Eloy, Arizona

In 1880, as tracks were being laid for the Southern Pacific Railroad's Sunset Route, a small number of boxcars were used as a camp for railroad workers. It was discovered that cotton could be grown in the area's climate. In 1902, the Southern Pacific Railroad named the area train stop Eloy, an acronym for "East Line Of Yuma". Alternately, there is a legend that the area was initially called "Eloi", after a railroad employee looked around at the barren desert and said, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (Aramaic and Hebrew for "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"). A town called Cotton City was established in 1918. In 1919, the newly established post office rejected that name in favor of Eloy. As part of Pinal County, the city incorporated in 1949.{{Cite gnis|id=4421|name=Feature Detail Report for: Eloy}}{{cite web |title=Eloy |url=https://www.pinalcountyaz.gov/Visitors/Pages/Eloy.aspx |website=pinalcountyaz.gov |access-date=March 23, 2021 |archive-date=July 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725030303/https://www.pinalcountyaz.gov/Visitors/Pages/Eloy.aspx |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Caela |title=How did Eloy get its name? |url=https://www.pinalcentral.com/eloy_enterprise/news/how-did-eloy-get-its-name/article_94f0f4f2-e857-5f2e-ae7c-740f4cdceb70.html |access-date=March 23, 2021 |work=The Eloy Enterprise |date=October 31, 2017}}

Eloy has a total area of 113.7 square miles (294.5 km{{sup|2}}), all land.{{cite web |title=About Eloy |url=https://eloyaz.gov/280/About-Eloy |website=eloyaz.gov |access-date=March 22, 2021}}

{{US Census population

|align=left

|1950= 3580

|1960= 4899

|1970= 5381

|1980= 6240

|1990= 7211

|2000= 10375

|2010= 16631

|2020= 15635

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}

}}

As of the 2011 census,{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} there were 16,964 people, 2,492 households, and 1,988 families residing in Eloy. The population density was {{convert|144.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,734 housing units at an average density of {{convert|38.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 58% Hispanic or Latino, 5% Black or African American, 41% White, 4% Native American, 1% Asian, <1% Pacific Islander, 31% from other races, and 5% from two or more races.

There were 2,492 households, out of which 50.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 21.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. Of all households, 15.5% were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 3.94.

In the city, the population was spread out with 33.7% under the age of 18, 12.0% from the ages of 18 to 24, 32.5% from the ages of 25 to 44, 15.4% from the ages of 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 137.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 154.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,518, and the median income for a family was $28,494. Males had a median income of $25,295 versus $21,088 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,194. About 27.9% of families and 31.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.6% of those under age 18 and 24.6% of those aged 65 or over.

The mayor of Eloy is Micah Powell whose term runs from 2020 to 2022. He was previously vice mayor for three terms, starting in 2014. The vice mayor is Sara Curtis whose term is from 2018 to 2022. The city council consists of the mayor, who serves a two-year term, and six city council members, who each serve four-year terms.{{cite web |title=City Council |url=https://eloyaz.gov/141/City-Council |website=eloyaz.gov |access-date=March 24, 2021}}

The largest employer is CoreCivic and CoreCivic prisoners are included in the census. CoreCivic operates four facilities: Eloy Detention Center (opened 1994),{{Cite web |url=https://www.cca.com/facilities/eloy-detention-center |title=Eloy Detention |access-date=September 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110033907/http://www.cca.com/facilities/eloy-detention-center |archive-date=November 10, 2015 |url-status=dead }} Red Rock Correctional Center (opened 2006),[http://www.cca.com/facilities/red-rock-correctional-center Red Rock Correctional Center] Saguaro Correctional Center (opened 2007),[http://www.cca.com/facilities/saguaro-correctional-center Saguaro Correctional Center] and La Palma Correctional Facility (opened 2008).[http://www.cca.com/facilities/la-palma-correctional-center La Palma Correctional Center] As of 2020, CoreCivic's correctional centers house detainees from states including Hawaii, Nevada, Idaho, and Kansas.{{cite web |last=Brady |first=Kat |url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorials/20100618_Using_private_prisons_costs_more_than_it_seems.html |title=Using private prisons costs more than it seems (editorial) |publisher=Honolulu Star Advertiser |date=June 18, 2010 |access-date=September 29, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.correctionscorp.com/facility/saguaro-correctional-center/ |title=Saguaro Correctional Center |publisher=Correctionscorp.com |access-date=September 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925113700/http://correctionscorp.com/facility/saguaro-correctional-center/ |archive-date=September 25, 2010 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Dayton |first1=Kevin |title=Has Saguaro Prison Failed To Protect Hawaii Inmates From COVID-19? |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/11/has-saguaro-prison-failed-to-protect-hawaii-inmates-from-covid-19/ |access-date=March 30, 2021 |work=Honolulu Civil Beat |date=November 19, 2020}}

Image:Eloy-municipal-airport-aerial-view.jpg, looking east]]

According to Eloy's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:[https://eloyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7803/Year-End-Financial-Statements-2023 City of Eloy ACFR] For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, p. 148.

