Buckeye, Arizona
City
City of Buckeye
Historic downtown Buckeye as seen from Monroe Avenue in October 2015
Historic downtown Buckeye as seen from Monroe Avenue in October 2015
Flag of Buckeye, Arizona
Flag
Location in Maricopa County, Arizona
Location in Maricopa County, Arizona
Buckeye is located in Arizona
Buckeye
Buckeye
Buckeye is located in the United States
Buckeye
Buckeye
Coordinates: 33°22′14″N 112°35′27″W / 33.37056°N 112.59083°W / 33.37056; -112.59083
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountyMaricopa
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorEric Orsborn[1]
 • Vice MayorMichelle Hess[2]
 • City CouncilTony Youngker
Patrick HagEstad
Michelle Hess
Jeanine Guy
Craig Heustis
Clay Goodman
 • City ManagerDan Cotterman
 • City ClerkLucinda J. Aja
Area
[3]
 • Total640.00 sq mi (1,018.29 km2)
 • Land640.00 sq mi (1,017.83 km2)
 • Water0.18 sq mi (0.45 km2)
Elevation
[4]
1,076 ft (328 m)
Population
 (2020)[5]
 • Total91,502
 • Density232.84/sq mi (89.90/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP codes
85326, 85396
Area code(s)623, 602, 480, 928
FIPS code04-07940
GNIS feature ID2411736[4]
Websitewww.buckeyeaz.gov
Private auto camp for cotton pickers in Buckeye, 1940

Buckeye is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is Arizona's largest city by area, and it is the westernmost suburb in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,502,[5] up from 50,876 in 2010, and 6,537 in 2000. It was the fastest-growing city in the United States for 2017, 2018, and 2021.[6][7]

History

In 1877, Thomas Newt Clanton led a group of six men, three women, and ten children from Creston, Iowa, to Arizona, where they settled in the Buckeye area.[8]

Early settler Malie M. Jackson developed 10 miles (16 km) of the Buckeye Canal from 1884 to 1886, which he named after his home state of Ohio's moniker, "The Buckeye State". The town was founded in 1888 and originally named "Sidney", after Jackson's hometown in Ohio. However, because of the significance of the canal, the town became known as Buckeye. The name was legally changed to Buckeye in 1910. The town was incorporated in 1929, at which time it included 440 acres (180 ha). The town's first mayor was Hugh M. Watson (1956–1958), who founded the Buckeye Valley Bank. Today, Watson Road is the site of the city's commercial center.[9]

In 2008, Buckeye was featured on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer as part of a week-long series entitled "Blueprint America".[10]

A vote to designate the town as the City of Buckeye became effective in 2014.[11]

In May 2019, population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau placed Buckeye as the fastest growing city in the United States by percentage from 2017–2018, growing by 8.5%.[12]

Geography

Buckeye is located approximately 30 miles (48 km) west of downtown Phoenix in the Buckeye Valley. Interstate 10 passes through the central part of the city, north of the original town center. U.S. Route 80 once passed through the city, while Arizona State Route 85 skirts what was the city's west edge. The city limits now extend 30 miles (48 km) to the north and 16 miles (26 km) to the south of the original town center.[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 393.2 square miles (1,018.4 km2), of which 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 0.04%, were listed as water.[3] The Gila River flows westward through the Buckeye Valley south of the center of the city. The Buckeye Hills and Little Rainbow Valley are to the south, beyond which the city limits extend as far as Margies Peak. To the north the city limits include the southern part of the White Tank Mountains and continue north nearly as far as Circle City. The Hassayampa River, a tributary of the Gila, flows southward through the northern part of the Buckeye city limits.

Soils in Buckeye are alkaline and mostly well drained loam or clay loam except in northern neighborhoods such as Verrado, where gravelly sand or sandy loam with varying degrees of excessive drainage are common.[14]

Neighborhoods

The original Buckeye was built around downtown's main street, Monroe Avenue. There are currently nearly 30 master planned communities planned for Buckeye. Those communities under development in which homes are occupied include Riata West, Sundance, Verrado, Westpark, Tartesso and Festival Ranch.

Other unbuilt planned communities within Buckeye include Douglas Ranch (planned for nearly 300,000 inhabitants), Sun Valley Villages, Spurlock Ranch, Trillium, Elianto, Westwind, Silver Rock, Sienna Hills, Henry Park, Southwest Ranch and Montierre.

Sundance Towne Center, a shopping center developed by Vestar Development in the Sundance community, opened in 2007.

