Mohave County, Arizona
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is one of 15 counties in the state and had a population of 213,267 as of the 2020 census. The main city, called the county seat, is Kingman, while the largest city is Lake Havasu City.
Mohave County is the fifth largest county in the United States when measuring by area. It includes parts of important natural areas such as Grand Canyon National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and all of the Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument. The county also contains the Kaibab, Fort Mojave, and Hualapai Indian Reservations.
History
Mohave County was one of the first four counties created in Arizona. It started with a large area of land, but parts of it were later given to Nevada. The county's borders we fixed in 1881. Over time, the place where leaders meet has changed five times, and now it is Kingman. The county is also home to a community in Colorado City.
Geography
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of Arizona. It is the second-largest county in the state and the fifth-largest in the contiguous United States, covering a total area of 13,461 square miles (34,860 km2).
The county is split into two parts by the Grand Canyon, with no direct land connection between them. The smaller northern part borders Utah and Nevada, while the larger southern part borders Nevada and California. The southern part includes the county seat, Kingman, and other cities, as well as part of the Mojave Desert.
The county shares borders with several other counties, forming a large block of land outside of Alaska. It also includes parts of several national protected areas, such as the Grand Canyon National Park and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
2020 census
According to the 2020 census, Mohave County had a population of 213,267 people. About 16.8% of the residents were younger than 18, and 31.0% were 65 or older. The median age was 53.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.5 males.
The racial makeup was 79.6% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.9% from some other race, and 9.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents made up 16.0% of the population.
2010 census
The 2010 census reported 200,186 people living in the county. The racial makeup was 86.9% White, 2.2% American Indian, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.0% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents were 14.8% of the population.
2000 census
In the year 2000, the county had a population of 155,032 people. The racial makeup was 90.1% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 2.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.0% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents made up 11.1% of the population.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 179 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,190 | 564.8% | |
| 1890 | 1,444 | 21.3% | |
| 1900 | 3,426 | 137.3% | |
| 1910 | 3,773 | 10.1% | |
| 1920 | 5,259 | 39.4% | |
| 1930 | 5,572 | 6.0% | |
| 1940 | 8,591 | 54.2% | |
| 1950 | 8,510 | −0.9% | |
| 1960 | 7,736 | −9.1% | |
| 1970 | 25,857 | 234.2% | |
| 1980 | 55,865 | 116.1% | |
| 1990 | 93,497 | 67.4% | |
| 2000 | 155,032 | 65.8% | |
| 2010 | 200,186 | 29.1% | |
| 2020 | 213,267 | 6.5% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 228,102 | | 7.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 | |||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | 2020 | 2010 | 2000 | 1990 | 1980 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 75.1% (160,165) | 79.6% (159,378) | 84% (130,283) | 91.8% (85,808) | 92.9% (51,876) |
| Black alone (NH) | 1% (2,063) | 0.9% (1,715) | 0.5% (787) | 0.3% (291) | 0.1% (68) |
| American Indian alone (NH) | 1.9% (4,053) | 1.9% (3,793) | 2.1% (3,238) | 2.1% (1,919) | 2.8% (1,561) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1.2% (2,600) | 1% (2,016) | 0.7% (1,118) | 0.5% (514) | 0.3% (195) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0.2% (365) | 0.2% (316) | 0.1% (151) | ||
| Other race alone (NH) | 0.3% (690) | 0.1% (145) | 0.1% (128) | 0% (46) | 0.1% (30) |
| Multiracial (NH) | 4.3% (9,205) | 1.6% (3,254) | 1.4% (2,145) | — | — |
| Hispanic/Latino (any race) | 16% (34,126) | 14.8% (29,569) | 11.1% (17,182) | 5.3% (4,919) | 3.8% (2,135) |
Politics, government, and infrastructure
Mohave County in Arizona has voted for Republican presidential candidates since 2008. In 2024, the county strongly supported Donald Trump, who received 77.4% of the vote. No Democratic presidential candidate has won the county since 1964 when Lyndon Johnson narrowly won by just 152 votes.
The county’s main government building is in downtown Kingman at 700 West Beale Street. Nearby is the historic Mohave County Superior Courthouse, built in 1915 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The county jail is also close by at 501 S. Highway 66. There is a state prison operated by a private company near Kingman and Golden Valley.
Education
Mohave County has many schools to help children learn. There are several unified school districts that cover both elementary and high school levels, such as Kingman Unified School District and Lake Havasu Unified School District. There are also special high school districts and many elementary school districts spread across the county.
For older students, there are colleges like Mohave Community College. The county also has public libraries with many branches where people can read and study. Some libraries are open many hours each week, while others have shorter hours.
