Tempe, Arizona
Tempe: The third most populous city in Arizona. It is located in the East Valley region of Arizona. Tempe is known for its many universities, its many parks and green spaces, and its many attractions, such as the Tempe Town Lake and the Phoenix Art Museum.
About
Tempe is a city located in the county of Maricopa in the U.S. state of Arizona. Its population at the 2010 census was 161,719. After 10 years in 2020 city had an estimated population of 200,402 inhabitants.
The city was created 146 years ago in 1878.
Tempe is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona, within the Phoenix metro area. Home to around 200,000 people, it is a major suburb of Phoenix.
History and Development
Tempe was founded in 1871 and was incorporated in 1894. It emerged as a hub for education.
Key historical facts:
- Founded in 1871 by Charles Trumbull Hayden
- Home to the first schoolhouse in the Salt River Valley in 1872
- Arizona Normal School established in 1886, now Arizona State University
- Saw major population growth as a suburb starting in 1970s
Economy and Major Industries
Major sectors include technology, healthcare, education, aerospace, and financial services. Top employers are:
- Arizona State University
- State Farm Insurance regional center
- Silicon Valley Bank operations center
- Edward Jones financial services
Attractions and Things to Do
Well-known Tempe attractions include:
- Arizona State University campus
- Mill Avenue with shops, dining, and nightlife
- Tempe Town Lake for recreation and events
- Papago Park with hiking trails and desert views
- Arizona Cardinals football at nearby State Farm Stadium
Tempe provides education, technology, amenities, and desert scenery in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Quick Facts about Tempe
| Population : | 200,402 (2020) |
| Country : | United States of America |
| State : | Arizona (United States) |
| County : | Maricopa County |
| Postal code : | 85281, 85282, 85283, 85284, 85285, 85287 |
| Phone Area Codes : | 480 |
| Water as percent of area : | 0.65% |
| Land as percent of area : | 99.35% |
| Named for : | Vale of Tempe |
| Altitude : | 1,496 feet / 456 meters |
| Establishment : | January 01, 1879 (146 years ago) |
| Time Zone : | Mountain Time Zone |
| Local time : | 14:09:49 (11th July 2025) |
| Population growth : | 19.3% (2010-2020) |
Geography
Tempe is located at 33°24'53"N 111°54'34"W (33.4147700, -111.9093100).
Tempe map
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- Official Website
Official website of Tempe
- Lower Hutt
- Regensburg (1978 )
- Skopje
- Timbuktu
- Zhenjiang
Demographics
The population of Tempe increased by 19.3% in 10 years.
| Year | Population | % Change | Method |
| 2010 | 161,719 | - | census |
| 2011 | 164,477 | 1.68% | estimation process |
| 2012 | 168,549 | 2.42% | estimation process |
| 2013 | 170,740 | 1.28% | estimation process |
| 2014 | 175,636 | 2.79% | estimation process |
| 2015 | 179,114 | 1.94% | estimation process |
| 2016 | 184,877 | 3.12% | estimation process |
| 2017 | 185,792 | 0.49% | estimation process |
| 2018 | 191,746 | 3.11% | estimation process |
| 2019 | 195,805 | 2.07% | estimation process |
| 2020 | 200,402 | 2.29% | estimation process |
Demographic Facts
| Estimated population as of July 1, 2019 : | 141,664 |
| Based on demographic estimates as of April 1, 2010 : | 117,473 |
| Based on demographic estimates as of 1 April 2010 : | 20.6% |
| April 1, 2020 Population : | 143,148 |
| April 1, 2010 Population : | 117,517 |
| People under 5 years old, percentage : | 5.6% |
| People under 18 years old, percentage : | 24.4% |
| People over 65 (%) : | 22.6% |
| Female persons, % : | 51.7% |
| White only, percent : | 84.3% |
| Black or African American alone, percent : | 6.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native only, % : | 0.3% |
| Asians alone % : | 2.8% |
| Only Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, % : | 0.1% |
| % of people who have participated in two or more races : | 2.9% |
| % of Hispanic or Latino : | 19.6% |
| White people, not Hispanic or Latino people, make up the majority of the population. : | 68.7% |
| 2015-2019 Veterans : | 12,032 |
| Percentage of foreign-born people, 2015-2019 : | 8.5% |
| Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : | 75.9% |
Tempe zip code is 85281.
