Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Located southeast of Phoenix, Gilbert had a population of 287,285 as of 2025. It is the fourth-most populous municipality in Arizona and is considered a suburb of Phoenix. Gilbert is the most populous incorporated town in the United States, and has been described as the “largest town in America.”

Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World".

History Gilbert was established by 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, Gilbert's first store, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. The post office moved several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it stands today. In 1912, many Mormons who had fled the Mormon colonies in Mexico due to the actions of Pancho Villa's forces settled in Gilbert. By 1915, they began holding church meetings at the Gilbert Elementary School. In 1918, they were organized into the Gilbert Ward.

Incorporated on July 6, 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" from 1911 until the late 1920s.

Geography Gilbert is in the southeastern Phoenix metropolitan area. It is south of Mesa, northeast of Chandler, and northwest of Queen Creek.Chandler, AZ, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1952 (1982 rev.)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate Gilbert has a hot arid climate (Köppen BWh) with sweltering summers, mild to warm winters with cold mornings, and little rainfall – although it typically receives somewhat more rain than does Phoenix.

Climate data for GilbertMonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYearMean daily daylight hours10.011.012.013.014.014.514.013.512.511.510.510.012.2Source: Weather Atlas

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 267,918 people, 88,896 households, and 69,603 families residing in the town. There were 93,230 housing units.

+Gilbert town, Arizona – racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop. 2000Pop. 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)87,597151,930178,67179.85%72.88%66.69%Black or African American alone (NH)2,5156,6069,6012.29%3.17%3.58%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)5591,3941,9980.51%0.67%0.75%Asian alone (NH)3,86311,87717,6903.52%5.70%6.60%Pacific Islander alone (NH)1204065740.11%0.19%0.21%Some other race alone (NH)1112641,2110.10%0.13%0.45%Mixed-race or multi-racial (NH)1,9064,90213,0411.74%2.35%4.87%Hispanic or Latino (any race)13,02631,07445,13211.87%14.91%16.85%Total109,697208,453267,918100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 208,453 people, 74,147 housing units, and 3.01 persons per household.

Between 2000 and 2010, the town of Gilbert was the fastest-growing incorporated place among populations of 100,000 or more in the United States, with an increase of 90%. Fastest growing municipality in the United States from 1990 to 2003 (U.S. Census Bureau) 4th fastest growing municipality in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau – 2009) One of the top 25 safest cities in the United States 34.5% of Gilbert residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.Nielsen Claritas Highest household median income in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area with population 50,000+ (U.S. Census Bureau – 2005)

According to Nielsen's Claritas demographics, in 2009 the estimated racial makeup of the town was: 81.5% White 15.4% Hispanic or Latino 3.1% Black or African American 0.8% Native American 4.7% Asian 0.2% Pacific Islander 6.0% from other races 3.7% from two or more races

2009 estimated population data by gender/age: 31.37 average age male/female. By 2019, the average age was reported as 33.6. 50.2% male 30.0 est. average age 49.8% female 31.8 est. average age 37.1% population under 21 33.3% population under 18 70.0% population over 16 66.8% population over 18 62.9% population over 21 5.3% population over 65

2009 estimated population age 15+ by marital status: 20.9% never married 66.7% married, spouse present 2.2% married, spouse absent 2.1% widowed 8.1% divorced

2009 estimated population age 25+ educational attainment: 92.3% high school/GED or higher 37.5% bachelor's degree or higher. A 2019 report put the rate at close to 50% for residents over the age of 25. 10.5% master's degree or higher

2009 estimated household by household income: $109,213 average household income $89,077 median household income. Median income noted as >$87,000 in a report of 2013–2017 US Census data, as compared to a state-wide median of $53,000. $35,559 per capita income 2.3% of families were below the poverty level.

Religion Various religious denominations are represented in Gilbert. The town has been known for its high population of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a fact evidenced by the building of the Gilbert Arizona Temple, which was dedicated on March 2, 2014.Gilbert Arizona Temple, ldschurchtemples.com. Retrieved April 27, 2008.

Economy

Largest employers According to its 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Gilbert's top employers are:

# Employer # of employees1Gilbert Public Schools2,9182Banner Health2,539 3Town of Gilbert1,8154Fry's Food and Drug1,4845Higley Unified School District1,2966Northrop Grumman1,1527Walmart1,111 8Dignity Health1,0529Deloitte83510Silent Aire USA 778

Arts and culture The town's official tourism site, Discover Gilbert,Discover Gilbert highlights attractions for new and returning visitors. Sightseeing opportunities include the mural-clad brick walls, the color-changing water tower, waterways art, a solo gopher, and glowing benches. Gilbert also features the Hale Centre Theatre, historical museum, and gallery.

9/11 Memorial Gilbert Town Hall is home to a 9/11 Memorial that features an eight-foot steel girder beam that held up the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Former Gilbert Fire Chief Collin DeWitt raised money for three years to create the memorial and bring the beam from New York City to Arizona. He drove to collect it himself along with then Assistant Fire Chief Jim Jobusch.

