Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located southeast of Phoenix, within the Phoenix metropolitan area. Once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World",[3] Gilbert is currently the most populous incorporated town in the United States. Gilbert encompasses 76 square miles (197 km2) and has made a rapid transformation from an agriculture-based community to an economically diverse suburban center located in the southeast valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area. In the last three decades, Gilbert has grown at an extremely high rate, increasing in population from 5,717 in 1980 to 208,453 as of the 2010 census.

History

Gilbert owes its beginnings to William "Bobby" Gilbert who provided land to the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902 to construct a rail line between Phoenix and Florence, Arizona. Ayer's Grocery Store, the first store in Gilbert, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. The location of the town post office moved several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it still stands today. In 1912, many Mormons who had fled the Mormon colonies in Mexico due to the actions of the forces of Pancho Villa settled in Gilbert. By 1915, they began holding church meetings at the Gilbert Elementary School. In 1918, they were organized into the Gilbert Ward.[4]

Incorporated in July 1920, Gilbert was primarily a farming community fueled by the rail line and construction of the Roosevelt Dam and the Eastern and Consolidated Canals. It remained an agricultural town for many years and was known as the "Hay Capital of the World"[5] from 1911 until the late 1920s.
Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, in the 2000 Census, the town had an estimated area of 40 square miles (104 km2). As of 2009, and due to annexations the current Municipal Planning Area of Gilbert has a total area of 76.0 square miles (197 km2), of which, 75.76 square miles (196.2 km2) of it is land and 0.24 square miles (0.6 km2) of it is water.

Climate data for Gilbert, Arizona
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high, °F (°C)	89 (32)	95 (35)	100 (38)	106 (41)	118 (48)	119 (48)	122 (50)	115 (46)	113 (45)	107 (42)	97 (36)	86 (30)	122 (50)
Average high, °F (°C)	67 (19)	71 (22)	77 (25)	85 (29)	95 (35)	105 (41)	107 (42)	105 (41)	100 (38)	90 (32)	75 (24)	67 (19)	87 (30.6)
Average low, °F (°C)	41 (5)	45 (7)	49 (9)	54 (12)	61 (16)	70 (21)	77 (25)	76 (24)	70 (21)	59 (15)	47 (8)	40 (4)	57.4 (13.9)
Record low, °F (°C)	15 (−9)	19 (−7)	24 (−4)	30 (−1)	37 (3)	43 (6)	54 (12)	51 (11)	40 (4)	30 (−1)	22 (−6)	17 (−8)	15 (−9)
Average precipitation, inches (mm)	1.01 (25.7)	1.03 (26.2)	1.19 (30.2)	0.33 (8.4)	0.13 (3.3)	0.04 (1)	0.89 (22.6)	1.14 (29)	0.89 (22.6)	0.81 (20.6)	0.77 (19.6)	0.98 (24.9)	9.21 (234.1)
Source: The Weather Channel [6]

Demographics
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1920 865 —
1930 791 −8.6%
1940 837 5.8%
1950 1,114 33.1%
1960 1,833 64.5%
1970 1,971 7.5%
1980 5,717 190.1%
1990 29,188 410.5%
2000 109,697 275.8%
2010 208,453 90.0%
Est. 2014 239,277 14.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
2014 Estimate[2]
Town Hall building at the Civic Center
A waterfront in the Val Vista Lakes Community in Gilbert
A view of the southwest corner of Gilbert Road and Page Avenue in Gilbert Arizona. In the background is the Liberty Market and the iconic Gilbert water tower.
Photo at SanTan Village looking north towards the Macy's department store on Paseo Drive in Gilbert, Arizona

As of July 1, 2009, Maricopa Association of Governments,[8]

As of the census of 2000, there were 208,453 people, 74,147 housing units, and 3.01 persons per household.

