Gila County, Arizona

Gila County is a county in Arizona, United States, stretching from the Salt River Canyon south to the edge of metro Phoenix. It had a population of 53,272 at the 2020 census and covers 4,758 square miles (12,320 km2) centred near 33°47′28″N 110°50′11″W.

Globe is the county seat, and its postal code is 85501. The county has one city, five incorporated towns, and dozens of unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs); it does not use civil townships. The county is in the Mountain time zone (UTC−7, no daylight saving observed).

Towns & Villages in Gila County

Gila County has one city (Globe, the seat), five incorporated towns, and a long list of CDPs and unincorporated communities spread across the Tonto Basin, the Salt River corridor, and the Pinal Mountains. Type key: City = incorporated city; Town = incorporated town; CDP = Census Bureau-defined unincorporated place; Unincorp. = smaller unincorporated place not tracked as its own CDP.

San Carlos, Peridot, and Bylas-area communities sit on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in the county’s southeast; Canyon Day and Whiteriver, sometimes listed for this area, are actually across the county line in Navajo County and are not included above. Central Heights-Midland City and Claypool are the Globe-Miami mining-district suburbs immediately west of Globe.

ZIP Codes

• 85501 — Globe (also serves East Globe, Six Shooter Canyon, Icehouse Canyon)
• 85541 — Payson (also serves Star Valley, Gisela, Kohls Ranch, Whispering Pines, Christopher Creek and most of the Rim country)
• 85539 — Miami
• 85532 — Claypool (also serves Central Heights-Midland City, Top-of-the-World, Pinal, Copper Hill, Dripping Springs, Freedom Acres)
• 85544 — Pine (also serves Strawberry)
• 85550 — San Carlos
• 85542 — Peridot
• 85553 — Tonto Basin (also serves Punkin Center)
• 85554 — Young
• 85545 — Roosevelt
• 85135 — Hayden
• 85192 — Winkelman

Several small Rim-country and canyon communities share the Payson or Globe ZIP rather than having a code of their own.

Geography

Gila County spans the Mogollon Rim country in the north, dropping through pine forest and the Sierra Ancha to the Sonoran Desert basin around Globe-Miami and the Salt River in the south. The Salt and Gila rivers, Roosevelt Lake (the largest reservoir on the Salt), and the Tonto National Forest cover much of the county. It borders Coconino County to the north, Navajo County to the northeast, Graham County to the southeast, Pinal County to the south, Maricopa County to the southwest, and Yavapai County to the northwest.

Demographics

Gila County had a population of 53,272 at the 2020 census. Payson and Globe are the largest communities, followed by San Carlos. The county’s median household income runs well below the Arizona median of $77,315, reflecting a mining- and service-based economy with a large retiree population in the Rim country. Population density is about 11 people per square mile.

Economy & Local Life

Copper mining anchors the Globe-Miami district, historically one of Arizona’s largest copper producers and still active through modern operations around Claypool and Miami. Tourism and second-home/retirement living drive the Payson-Star Valley-Pine area, fed by Rim-country cabins, Tonto National Forest recreation, and Roosevelt Lake. The San Carlos Apache Tribe is a major employer and landholder in the southeast of the county, with tribal government, gaming, and forestry operations centered on San Carlos and Peridot.

History

Gila County was organized on February 8, 1881, carved out of parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties. The name is usually traced to a Yuma-language term for the Gila River, later rendered “Gila” through Spanish usage. The county was the setting for the Pleasant Valley War of the 1880s, a range feud between the Tewksbury and Graham families that became one of the deadliest family feuds in the American West, and its copper mines around Globe and Miami drew major mining investment from the late 1870s onward.

Getting There

US Route 60 runs through Globe and Miami toward Phoenix and New Mexico, while State Route 87 (the Beeline Highway) links Payson to the Phoenix metro. State Routes 77, 88, 188, and 260 connect the rest of the county.

• Phoenix — about 90 miles southwest of Globe
• Tucson — about 120 miles south of Globe
• Flagstaff — about 100 miles north of Payson
• Show Low — about 55 miles east of Payson

The nearest major commercial airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport; Payson also has a small general-aviation municipal airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Gila County?
It is in central Arizona, between the Mogollon Rim and the Phoenix metro area.

What is the population of Gila County?
53,272 people at the 2020 census.

How big is Gila County?
4,758 square miles (12,320 km2) of land.

What is the county seat of Gila County?
Globe is the county seat.

How many towns are in Gila County?
One city (Globe) and five incorporated towns (Payson, Miami, Star Valley, Hayden, and Winkelman), plus dozens of CDPs and unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Gila County?
Main ones include 85501 (Globe), 85541 (Payson), 85539 (Miami), 85532 (Claypool), 85544 (Pine), and 85550 (San Carlos).

Is Roosevelt Lake in Gila County?
Yes, most of Roosevelt Lake and the Theodore Roosevelt Dam sit within Gila County on the Salt River.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arizona.