Youngtown, Arizona

In 1954, two developers bought {{convert|320|acre|km2}} of farmland and built the United States' first planned community dedicated exclusively to retirees. Designed by Ben Schleifer, who also had the idea of an active retirement community, the community was ironically named Youngtown.{{Cite web |last=Verstegen |first=Dominic |title=Top 5 names for Phoenix-area cities — and Ahwatukee didn't make the list |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/contributor/2015/12/03/top-5-names-phoenix-area-cities-and-ahwatukee-didnt-make-list/76717156/ |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mark |first=Jay |title=Mesa history: Senior communities emerge in the desert |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa-history/2016/09/22/mesa-history-senior-communities-emerge-desert/90389368/ |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}} Frances Greer who owned the ranch that the development was built on. In 1955, 125 homes were built, with about 85 other lots sold.{{Cite web |title=Historical Museum |url=https://www.youngtownaz.org/our_services/youngtown_public_library/historical_museum |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=www.youngtownaz.org |language=en-US}}

Two years later, in 1957, Youngtown was featured in an episode of Wide Wide World. This put national attention on the area. As a result, more people began moving in, sparking a new movement for the community.

In 1959, West Valley agriculturalist Jim Boswell II withheld land from Del Webb when selling land to build Sun City. The land between Alabama and Grand avenues and west of 111th Avenue, was saved specifically to allow Youngtown to have space for further expansion.{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2021 |title=Signs of the past: Youngtown came first - Daily Independent |url=https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/signs-of-the-past-youngtown-came-first,248542 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=The Daily Independent at YourValley.net |language=en}} A year later in 1960, on January 1, Sun City opened just east of the development. That same year, the town of Youngtown was incorporated and the country’s first AARP Chapter was established in the town.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://suncityaz.org/discover/history/ |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=Sun City, Arizona - The Original Fun City! |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=AARP Chapter 1 |url=https://www.youngtownaz.org/our_community/clubs_organizations/aarp_chapter_1 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=www.youngtownaz.org |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=May 17, 2022 |title=AARP Historic Chapter #1 returns to in-person meetings after two years - Daily Independent |url=https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/aarp-historic-chapter-1-returns-to-in-person-meetings-after-two-years,303025 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=The Daily Independent at YourValley.net |language=en}}

In 1996, the town, citing its age restrictions, denied extending the stay of a 16-year-old child to live in the community. In response, Arizona attorney general Grant Woods investigated and determined that the age ordinance was unenforceable. In response, Youngtown repealed the age restrictions in 1999.{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1080/10835547.2004.12091141| issn = 0896-5803| volume = 26| issue = 3| pages = 255–276| last1 = Guntermann| first1 = Karl| last2 = Thomas| first2 = Gareth| title = Loss of Age-Restricted Status and Property Values: Youngtown Arizona| journal = Journal of Real Estate Research| accessdate = November 11, 2021| date = January 1, 2004| url = https://doi.org/10.1080/10835547.2004.12091141}}

Youngtown is located on the east bank of the Agua Fria River, just south of US 60. It is bordered on the west by El Mirage, on the south by Glendale, and on the east by the much larger retirement community of Sun City. Youngtown is {{convert|18|mi}} northwest of downtown Phoenix.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|1.5|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.006|sqmi|3}}, or 0.40%, are water.

{{weather box|single line=yes|collapsed=yes|precipitation colour=green|width=auto|location=Youngtown, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1964–present

