Gilbert, AZ

Formerly known as the Hay Capital of the World, Gilbert has left its agricultural past behind and is now one of the fastest growing towns in the United States, with its population quintupling between 1990 and 2005. Its middle-class and affluent residents live in numerous family-friendly planned communities. Gilbert enjoys a relatively low crime rate for a community of its size - about 207,000 people - and is considered the safest city in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is located in Maricopa County, which contains more than half of Arizona's total population.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Gilbert is part of the suburban region of the Phoenix area known as the East Valley. It is located 23 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix, 10 miles east of Tempe, 6 miles south of Mesa, and just east of Chandler. The town sprang up in the 1890s as a rail hub between Phoenix and Florence, on land belonging to William "Bobby" Gilbert. The town (which is designated politically as a town rather than a city) sports several subdivisions and planned communities catering to suburban families, including:

• Jake's Ranch: Located near Highway 202, this neighborhood is convenient for commuting to downtown Phoenix. It's also a short drive from the town's new mall and big-box shopping. It features primarily single-story homes, many of which have basements - an Arizona rarity and cool summer oasis. Mature trees line the streets of this carefully designed neighborhood.
• Higley Groves: Another planned community with a bucolic small town aesthetic. Most of the streets in Higley Grove are cul-de-sacs that end in parks, creating safe locations for children to play and families to gather. Neighbors report a friendly, close-knit feeling.
• Val Vista Lakes: A master-planned "water wonderland" based around a large clubhouse with athletic facilities and a series of man-made lakes, complete with sand (imported from San Diego). Located in the northern section of Gilbert near Highway 60 (Superstition Freeway), it makes a fast commute to a variety of areas.
• Agritopia: An unusual community built on a farm owned by a single family, the Johnstons. One-fifth of the land is still devoted to organic gardens, orchards, and pastures, with the rest devoted to residential, social, and commercial activity. The homes are unique and bursting with character, showcasing Agritopia's effort to provide an alternative to the homogeneous model of suburbia.

There is still farming, ranching, and rural property in the vicinity of Gilbert, especially in the south and east, but with the town's rapid growth, suburban sprawl is swiftly encroaching on the remaining open spaces.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Median income in Gilbert is well above, and unemployment well below, the national and Arizona averages. Primarily a bedroom community, Gilbert is home mostly to people who work in downtown Phoenix and throughout the area. Gilbert's largest employers include:

• Local government
• Gilbert Unified School District
• Wal-Mart and Target
• Banner Health Care (Gateway Hospital and Home Health)
• Mercy Gilbert Medical Center
• General Dynamics, an Arizona-based military contractor specializing in "C4" (command, control, communications, and computer systems)

FAMILY FUN

Among the things for families to see and do in Gilbert are:

• The Heritage District, where the town of Gilbert originated and still a vital community center, with historic buildings and enjoyable shops and restaurants.
• Hale Centre Theatre, located in the Heritage District, one of a small chain of venues that calls itself "the longest continuously running, privately owned and operated theater company in America."
• Gilbert Town Square, an outdoor site with shops, restaurants, gathering spots, and a multiplex stadium cinema.
• Gilbert Historical Museum, housed in what was once the town school.
• Freestone Park and Recreation Center, Gilbert's most popular park, with athletic facilities, a skate park, playgrounds, and an amphitheatre.
• Riparian Preserve, a wildlife sanctuary and a haven for the region's bird population, located at a water recycling facility called Water Ranch.

EVENTS

Gilbert hosts many holiday festivities and annual festivals, including:

• Gilbert Spring Fair and Expo
• Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration
• Gilbert Days, a major celebration every November that includes a parade, a five-kilometer run, and a rodeo
• Holiday Nights of Lights

EDUCATION

Gilbert's school system has a sterling reputation, and its high schools have a graduation rate above 98 percent. Institutions of higher learning in the area include:

• Arizona State University Polytechnic (technically in Mesa, right near Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport)
• Chandler-Gilbert Community College, in nearby Chandler
• Maricopa Community College (campuses in Tempe, Mesa, Phoenix, and Scottsdale)
• Northern Arizona University East Valley Campus, in Mesa

LOCAL MEDIA

Gilbert gets its media from Phoenix, designated as the country's 12th largest media market. Two daily newspapers serve the area: the Phoenix-based Arizona Republic, one of the nation's ten largest papers in circulation, and the East Valley Tribune, whose headquarters are in Mesa.