Fastest growing municipality in the United States from 1990-2003. U.S. Census Bureau
Currently the 4th fastest growing municipality in the United States. U.S. Census Bureau - 2009
Ranked by CNN's Money magazine in 2008 as one of the best places to live in the United States.[9]
One of the top 25 safest cities in the United States.[10]
34.5% of Gilbert residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.[11]
Highest household median income in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area with Population 50,000+ U.S. Census Bureau 2005

2009 According to Nielsens Claritas Demographics,[11] in 2009 the racial makeup of the town was:

81.51% White
15.39% Hispanics or Latinos
3.08% Black or African American
0.79% Native American
4.70% Asian
0.23% Pacific Islander
5.97% from other races
3.73% from two or more races

2009 Estimated Population Data by Gender/Age:[11]

31.37 Average Age Male/Female

50.22% Male
30.03 Est. Average Age
49.78% Female
31.82 Est. Average Age

37.14% Population Under 21
33.25% Population Under 18

70.01% Population Over 16
66.76% Population Over 18
62.86% Population Over 21
5.30% Population Over 65

2009 Estimated Population Age 15+ by Marital Status:[11]

20.87% Never Married
66.71% Married, Spouse Present
2.23% Married, Spouse absent
2.11% Widowed
8.07% Divorced

2009 Estimated Population Age 25+ Educational Attainment:[11]

92.33% High School/GED or Higher
37.5% Bachelor's Degree or Higher
10.46% Master's Degree or Higher

2009 Estimated Households by Household Income:[11]

$109,213 Average Household Income
$89,077 Median Household Income
$35,559 Per Capita Income

2.28% of Families are Below the Poverty Level

Religion

Various religious denominations are represented in Gilbert, including 17.26% claiming to be Roman Catholic, 11.12% Protestant and 12.6% Mormon. The town has been known for its high Mormon population, a fact evidenced by the LDS church's building of a temple in Gilbert.[12][13]
Economy
Largest employers

According to the Town's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[14] the top employers in the city are:
# Employer # of Employees
1 Gilbert Public Schools 3,642
2 Banner Health 2,268
3 Mercy Gilbert Medical Center 1,233
4 Town of Gilbert 1,191
5 Fry's Food and Drug 966
6 Go Daddy 950
7 Walmart 791
8 Chandler Unified School District 518
9 B H Drywall 500
10 Dillard's Retail and Distribution 490
Arts and culture
Historic properties

There are various properties in the town of Gilbert which are considered historical and have been included either in the National Register of Historic Places[15] or listed as such in the Gilbert Historic District. In the gallery at the end of the article are images of some of these properties with a short description of the same.
Music and dance

These performers have been associated with Gilbert:

Jimmy Eat World, band
Lifehouse, band
Lydia, band
The Maine, band
Scary Kids Scaring Kids, band
Elektrolytes, dance crew that won season 7 of America's Best Dance Crew

Government

Gilbert was recognized in 2010 as the "36th Best Place to Live in the nation",[16] as well as among the nation's "top places to live and learn"[16] by GreatSchools.org. Washington, DC-based CQ Press rated Gilbert the "safest municipality in Arizona, and 25th safest in the nation." [17]

The town is part of the fifth congressional district of Arizona, which is represented by Republican Matt Salmon.[18] The mayor of Gilbert is John Lewis.
Crime
Gilbert
Crime rates (2012)
Crime type Rate*
Homicide: 5
Robbery: 59
Aggravated assault: 122
Total Violent crime: 205
Burglary: 726
Larceny-theft: 2,496
Motor vehicle theft: 164
Arson: 25
Total Property crime: 3,386
Notes
* Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population.
2012 population: 214,264
Source: 2012 FBI UCR Data

Gilbert is rated as a town of relatively low crime. According to FBI records, Gilbert was the largest town in the United States with zero murders in 2005.
Education

Most of Gilbert is zoned to schools in the Gilbert Public Schools, while other portions are zoned to districts including the Chandler Unified School District, Mesa Public Schools, and the Higley Unified School District. Also in Gilbert are charter schools such as Edu-Prize (the first charter school in Arizona). The town is also home to Gilbert Christian Schools, a chain of private schools.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Main article: Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways

Gilbert is primarily served by one area freeway—the Santan Freeway portion of Loop 202. A small section of the US 60 Superstition Freeway also skirts the northern boundary of the town at the Higley Road interchange (Exit 186). Several regional arterials also serve the area, including Williams Field Road, Chandler Boulevard, and Gilbert Road. The town enjoys relative closeness to Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, which is located in east Mesa, and is a twenty-five minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Recently, a park-and-ride facility was constructed in downtown Gilbert for bus service and future commuter rail service. Although the facility borders the Union Pacific (formerly Southern Pacific) tracks and has provisions for commuter rail service, there is currently no such service. However, buses operate to downtown Phoenix, and future commuter rail service to Gilbert will require little modification since most of the facilities are already built. Most people get around by cars or bikes.
Notable people
This section contains embedded lists that may be poorly defined, unverified or indiscriminate. Please help to clean it up to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Where appropriate, incorporate items into the main body of the article. (December 2010)