The memorial's design angles the beam, putting it in reach of everyone. Four granite walls bear the names of those killed in the attacks. Concrete was poured in the shape of a pentagon for the memorial's foundation, and is surrounded by bricks that bear the names of some of those who donated to the memorial's creation. The memorial was unveiled in a ceremony on the attacks' 10th anniversary, on September 11, 2011.

Historic place Gilbert Elementary School was built in 1913, and now houses the Gilbert Historical Museum. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.National Register of Historic Places Maricopa County, Arizona

Parks and recreation The Gilbert Parks and Recreation department provides parks, recreation, and cultural programs for residents and visitors. Gilbert has over 600 acres of open space, 37 park ramadas, four public pools, a riparian area, and over 40 sports fields. Gilbert Parks and Recreation is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. It is also recognized as a Certified Autism Center by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).

Government Since Gilbert remains incorporated as a town, it lacks the additional powers possessed by nearby Mesa and Chandler, which are incorporated as cities. For instance, Arizona towns do not have as much power to regulate utilities and construction within their borders as cities do. Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Gilbert is theoretically vulnerable to annexation.

The town is part of , which is represented by Republican and Gilbert resident Andy Biggs.

Mayors of Gilbert Mayors of Gilbert, Arizona Image Mayor Years Notes Everett R. Wilbur July 16, 1920 – August 2, 1921 E.R. Stoner August 6, 1921 – November 1, 1921 R.W. Merrell November 7, 1921 – June 4, 1923 Claude J. Cullumber June 22, 1923 – June 1, 1925 R.R. Creed June 18, 1925 – June 7, 1927 Walter W. Page June 7, 1927 – June 7, 1937 Ward C. Burk June 10, 1937 – June 5, 1939 Wayne McFrederick July 10, 1939 – July 10, 1943 Ward C. Burk July 5, 1943 – July 4, 1945 M.S. Vaughn June 12, 1945 – June 9, 1947 R.D. Hearne June 25, 1947 – January 3, 1949 Roy Fuller February 7, 1949 – June 6, 1949 Tom Clement July 11, 1949 – June 13, 1955 George Russell June 16, 1955 – January 9, 1956 Kenyon Udall January 17, 1956 – June 8, 1959 Morris Cooper July 1, 1959 – June 12, 1967 John Moore July 5, 1967 – September 11, 1967 Jack Smith October 9, 1967 – June 9, 1969 Vernon Gist July 1, 1969 – June 14, 1971 Dale Hallock July 1, 1971 – June 14, 1976 David Thompson July 21, 1976 – August 11, 1978 Ed Lane August 22, 1978 – May 29, 1981 L.J. Reed June 2, 1981 – June 2, 1987 James Farley June 9, 1987 – June 6, 1989 Steven Berman June 13, 1989 – June 4, 1991 Jo Albright June 4, 1991 – April 28, 1992 Wilburn Brown May 26, 1992 – December 4, 1992 Wilburn Brown March 16, 1993 – June 10, 1997 Cynthia Dunham June 10, 1997 – June 12, 2001 Steven Berman June 12, 2001 – June 15, 2009 John W. Lewis June 16, 2009 – July 19, 2016 Jenn Daniels July 19, 2016 – August 18, 2020 Scott Anderson August 18, 2020 – January 12, 2021 Appointed by a 7–0 vote of the city council after the resignation of Jenn Daniels Brigette Peterson January 12, 2021 – January 7, 2025 Scott Anderson 2025 – incumbent

Education Most of Gilbert is zoned to schools in the Gilbert Public Schools, while other parts 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 Eduprize (the first charter school in Arizona), American Leadership Academy, and Legacy Traditional School. The town is also home to Gilbert Christian Schools, a chain of private schools. In 2018, Park University opened the Gilbert Campus Center after leasing at the University Building in the city's Heritage District.

Infrastructure Transportation

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 Gilbert's northern boundary 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 is relatively close to Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, in east Mesa, and is a 25-minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

A park-and-ride facility is in downtown Gilbert for bus 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. Bus service is limited in Gilbert, with some north–south routes in Mesa dead-ending at Baseline Road before entering Gilbert. Routes that serve portions of Gilbert include the 108-Elliot Road, 112-Country Club/Arizona Avenue, 136-Gilbert Road, 140-Ray Road, 156-Chandler Boulevard/Williams Field Road, 184-Power Road, and 531-Mesa/Gilbert Express, with most of these routes operating at 30-minute frequency on weekdays. Sunday service is only available on Routes 108, 112, 156, and 184. Most people get around by car or bike. Gilbert has a low proportion of households without cars. In 2015, 1.9% of Gilbert households lacked a car, and the figure was 1.7% in 2016. The national average in 2016 was 8.7%. Gilbert averaged 2.08 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.