County name: Maricopa, County
fips: 04013
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Economic Facts
| Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : | 75.9% |
| Owner-occupied housing unit median value, 2015-2019 : | $239,500 |
| From 2015 to 2019, the median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage : | $1,440 |
| Monthly owner costs, without a mortgage, at the median, 2015-2019 : | $426 |
| 2015-2019 median gross rent : | $1,349 |
| 2015-2019 Households : | 48,618 |
| Population per household, 2015-2019 : | 2.78 |
| Living in the same house a year ago, percentage of people aged one year and up, 2015-2019 : | 86.7% |
| Languages other than English spoken at home, as a percentage of people aged 5 and up, 2015-2019 : | 13.6% |
| Households with computers, %, 2015-2019 : | 95.6% |
| Percentage of households with a broadband Internet subscription, 2015-2019 : | 91.8% |
| Percentage of people aged 25 and up with a high school diploma or higher, 2015-2019 : | 92.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher, proportion of people aged 25 and up, 2015-2019 : | 28.6% |
| Percentage of people under the age of 65 who have a disability, 2015-2019 : | 7.2% |
| Persons under the age of 65 who do not have health insurance, as a percentage : | 8.0% |
| Total civilian labor force, percent of population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 55.5% |
| Female labor force participation in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 51.8% |
| Total sales of lodging and food services in 2012 ($1,000) : | 151,765 |
| Total receipts/revenue for health care and social assistance in 2012 ($1,000) : | 138,107 |
| Manufacturers' total shipments in 2012 ($1,000) : | 143,676 |
| 2012 total retail sales ($1,000) : | 1,137,039 |
| 2012 total retail sales per capita : | $9,375 |
| Mean commute time to work (in minutes), workers aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 30.4 |
| 2015-2019 median household income (in 2019 dollars) : | $69,076 |
| Income per capita in the previous 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 : | $30,605 |
| Percentage of people living in poverty : | 7.3% |
| Total number of businesses in 2012 : | 7,048 |
| Men-owned businesses in 2012 : | 3,471 |
| Women-owned businesses in 2012 : | 2,746 |
| Minority-owned businesses in 2012 : | 1,429 |
| Non-minority-owned businesses in 2012 : | 5,361 |
| Veteran-owned businesses in 2012 : | 935 |
| Nonveteran-owned businesses in 2012 : | 5,716 |
| 2010 population per square mile : | 1,111.3 |
| 2010 land area in square miles : | 105.75 |
| Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : | 66.2% |
| Owner-occupied housing unit median value, 2015-2019 : | $475,300 |
| From 2015 to 2019, the median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage : | $2,176 |
| Monthly owner costs, without a mortgage, at the median, 2015-2019 : | $621 |
| 2015-2019 median gross rent : | $1,365 |
| 2015-2019 Households : | 115,401 |
| Population per household, 2015-2019 : | 2.16 |
| Living in the same house a year ago, percentage of people aged one year and up, 2015-2019 : | 82.8% |
| Languages other than English spoken at home, as a percentage of people aged 5 and up, 2015-2019 : | 13.2% |
| Households with computers, %, 2015-2019 : | 96.1% |
| Percentage of households with a broadband Internet subscription, 2015-2019 : | 92.0% |
| Percentage of people aged 25 and up with a high school diploma or higher, 2015-2019 : | 96.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher, proportion of people aged 25 and up, 2015-2019 : | 58.4% |
| Percentage of people under the age of 65 who have a disability, 2015-2019 : | 5.1% |
| Persons under the age of 65 who do not have health insurance, as a percentage : | 7.4% |
| Total civilian labor force, percent of population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 62.1% |
| Female labor force participation in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 56.1% |
| Total sales of lodging and food services in 2012 ($1,000) : | 1,370,613 |
| Total receipts/revenue for health care and social assistance in 2012 ($1,000) : | 2,664,668 |
| Manufacturers' total shipments in 2012 ($1,000) : | 4,532,533 |
| 2012 total retail sales ($1,000) : | 5,848,090 |
| 2012 total retail sales per capita : | $26,164 |
| Mean commute time to work (in minutes), workers aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 22.3 |
| 2015-2019 median household income (in 2019 dollars) : | $88,213 |
