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East Valley Communities
Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Apache Junction and Gilbert
are the communities comprising the East Valley. The
GLBT community is very present in the gay-friendly
Tempe home to Arizona State University. The East
Valley is known as a very conservative area but is
progressing as the diversity of people grow in these
areas.
Mesa
Much has changed since Mesa was founded by Mormon
missionaries more than 120 years ago. In the 1980s
the city’s population grew by a phenomenal 89
percent to 288,000 residents, making it the third
largest city in Arizona, behind Phoenix and Tucson.
Today the population has climbed to 438,690. By the
year 2020 and estimated 561,000 people will call
Mesa home. As of 2003 Mesa is the 30th largest city
in the U.S.
The median home price is about $155,000 and there is
no city property tax. The average income of the
mainstream Mesan makes $35,400 annually while the
average GLBT person earns more than $55,000.
Area: 123 square miles
Location: 12 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix
Population: 436,690
Schools: Mesa Unified District No. 4
Apache Junction
Apache Junction is a growing city surrounded by some
of the most amazing scenery in the state. Apache
Junction lies at the base of the majestic
Superstition Mountain and is the gateway to the
Tonto National Forest, the Superstition Wilderness
and the Slat River Chain of Lakes.
A slightly higher elevation and wide open desert
areas allow Apache Junction to be somewhat cooler in
temperature than the rest of the East Valley.
Area Size: 35 square miles
Location: 35 miles southeast of Phoenix
Population: 33,570
Schools: Apache Junction Unified School District
Tempe
Tempe is the sixth largest city in Arizona with over
164,011 residents. The city has successfully blended
the dynamics of a hightech business center, the fun
and excitement of a resort community, and the small
town atmosphere of a college community.
More than 750 high tech and manufacturing firms are
located in the Tempe employing more than 32,000
people. Three of the largest manufacturing employers
in Tempe are Motorola, AlliedSignal and Medtronic.
Tempe has the highest concentration of high-tech
firms in the state. The tone of Tempe’s educational
environment is set by the nation’s fourth-largest
single campus university — Arizona State University.
Area: 39.8 square miles
Location: 7 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix
Population: 164,011
Chandler
Chandler started out as a thriving agriculture
community growing mainly cotton, grapefruit, lemons
and oranges. As the growth of housing development
the main economic impact of agriculture switched to
high-tech such as companies like Intel. Motorola,
and Microchip Technology. Their arrival in Chandler
fueled phenomenal population growth. In 1980,
Chandler had close to 30,000 residents. Today
population has skyrocketed to over 200,000.
Chandler has a cultural crowning glory at the
Chandler Center for the Arts. Many who move to
Chandler count affordable housing and a small town
appeal among the city’s assets.
Area: 71 square miles
Location : 22 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix
Population 209,000
Gilbert
Gilbert is the fastest growing community in the
nation. The town has met the challenges of
preserving the small-town atmosphere while promoting
high-tech industry and progressive
planning for the future.
Gilbert offers many amenities such as village
concept of planned communities include parks,
equestrian trails, fishing, boating, and local
business services, all within walking distance.
Area: 76 square miles
Location: 18 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix
Population: 155,000
South Phoenix
Just south of the city of Phoenix is the popular and
acclaim area known as Ahwatukee Foothills. The word
Ahwatukee comes from the Indian language meaning
“house of my dreams.”
The city of Phoenix stretches north from South
Mountain Park which is the largest municipal park in
the world. The 16,500 acre South Mountain Park is
now viewed as a boon by developers who created new
communities. The area has been growing so rapidly
that every year a new school has opened to
accommodate the influx of students.
The housing of Ahwatukee ranges from apartments,
townhomes and patio homes to custom territorial
estates. Prices start at around $111,000 and reach
above the million dollar mark.
Ahwatukee is primarily a bedroom community for
commuters to commercial centers in Phoenix and its
neighborhood cities. The area also has an amazing
amount of hiking and biking trails. |
