Apache Junction (Western Apache: Hagosgeed) is a city in Pinal and

Maricopa County, Arizona Maricopa County () is a County (United States), county in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 4,420,568, or about 62% of the state's total, making it the List ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. The area where Apache Junction is located used to be known as Youngberg. Superstition Mountain, the westernmost peak of the

Superstition Mountains The Superstition Mountains () is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the ...

, is to the east.

History

The location became a historical landmark. It is part of a scenic byway that was opened to the public in 1922 and is currently part of a "circle trail" that begins and ends in Apache Junction. The O'odham Jeweḍ, Akimel O'odham (Upper Pima), and Hohokam people all have tribal ties to the area.

Geography

Apache Junction is in northern Pinal County at . A small portion of the city limits comprising the El Dorado Mobile Estates Resort and Senior Cottages of Apache Junction extends west into Maricopa County. The city is bordered to the west partly by the city of Mesa and to the southeast by unincorporated Gold Canyon. Downtown Phoenix is to the west via U.S. Route 60, which also leads east to

Globe A globe is a spherical Earth, spherical Model#Physical model, model of Earth, of some other astronomical object, celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but, unlike maps, they do not distort the surface ...

Arizona State Route 88 State Route 88 is a long state highway in the U.S. state of Arizona. It runs from U.S. Route 60 in Arizona, U.S. Route 60 (US 60) in Apache Junction, Arizona, Apache Junction through desert terrain to Arizona State Route 188, SR 188 near Roosev ...

, following the route of the old Apache Trail, leads northeast from Apache Junction through the Superstition Mountains to State Route 188 at Theodore Roosevelt Lake. Apache Junction is located in the east part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler Metropolitan Area. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of , of which , or 0.03%, were listed as water. The town is bounded to the east by the

(a federal wilderness area and home of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine) and to the north by the Goldfield Mountains with the Bulldog Recreation Area. Goldfield Ghost Town, a tourist location preserved from former prospecting days, lies near the western face of Superstition Mountain just off Highway 88 (Apache Trail). It is located just southwest of the site of the

ghost town A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...

of Goldfield. In October 2021, Apache Junction annexed ten square miles south of the city's previous southern boundary.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Apache Junction has a

hot semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of sem ...

, abbreviated "BSh" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Apache Junction was on June 26, 1990, and July 27–28, 1995, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 14, 2007.

Demographics

Apache Junction first appeared on the 1970 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was formally incorporated as a city in 1978. As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 35,840 people, 15,574 households, and 9,372 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 22,771 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.2%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.1% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 4.9% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 14.4% of the population. There were 15,574 households, out of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.85. In the city, the population had 19.9% under the age of 20, 4.5% from 20 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.5 years. The median income (as of the 2000 census) for a household in the city was $33,170, and the median income for a family was $37,726. Males had a median income of $31,283 versus $22,836 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,806. About 7.3% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Apache Junction was incorporated as a city on November 24, 1978. The city is governed by a collection of elected officials, clerk, and nine boards and commissions. The city council has seven members, which includes the mayor and vice-mayor. The mayor serves a two-year term. The current mayor is Chip Wilson, Vice Mayor Christa Rizzi.

Historic structures

This gallery includes images of some of the remaining historical structures located in Apache Junction. Among the exhibits on the grounds of the Superstition Mountain Museum are studio sets and other Western paraphernalia that were saved from the Apacheland fire of 1969. Apacheland was a 1,800-acre movie set that opened in 1960. Also located in Apache junction is the ghost town of Goldfield. Goldfield was a mining town established in 1893 next to Superstition Mountain. When the mine vein faulted, the grade of ore dropped and the town eventually became a ghost town. The town and its historic buildings were revived as a tourist attraction. File:Superstitionmountain.jpg, The Lost Dutchman Mine, located in the Superstition Mountains File: Apache Junction-Superstition Mountain Museum-Audie Murphy Barn.JPG , The Audie Murphy Barn on the grounds of Superstition Mountain Museum, moved there from the Apacheland Movie Ranch File: Apache Junction-Superstition Mountain Museum-Windmill.JPG , A 19th-century windmill located on the grounds of Superstition Mountain Museum

Transportation

Apache Junction is located along U.S. Route 60. Apache Junction is not served by local buses. Greyhound Lines serves Apache Junction on its Phoenix- El Paso via

route.

Education

It is in the Apache Junction Unified School District.
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References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities in Arizona Cities in Pinal County, Arizona Cities in Maricopa County, Arizona Arizona placenames of Native American origin Phoenix metropolitan area Populated places in the Sonoran Desert Mining communities in Arizona