Eloy, Arizona

In 1902 the Southern Pacific Railroad named its switch here Eloi, which was adapted to the Spanish spelling. A town called Cotton City was established in 1918 but the post office used the shorter Eloy in 1919.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 71.7 square miles (185.6 km²), all of it land.

As of the census[6] of 2011, there were 16,964 people, 2,492 households, and 1,988 families residing in Eloy. The population density was 144.8 people per square mile (55.9/km²). There were 2,734 housing units at an average density of 38.1 per square mile (14.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58% Hispanic or Latino, 5.32% Black or African American, 41% White, 4.48% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 31.48% from other races, and 4.71% 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. 15.5% of all households 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 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 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 age 65 or over.

The largest employer is CoreCivic and those CoreCivic prisoners are included in the census. CoreCivic operates the Eloy Detention Center (opened 1994[7]), the Red Rock Correctional Center (opened 2006[8]), the Saguaro Correctional Center (opened 2007),[9] and the La Palma Correctional Center (opened 2008[10]).

As of 2010 the CoreCivic-operated Saguaro Correctional Center,[11] located in Eloy,[12] houses the majority of Hawaii's male prison inmate population.[11]

Aerial view of the Eloy Municipal Airport, looking east

It is also home to the world's largest skydive dropzone, Skydive Arizona, and bills itself as the skydiving capital of the world.[13][14]

Historic Santa Cruz School, built in 1913

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

• Curiel Primary School (grades preschool through 2)
• Eloy Intermediate School (grades 3 through 5)
• Eloy Junior High School (grades 6 and 8)

The one high school in the town, Santa Cruz Valley Union High School, is separately administered. It has about 440 students.

• Mossy Cade – professional football player
• Levi Jones – professional football player

• List of cities and towns in Arizona

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eloy, Arizona.

• Official website
• Eloy City Limits