Somerton is a city in Yuma County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, Somerton had a population of 14,197. It is part of the Yuma metropolitan area.

Somerton was established in 1898 and incorporated in 1918. Somerton's economy is based on agriculture, medical services, and tourism.

Geography

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

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Somerton had a population of 14,197. The median age was 29.8 years. 33.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 9.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.7 males age 18 and over.

97.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,960 households in Somerton, of which 57.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.3% were married-couple households, 13.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 11.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Somerton High School is the zoned high school. It opened August 2023.

PPEP TEC High Schools's José Yepez Learning Center is located in Somerton. Arizona Western College also offer courses at the Somerton Middle School campus.

Events

Somerton has an annual Tamale Festival that benefits students from the area who will be attending Arizona State University. More than 20,000 visitors attend the festival each year. The festival is put together by The El Diablito Arizona State University (ASU) Alumni chapter. The chapter was established by ASU graduates who have returned to work and live in the Yuma/Somerton/San Luis areas.

Transportation

Somerton is served by Yuma County Area Transit, which connects with Greyhound in Yuma.

The town was used for the 2013 film The Last Stand, although no filming took place in the town itself.

Images of Somerton

<gallery class="center" widths="180px">

File:Somerton City Hall.jpg|Somerton City Hall

File:Somerton Tamale Festival.jpg|Somerton Tamale Festival

File: Somerton-Downtown Somerton-1.jpg|Downtown Somerton

File:Somerton-Baptist Church-1900-1.jpg|Abandoned Baptist Church built in 1900

File:Somerton-Inmaculado Corazon de Maria Church-1954-2.jpg|Inmaculado Corazón de María Church before it was repainted in 2023

File:Somerton-Inmaculado Corazon de Maria Church-1954-1.jpg|Inmaculado Corazón de María Church marker

File:City of Somerton, Arizona flag.svg|Former flag of Somerton, Arizona, which was used until 2020.

</gallery>

References

  • Somerton photo gallery at Flickr
  • Somerton Named NerdWallet's 5th City on the Rise in Arizona