WELCOMES YOU TO ARIZONA

The Grand Canyon State

Arizona, the Grand Canyon state, achieved statehood on February 14, 1912, the last of the 48 coterminous United States to be admitted to the union. Originally part of New Mexico, the land was ceded to the United States in 1848, and became a separate territory in 1863. Copper was discovered in 1854, and copper mining was Arizona’s premier industry until the 1950s. After World War II, the widespread availability of refrigeration and air conditioning caused Arizona’s population to boom and Phoenix to become one of the fastest growing cities in America. Arizona is the sixth largest state in the country in terms of area. Its population has always been predominantly urban, particularly since the mid-20th century, when urban and suburban areas began growing rapidly at the expense of the countryside. Some scholars believe that the state’s name comes from a Basque phrase meaning “place of oaks” while others attribute it to a Tohono O’odham (Papago) Indian phrase meaning “place of the young (or little) spring.”

Date of Statehood:February 14, 1912

Capital:Phoenix

Current Governor:Doug Ducey (2015-present)

Population:7,286,000 (2020)

Size:113,990 square miles

Nickname:Grand Canyon State

Tree:Palo Verde

Flower:Saguaro Cactus Blossom

Bird:Cactus Wren

Arizona Specific Facts:

• Formed by the Colorado River over a period of 3 to 6 million years, Arizona’s Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and one mile deep. 
• Nearly 5 million people visit Grand Canyon National Park each year.
• Arizona has the greatest percentage of its acreage designated as Indian tribal land in the United States.
• Oraibi, a Hopi Indian village dating back to at least 1150 AD, is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States.
• The official state flower is the Saguaro Cactus Blossom. The flower blooms in May and June in the middle of the night and closes the next day—surviving only 18 hours for pollination by nocturnal animals like bats and moths. The blossom grows on the Saguaro Cactus, which can reach more than 50 feet tall and live for over 200 years.
• The saguaro is found only in the Sonoran Desert, which includes about 120,000 square miles of California and Arizona. Most of Baja California and half of the state of Sonora, Mexico is also included. You won't find saguaros above an elevation of about 3,500 feet since they can't handle much frost.
• Navajo Indians from Arizona were enlisted to transmit secret communications for the U.S. Marines after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Known as Navajo Code Talkers, these young men created an oral code the enemy was unable to decipher, fulfilling a crucial role during World War II and saving countless lives.
• Arizona is one of only two U.S. states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time. The one exception is the area occupied by the Navajo Nation in the northeast region of the state.
• Arizona’s diverse climate and geography can yield both the highest and lowest temperatures in the country within the same day.
• Arizona’s flag features a copper-colored star, acknowledging the state's role as the leading copper producer in the United States.

*data contributed by history.com

Arizona contains about 433 cities across 15 coutnies. The Phoenix Metro area is comprised of several cities as shown below. Our local communities are diverse and offer something unique and exciting for everyone. Explore our cities and communities below by clicking on the name to learn more.

• Anthem
• Apache Junction
• Avondale
• Ahwatukee
• Buckeye
• Carefree
• Cave Creek
• Chandler
• Fountain Hills
• Gilbert
• Glendale
• Goodyear
• Litchfield Park
• Maricopa
• Mesa
• Paradise Valley
• Peoria
• Phoenix
• Queen Creek
• Scottsdale
• Sun City
• Surprise
• Tempe
• Tolleson

The overall cost of living in Arizona is relatively low compared to the rest of the United States.  Although the state’s sales tax is on the higher spectrum, property and income taxes are below average.

Despite the seemingly strong demand for homes in Arizona, median home values aren’t overly exorbitant. In Phoenix, the state’s largest city, the median home value is $230,493, according to Neighborhood Scout. In Flagstaff and Scottsdale, though, these values jump to $376,887 and $560,871.

Arizona residents pay higher-than-average electricity bills. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average monthly electricity bill in Arizona is $128.40.

When it comes to specific food items, Arizona’s prices are generally cheaper than the U.S. average. Based on May 2019 data from Numbeo.com, a gallon of milk in Phoenix goes for $2.06 compared to the $3.10 national average. The same applies to a dozen eggs in Chandler, which costs $2.10, whereas the national average is $2.26.

In 2020, average gas prices have been around $2.40 across the state.

Sales tax in the Grand Canyon State is high, though. At a city level, rates range from 7.6% to 11.2%. The base state sales tax rate is 5.6%, but counties and cities add their own rates on top of that. Altogether, Arizona’s sales taxes average 8.33%, which is good for 11th highest in the nation. 

Arizona has an average effective property tax rate of just 0.77%, lower than the national average. It also has the fifth-lowest gas taxes in the nation, at 19 cents per gallon of regular gasoline and 27 cents per gallon of diesel.

Data from the Health Care Cost Institute, healthcare prices in the Phoenix metro area are 3% below the national median, while the Tucson metro area is much lower at a 14% difference.