|Jan record high F = 87

|Feb record high F = 89

|Mar record high F = 98

|Apr record high F = 104

|May record high F = 113

|Jun record high F = 122

|Jul record high F = 122

|Aug record high F = 116

|Sep record high F = 114

|Oct record high F = 108

|Nov record high F = 95

|Dec record high F = 84

|year record high F=

|Jan avg record high F = 77.8

|Feb avg record high F = 81.0

|Mar avg record high F = 89.8

|Apr avg record high F = 98.5

|May avg record high F = 105.3

|Jun avg record high F = 112.2

|Jul avg record high F = 114.4

|Aug avg record high F = 112.8

|Sep avg record high F = 108.4

|Oct avg record high F = 99.9

|Nov avg record high F = 87.6

|Dec avg record high F = 76.2

|year avg record high F = 115.5

|Jan high F = 65.4

|Feb high F = 68.9

|Mar high F = 76.5

|Apr high F = 84.1

|May high F = 92.9

|Jun high F = 102.2

|Jul high F = 104.9

|Aug high F = 103.6

|Sep high F = 98.4

|Oct high F = 87.0

|Nov high F = 73.9

|Dec high F = 63.8

|year high F= 85.1

|Jan mean F = 53.3

|Feb mean F = 56.4

|Mar mean F = 62.7

|Apr mean F = 69.5

|May mean F = 78.3

|Jun mean F = 87.2

|Jul mean F = 92.3

|Aug mean F = 91.4

|Sep mean F = 85.4

|Oct mean F = 73.2

|Nov mean F = 60.8

|Dec mean F = 52.0

|year mean F= 71.9

|Jan low F = 41.1

|Feb low F = 43.8

|Mar low F = 48.9

|Apr low F = 54.8

|May low F = 63.6

|Jun low F = 72.2

|Jul low F = 79.7

|Aug low F = 79.2

|Sep low F = 72.5

|Oct low F = 59.5

|Nov low F = 47.7

|Dec low F = 40.2

|year low F= 58.6

|Jan avg record low F = 32.1

|Feb avg record low F = 35.5

|Mar avg record low F = 40.4

|Apr avg record low F = 46.1

|May avg record low F = 53.9

|Jun avg record low F = 64.0

|Jul avg record low F = 71.5

|Aug avg record low F = 71.4

|Sep avg record low F = 63.1

|Oct avg record low F = 49.3

|Nov avg record low F = 37.4

|Dec avg record low F = 30.8

|year avg record low F = 29.4

|Jan record low F = 20

|Feb record low F = 24

|Mar record low F = 24

|Apr record low F = 32

|May record low F = 38

|Jun record low F = 51

|Jul record low F = 62

|Aug record low F = 54

|Sep record low F = 48

|Oct record low F = 35

|Nov record low F = 28

|Dec record low F = 21

|year record low F=

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.98

|Feb precipitation inch = 1.25

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.03

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.29

|May precipitation inch = 0.11

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.03

|Jul precipitation inch = 0.84

|Aug precipitation inch = 0.97

|Sep precipitation inch = 0.74

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.59

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.61

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.90

|year precipitation inch= 8.34

|Jan precipitation days = 3.5

|Feb precipitation days = 4.0

|Mar precipitation days = 3.5

|Apr precipitation days = 1.5

|May precipitation days = 1.0

|Jun precipitation days = 0.4

|Jul precipitation days = 2.9

|Aug precipitation days = 3.7

|Sep precipitation days = 2.4

|Oct precipitation days = 2.2

|Nov precipitation days = 1.9

|Dec precipitation days = 3.8

|year precipitation days= 30.8

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=psr|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data|publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date = November 19, 2022}}{{cite web|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00029634&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020|publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date = November 19, 2022}}

}}

{{US Census population

| align = left

| 1970 = 1886

| 1980 = 2254

| 1990 = 2542

| 2000 = 3010

| 2010 = 6156

| 2020 = 7056

| estyear = 2022

| estimate = 7007

| estref = {{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022 |accessdate=April 14, 2024}}

| 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}}

}}

At the 2000 census, there were 3,010 people, 1,641 households, and 746 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,296.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,783 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,360.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 88.90% White, 1.36% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 7.24% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 12.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,641 households, 7.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.5% were non-families. 50.3% of households were one person and 36.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.74 and the average family size was 2.48.

The age distribution was 9.9% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 12.8% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 50.4% 65 or older. The median age was 65 years. For every 100 females, there were 70.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 66.6 males.

The median household income was $23,164 and the median family income was $29,329. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,749. About 9.6% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.1% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers in the city of Youngtown as of 2022.{{Cite web |title=Business, Jobs, and Industry Explorer |url=https://azmag.gov/Programs/Maps-and-Data/Employment/Business-Jobs-and-Industry-Explorer |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=azmag.gov}}

Youngtown is served by the Peoria Unified School District and the Dysart Unified School District.https://maricopa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e28b1463fcb84242ab5338b5a97d71b2

Youngtown is a member of Valley Metro, the regional transportation agency. Valley Metro Bus route 106 serves the east border of Youngtown on 111th Avenue.{{Cite web| title = Maps & Schedules| work = Valley Metro| accessdate = November 11, 2021| date = August 14, 2017| url = https://www.valleymetro.org/maps-schedules}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Portal|Arizona}}

• {{Official|www.youngtownaz.org}}
• [http://www.aguafriaranchhoa.com Agua Fria Ranch]
• [https://www.visitarizona.com/cities/phoenix-and-central/youngtown/ Youngtown on Visit Arizona]

{{Maricopa County, Arizona}}

{{Phoenix Metropolitan Area}}

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Category:Planned communities in Arizona

Category:Phoenix metropolitan area

Category:Retirement communities in the United States

Category:Towns in Maricopa County, Arizona