Eloy | |
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 Flag | |
 Location of Eloy in Pinal County, Arizona | |
  Eloy Location in the United States Show map of the United States Eloy Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona | |
| Coordinates:32°45′49″N111°36′0″W / 32.76361°N 111.60000°W /32.76361; -111.60000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Pinal |
| Incorporated | 1949 |
| Government | |
| • City Council | Mayor Andrew Sutton Vice-Mayor Sara Curtis Council Members Dan Snyder Sara Curtis Jose Garcia Sylvia Guanajuato-Rodriguez Andrew Sutton |
| Area | |
• Total | 113.75 sq mi (294.60 km2) |
| • Land | 113.68 sq mi (294.44 km2) |
| • Water | 0.062 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,549 ft (472 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 15,635 |
| • Density | 138/sq mi (53.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (noDST)) |
| ZIP code | 85131 |
| Area code | 520 |
| FIPS code | 04-22360 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410433[2] |
| Website | City of Eloy |
Eloy is a city inPinal County,Arizona, United States, approximately 50 miles (80 km) northwest ofTucson and about 65 miles (105 km) southeast ofPhoenix. According to the2020 census, the population of the city is 15,635.[3]
In 1880, as tracks were being laid for theSouthern Pacific Railroad'sSunset Route, a small number of boxcars were used as a camp for railroad workers. It was discovered thatcotton could be grown in the area's climate. In 1902, the Southern Pacific Railroad named the area train stop Eloy, an acronym for "East Line Of Yuma". Alternately, there is a legend that the area was initially called "Eloi", after a railroad employee looked around at the barren desert and said, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (Aramaic and Hebrew for"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"). A town called Cotton City was established in 1918. In 1919, the newly established post office rejected that name in favor of Eloy. As part of Pinal County, the city incorporated in 1949.[4][5][6][7]
Eloy has a total area of 113.7 square miles (294.5 km2), all land.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3,580 | — | |
| 1960 | 4,899 | 36.8% | |
| 1970 | 5,381 | 9.8% | |
| 1980 | 6,240 | 16.0% | |
| 1990 | 7,211 | 15.6% | |
| 2000 | 10,375 | 43.9% | |
| 2010 | 16,631 | 60.3% | |
| 2020 | 15,635 | −6.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
As of the 2011census,[9] there were 16,964 people, 2,492 households, and 1,988 families residing in Eloy. The population density was 144.8 inhabitants per square mile (55.9/km2). There were 2,734 housing units at an average density of 38.1 per square mile (14.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 58%Hispanic orLatino, 5%Black orAfrican American, 41%White, 4%Native American, 1%Asian, <1%Pacific Islander, 31% fromother races, and 5% from two or more races.
There were 2,492 households, out of which 50.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% weremarried couples living together, 21.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. Of all households, 15.5% were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 3.94.
In the city, the population was spread out with 33.7% under the age of 18, 12.0% from the ages of 18 to 24, 32.5% from the ages of 25 to 44, 15.4% from the ages of 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 137.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 154.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,518, and the median income for a family was $28,494. Males had a median income of $25,295 versus $21,088 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $9,194. About 27.9% of families and 31.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 35.6% of those under age 18 and 24.6% of those aged 65 or over.
The mayor of Eloy is Andrew Sutton whose term runs from 2022 to 2024. He was previously a council member from 2020. The vice mayor is Michelle Trango. The city council consists of the mayor, who serves a two-year term, and six city council members, who each serve four-year terms.[10]
The largest employer isCoreCivic and CoreCivic prisoners are included in the census. CoreCivic operates four facilities:Eloy Detention Center (opened 1994),[11]Red Rock Correctional Center (opened 2006),[12]Saguaro Correctional Center (opened 2007),[13] andLa Palma Correctional Facility (opened 2008).[14] As of 2020, CoreCivic's correctional centers house detainees from states including Hawaii, Nevada, Idaho, and Kansas.[15][16][17]
According to Eloy's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:[18]
| # | Employer | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CoreCivic | 1,546 |
| 2 | Eloy Elementary School District | 155 |
| 3 | Republic Plastics | 142 |
| 4 | City of Eloy | 121 |
| 5 | Schuff Steel | 113 |
| 6 | Otto Plastics Arizona, LLC | 80 |
| 7 | Skydive Arizona | 70 |
| 8 | TravelCenters of America | 65 |
| 9 | Santa Cruz Valley Union High School District | 55 |
The closest major airports to Eloy arePhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport andTucson International Airport. Casa Grande Shuttle provides anairport shuttle to Sky Harbor.[19]
TheEloy Municipal Airport is a non-towered airport located in Eloy.[20]
Greyhound serves Eloy.
Eloy is home to the world's largestskydivedrop zone,[21] operated by Skydive Arizona, and bills itself as the skydiving capital of the world.[22][23] Two parachute manufacturers are based in Eloy, includingFirebird USA and Sun Path Products.[24]
The city is home to the Robson Ranch Golf Club with an 18-hole, par-72 golf course.[25] The Casa Grande Valley Historical Society & Museum was founded in 1964 and holds a collection of more than 50,000 artifacts.[25]Picacho Peak State Park is located 10 miles southeast of Eloy.[25] It is the site of the only Civil Warbattle in Arizona; the battle is re-enacted annually.[6]
Eloy was the town showcased during Season 2, Episode 19 of the 1950s police drama "The Man Behind the Badge". The name of the episode was "The Case of the Wild West" and it was first shown on Saturday, May 14, 1955.
TheEloy Elementary School District provides elementary education in grades kindergarten through 8th grade through its four schools:
Eloy has one public high school,Santa Cruz Valley Union High School, and some residents attend the nearbyCasa Grande Union High School.
Municipalities and communities ofPinal County, Arizona,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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