Transportation
Major highways
Airports
Mohave County has several airports for public use, including:
- Bullhead City – Eagle Airpark (A09)
- Bullhead City – Laughlin-Bullhead International Airport (IFP)
- Bullhead City – Sun Valley Airport (A20)
- Colorado City – Colorado City Municipal Airport (AZC)
- Kingman – Kingman Airport (IGM)
- Lake Havasu City – Lake Havasu City Airport (HII)
- Meadview – Pearce Ferry Airport (L25)
- Peach Springs – Grand Canyon West Airport (1G4)
- Temple Bar – Temple Bar Airport (U30)
Communities
Cities
- Bullhead City
- Kingman (county seat)
- Lake Havasu City
Town
Census-designated places
- Antares
- Arizona Village
- Beaver Dam
- Cane Beds
- Centennial Park
- Chloride
- Clacks Canyon
- Crozier
- Crystal Beach
- Desert Hills
- Dolan Springs
- Fort Mohave
- Golden Shores
- Golden Valley
- Grand Canyon West
- Hackberry
- Kaibab
- Katherine
- Lazy Y U
- Littlefield
- McConnico
- Meadview
- Mesquite Creek
- Moccasin
- Mohave Valley
- Mojave Ranch Estates
- New Kingman-Butler
- Oatman
- Peach Springs
- Pine Lake
- Pinion Pines
- Scenic
- So-Hi
- Topock
- Truxton
- Valentine
- Valle Vista
- Walnut Creek
- White Hills
- Wikieup
- Willow Valley
- Yucca
Ghost towns
- Alamo Crossing
- Aubrey Landing
- Camp Beale Springs
- Cedar
- Cerbat
- Cottonia
- Cyclopic
- Fort Mohave
- Frisco
- Germa
- Golconda
- Gold Basin
- Goldflat
- Goldroad
- Grand Gulch
- Grasshopper Junction
- Greenwood City
- Hardyville
- Henning
- Lincolnia
- Liverpool Landing
- Lost Basin
- Macnab
- McCracken
- Mellen
- Mineral City
- Mineral Park
- Mockingbird
- Mohave City
- Mount Trumbull
- Nothing
- Old Trails
- Pearce Ferry
- Polhamus Landing
- Powell
- Pyramid
- Sandy
- Santa Claus
- Signal
- Snowball
- Stockton
- Tuweep
- Virginia City
- Vivian
- Willow Ranch
- Wolf Hole
Indian communities
County population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Mohave County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Population (2010 Census) | Municipal type | Incorporated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Havasu City | 52,527 | City | 1978 |
| 2 | Bullhead City | 39,540 | City | 1984 |
| 3 | † Kingman | 28,068 | City | 1952 |
| 4 | Fort Mohave | 14,364 | CDP | |
| 5 | New Kingman-Butler | 12,134 | CDP | |
| 6 | Golden Valley | 8,370 | CDP | |
| 7 | Colorado City | 4,821 | Town | 1913 (founded) |
| 8 | Mohave Valley | 2,616 | CDP | |
| 9 | Desert Hills | 2,245 | CDP | |
| 10 | Golden Shores | 2,047 | CDP | |
| 11 | Dolan Springs | 2,033 | CDP | |
| 12 | Beaver Dam | 1,962 | CDP | |
| 13 | Valle Vista | 1,659 | CDP | |
| 14 | Scenic | 1,643 | CDP | |
| 15 | Centennial Park | 1,264 | CDP | |
| 16 | Meadview | 1,224 | CDP | |
| 17 | Peach Springs | 1,090 | CDP | |
| 18 | Willow Valley | 1,062 | CDP | |
| 19 | Arizona Village | 946 | CDP | |
| 20 | Walnut Creek | 562 | CDP | |
| 21 | So-Hi | 477 | CDP | |
| 22 | Cane Beds | 448 | CDP | |
| 23 | Lazy Y U | 428 | CDP | |
| 24 | Mesquite Creek | 416 | CDP | |
| 25 | White Hills | 323 | CDP | |
| 26 | Littlefield | 308 | CDP | |
| 27 | Crystal Beach | 279 | CDP | |
| 28 | Chloride | 271 | CDP | |
| 29 | Pinion Pines | 186 | CDP | |
| 30 | Clacks Canyon | 173 | CDP | |
| 31 | Pine Lake | 138 | CDP | |
| 32 | Oatman | 135 | CDP | |
| 33 | Truxton | 134 | CDP | |
| 34 | Wikieup | 133 | CDP | |
| t-35 | Antares | 126 | CDP | |
| t-35 | Yucca | 126 | CDP | |
| 36 | Kaibab (partially in Coconino County) | 124 | CDP | |
| 37 | Katherine | 103 | CDP | |
| 38 | Moccasin | 89 | CDP | |
| 39 | McConnico | 70 | CDP | |
| 40 | Hackberry | 68 | CDP | |
| 41 | Mojave Ranch Estates | 52 | CDP | |
| 42 | Valentine | 38 | CDP | |
| 43 | Crozier | 14 | CDP | |
| 44 | Topock | 10 | CDP | |
| 45 | Grand Canyon West | 2 | CDP |
Economy
Mining
One of the important places in Mohave County is the Artillery Peak mine. It plays a part in the area's work and resources.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Mohave County, Arizona, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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