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Gila County
Gila County
County
	Gila County Courthouse in Globe
	Flag Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Arizona
	Arizona's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 33°47′28″N 110°50′11″W / 33.791111111111°N 110.83638888889°W
Country	United States
State	Arizona
Founded	February 8, 1881
Named for	Gila River
Seat	Globe
Largest town	Payson
Area
• Total	4,795 sq mi (12,420 km2)
• Land	4,758 sq mi (12,320 km2)
• Water	38 sq mi (100 km2) 0.8%
Population (2020)
• Total	53,272
• Estimate (2023)	54,003
• Density	11/sq mi (4.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.gilacountyaz.gov

Gila County (/ˈhiːlə/ HEE-lə) is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,272.^[1] The county seat is Globe.^[2]

Gila County comprises the Payson, Arizona micropolitan statistical area which is included in the greater Phoenix–Mesa, AZ combined statistical area.

Gila County contains parts of Fort Apache Indian Reservation and San Carlos Indian Reservation.

History

The county was formed from parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties on February 8, 1881.^[3] The boundary was then extended eastward to the San Carlos River by public petition in 1889. The original county seat was in the mining community of Globe City, now Globe.

Popular theory holds that the word "Gila" was derived from a Spanish contraction of Hah-quah-sa-eel, a Yuma word meaning "running water which is salty".^[4]

In the 1880s, a long range war broke out in Gila County that became the most costly feud in American history, resulting in an almost complete annihilation of the families involved. The Pleasant Valley War (also sometimes called the Tonto Basin Feud or Tonto Basin War) matched the cattle-herding Grahams against the sheep-herding Tewksburys. Once partisan feelings became tense and hostilities began, Frederick Russell Burnham, who later became a celebrated scout and the inspiration for the boy scouts, was drawn into the conflict on the losing side.^[5]^[6]

Burnham shot many men in the feud, and was himself nearly killed by a bounty hunter.^[7] Tom Horn, an infamous assassin, was known to have taken part as a killer for hire, but it is unknown which side employed him. Both sides suffered fatalities. No one was ever charged or prosecuted.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1960s, it was home of Gerald Gault, who was the subject of the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in re Gault, that stated juveniles have the same rights as adults when arrested to be notified of the charges against them, the rights to attorneys, for family members to be notified of their arrests and to confront their accusers and to not be punished more harshly than adults who are convicted of the same crime, especially if an adult's penalty for the crime would be less than that accorded a juvenile convict.^[8]

Geography

Pinto Creek Bridge on US 60

The "Most Beautiful Bridge" plaque.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,795 square miles (12,420 km²), of which 4,758 square miles (12,320 km²) is land and 38 square miles (98 km²) (0.8%) is water.^[9]

Adjacent counties

Yavapai County – northwest-north
Maricopa County – west
Pinal County – south
Graham County – south
Navajo County – east, northeast
Coconino County – north

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	2,021		—
1900	4,973		146.1%
1910	16,348		228.7%
1920	25,678		57.1%
1930	31,016		20.8%
1940	23,867		−23.0%
1950	24,158		1.2%
1960	25,745		6.6%
1970	29,255		13.6%
1980	37,080		26.7%
1990	40,216		8.5%
2000	51,335		27.6%
2010	53,597		4.4%
2020	53,272		−0.6%
2023 (est.)	54,003	^[10]	1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census^[11] 1790–1960^[12] 1900–1990^[13] 1990–2000^[14] 2010–2020^[1]

2020 census

**Gila County, Arizona – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000^[15]	Pop 2010^[16]	Pop 2020^[17]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	35,391	35,298	32,757	68.94%	65.86%	61.49%
Black or African American alone (NH)	174	195	239	0.34%	0.36%	0.45%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	6,412	7,615	8,655	12.49%	14.21%	16.25%
Asian alone (NH)	211	256	427	0.41%	0.48%	0.80%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	24	34	45	0.05%	0.06%	0.08%
Other race alone (NH)	36	38	203	0.07%	0.07%	0.38%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	541	573	1,663	1.05%	1.07%	3.12%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8,546	9,588	9,283	16.65%	17.89%	17.43%
Total	51,335	53,597	53,272	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 53,597 people, 22,000 households, and 14,294 families living in the county.^[18] The population density was 11.3 inhabitants per square mile (4.4 inhabitants/km²). There were 32,698 housing units at an average density of 6.9 units per square mile (2.7 units/km²).^[19] The racial makeup of the county was 76.8% white, 14.8% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 17.9% of the population.^[18] In terms of ancestry, 17.4% were German, 13.3% were English, 11.4% were Irish, and 3.4% were American.^[20]

Of the 22,000 households, 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.0% were non-families, and 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 47.9 years.^[18]

The median income for a household in the county was $37,580 and the median income for a family was $46,292. Males had a median income of $41,698 versus $30,023 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,600. About 11.6% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.^[21]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 51,335 people, 20,140 households, and 14,098 families living in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4.2 people/km²). There were 28,189 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.8% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 12.9% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. 16.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 9.8% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 6.3% speak Western Apache.^[22]

There were 20,140 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,917, and the median income for a family was $36,593. Males had a median income of $31,579 versus $22,315 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,315. About 12.6% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Historically, Gila County was a Democratic-leaning county in largely-Republican Arizona – for example, it voted for Adlai Stevenson II in 1952, Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and (very narrowly in a three-way contest) for John W. Davis in 1924. In much of the "dealignment" period from 1960 to 1980, when Arizona was the only state never carried by a Democrat, Gila was the second most-Democratic county in Arizona, behind massively unionized Greenlee. Only during very large Presidential landslides was Gila County carried by Republicans before 2000: indeed, apart from Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Richard Nixon in 1972, no Republican before 2000 ever carried the county by more than seven percentage points.

