Avondale, Arizona

Avondale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 89,334,

Avondale is a modern city, near the heart of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Over the last decade, population growth took place at a rate of over 114%, making the city one of the fastest-growing in Maricopa County.

Geography

Avondale is located at (33.435322, −112.349758). It is bordered to the west by Goodyear, to the north by Litchfield Park, and to the east by Phoenix and Tolleson.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.54%, are water.

Winters are sunny and mild with nighttime lows averaging between and 50 °F (4 °C and 10 °C) and daytime highs ranging from to 75 °F (16 °C to 24 °C). The record low temperature recorded in Avondale is 16 °F (−9 °C). Summers are extremely hot, with daily high temperatures at or above 100 °F (38 °C) for the entirety of June, July, and August, as well as many days in May and September. An occasional heat wave will spike temperatures over 115 °F (46 °C) briefly. Nighttime lows in the summer months average between and 80 °F (21 °C and 27 °C), with an occasional overnight low above 80 °F (27 °C) not uncommon. Avondale's record high temperature stands at an impressive 125 °F (52 °C), a few degrees warmer than the record for Phoenix, and just shy of Arizona's state record of 128 °F (53 °C), recorded in Lake Havasu City on June 29, 1994.

Snow is rare in the area, occurring once every several years. Lows in the winter occasionally dip below freezing, which may damage some desert plants such as saguaros and other cacti. In the summer (mainly July, August, and early September), the North American Monsoon can hit the Phoenix area in the afternoon and evening (possibly continuing overnight), causing rain showers even from a sunny morning. Dust storms are occasional, mainly during the summer.

Gila and Salt River Meridian

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The surveying marker of the Gila and Salt River Meridian is located on Monument Hill. Ever since 1851, this has been the center point used by the state to measure the land in Arizona. The federal government recognized this point for measuring the boundary between the United States and Mexico after the Mexican–American War ended. The first survey, conducted in 1867, involved the first of Arizona. Up until 1874, this was the epicenter of all surveying in Arizona for property deeds. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 2002, Reference #02001137. Monument Hill is located at 115th Avenue and Baseline Road in Avondale.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Avondale city, Arizona – racial and ethnic composition

!Race / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop. 2000

!Pop. 2010

!% 2000

!% 2010

|White alone (NH)

|15,959

|25,958

|style='background: #ffffe6; |23,127

|44.48%

|34.05%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |25.89%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|1,748

|6,643

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,272

|4.87%

|8.71%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9.26%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|245

|746

|style='background: #ffffe6; |991

|0.68%

|0.98%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.11%

|Asian alone (NH)

|654

|2,532

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,445

|1.82%

|3.32%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.86%

|Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|38

|208

|style='background: #ffffe6; |339

|0.11%

|0.27%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.38%

|Some other race alone (NH)

|39

|173

|style='background: #ffffe6; |550

|0.11%

|0.23%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.62%

|Mixed-race or multi-racial (NH)

|611

|1,638

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,932

|1.70%

|2.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.28%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|16,589

|38,340

|style='background: #ffffe6; |49,678

|46.23%

|50.29%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |55.61%

|Total

|35,883

|76,238

|style='background: #ffffe6; |89,334

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Avondale had a population of 89,334. The median age was 30.9 years. 29.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 8.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.8 males age 18 and over.

99.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.9% lived in rural areas.

There were 27,382 households in Avondale, of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.7% were married-couple households, 17.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. In 1930, it simply appeared as the Coldwater Precinct. It was recorded as having a Spanish/Hispanic majority for that census (the census would not separately feature that racial demographic again until 1980). With the combination of all county precincts into three districts in 1940, it did not report on that census. In 1946, it was incorporated as the town of Avondale, and has appeared on every census since 1950. In 1959, it upgraded to a city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 35,883 people, 10,640 households, and 8,724 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,419 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.27% White, 5.20% Black or African American, 1.28% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 24.32% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. 46.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,640 households, out of which 47.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.0% were non-families. 12.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age. The average household size was 3.36 and the average family size was 3.66.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.2% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,153, and the median income for a family was $51,084. Males had a median income of $35,134 versus $27,487 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,919. About 10.3% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Top employers in Avondale as of 2023.