| Income per capita in the previous 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 : | $62,682 |
| Percentage of people living in poverty : | 7.6% |
| Total number of businesses in 2012 : | 36,625 |
| Men-owned businesses in 2012 : | 18,724 |
| Women-owned businesses in 2012 : | 11,164 |
| Minority-owned businesses in 2012 : | 3,440 |
| Non-minority-owned businesses in 2012 : | 31,002 |
| Veteran-owned businesses in 2012 : | 3,155 |
| Nonveteran-owned businesses in 2012 : | 30,565 |
| 2010 population per square mile : | 1,182.0 |
| 2010 land area in square miles : | 183.92 |
| Residential units, July 1, 2019 : | 73,862 |
| Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : | 68.4% |
| Owner-occupied housing unit median value, 2015-2019 : | $226,000 |
| From 2015 to 2019, the median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage : | $1,467 |
| Monthly owner costs, without a mortgage, at the median, 2015-2019 : | $476 |
| 2015-2019 median gross rent : | $892 |
| Permits for construction, 2020 : | 1,397 |
| 2015-2019 Households : | 66,385 |
| Population per household, 2015-2019 : | 2.34 |
| Living in the same house a year ago, percentage of people aged one year and up, 2015-2019 : | 84.1% |
| Languages other than English spoken at home, as a percentage of people aged 5 and up, 2015-2019 : | 3.9% |
| Households with computers, %, 2015-2019 : | 91.5% |
| Percentage of households with a broadband Internet subscription, 2015-2019 : | 84.3% |
| Percentage of people aged 25 and up with a high school diploma or higher, 2015-2019 : | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher, proportion of people aged 25 and up, 2015-2019 : | 32.1% |
| Percentage of people under the age of 65 who have a disability, 2015-2019 : | 8.8% |
| Persons under the age of 65 who do not have health insurance, as a percentage : | 8.3% |
| Total civilian labor force, percent of population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 66.8% |
| Female labor force participation in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 61.9% |
| Total sales of lodging and food services in 2012 ($1,000) : | 452,246 |
| Total receipts/revenue for health care and social assistance in 2012 ($1,000) : | 1,527,576 |
| Manufacturers' total shipments in 2012 ($1,000) : | 6,880,315 |
| 2012 total retail sales ($1,000) : | 3,272,215 |
| 2012 total retail sales per capita : | $21,544 |
| Mean commute time to work (in minutes), workers aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : | 19.0 |
| 2015-2019 median household income (in 2019 dollars) : | $61,264 |
| Income per capita in the previous 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 : | $34,451 |
| Percentage of people living in poverty : | 11.3% |
| Total number of employer establishments, 2019 : | 5,649 |
| 2019 total employment : | 70,762 |
| 2019 total annual payroll ($1,000) : | 3,366,588 |
| Total employment, change in percentage terms, 2018-2019 : | 0.8% |
| 2018 total non-employer establishments : | 12,253 |
| Total number of businesses in 2012 : | 15,344 |
| Men-owned businesses in 2012 : | 7,995 |
| Women-owned businesses in 2012 : | 4,715 |
| Minority-owned businesses in 2012 : | 725 |
| Non-minority-owned businesses in 2012 : | 13,775 |
| Veteran-owned businesses in 2012 : | 1,460 |
| Nonveteran-owned businesses in 2012 : | 12,709 |
| 2010 population per square mile : | 56.2 |
| 2010 land area in square miles : | 2,633.29 |
Other Places in Tempe
1 City of Tempe City Hall
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803504311 🔗 Url
2 Tempe City Hall
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803504311 🔗 Url
3 City of Tempe Human Resources
20 E 6th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803504311 🔗 Url
4 Tempe Mayor
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803504311 🔗 Url
5 Tempe Fire Department Station No. 5
723 E Curry Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14808587200 🔗 Url
6 Tempe Economic Development
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803508028 🔗 Url
7 City of Tempe Az
900 W 9th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803504311 🔗 Url
8 Tempe City Clerk
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803508241 🔗 Url
9 Tempe City Council
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803508110 🔗 Url
10 Tempe Engineering Department
31 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States ➦ Show Map
☎ +14803508200 🔗 Url
People born in Tempe (50)
People born in Tempe, including federal politician Carl Hayden, drummer Chad Taylor, politician Robert Finch, .
