Moving to Superior, Arizona

Superior, Arizona, is a small town located in the heart of Pinal County. It is about 40 miles east of Phoenix and sits at an elevation of about 2,000 feet. The town has a population of just over 3,000 people and covers 4.2 square miles.

The area around Superior was first settled in the late 1800s after silver was discovered in the nearby Silver King Mine. The mine operated from 1875 to 1915 and drew miners from all over the country who came to work for their fortunes. The town was officially founded in 1902 and named after the mine’s owner, William E. Superior.

The town grew rapidly during its early days as a mining hub and soon became known for its lively saloons and gambling halls that attracted many visitors from all over Arizona and beyond. In 1916, construction began on a dam that would eventually become Roosevelt Dam which provided water to much of Phoenix until 1980 when it was replaced by other dams along the Salt River chain.

Today, Superior is known as an outdoor recreational destination due to its proximity to several popular state parks including Tonto National Forest and Apache Lake State Park. These areas offer plenty of opportunities for fishing, boating, camping, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding and more.

The town also hosts several festivals throughout the year including the annual Bluegrass Festival which features bluegrass music acts from around Arizona as well as local food vendors selling traditional dishes like tamales or chili-covered hot dogs. There’s also an annual rodeo held each summer that draws visitors from all over Pinal County for two days of bull riding competitions and live music performances on two stages set up along Main Street downtown.

Superior is home to several historic sites such as the historic Globe Hotel which opened in 1910 as a stopover for travelers passing through on their way to Phoenix or Tucson while others flocked here in search of their fortunes during its days as a mining hub during the early 1900s or later when copper production began taking off with Phelps Dodge Corporation’s Ray Mine opening nearby in 1916—the same year Roosevelt Dam was completed just outside town limits.

Overall, Superior is an interesting place full of history with plenty to do outdoors while still providing easy access to nearby cities like Phoenix or Tucson if you need some urban amenities or attractions not found within city limits itself—making this small desert oasis an ideal destination for anyone looking for a unique getaway close enough yet far enough away from it all.

Population: 3,254. Estimated population in July 2024: 3,158 (-3.0% change)
Males: 1,622 (49.8%), Females: 1,632 (50.2%)

Pinal County

Zip code: 85273

Demographics

Median resident age: 39.2 years
Median household income: $27,069
Median house value: $46,900

Population by Race

Races in Superior:

• Hispanic (69.1%)
• White Non-Hispanic (28.9%)
• Other race (23.0%)
• American Indian (2.1%)
• Two or more races (1.8%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: United States (4.9%), German (4.4%), Irish (3.4%), English (3.2%).

Elevation: 2843 feet

Land area: 1.9 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Superior

• High school or higher: 71.0%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 7.0%
• Graduate or professional degree: 2.8%
• Unemployed: 15.4%
• Mean travel time to work: 31.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Superior town

• Never married: 27.3%
• Now married: 51.4%
• Separated: 1.7%
• Widowed: 7.4%
• Divorced: 12.2%

5.3% Foreign born (4.5% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: -248 (-7.1%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Superior:

• COBRE VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 30 miles; GLOBE, AZ)
• LUTHERAN HEART HOSPITAL (about 44 miles; MESA, AZ)
• VALLEY LUTHERAN HOSPITAL (about 44 miles; MESA, AZ)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Superior:

• WILLIAMS GATEWAY (about 38 miles; PHOENIX, AZ; Abbreviation: IWA)
• PINAL AIRPARK (about 57 miles; MARANA, AZ; Abbreviation: MZJ)
• PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL (about 63 miles; PHOENIX, AZ; Abbreviation: PHX)

Other public-use airports nearest to Superior:

• SUPERIOR MUNI (about 2 miles; SUPERIOR, AZ; Abbreviation: E81)
• KEARNY (about 23 miles; KEARNY, AZ; Abbreviation: E67)
• SAN CARLOS APACHE (about 31 miles; GLOBE, AZ; Abbreviation: P13)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Superior:

• CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE (about 37 miles; COOLIDGE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,333)
• CHANDLER/GILBERT COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 51 miles; CHANDLER, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,990)
• SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 53 miles; SCOTTSDALE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 5,345)
• MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 54 miles; MESA, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 11,928)
• RIO SALADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 58 miles; TEMPE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 4,472)
• AL COLLINS GRAPHIC DESIGN SCHOOL LTD (about 58 miles; TEMPE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 4,057)
• ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-MAIN CAMPUS (about 59 miles; TEMPE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 37,174)

Schools

Public high schools in Superior:

• SUPERIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 159; Location: 100 MARY DRIVE; Grades: 09 – 12)
• SUPERIOR SCHOOL (Students: 140; Location: 199 LOBB AVENUE; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Superior:

• JOHN F KENNEDY SCHOOL (Students: 302; Location: 1500 SUNSET DR; Grades: KG – 06)
• SUPERIOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 99; Location: 100 MARY DRIVE; Grades: 07 – 08)