Bagdad, Arizona

Bagdad is a copper mining community and census-designated place (CDP) in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, in the western part of the state. It is one of only two remaining company towns in Arizona. The population was 1,876 at the 2010 census, up from 1,578 in 2000.

Name

According to folk etymology, the name "Bagdad" is not a misspelling of "Baghdad". Supposedly a father and son operated a small-scale copper mining operation there in the late 1800s. The father dug out the ore and the son loaded it into bags. When one bag was full he asked his father "Do you have a bag, dad?" However, this is disputed and some say the name derives from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, imagined as an epitome of wealth and luxury.

Demographics

Bagdad first appeared on the 1930 U.S. Census as the Bagdad Precinct of Yavapai County. 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 3 districts in 1940, it did not formally appear again until 1960, when it reported as an unincorporated village. In 1980, it was made a census-designated place (CDP).

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Bagdad had a population of 1,932. The median age was 29.3 years. 32.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 5.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 112.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 111.9 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 695 households in Bagdad, of which 44.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.1% were married-couple households, 29.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 15.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older., there were 1,876 people, 682 households, and 485 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 838 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.6% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 3.0% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.3% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. 24.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 682 households, out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 33.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $58,277, and the median income for a family was $61,850. Males had a median income of $50,000 versus $40,506 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,370. About 1.3% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land.

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Bagdad has a typical Arizona semi-arid climate, located on the boundary between BSh and BSk on climate maps.

Copper mine

thumb|[[Malachite-Quartz-Chrysocolla specimen from the Bagdad Mine]]

In 1882, prospectors W.J. Pace and J.M. Murphy staked a claim for gold, silver, and lead along Copper Creek. In 1883, John Lawler of Prescott, Arizona paid Pace and Murphy $200 for their claims, but were unable to make a success of it. In 1907, the Giroux Syndicate purchased an option on Lawler's claims for $200,000 (), with Edmond Bronson as president. However, the mine was still not able to earn a profit, and operations languished off and on for years. In 1944, the operation was purchased by John C. Lincoln, the builder of the Camelback Inn, who converted the mine entirely from underground operation to open-pit. In 1979, the operation was purchased by AMOCO Minerals, eventually owned by Cyprus Mines.

Transportation

Arizona State Route 96 connects Bagdad with Arizona State Route 97 and Hillside, Arizona.

References

External links

Bagdad, Arizona – official site
Community website
Community profile