Climate

Buckeye has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh), with abundant sunshine due to the stable descending air of the eastern side of the subtropical anticyclone aloft and at sea level over the southwestern United States. Summers, as with most of the Sonoran Desert, are extremely hot, with 121.0 afternoons reaching 100 °F or 37.8 °C and 181.6 afternoons reaching 90 °F or 32.2 °C. The record high temperature of 128 °F (53.3 °C) occurred on July 28, 1995, and temperatures above 86 °F or 30 °C may occur in any month. Cooler weather may occasionally occur during summer, but such periods are no less unpleasant as they result from monsoonal weather, with its attendant higher cloudiness and humidity; however, actual rainfall from the monsoon is much more infrequent than in Flagstaff, Nogales or even Tucson. The heaviest daily rainfall has been 4.90 inches (124.5 mm) on September 2, 1894, but between 1971 and 2000 no month had more rainfall than 4.52 inches or 114.8 millimetres in December 1984.

The winter season from November to March is warm to very warm during the day, not much cooler than 68 °F or 20 °C during a typical afternoon, but 20.2 mornings typically fall to or below 32 °F or 0 °C, though no snowfall was recorded during the 1971 to 2000 period, and only twelve afternoons did not reach 50 °F or 10 °C. The coldest temperature recorded in Buckeye was 11 °F or −11.7 °C on January 8, 1913.

Climate data for Buckeye, Arizona (1971–2000); extremes 1893–2001
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 100
(38)		 92
(33)		 101
(38)		 106
(41)		 115
(46)		 122
(50)		 125
(52)		 120
(49)		 119
(48)		 108
(42)		 96
(36)		 87
(31)		 125
(52)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 68.3
(20.2)		 73.2
(22.9)		 78.7
(25.9)		 87.3
(30.7)		 95.9
(35.5)		 105.8
(41.0)		 108.4
(42.4)		 106.3
(41.3)		 101.0
(38.3)		 90.0
(32.2)		 76.8
(24.9)		 68.2
(20.1)		 88.3
(31.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 36.7
(2.6)		 40.4
(4.7)		 44.6
(7.0)		 49.6
(9.8)		 57.5
(14.2)		 65.3
(18.5)		 74.2
(23.4)		 73.6
(23.1)		 66.1
(18.9)		 53.1
(11.7)		 41.3
(5.2)		 35.8
(2.1)		 53.2
(11.8)
Record low °F (°C) 11
(−12)		 18
(−8)		 20
(−7)		 29
(−2)		 32
(0)		 42
(6)		 49
(9)		 48
(9)		 41
(5)		 26
(−3)		 20
(−7)		 12
(−11)		 11
(−12)
Average rainfall inches (mm) 0.80
(20)		 0.80
(20)		 0.99
(25)		 0.26
(6.6)		 0.15
(3.8)		 0.07
(1.8)		 0.67
(17)		 1.22
(31)		 0.75
(19)		 0.64
(16)		 0.64
(16)		 0.92
(23)		 7.91
(199.2)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.01 inch) 3.4 3.1 4.0 1.5 0.8 0.4 2.0 4.1 2.4 2.3 1.9 3.1 29
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[15]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910684—
19207266.1%
19301,07748.3%
19401,30521.2%
19501,93248.0%
19602,28618.3%
19702,59913.7%
19803,43432.1%
19905,03846.7%
20006,53729.8%
201050,876678.3%
202091,50279.9%
2022 (est.)105,56715.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]

Buckeye first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as a precinct of Maricopa County.[17] It appeared again in 1920 as the 48th precinct of Maricopa County (Buckeye).[18] It incorporated as a town in 1929 and has appeared on every successive census. On January 1, 2014, Buckeye was upgraded to city status.[19]

In 2015, the population of the city was 62,582 people living in 21,628 households.[20]

As of the census of 2010, there were 50,876 people residing in 16,499 households in the city. The population density was 135.6 inhabitants per square mile (52.4/km2). There were 18,207 housing units. 10.8% of the population were born overseas.

In terms of age brackets, the population was spread out, with 9.1% under the age of 5; 30.6% under the age of 18; 53% aged between 18 and 64 and 6.7% were 65 years of age or older. 45.4% percent of the population are women.

From 2012 to 2016, the median income for a household in the town was $58,711. The per capita income for the town was $20,446. Both of these numbers are in 2016 dollars. About 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

Economy

Top employers in the city of Buckeye as of 2018.[21]

# Employer # of Employees
1 State of Arizona 1,220
2 Walmart 1,120
3 Buckeye Union High School District 500
4 City of Buckeye 480
5 Litchfield Elementary School District 470
6 Buckeye Elementary School District 320
7 Clayton Homes Inc. 300
8 Liberty Elementary School District 230
9 Agua Fria Union High School District 160
10 Youngker High School 150

Parks and recreation

The Buckeye Union High School A-Wing is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[22]

A popular recreation destination in Buckeye is the Buckeye Hills Recreation Area. It is located 7 miles (11 km) south of downtown Buckeye on State Route 85, at mile marker 144. A 900-acre (3.6 km2) Buckeye Lake is planned.

The City of Buckeye's Skyline Regional Park is an 8,700 acres (3,500 ha) mountain preserve located in the southern White Tank Mountains. As of August 2020, the park features just under 20 miles (32 km) of trails for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, picnic areas and camping. Entry to the park is free.[23]

Education

The city of Buckeye is served by the following school districts:[24]

Other schools:

  • The Odyssey Preparatory Academy

Estrella Mountain Community College recently renovated the original historic Buckeye Union High School building on Eason Avenue near 9th Street, also known as the "A" Wing, and started holding classes in this new satellite facility in the fall of 2011. Named the Buckeye Educational Center, this facility provides academic courses, job training programs and community education classes.[26]

Media

There are several local newspapers, including the West Valley View, and The Arizona Republic's Southwest Valley edition, the Buckeye Independent and the Buckeye Press.[27][28]

Defunct media organizations include The Buckeye Star, Buckeye Valley News and the Buckeye Sun.[29]

Infrastructure

Aerial view from the south, of the northeast corner of Buckeye, Arizona, with the abandoned Goodyear Field, or Luke Air Force Auxiliary Airfield#6, a training field used during WWII, between the Roosevelt Irrigation District main canal and Interstate 10. Goodyear, Arizona, is the adjacent city to the east (right).

Transportation

Buckeye is served by five highways, a municipal airport, several nearby airports, and the railroad.[30]

Roads

Major roadways serving the city include:

Bus

Buckeye is served by Valley Metro via a rural bus line connecting Phoenix–Goodyear–Gila Bend–Ajo.[31] Valley Metro also provides express commute service from Buckeye to downtown Phoenix.

Rail

In 1910, the Arizona Eastern Railroad came to Buckeye; the first car in 1911; a steam rail line connected it to Phoenix by 1912; and a state highway by 1915. The coming of the railroad was so significant that the business district was moved to accommodate the location of the railroad station. As a result, Buckeye was booming. By 1912, major buildings were constructed, along with expansion of the business community.[9]

Union Pacific operates a rail line running east–west generally through the center of the city.[32]

Air

The Buckeye Municipal Airport (ICAO identifier KBXK) is owned and operated by the city government.[33][34]

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "Eric Orsborn | City of Buckeye".
  2. ↑ "Mayor and Council | City of Buckeye".
  3. 1 2 "2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Arizona". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  4. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Buckeye, Arizona
  5. 1 2 "Buckeye city, Arizona: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ DFW Fastest-Growing Metro in US, Fort Worth Moves Up 13th Largest City
  7. ↑ "Fastest-Growing Cities Primarily in the South and West".
  8. ↑ "History". City of Buckeye, Arizona. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Buckeye, AZ - Official Website - History". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ "America in Gridlock – Nowhere to Grow – Blueprint America" (Video). Public Broadcasting Service. October 15, 2008.
  11. ↑ "Buckeye officially changes name from 'town' to 'city'". cbs5az.com. January 27, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Buckeye, Phoenix are fastest growing cities in the United States".
  13. ↑ "TIGERweb: Buckeye, Arizona". Geography Division, U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  14. ↑ "SoilWeb: An Online Soil Survey Browser | California Soil Resource Lab".
  15. ↑ "Climatography of the United States No. 20: 1971–2000 – Buckeye, AZ" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. Retrieved on November 21, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Supplement for Arizona - Population, Agriculture, Manufactures, Mines and Quarries" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  18. ↑ Bureau of the Census Library (1924). "Fourteenth Census of the United States - State Compendium - Arizona" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
  19. ↑ "About Us | Roosevelt Irrigation District".
  20. ↑ "Buckeye's 2015 special census count reveals city's official population". Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  21. ↑ City of Buckeye (June 2019). "ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW" (PDF). Brandcast. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Buckeye Union High School School A-Wing". U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Skyline Regional Park Trails". City of Buckeye.
  24. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Maricopa County, AZ" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. pp. 2, 6 (PDF p. 3, 7). Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Saddle Mountain Unified School District #90".
  26. ↑ "Career and Education / Home". www.mcrsd.org. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Buckeye Independent homepage". The Daily Independent at YourValley.net. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Buckeye Press". Buckeye Press. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Buckeye, AZ - Official News Site - West Valley News".
  30. ↑ "Chapter 5 - Transportation". Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Route 785 makes new stops in Buckeye" (Press release). Valley Metro. January 16, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Arizona Railroads" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation.
  33. ↑ "Buckeye Municipal Airport". City of Buckeye.
  34. ↑ "Buckeye, AZ - Official Website - Airport". Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
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