List
- Sally Meyerhoff (American athletics competitor) she was born in 27/12/1983
- Sean Delaney (American musician) he was born in 08/01/1945
- Rachel Campos-Duffy (American television personality) she was born in 22/10/1971
- Madison Scott (American movie actress) she was born in 13/07/1988
- Zach Miller (American football player, tight end) he was born in 11/12/1985
- Alma Dayer LeBaron, Sr. (American Mormon leader) he was born in 15/03/1886
- Charles Daggs (American hurdler) he was born in 14/04/1901
- Danny Martinez (American martial artist) he was born in 14/06/1985
- DeAnna Robbins (actress) she was born in 07/06/1959
- Estevan Payan (American martial artist) he was born in 03/04/1982
- James Shumway (American politician) he was born in 08/07/1939
- Jason Kyle (American football player) he was born in 12/05/1972
- Jessica Makinson (American actress and comedian) she was born in 29/11/1978
- Joel Filani (American football player) he was born in 08/12/1983
- John E. Casida (American entomologist) he was born in 22/12/1929
- Jules Asner (television personality and model) she was born in 14/02/1968
- Kemper Goodwin (NRHP-listed Arizona architect) he was born in 28/04/1906
- Long Jeanne Silver (American movie film actress) she was born in 15/06/1960
Schools in Tempe
College & universities near Tempe, AZ
| Code | Name | City | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 262341 | Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences | Tempe (AZ) | 85282-1707 |
| 420246 | Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences | Tempe (AZ) | 85282 |
| 442879 | Southwest Institute of Healing Arts | Tempe (AZ) | 85282 |
| 104151 | Arizona State University-Tempe | Tempe (AZ) | 85287 |
| 475839 | Sessions College for Professional Design | Tempe (AZ) | 85281 |
Stations (4)
Amtrak & bus stations near Tempe, AZ
| Code | Name | Address | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHA | Phoenix (Airport), Arizona | 3400 East Sky Harbor Blvd. | BUS |
| PHG | Phoenix (Greyhound), Arizona | 2115 East Buckeye Road | BUS |
| PXN | Phoenix (Metro Center Transit Station), Arizona | 9617 North Metro Parkway West | BUS |
| MRC | Maricopa | 19427 N. John Wayne Parkway | RAIL |
Post offices near Tempe
| Post Office Name | City | ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| Tempe Apache Station Post Office | Tempe (AZ) | 85281 |
| Mesa Dobson Post Office | Mesa (AZ) | 85202 |
| Tempe Retail Stor Post Office | Tempe (AZ) | 85281 |
| Tem Post Office | Tempe (AZ) | 85282 |
| Scottsdal Post Office | Scottsdale (AZ) | 85257 |
Other cities in Maricopa County
Cities, towns, neighborhoods & other populated places in Maricopa County , AZ. (more)
| City Name | Population | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 1,708,127 | The fifth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Phoenix metropolitan area. |
| Mesa | 528,159 | The fourth most populous city in Arizona and the center of the Mesa metropolitan area. |
| Chandler | 265,398 | The second most populous city in Maricopa County, Arizona. |
| Scottsdale | 262,647 | The fourth most populous city in Arizona and the center of the Scottsdale metropolitan area. |
| Gilbert | 257,658 | The fifth most populous city in Arizona. |
| Glendale | 255,307 | The second most populous city in Arizona. |
| Maryvale | 208,189 | Urban village in Phoenix, Arizona, United States |
| Peoria | 179,872 | The second most populous city in Maricopa County, Arizona. |
| Tempe Junction | 158,368 | A census-designated place in Maricopa County, Arizona. |
| Surprise | 147,965 | The seventh most populous city in Arizona. |
| Goodyear | 90,622 | The most populous city in Maricopa County, Arizona. |
| Avondale | 88,914 | The most populous city in Maricopa County, Arizona. |
| Buckeye | 85,224 | Town in Maricopa County, Arizona |
| Queen Creek | 60,097 | Town in Arizona, United States |
| Sun City | 37,499 | Census designated place in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States |
| El Mirage | 36,481 | City in Arizona |
Distance to Other Cities
Tempe distances to largest Arizona cities
