.5% 25.86 67.0 289.0/sq mi (111.6/km2) 1909
Willcox City Cochise 3,213 3,757 Template:Number table sorting/negative−14.5% 6.15 15.9 522.4/sq mi (201.7/km2) 1915
Williams City Coconino 3,202 3,023 &10000000000000005921270+5.9% 43.83 113.5 73.1/sq mi (28.2/km2) 1901
Winkelman Town Gila, Pinal 296 353 Template:Number table sorting/negative−16.1% 0.77 2.0 384.4/sq mi (148.4/km2) 1949
Winslow City Navajo 9,005 9,655 Template:Number table sorting/negative−6.7% 12.99 33.6 693.2/sq mi (267.6/km2) 1900
Youngtown Town Maricopa 7,056 6,156 &10000000000000014619883+14.6% 1.49 3.9 4,735.6/sq mi (1,828.4/km2) 1960
YumaCounty seat City Yuma 95,548 93,064 &10000000000000002669130+2.7% 120.67 312.5 791.8/sq mi (305.7/km2) 1914
Total municipalities — — 5,728,859 5,022,368 &10000000000000014066890+14.1% &&&&&&&&&&&04548.&500004,548.05 11,779.4 1,259.6/sq mi (486.3/km2) —
State of Arizona — — 7,151,502 6,392,017 &10000000000000011881773+11.9% &&&&&&&&&0113623.100000113,623.1 294,282 62.9/sq mi (24.3/km2) —

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List of municipalities in Arizona Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.