{| class="wikitable"

!Employer

!# of employees

Parks

City parks:

Alamar Park, 4155 S El Mirage Rd
Las Ligas, 12421 W Lower Buckeye Road
Festival Fields, 101 E. Lower Buckeye
Donnie Hale Park, 10857 West Pima St.
Friendship Park / Dog Park, 12325 West McDowell
Mountain View, 201 E Mountain View Drive
Sernas Plaza Park, 521 E Western Ave
Fred Campbell Park, 101 E Lawrence Blvd
Dennis DeConcini, 351 E Western Ave
Dessie Lorenz Park, 202 E Main St
Doc Rhodes Park, 104 W Western Ave

Government

Avondale falls within Arizona's 7th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Adelita Grijalva. In the state legislature, Avondale falls under Arizona's 22nd State Legislative District, served by Representatives Lorenzo Sierra and Diego Espinoza and Senator Lupe Contreras, all Democrats.

Mayors

Troy G. Fincher, ca. 1949
Russell H. Brinker, ca. 1959
Laverne R. Turner, ca. 1963
Thomas F. Morales Jr., ca. 1996
Ronald J. Drake, ca. 2000–2005
Marie Lopez Rogers, ca. 2006–2013
Kenneth N. Weise, 2014–2024
Mike Pineda, 2025–present

Education

Avondale is served by the Littleton Elementary School District and Tolleson Union High School District (east of the Agua Fria River) and the Avondale Elementary School District, and the Agua Fria Union High School District (west of the Agua Fria River). Within city boundaries are four public high schools—Agua Fria High School, La Joya Community High School, Westview High School and West Point High School.

Avondale also has several charter schools. Legacy Traditional School and Imagine Schools for elementary and middle school education, and Estrella High School and St. John Paul II Catholic High School.

Estrella Mountain Community College, established in 1992, is located in the city. Rio Salado College, a part of the Maricopa County Community College District, has a satellite building in Avondale. Universal Technical Institute and Empire Beauty Schools also have campuses in Avondale.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Avondale is served by Valley Metro Bus. Avondale is also served by local routes 3 (Van Buren Street, 17 (McDowell Road), 41 (Indian School Road, express route 563 to Downtown Phoenix, and rural route 685 connecting Ajo and Phoenix. The Avondale Zoom service was discontinued and replaced with WeRIDE Microtransit Services.

Healthcare

The public hospital system, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System), operates Valleywise Community Health Center – Avondale. Its sole hospital, Valleywise Health Medical Center, is in Phoenix.

Phoenix Children's Hospital has satellite facilities (Emergency Department - Avondale, and Sports Medicine PT - Avondale), at the corner of Avondale Boulevard and McDowell Road, and Avondale Boulevard and I-10 respectively.

Notable people

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Michael P. Anderson, US Air Force officer and NASA astronaut, attended 3rd grade at Avondale Elementary School; the school was renamed in his honor
Mitch Garcia, professional soccer player, graduated from Agua Fria High School
Shawn Gilbert, professional baseball player; played high school baseball at Agua Fria High School
Everson Griffen, defensive end for USC Trojans and Minnesota Vikings; attended Agua Fria High School
Nick Harris, punter for NFL's Detroit Lions; attended Westview High School
Drisan James, wide receiver for CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats; attended Westview High School
Craig Mabbitt, vocalist for band Escape the Fate and former vocalist for bands Blessthefall and The Word Alive; attended Westview High School
Randall McDaniel, former NFL offensive guard, inducted into National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame in 2008 and Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009; was a sprinter at Agua Fria High School
Clancy Pendergast, NFL and college coach
Shelley Smith, former NFL player