Biohazard Cleanup Near Bronze Boot Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix was settled in 1867 by Jack Swilling, recognized as a town in 1868, and incorporated on February 25, 1881, with about 2,500 residents.

Phoenix was named for a new city rising from the ruins of the ancient Hohokam civilization, and it became the Arizona territorial capital in 1889 before becoming the state capital and the seat of Maricopa County.

Phoenix is the fifth most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital in the country - it is the only state capital with more than one million residents.

Phoenix had a population of 1,608,139 in the 2020 Census, and the Census Bureau estimated it at 1,665,481 in 2025.

Phoenix has about 610,442 households, averaging 2.65 persons per household, with about 57.3% of homes owner-occupied and a median household income of $81,332.

Phoenix covers about 517.9 square miles, making it the largest city in Arizona by land area.

Phoenix has a hot desert climate with about 3,872 hours of sunshine a year - more than any other major city on Earth.

Phoenix averages around 111 days a year at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, set its all-time record high of 122 degrees on June 26, 1990, and receives only about 8 inches of rain a year.

In July 2023, Phoenix became the first major U.S. city to record an average monthly temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

South Mountain Park in Phoenix covers about 16,500 acres, making it one of the largest municipal parks in the United States, and the wider Phoenix park system includes 182 parks covering more than 41,900 acres.