San Tan Valley, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Tan Valley, Arizona
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Location in Pinal County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Pinal |
| Founded | July 1, 2009 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 75.79 sq mi (196.30 km2) |
| • Land | 75.79 sq mi (196.30 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,493 ft (455 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 99,894 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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103,000 |
| • Density | 1,359.0/sq mi (524.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–7 (Mountain (MST) (no DST)) |
| ZIP Codes |
85140, 85142, 85143, 85144
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| Area code(s) | 480 |
| FIPS code | 04-64210 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2629370 |
| Sales tax | 6.7% |
San Tan Valley is a large community in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. It is not an official city or town, but it is a special area recognized for counting people. In 2020, about 99,894 people lived there. This makes it the biggest community in Pinal County that is not officially a city.
Contents
History of San Tan Valley
San Tan Valley gets its name from the nearby San Tan Mountains. No one is completely sure where the name "San Tan" came from. Some people think it's a changed version of "Santa Ana." Others believe it came from George Santan, who was a postmaster in a nearby county.
How San Tan Valley Got Its Name
Before 2009, this area had many different names. People called it San Tan Heights, San Tan Foothills, or just the San Tan Area. It didn't have one official name. Residents often used the address of nearby Queen Creek for their mail.
On July 1, 2009, a new ZIP Code was created for the community. People asked the United States Postal Service to give the area an official name. The first name suggested was "Bella Vista." However, some local residents did not like this name.
Because of this, a group called the Greater San Tan Area Coalition held a vote. On June 23, residents got to choose a name for their community. This vote helped decide the name "San Tan Valley."
Growing into a Community
Before 2000, San Tan Valley was mostly empty desert and farms. But in the early 2000s, many new homes were built, and the area grew a lot.
As early as 2004, people tried to make San Tan Valley an official town. This is called incorporation. The first idea was to name the new town "San Tan." But the nearby town of Florence stopped this plan. People in Florence worried that a new town would make the area grow too fast.
Another attempt to become a town happened in 2005, but it didn't work out. After the area got its official name in 2009, people tried again to become a town in 2010. This time, Pinal County supported the idea. However, the town of Florence still disagreed with the proposed borders. They were concerned about how state money would be shared.
Geography of San Tan Valley
San Tan Valley is located at 33°10′13″N 111°34′20″W / 33.17028°N 111.57222°W.
It is in an area that is not part of any official town. It sits between Queen Creek to the north and west, and Florence to the south. The San Tan Mountains Regional Park is to the west, and the Gila River Indian Community is to the southwest.
The area has many planned communities. These are neighborhoods designed and built all at once. Some examples are Pecan Creek South, San Tan Heights, Archer Meadows, and Johnson Ranch.
Climate and Weather
San Tan Valley is in the Sonoran Desert, east of the San Tan Mountains. This means it has very hot, dry summers and mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, it has a hot desert climate. This type of climate is known for being very dry and hot.
| Climate data for San Tan Valley, 1991–2020 simulated normals (1542 ft elevation) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 66.7 (19.3) |
70.2 (21.2) |
77.0 (25.0) |
84.4 (29.1) |
93.2 (34.0) |
102.9 (39.4) |
104.5 (40.3) |
103.1 (39.5) |
98.8 (37.1) |
88.5 (31.4) |
76.1 (24.5) |
65.7 (18.7) |
85.9 (30.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 53.2 (11.8) |
56.1 (13.4) |
61.9 (16.6) |
68.2 (20.1) |
77.0 (25.0) |
86.2 (30.1) |
91.0 (32.8) |
90.0 (32.2) |
84.7 (29.3) |
73.4 (23.0) |
61.5 (16.4) |
52.5 (11.4) |
71.3 (21.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 39.7 (4.3) |
42.3 (5.7) |
46.8 (8.2) |
52.2 (11.2) |
60.6 (15.9) |
69.4 (20.8) |
77.4 (25.2) |
77.0 (25.0) |
70.7 (21.5) |
58.3 (14.6) |
47.1 (8.4) |
39.6 (4.2) |
56.8 (13.8) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.09 (27.81) |
1.12 (28.43) |
0.96 (24.48) |
0.29 (7.48) |
0.21 (5.34) |
0.05 (1.39) |
0.96 (24.41) |
1.20 (30.55) |
0.62 (15.75) |
0.43 (10.92) |
0.64 (16.19) |
1.10 (27.83) |
8.67 (220.58) |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 31.1 (−0.5) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
32.2 (0.1) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
32.4 (0.2) |
36.1 (2.3) |
54.1 (12.3) |
57.7 (14.3) |
51.3 (10.7) |
39.2 (4.0) |
32.5 (0.3) |
30.9 (−0.6) |
38.2 (3.4) |
| Source: Prism Climate Group | |||||||||||||
People Living in San Tan Valley
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 81,321 | — | |
| 2020 | 99,894 | 22.8% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 103,000 | 26.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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Population in 2020
In 2020, the census counted 99,894 people in San Tan Valley. Most people, about 68.7%, were white. About 5.0% were black or African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 25.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Population in 2010
The 2010 census showed 81,321 people living here. About 66.2% were non-Hispanic white. Other groups included black or African American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 23.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Schools in San Tan Valley
San Tan Valley has several school districts that serve its students. Each of these districts has at least one high school within the community:
- Florence Unified School District (which includes Poston Butte High School and San Tan Foothills High School)
- J. O. Combs Unified School District (which includes Combs High School)
Emergency Services
The community is kept safe by these services:
- The Pinal County Sheriff's Office helps with law enforcement.
- Rural Metro Fire provides fire and emergency medical services.
Getting Around San Tan Valley
Currently, San Tan Valley does not have any public transportation services. This means people usually use cars to get around.
See also
In Spanish: San Tan Valley para niños
