Mesa, Arizona
Mesa (/ˈmeɪsə/ MAY-sə) is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is the third-most populous city in Arizona, after Phoenix and Tucson, the 36th-most populous city in the U.S., and the most populous city that is not a county seat. The city is home to 504,258 people as of 2020.[4] It is the most populous city in the East Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area.[5] It is bordered by Tempe on the west, the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community on the north, Chandler and Gilbert on the south along with Queen Creek, and Apache Junction on the east.
Mesa, Arizona
United States
1878
John Giles (R)
139.42 sq mi (361.09 km2)
138.79 sq mi (359.48 km2)
0.62 sq mi (1.62 km2)
1,326 ft (404 m)
504,258
509,475
3,633.14/sq mi (1,402.76/km2)
04-46000
2411087[1]
At least ten colleges and universities are located in Mesa. The city is home to the largest relief airport in the Phoenix area, Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, located in the southeastern corner of the city. In separate studies in 2014 and 2017, researchers determined Mesa to be "America's most conservative city".[6][7]
According to the 2020 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was:[25]
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was:[26]
As of the census of 2010, there were 439,041 people, 146,643 households, and 99,863 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,171.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,224.4/km2). There were 175,701 housing units at an average density of 1,405.7 per square mile (542.7/km2).
The racial make-up of the city was 81.6% White, 2.4% Black or African American, 2.2% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 9.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 24.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 146,643 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.
The age distribution was 27.3% under 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,817, and the median income for a family was $49,232. Males had a median income of $35,960 versus $27,005 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,601. About 6.2% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Education[edit]
Almost all of the city of Mesa is served by public schools operated by Mesa Public Schools; however, the southern portion is served by Gilbert Public Schools, the Higley Unified School District and the Queen Creek Unified School District, and a small western portion is served by the Tempe Elementary School District and the Tempe Union High School District.[37]
Pilgrim Lutheran School is a Christian Pre-K-8 school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Mesa.[38]
More than 40,000 students are enrolled in more than 10 colleges and universities located in Mesa.[39] Mesa is home to Mesa Community College, the largest of the Maricopa Community Colleges, which enrolls over 24,000 full and part-time students, and Chandler–Gilbert Community College. The Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University lies in southeast Mesa. This satellite campus enrolls over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students in scientific and engineering fields. A. T. Still University operates an Osteopathic Medical School in Mesa.
Private for-profit institutions include Arizona College, Carrington College, DeVry University, Pima Medical Institute, and CAE Global Academy Phoenix.[39] Arizona State University opened the Media and Immersive eXperience Center in the ASU at Mesa City Center complex in 2022, offering programs from the Herberger Institute for Design and Arts including a film school with media production facilities and a theater.[40][41]
After launching a higher education initiative in 2012, Mesa became home to branch campuses of five private, liberal arts institutions: Albright College, Westminster College, Benedictine University, Upper Iowa University and Wilkes University.[42] Albright College[43] and Westminster College[44] are no longer in the city, and Wilkes University has moved entirely online.[45]
Healthcare[edit]
The public hospital system, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System), operates Valleywise Community Health Center – Mesa and Valleywise Behavioral Health Center – Mesa. Its sole hospital, Valleywise Health Medical Center, is in Phoenix.[48]
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Burnaby
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Guaymas
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Kaiping
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Mesa has five sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International: