Mesa

Mesa is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the most populous city in the East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona after Phoenix and Tucson. The city is home to 504,258 people according to the Census Bureau, which makes it more populous than Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Miami. Mesa has been described as "America's most conservative city". More than 40,000 students are currently enrolled in more than 10 colleges and universities located in Mesa. In January 2020, Arizona State University broke ground on ASU at Mesa City Center, a project offering programs from the Herberger Institute for Design and Arts that will be located in downtown Mesa that is scheduled to open in spring 2022. The history of Mesa dates back at least 2,000 years to the arrival of the Hohokam people. By the late 19th century near present-day Mesa, Army troops relocated the Apache, opening the way for settlement. In 1883 it was named Lehi at the suggestion of Brigham Young, Jr. It was originally called Alma and later Stringtown. This settlement was located about where Alma School Road is now. The Second Mesa Company arrived in 1879 and settled to the west of the First Mesa Company because of more available farmland. In 1917, the city of Mesa purchased a utility company that provided enough revenues from the company to provide for expenditures until the 1960s. After the founding of the city the most official mayor of Mesa was George Goodman, who was elected in 3 different times (1938, 1946, 1952, and 1952).

History

The history of Mesa dates back at least 2,000 years to the arrival of the Hohokam people. By A.D. 1100 water could be delivered to an area over 110,000 acres (450 km²) The first school was built in 1879. In 1883, Mesa City was incorporated with a population of 300 people. Dr. A. J. Chandler, who would later go on to found the city of Chandler, worked on widening the Mesa Canal in 1895 to allow for enough flow to build a power plant. With the advent of air conditioning and the rise of tourism, population growth exploded in Mesa as well as the rest of the Phoenix area. Industryespecially early aerospace companiesgrew in the 1950s and 1960s. As late as 1960, half of the residents of Mesa made a living with agriculture, but this has declined substantially as Mesa's suburban growth continued on track with the whole Phoenix metro area. As mayor he was directly involved in the process of acquiring land for both Falcon Field and Williams Field. He was mayor 5 different times in parts of 3 different decade (1938-1942, 1946-1948, 1952-1956) (see: List of mayors of Mesa, Arizona). He was also the first mayor of the town of Lehi, which was founded in 1883 at the suggestion of Brigham Young, Jr. The city of Mesa was founded on July 17, 1878, as a 1-square-mile (2.6km²) townsite.

Geography

Located in the Sonoran Desert, Mesa has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh) with mild winters and very hot summers. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Mesa was in July 1995 at 122 °F (50 °C) The coldest month is December, with an average high of 67 °F and an average low of 40 °F. Mesa employs a grid system for street numbering that is different from that used in Phoenix and other portions of the metropolitan area. Due to Mesa's long east to west travel distance, in excess of 18 miles (29 km) and large land area 133.13 square miles (344.8 km²), locations in Mesa are often referred to as residing within either West Mesa or East Mesa. Center Street, running north to south, bisects Mesa into eastern and western halves and serves as the east and west numbering point of origin within Mesa. Streets west of Center St., such as W. University Drive or W. Main St. are considered to be in West Mesa, whereas streets east of Center. St.,such as E. University or E. Main Street, are considered in East Mesa, which is located 0.5 miles (800 m) east of the center of the city. Mesa Drive serves as a boundary between the 85281, 85201, 85202, and 85210 zip codes of Western Mesa and the 85203, 85204, 85205, 85206, 85207, 85208, 85209, 85212,85213, 8 5215, 8 195215, and 85242 zip codes in Eastern Mesa.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 439,041 people, 146,643 households, and 99,863 families residing in the city. 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 per cent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median income for a household in theCity was $42,817, and the median income. for a family was $49,232. The per capita income for the city of Mesa 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. 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.

Economy

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: The city's top employers are: KPMG, Coca-Cola, KPMM, and KPMT. The city is home to more than 1,000 businesses, according to the report. The economy is the second-largest employer in the town, followed by the construction industry. The top employer is KPMC, which employs more than 2,000 people. The largest employers are KPMP, KMMM, K&G, and ExxonMobil, which has 1,400 employees. The number of people employed by the city is more than 4,000. The unemployment rate is at 3.7 percent. The average household income is $30,000, according the city. The U.S. economy is $1.2 million. The state's economy is 1.4 million people, the highest in the state. The local economy is 2.7 million people. It is the third-largest in the country. The biggest employers are the construction companies, which employ about 1,200 people, and the state's largest employers, which are about 2,500 people. In the city, more than half of all jobs are in the construction and 1,100 people are employed in the manufacturing sector. The highest-paid jobs are among those in the food industry, which is responsible for more than a third of all city jobs. The fastest-growing industries are the retail industry and the health care industry.

Cultural attractions

The only highrise in Mesa is the Bank of America (formerly Western Savings) building near Fiesta Mall. Numerous properties in the city are considered to be historical and have been included either in the National Register of Historic Places or the listings of the Mesa Historic Properties. The city is home to the Cactus League, home of the Oakland Athletics and former home of the Chicago Cubs during spring training. It is also the site of the WAC baseball tournament and the now defunct Mesa Miners professional baseball team of the Golden Baseball League. It also contains the world's largest Wurlitzer organ in the form of a pizza shop called Organ Stop Pizza, which is located on U.S. 60 near the Arizona State University campus. It has a number of museums, public libraries, and other cultural attractions, including the Mesa Arts Center and the Arizona Museum of Natural History. The only water park in the town is Golfland Sunsplash, a 320 acre sports and recreation complex on the banks of the Colorado River. It was built in the 1970s and is one of the first water parks in the United States. It opened in the 1990s and has since become a popular destination for families with young children to play in the water. The town also has a large number of public parks, including Mesa Grande Ruins and Park of the Canals, which are located on the city's canals. The City of Mesa is also home to several museums, such as the B-17 Sentimental Journey and the Mesa Historical Museum, which includes a museum of natural history.

Parks and recreation

Mesa has over 2,280 acres of parkland in the city limits. Its largest park is Red Mountain Park which spans 1,146 acres. Mesa is home to numerous championship golf courses, including the original course in town, Mesa Country Club. The abandoned Fiesta Mall is located in West Mesa, and owned by Westcor. Mesa Riverview is a new outdoor destination retail center in the northwestern corner of the city, near Loop 202 and Dobson Road. At build-out the center will include 1,300,000 square feet (120,000 m2) of retail space. Its anchors include Bass Pro Shops, Cinemark Theaters, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot. It includes the Superstition Springs Center, a shopping mall owned by Macerich. It features an outdoor amphitheatre and fountain which convert to a stage. Mission Community Church, previously known as Superstitions Springs Community Church was initially named after this business park. It is located near several shopping centers, Mesa's Bank of America, and other retail stores, banks, and restaurants. It was founded in the late 1940s by the original leaders of the town, and "Country Club Drive", the most prominent street in Mesa, was at one point the modest entrance to the club. The city's largest employer is Mesa University, which has a campus of more than 1,000 students. The university is located on the outskirts of Mesa, in the suburb of West Mesa. It has an enrollment of over 1,200 students.

Education

Mesa is home to Mesa Community College, the largest of the Maricopa Community Colleges. The Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University lies in southeast Mesa. A. T. Still University operates an Osteopathic Medical School in Mesa. The aviation school CAE Global Academy Phoenix is located in the city. The city is also home to branch campuses of five private, liberal arts institutions: Albright College, Westminster College, Benedictine University, Upper Iowa University and Wilkes University. Two have since left (Albright College and Westminster College), while a third, Wilkes College, recently announced it would move entirely online. It is the only city in the state to have a public school system that is fully funded by the state of Arizona. The school district that runs the majority of the city's schools is Mesa Public Schools. The district also has a small western portion that is served by Tempe Elementary School District and the Tempe Union High School District. It also has an elementary school that is part of the Gilbert Public Schools and the Queen Creek Unified School District, and a small high school that belongs to the Phoenix Union School District that is also based in the Mesa area. The town has a large percentage of residents who live in the Phoenix area. It has a population of over 100,000 people, making it one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the U.S. The majority of its residents are Hispanic or Latino, with a minority population of about 30%. The city has a high school population of around 8,000, with most of its students attending public schools.

Transportation

Several area freeways serve the Mesa area, such as U.S. Route 60, locally known as the Superstition Freeway. The main eastwest arterial road in Mesa is Main Street (former US 60/70/80/89), serving Downtown Mesa. The primary northsouth arterials include Country Club Drive, Gilbert Road, and Power Road. Air service in the city is provided by two airports. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is located in the far southeastern area of the city, and provides alternate but limited air service. Boeing builds the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter at a facility adjoining Falcon Field. Until July 2008, Mesa was the largest U.S. city with no public transit service on Sundays, but now has Sunday service available on Routes 40-Apache/Main, 61-Southern, 96-Dobson, 108-Elliot, 112-Country Club/Arizona, 156-Chandler/Williams Field, and 184-Power. The light rail section in Mesa spans about four miles from Sycamore/Main St in the west of theCity, through downtown to Mesa Dr/Main Street. Service started October 25, 2007. Williams Gateway was announced as a new Focus City for Allegiant Air. Service was announced in October 2007, and the first flight was on October 26, 2008. The city is home to the Arizona Air National Guard, which has a base at Falcon Field, which was established as a training field for British RAF pilots during World War II and was transferred to the city after the war.

Healthcare

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. The system also operates a behavioral health center in Mesa. The hospital system is based in Mesa, Arizona, but has offices in Phoenix, Phoenix, and Scottsdale, Arizona. It also has a medical center in Phoenix and a psychiatric center in Scotts Valley. The health system is part of the Phoenix Health System, which is based at the University of Phoenix Medical Center in Glendale. It has a network of more than 1,000 hospitals across the state, including two in Arizona and one in Arizona Springs. It is the largest health system of its kind in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world, according to a report by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. It was founded in 1961 and became the first public health system in the state of Arizona in 1966. It's the largest hospital system in Arizona, with more than 2,000 beds. It operates two outpatient centers in Mesa and two in Phoenix; its sole hospital is in Mesa; and it also has an outpatient center in Glendora, Arizona; and a clinic in Phoenix's downtown area. It opened its first hospital in 1965. It became the Valleywise Hospital in Mesa in 1967. It closed its Mesa hospital in 1986. It reopened in 2007.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona = 13.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 65. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Mesa = 6.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 504,258 individuals with a median age of 33.3 age the population grows by 13.39% in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,633.14 residents per square mile of area (1,402.76/km²). There are average 2.73 people per household in the 163,414 households with an average household income of $53,040 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.90% of the available work force and has dropped -4.50% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 23.10%. The number of physicians in Mesa per 100,000 population = 199.1.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Mesa = 8.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 0 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 29. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 301. 103 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 34.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 45, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona which are owned by the occupant = 57.15%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 22 years with median home cost = $131,970 and home appreciation of -17.24%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.57 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,015 per student. There are 24.6 students for each teacher in the school, 538 students for each Librarian and 603 students for each Counselor. 7.95% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 15.31% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.84% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).