Arizona

Gila

53,272
2020 population
1890
first census record
14
census records

About Gila

Gila, Arizona, first appears in the United States federal census in 1890, when it recorded a population of 2,021. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 53,272.

Its recorded population peaked at 53,597 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 1 percent.

On the ground today, 40 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Point of Pines Massacre, Grasshopper Pueblo Violence Evidence, Salado Cliff Dwelling Violence (Tonto Basin), and 53 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202053,272
201053,597
200051,335
199040,216
198037,080
197029,255
196025,745
195024,158
194023,867
193031,016
192025,678
191016,348
19004,973
18902,021
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Gila

Military engagements that took place in Gila, Arizona.

Point of Pines Massacre
1265
Grasshopper Pueblo Violence Evidence
1300
Salado Cliff Dwelling Violence (Tonto Basin)
1300
Grasshopper Pueblo Warfare
1300
Salado Culture Fortified Site – Tonto Natural Bridge
1300
Grasshopper Pueblo Conflict
1325
Tonto Basin Salado Conflict – Roosevelt Lake
1330
Salado Polity Conflict – Besh-Ba-Gowah
1350
Kinishba Pueblo Conflict
1350
Salado Culture Conflict – Besh-Ba-Gowah
1350
Grasshopper Pueblo Abandonment — Warfare
1380
Grasshopper Pueblo Abandonment Violence (AZ)
1400
Battle of Bloody Tanks — Tonto Apache (1864)
1864
Battle of Pinal Creek
1870
Battle of Sanchez Canyon AZ
1870
Pinal Mountains Scout (1870)
1870
Battle of Mescal Range AZ
1871
Battle of Salt River Canyon (Skeleton Cave)
1872
Tonto Basin Campaign — Battle of Muchos Canyon (December 1872)
1872
Tonto Creek Skirmish (1872)
1872
Battle of Salt River Canyon (Apache)
1872
Crook's Tonto Basin Campaign Skirmishes 1872
1872
Canyon Creek Fight 1872
1872
Tonto Basin Campaign Engagements
1872
Battle of Skull Cave / Salt River Canyon
1872
Four Peaks Skirmish — Mazatzal Mountains 1872
1872
Salt River Canyon Massacre
1872
Sierra Ancha Final Tonto Apache Engagements 1873
1873
Salt River Canyon Follow-up Operations
1873
Cherry Creek Fight (1873)
1873
Globe Silver Strike Conflicts — Tonto Basin 1876
1876
Chihenne Apache Breakout from San Carlos 1877
1877
Victorio Leaves San Carlos 1877
1877
Sanchez's Apache Raids – San Carlos 1878
1878
San Carlos Reservation Disturbances (1880)
1880
Geronimo's First Escape – San Carlos 1878
1881
Battle of Cibecue Creek
1881
Cibecue Creek Battle
1881
Cibecue Creek Battle — White Mountain Apache Mutiny (August 30, 1881)
1881
White River Fight (1881)
1881

Historic places in Gila

National Register of Historic Places listings in Gila, Arizona.

Globe Downtown Historic District
Globe
Black River Bridge
Carrizo
Holy Angels Church
Globe
Gila Valley Bank and Trust Building
Globe
Kinishba Ruins
Whiteriver
Coolidge Dam
San Carlos
Strawberry School
Strawberry
Bullion Plaza School
Miami
Besh-Ba-Gowah
Globe
US Post Office and Courthouse-Globe Main
Globe
Fossil Creek Bridge
Strawberry
Pinal Ranger Station
Globe
Pleasant Valley Ranger Station
Young
Gila County Courthouse
Globe
Ox Bow Inn
Payson
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Other counties in Arizona

Explore census history and historic records for more Arizona counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Gila County, Arizona

This page charts the census history of Gila County, Arizona. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Gila

When does Gila first appear in the US census?
Gila, Arizona first appears in the federal census in 1890, with a recorded population of 2,021.
What is the population of Gila?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Gila had a recorded population of 53,272.
When did Gila's population peak?
Gila's recorded population peaked at 53,597 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in Gila?
40 documented military engagements took place in Gila, including Point of Pines Massacre, Grasshopper Pueblo Violence Evidence, Salado Cliff Dwelling Violence (Tonto Basin).
How many historic places are in Gila?
53 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Gila, Arizona.
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