The closest major airports to Eloy are Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Tucson International Airport. Casa Grande Shuttle provides an airport shuttle to Sky Harbor.{{Cite web| title = Our Rates and Van Schedule {{!}} Casa Grande Shuttle| accessdate = November 10, 2021| url = https://casagrandeshuttle.com/our-rates-and-schedule/}}

The Eloy Municipal Airport is a non-towered airport located in Eloy.{{cite web |title=Airports |url=https://www.eloyaz.gov/290/Airports |website=eloyaz.gov |access-date=April 1, 2021 |archive-date=March 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305073407/https://www.eloyaz.gov/290/Airports |url-status=dead }}

Greyhound serves Eloy.

Eloy is home to the world's largest skydive drop zone,{{cite news |last1=Clinch |first1=Tanner |title=Eloy parachute business to service skydivers |url=https://www.pinalcentral.com/arizona_city_independent/news/eloy-parachute-business-to-service-skydivers/article_3e51dd40-9002-11e6-b7d1-9f81f3e35f56.html |access-date=March 30, 2021 |work=Arizona City Independent |date=October 12, 2016}} operated by Skydive Arizona, and bills itself as the skydiving capital of the world.{{cite web |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/woman-killed-in-arizona-skydiving-accident-amid-world-record-attempt-1.1760253 |publisher=CTV News |title=Woman killed in Arizona skydiving accident amid world record attempt |date=April 3, 2014 |first=Brian |last=Skoloff |access-date=January 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118042225/http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/woman-killed-in-arizona-skydiving-accident-amid-world-record-attempt-1.1760253 |archive-date=January 18, 2017 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/skydiver-falls-death-attempting-world-record-article-1.1744907 |work=New York Daily News |title=Skydiver falls to death while attempting to break world record for largest skydive in Arizona |date=April 3, 2014 |access-date=January 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044659/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/skydiver-falls-death-attempting-world-record-article-1.1744907 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }} Two parachute manufacturers are based in Eloy, including Firebird USA and Sun Path Products.{{cite news |title=Firebird Changes Ownership |url=https://uspa.org/p/Article/firebird-changes-ownership |access-date=March 30, 2021 |work=USPA |date=June 1, 2018}}

The city is home to the Robson Ranch Golf Club with an 18-hole, par-72 golf course.{{cite news |last1=Melendez |first1=Jarrett |title=Things to Do in Eloy, Arizona |url=https://traveltips.usatoday.com/things-eloy-arizona-54094.html |access-date=April 1, 2021 |work=USA Today |date=March 14, 2018}} The Casa Grande Valley Historical Society & Museum was founded in 1964 and holds a collection of more than 50,000 artifacts. Picacho Peak State Park is located 10 miles southeast of Eloy. It is the site of the only Civil War battle in Arizona; the battle is re-enacted annually.

File:Eloy-Santa Cruz School -1913.jpg

The Eloy Elementary School District provides elementary education in grades kindergarten through 8th grade through its four schools:

• Curiel Primary School (grades kindergarten through 3th){{cite web |title=Curiel Primary School |url=https://www.eloyesd.org/Curiel-Primary-School |website=eloyesd.org |access-date=April 5, 2021}}
• Eloy Intermediate School (grades 4th through 6th){{cite web |title=Eloy Intermediate School |url=https://www.eloyesd.org/Eloy-Intermediate-School |website=eloyesd.org |access-date=April 5, 2021}}
• Eloy Junior High School (grades 7th and 8th){{cite web |title=Eloy Junior High School |url=https://www.eloyesd.org/Eloy-Junior-High-School |website=eloyesd.org |access-date=April 5, 2021}}
• Toltec Elementary School (grades 4th through 8th)

Eloy has one public high school, Santa Cruz Valley Union High School, and some residents attend the nearby Casa Grande Union High School.

• Mossy Cade – former professional football player
• Anna Maria Chávez – former CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA
• Levi Jones – former professional football player
• Art Malone – former professional football player
• Benny Malone – former professional football player
• Ricky Nelson – former professional baseball player
• Paul Powell – former professional baseball player
• Jeff Provenzano – professional skydiver
• Dominic Evans – musician

{{reflist|22em}}

{{commons category|Eloy, Arizona}}

{{wikivoyage}}

• {{official website|http://www.eloyaz.gov/ }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090530184109/http://www.eloyaz.org/PDF/PZ/ELOY_CITY_LIMITS.pdf Eloy City Limits]

{{Pinal County, Arizona}}

{{Phoenix Metropolitan Area}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Arizona

Category:Cities in Pinal County, Arizona

Category:Phoenix metropolitan area