Since 2000, however, like Greenlee County, Gila County has trended heavily towards the Republican Party, and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 performance was the worst ever by a Democratic presidential nominee. Moreover, Barack Obama did worse here in 2008 than John Kerry did in 2004, one of a few non-Ozark or non-Appalachian counties where this occurred (possibly due to Arizona Senator John McCain's presence on the ballot).

Gila County was covered in the papers^[23] as the site of a confluence between politics and public health as the conservatism of the county (with Democrat Joe Biden losing by 34 points in the 2020 presidential election^[24]) was considered one reason for vaccine skepticism, allowing the county to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to all adults well before other areas in the US.

The county was one of two in Arizona to vote against 2024 Arizona Proposition 139, which established a right to abortion in the state's constitution, along with neighboring Graham County.^[25]

United States presidential election results for Gila County, Arizona^[26]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	18,901	68.24%	8,504	30.70%	293	1.06%
2020	18,377	66.26%	8,943	32.24%	415	1.50%
2016	14,182	62.99%	7,003	31.10%	1,330	5.91%
2012	13,455	62.31%	7,697	35.64%	443	2.05%
2008	14,095	62.88%	7,884	35.17%	438	1.95%
2004	12,343	59.12%	8,314	39.82%	220	1.05%
2000	9,158	51.64%	7,700	43.41%	878	4.95%
1996	6,407	36.80%	8,577	49.26%	2,427	13.94%
1992	5,781	31.29%	7,571	40.97%	5,126	27.74%
1988	7,861	51.38%	7,147	46.72%	291	1.90%
1984	8,543	56.02%	6,509	42.68%	197	1.29%
1980	7,405	55.27%	5,068	37.82%	926	6.91%
1976	5,136	42.94%	6,440	53.84%	386	3.23%
1972	5,673	54.70%	4,295	41.41%	404	3.90%
1968	3,610	37.19%	4,831	49.77%	1,265	13.03%
1964	3,713	35.24%	6,821	64.73%	3	0.03%
1960	3,806	41.99%	5,251	57.93%	8	0.09%
1956	4,234	51.26%	4,026	48.74%	0	0.00%
1952	3,770	43.34%	4,928	56.66%	0	0.00%
1948	2,329	32.06%	4,780	65.79%	156	2.15%
1944	2,260	31.80%	4,818	67.79%	29	0.41%
1940	2,624	31.21%	5,752	68.42%	31	0.37%
1936	1,526	23.23%	4,859	73.98%	183	2.79%
1932	1,865	27.76%	4,625	68.84%	228	3.39%
1928	3,436	50.60%	3,341	49.20%	13	0.19%
1924	2,193	34.55%	2,218	34.94%	1,937	30.51%
1920	3,311	53.36%	2,894	46.64%	0	0.00%
1916	1,495	26.08%	3,686	64.29%	552	9.63%
1912	210	10.27%	779	38.09%	1,056	51.64%

Transportation

Major highways

Airports

The following public-use airports are located in the county:

Payson Airport in Payson
San Carlos Apache Airport near Globe

Communities

City

Globe (county seat)

Towns

Census-designated places

Other communities

Ghost towns

Indian communities

County population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Gila County.^[27]^[28]

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Population (2010 Census)	Municipal type	Incorporated
1	Payson	15,301	Town
2	† Globe	7,532	City	1875 (founded)
3	San Carlos	4,038	CDP
4	Central Heights-Midland City	2,534	CDP
5	Star Valley	2,310	Town	2005
6	Pine	1,963	CDP
7	Miami	1,837	Town
8	Claypool	1,538	CDP
9	Tonto Basin	1,424	CDP
10	Peridot	1,350	CDP
11	Canyon Day	1,209	CDP
12	Six Shooter Canyon	1,019	CDP
13	Strawberry	961	CDP
14	Wheatfields	785	CDP
15	Mesa del Caballo	765	CDP
16	Icehouse Canyon	677	CDP
17	Young	666	CDP
18	Hayden (partially in Pinal County)	662	Town
19	Gisela	570	CDP
20	Round Valley	487	CDP
21	Pinal	439	CDP
22	Winkelman (partially in Pinal County)	353	Town
23	Cedar Creek	318	CDP
24	Tonto Village	256	CDP
25	Dripping Springs	235	CDP
t-26	Beaver Valley	231	CDP
t-26	Top-of-the-World	231	CDP
27	East Globe	226	CDP
28	Oxbow Estates	217	CDP
29	Deer Creek	216	CDP
30	East Verde Estates	170	CDP
31	Christopher Creek	156	CDP
32	Whispering Pines	148	CDP
33	Carrizo	127	CDP
34	Copper Hill	108	CDP
35	Freedom Acres	84	CDP
36	Rye	77	CDP
37	Jakes Corner	76	CDP
38	Cutter	74	CDP
39	Washington Park	70	CDP
40	Geronimo Estates	60	CDP
41	Rock House	50	CDP
42	Hunter Creek	48	CDP
43	Kohls Ranch	46	CDP
44	Flowing Springs	42	CDP
45	Mead Ranch	38	CDP
46	El Capitan	37	CDP
47	Roosevelt	28	CDP
48	Haigler Creek	19	CDP
49	Bear Flat	18	CDP