The Phoenix metropolitan area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, Valley of the Sun Metroplex, the Salt River Valley, metro Phoenix, or locally, The Valley, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the Southwestern United States, with its largest principal city being the city of Phoenix. It includes much of central Arizona. The United States Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), defining it as Maricopa and Pinal counties. It anchors the Arizona Sun Corridor megaregion along with the second-most populous metropolitan area in the state, the Tucson metropolitan area. The gross domestic product of the Phoenix metropolitan area was around $400 billion in 2023, 14th highest amongst metro areas in the United States.
As of the 2020 census, the two-county metropolitan area had 4,845,832 residents, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the nation by population. Metro Phoenix grew by 652,945 people from April 2010 to April 2020, making it one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. This also contributed to the entire state's exceptional growth; the area is home to just over two-thirds of Arizona's population. The population of the Phoenix metropolitan area increased by 45.3% from 1990 through 2000, compared to the overall U.S. rate of 13.2%, helping make Arizona the second-fastest growing state in the nation in the 1990s behind Nevada. The 2000 census reported the population of the metropolitan area to be 3,251,876. Water insecurity and drought in conjunction with climate change have become a significant concern for the metropolitan area's future growth prospects.
Combined Statistical Area The Phoenix–Mesa combined statistical area (CSA) was designated in September 2018 by U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and by the Census Bureau which consists of the entirety of the counties of Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila. This includes the Phoenix metropolitan area and the Payson, AZ micropolitan statistical area.
As of April 1, 2020, the Phoenix–Mesa CSA had a population of 4,899,104, making it the fourteenth-most populous in the nation.
Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Phoenix Metropolitan Area comprises Maricopa County (2020 population: 4,420,568) and Pinal County (2020 population: 425,264). It is officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area. The total population for metropolitan Phoenix at the 2020 Census was 4,845,832.
The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is hundreds of miles away from any other metropolitan area of similar population size. For instance, the closest metropolitan area with almost the same population size is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area, which is 300 miles away. + Table of nearby metropolitan areas to the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metro Area Metropolitan Area Name Distance from Phoenix (miles) Population (2020 Census) Urban Density (2010 Pop. per Sq. Mile) Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metro Area 0 4,845,832 3,165.2 Tucson, AZ Metro Area 105 1,043,433 2,385.4 Yuma, AZ Metro Area 155 203,881 2,299.9 Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise, NV Metro Area 255 2,265,461 4,524.5 San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad, CA Metro Area 300 3,298,634 4,037.0 Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario, CA Metro Area 300 4,599,839 3,546.4 Albuquerque, NM Metro Area 330 916,528 2,958.5 El Paso, TX Metro Area 345 868,859 3,205.0 Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA Metro Area 360 13,200,998 6,999.3 Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura, CA Metro Area 410 843,843 Bakersfield, CA Metro Area 420 909,235 3,785.0 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area 505 1,257,936 3,675.1 Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metro Area 585 2,963,821 3,554.4
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 4,192,887 people, 1,537,137 households, and 1,024,971 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 73.0% White (58.7% White Non-Hispanic), 5.0% Black, 3.3% Asian, 2.4% Native American or Alaska Native (virtually all Native American) and 16.2% of other or mixed race. 29.5% were Hispanic of any race.
In 2010 the median income for a household in the MSA was $50,385 and the median income for a family was $58,497. The per capita income was $24,809. County2025 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityMaricopa County Pinal County Gila County Total
Communities The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines a metropolitan area as the core city plus its county and any nearby counties that are economically dependent on the core city. However, Arizona has relatively large counties and a harsh, rugged desert landscape. For these reasons, much of the land that is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area is rural or completely uninhabited. The core part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area is the Phoenix–Mesa, AZ Urban Area, which is far smaller than the Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The following is a list of places in Metro Phoenix categorized based on the United States Census Bureau 2025 population estimates. No population estimates are released for census-designated places (CDPs), which are marked with an asterisk (*). These places are categorized based on their 2020 Census population. Places designated "principal cities" by the OMB are italicized.
