Tacna, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tacna, Arizona
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Tacna, AZ post office, ZIP Code 85352
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Location in Yuma County and the state of Arizona
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 Tacna, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Yuma |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.92 sq mi (4.98 km2) |
| • Land | 1.92 sq mi (4.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 351 ft (107 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 425 |
| • Density | 221.12/sq mi (85.36/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
| ZIP code |
85352
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| Area code(s) | 928 |
| FIPS code | 04-71790 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1759214 |
Tacna is a small community in Yuma County, Arizona, in the United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering statistics. It is not an officially incorporated town. Tacna is also sometimes called a colonia, which is a community, often rural, near the U.S.-Mexico border.
In 2000, 555 people lived in Tacna. By 2010, the population grew to 602 people. It is part of the larger Yuma metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Tacna
Tacna has an interesting past, starting with early travel routes.
Early Beginnings
Around 1859, a company called the Butterfield Overland Mail opened a stagecoach station. This station was located near a place called Antelope Hill. Stagecoaches were like large horse-drawn buses that carried mail and passengers.
Later, in the 1870s, the Southern Pacific Railroad built tracks through the area. A post office named Tacna was set up then. However, this first post office did not stay open for long.
The Town's Founding
For a while, Tacna was just a railroad siding. This was a short track where trains could stop for water. The actual town of Tacna was founded much later, in the early 1920s. A man named Max B. Noah started the town. He named it after the railroad stop.
By 1941, when Max B. Noah sold the town, it had a post office and a restaurant. The restaurant was famously called Noah's Ark. After the sale, the post office moved about four miles east. The original railroad stop was then renamed Noah.
The Name's Origin
There is a story about how Tacna got its name. Some say it came from "Tachnopolis," a Greek priest. This priest supposedly settled among the local people. However, this story seems to have been made up by Max B. Noah himself.
Geography of Tacna
Tacna is located in a desert region of Arizona.
Location and Landscape
Tacna is situated along Interstate 8, a major highway. It lies within the Mohawk Valley. The Gila River flows just south of the community. Tacna is located east of the main Yuma metropolitan area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Tacna covers an area of about 1.9 square miles (4.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land. There are no large bodies of water within the CDP.
Climate
Tacna has a desert climate. This means it gets very hot and dry, especially in the summer. It receives very little rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Tacna 3 NE, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1969–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 89 (32) |
92 (33) |
101 (38) |
109 (43) |
115 (46) |
122 (50) |
126 (52) |
121 (49) |
122 (50) |
110 (43) |
97 (36) |
85 (29) |
126 (52) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 79.4 (26.3) |
84.2 (29.0) |
93.3 (34.1) |
101.9 (38.8) |
107.5 (41.9) |
114.1 (45.6) |
116.8 (47.1) |
116.1 (46.7) |
111.9 (44.4) |
103.2 (39.6) |
90.5 (32.5) |
78.1 (25.6) |
118.1 (47.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 70.8 (21.6) |
74.6 (23.7) |
82.0 (27.8) |
88.8 (31.6) |
96.8 (36.0) |
105.8 (41.0) |
109.2 (42.9) |
108.7 (42.6) |
103.8 (39.9) |
92.1 (33.4) |
79.1 (26.2) |
68.9 (20.5) |
90.1 (32.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 54.1 (12.3) |
57.9 (14.4) |
64.3 (17.9) |
70.6 (21.4) |
78.7 (25.9) |
87.4 (30.8) |
93.8 (34.3) |
93.9 (34.4) |
87.6 (30.9) |
74.6 (23.7) |
61.6 (16.4) |
52.6 (11.4) |
73.1 (22.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37.4 (3.0) |
41.2 (5.1) |
46.7 (8.2) |
52.5 (11.4) |
60.5 (15.8) |
69.0 (20.6) |
78.4 (25.8) |
79.1 (26.2) |
71.5 (21.9) |
57.0 (13.9) |
44.0 (6.7) |
36.4 (2.4) |
56.1 (13.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 25.8 (−3.4) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
35.5 (1.9) |
41.9 (5.5) |
49.9 (9.9) |
58.4 (14.7) |
67.9 (19.9) |
68.7 (20.4) |
58.3 (14.6) |
43.5 (6.4) |
31.5 (−0.3) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 13 (−11) |
20 (−7) |
25 (−4) |
31 (−1) |
37 (3) |
42 (6) |
52 (11) |
51 (11) |
43 (6) |
27 (−3) |
22 (−6) |
13 (−11) |
13 (−11) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.44 (11) |
0.56 (14) |
0.41 (10) |
0.09 (2.3) |
0.08 (2.0) |
0.02 (0.51) |
0.42 (11) |
0.43 (11) |
0.41 (10) |
0.23 (5.8) |
0.32 (8.1) |
0.38 (9.7) |
3.79 (96) |
| Average precipitation days | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 16.8 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Tacna
The population of Tacna has changed over the years.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 555 | — | |
| 2010 | 602 | 8.5% | |
| 2020 | 425 | −29.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 555 people living in Tacna. These people lived in 194 households. Most of these households (149) were families. The population density was about 294 people per square mile.
Diversity and Households
The community of Tacna is diverse. In 2000, about 67% of the people were White. About 25% were from other races. Also, about 51% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Many households (37%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (66%) were married couples. About 18% of households were single people living alone. The average household had almost three people.
Age and Income
The ages of people in Tacna varied. About 30% of the population was under 18 years old. About 17% were 65 years old or older. The average age in Tacna was 36 years.
The average income for a household in 2000 was around $25,556 per year. For families, the average income was about $26,354. About 25% of the people in Tacna lived below the poverty line. This included 34% of children under 18.
See also
- In Spanish: Tacna (Arizona) para niños