Jim Bechtel, professional poker player, World Champion of Poker in 1993, lives in Gilbert, Arizona.
Chester Bennington, lead singer of popular band Linkin Park, has lived with his wife and children in the Whitewing at Higley community, located in Gilbert, since 2008.[19]
Dave Burba currently lives in Gilbert, Arizona. He was a former star pitcher of the late 1990s Indians teams.
Marquis Cooper, former professional linebacker, played for Highland High School.[20]
Ken Delo, American singer best known for The Lawrence Welk Show, lives in Gilbert.
Roy Wayne Farris, an American Pro Wrestler (better known by his ring name, "The Honky Tonk Man"), lives in Gilbert
Ryan Fitzpatrick, professional quarterback, played for Highland High School.[21][22]
Jineane Ford, Miss Arizona USA 1980, Miss USA 1980
Alan Gordon, professional Soccer player, was born in Gilbert on October 16, 1981.
Dan Hausel, Hall of Fame martial artist, has been a resident of Gilbert since 2006.
Shea Hillenbrand, All-Star professional baseball player.
Darrin Jackson, professional baseball player from 1985 to 1999; TV broadcaster. Currently lives in Gilbert.
Kimberly Joiner, Miss Arizona USA 2008, raised in and still lives in Gilbert.[23]
Naomi Lang, 5 time US ice dance champion and 2002 US Olympic Figure Skating team member.
Spencer Larsen, a former professional football player. Larsen was raised in Gilbert and played for Highland High School.
Justin Lassen, artist, currently lives in Gilbert; graduated from Gilbert High School in 2000.[dubious – discuss]
Ryan Leslie, television personality on MTV's The Real World: New Orleans (2010)
Bengie Molina, a former Major League Baseball catcher, has lived in Gilbert since 2011.[24]
Carlos I. Noriega, NASA astronaut and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel lives in Gilbert.[25]
Phil Ortega, MLB pitcher from 1960 to 1969, was born in Gilbert on October 7, 1939.[26]
Lindsey Stirling, accomplished violinist/dancer/performer, grew up in Gilbert.
Eric Swann, Arizona Cardinals in the early 90's lives in Gilbert currently with his family

Sister cities

Gilbert has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

United Kingdom Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
China Leshan, Sichuan, China

Arizona Phoenix | Tucson | Mesa | Chandler | Gilbert | Glendale | Scottsdale |

References

"American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
"Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
Gilbert Profile
"Gilbert Arizona Community's roots date to 1920". Church News. November 19, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"Gilbert History". Ci.gilbert.az.us. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"Average Weather for Gilbert, AZ - Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved September 27, 2013.
"Maricopa Association of Governments Population & Housing Numbers for Greater Phoenix" (PDF). Mag.maricopa.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"CNN Money Magazine 2008". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"FBI Crime Statistics". Fbi.gov. March 17, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
Nielsen Claritas[dead link]
"LDS Church announces two new temples in Arizona - Salt Lake Tribune". Sltrib.com. April 27, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
Gilbert Arizona Temple, ldschurchtemples.com. Last accessed on April 27, 2008.
"City of Gilbert 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). June 18, 2014. p. 141. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
National Register of Historic Places
"Best Places to Live 2010". CNN.
"CQ Press: City Crime Rankings 2012" (PDF). Os.cqpress.com. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
"US Congressman Matt Salmon". Salmon.house.gov. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
"Linkin Park vocalist buys Gilbert home". AZCentral.com. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
"NFL Players". Nfl.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"NFL Players". Nfl.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"Los Angeles Galaxy: Roster: Player Bio". La.galaxy.mlsnet.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"Gilbert woman vies for Miss USA". Azcentral.com. April 11, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
"The Valley's priciest home sales". AZCentral.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
"Astronaut Bio: Carlos I. Noriega (1/2008)". Jsc.nasa.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

"Phil Ortega Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

External links

Official government website