Cities and suburbs
Places with 500,000+ inhabitants Phoenix (1,665,481) Mesa (513,656)
Places with 250,000–499,999 inhabitants Gilbert (287,525) Chandler (278,748) Glendale (260,572)
Places with 150,000–249,999 inhabitants Scottsdale (243,006) Peoria (200,881) Tempe (190,571) Surprise (175,304)
Places with 75,000–149,999 inhabitants Buckeye (125,445) Goodyear (125,359) Avondale (100,983) San Tan Valley (99,894) Queen Creek (89,770) Maricopa (78,362)
Places with 30,000–74,999 inhabitants Casa Grande (69,753) Apache Junction (45,672) Sun City* (39,931) El Mirage (35,820)
Places with 10,000–29,999 inhabitants
Sun City West* (25,806) Florence (25,222) Fountain Hills (23,625) Anthem* (23,190) Eloy (19,967) Coolidge (19,959) New River* (17,290) Sun Lakes* (14,868) Saddlebrooke* (12,574) Paradise Valley (12,251) Gold Canyon* (11,404)
Places with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
Arizona City* (9,868) Tolleson (9,224) Wickenburg (8,305) Youngtown (7,039) Litchfield Park (6,727) Citrus Park* (5,194) Cave Creek (5,160) Guadalupe (5,093) Carefree (3,600) Sacaton* (3,254) San Manuel* (3,114) Oracle* (3,051) Red Rock* (2,625) Superior (2,611) Rio Verde* (2,210) Kearny (1,849) Gila Bend (1,816) Casa Blanca* (1,727) Blackwater* (1,190) Mammoth (1,149) Komatke* (1,013) Queen Valley* (967) Ak-Chin Village* (884) Maricopa Colony* (854) St. Johns* (690) Wittmann* (684) Upper Santan Village* (665) Gila Crossing* (636) Stotonic Village* (610) Cactus Forest* (606) Dudleyville* (597) Sacaton Flats Village* (576) Aguila* (565) Stanfield* (558) Circle City* (522) Goodyear Village* (463) Lower Santan Village* (437) Wet Camp Village* (300) Top-of-the-World* (274) Sacate Village* (260) Picacho* (250) Chuichu* (240) Morristown* (186) Arlington* (150) Sweet Water Village* (123) Theba* (111) Vaiva Vo* (93) Campo Bonito* (83) Kaka* (83) Wintersburg* (51) Santa Cruz* (39) Kohatk* (37) Tonopah* (23) Tat Momoli* (18)
Geography As of 2020, the Phoenix Metropolitan area consists of Maricopa and Pinal counties, comprising a total area of about 14,600 square miles. Because of the size of counties in Arizona, even though Maricopa and Pinal counties together contain nearly 4.9 million people, most of the area is uninhabited, which gives the MSA an extremely low density compared to other major MSAs in the nation.
The average elevation in the city itself is about , with the highest point being in South Mountain Park Preserve .The highest point in the two county area is in the Four Peaks mountain range.
Climate Metropolitan Phoenix is notable for its warm, desert climate. On average, the area receives about 9 inches of rain annually, with less than 1 inch of snow every decade. In total, the region will see about 32 days of measurable precipitation each year. The MSA is one of the sunniest major metropolitan areas, receiving 295 days of sunshine, compared to the national average of 205. The average July high is about 104 °F (40 °C), with the average January low being about 36 °F (3 °C), still above freezing. Bestplaces gives Metropolitan Phoenix a comfort index of 44/100, which is also the national average.
Below is a chart showing climate data collected from Sky Harbor Airport. Due to the vast area covered by the MSA, climates vary throughout the valley.
Economy Metropolitan Phoenix has historically been the center of the state's economy. As with the state of Arizona, the area relied on the 5 C's (copper, cattle, climate, citrus, and cotton) for its economic growth and expansion. However, after World War II, the area entered the manufacturing industry, which spurred the growth of what would eventually be one of the largest urban areas in the nation. Currently, the two largest industries are manufacturing and tourism. About 10 million people visit from other states and Canada each year, due to the area's mild winters and long, sunny days. The technology and service industries currently account for almost 77% of total employment in the region. As well as a strong tourism industry, the Phoenix area has a significant business sector. Several Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies have their international headquarters in the area, including Avnet, PetSmart, Apollo Education Group, Republic Services, ON Semiconductor, Insight Enterprises, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Other Fortune 500 companies with significant presence include Banner Health, the state's largest private employer, American Airlines, which merged with Tempe-based US Airways, American Express, Wells Fargo, Boeing, and Intel, which has a large regional campus in Chandler.
The Metropolitan Area ranks 5th in the nation in economic growth, which is a major comeback from the recession. The unemployment rate of the area is 5.3%, lower than the national rate of 6.3%. It also has slightly higher recent job growth (2.0% compared to 1.2%) and higher projected job growth (38.7% compared to 36.1%). Although the area has significantly higher sales tax rates compared with the nation as a whole (8.3% to 6.0%), income tax rates are lower than the national average (3.4% to 4.7%). The largest occupation by population is in the office/administrative sector, comprising more than a quarter of all jobs in the region.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Freeways and expressways
The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is served by several controlled-access freeways, including:
New freeways are planned in the future, either through upgrades of existing roads such as SR 74, SR 85, and Northern Parkway; or through the construction of new freeways where no road existed before such as SR 24 and SR 30.
Arterial roads
Most of the arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area are laid out on a regular grid, following the section lines established in the Public Land Survey System. As a result, arterial roads in cities that had once been geographically separate may have been given different names while occupying the same section line. When these roads were extended to accommodate the growth in the area they eventually merged into a single road while the previous segments retained their existing names. This results in several cases of a road abruptly changing names; for example, Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix becomes Olive Avenue west of 43rd Avenue, in Glendale.
Another quirk of a grid system based upon the Public Land Survey System is due to the occasional corrections in the grid caused by the curvature of the Earth. This results in arterial roadways deviating slightly from a straight line, as can be seen in many locations where roads abruptly curve either just north or just south of Baseline Road to follow a new section line.