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Community Profile
 About Apache Junction
We are the gateway to outdoor adventure, the Superstition Mountains and the Apache Trail, and our communities are rich in history, activities, and a fantastic quality of life.
Apache Junction
Apache Junction is a desert community nestled in the shadows of the Superstition Mountains, 2,070 feet above sea level and 35 miles directly east of Phoenix on Highway 60 (Superstition Freeway). It is the eastern most community in the Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area. The city currently encompasses 36.5 square miles with a year-round population estimated at 42,000. Each year the city welcomes over 35,000 seasonal residents, increasing the population from mid-October to mid-April to over 77,000.
With its mining and transportation roots in the late 19th- and early 20th-centuries, Apache Junction did not develop a central downtown but spread slowly along the Apache Trail, centering around the old Superstition Inn in the 1950s and 1960s. The city is actively working to develop the area as a 21st-century centerpiece for combined retail, office and downtown residential living – all consistent with Apache Junction’s southwestern, territorial feel. Despite its rapid growth, Apache Junction remains a city of wide-open spaces and a gateway to natural splendor.
 Economic Development Strategic Plan Taking Shape
The Economic Development Action Planning Team’s Findings and Recommendations wowed City Council and identified action areas. This distinguished group of area stakeholders took a realistic look at our community over an 18-month period and developed a broad approach to a variety of areas and topics that will enhance our economic development strategy. The complete report, approved and adopted in December 2007, is available online at www.ajcity.net.
Apache Junction, Pinal County and the Department of Environmental Quality
Ground has been broken for an emissions testing station in Apache Junction. This facility has been six years in the making and will be a real convenience to area motorists.
Acres and Acres of Retail – Coming Soon!
In December 2007, the Apache Junction City Council approved zoning and a development agreement for an 80-acre retail power center to be built on the southeast corner of Highway 60 and Idaho Road. It will be built in phases, with Phase I set to open December 2009, and completion of all phases by December 2011. The power center will contain a minimum of 500,000 total square feet, with two national chain anchors each occupying 100,000 square feet or more.
For more information regarding economic development for the City of Apache Junction, email SFilipowicz@ajcity.net.
Gold Canyon
 Located just 35 minutes east of Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Gold Canyon is nestled in the beautiful Superstition Mountains. This former cattle ranch is now home to more than 23,000 residents in an unincorporated area of Pinal County, America’s fasted growing county. With phenomenal weather, unmatched scenery and small-town hospitality, Gold Canyon lives up to its reputation as the lost gold of Superstition Mountain.
A variety of exciting events are held in Gold Canyon and the Superstition Mountain area throughout the year. The Superstition Mountain Country Club hosts the Safeway LPGA Invitational Golf Tournament every year in February. Arizona’s only Renaissance Festival comes every spring and boasts attendance figures into the hundreds of thousands over the two-month event.
Gold Canyon shoppers have a variety of shops to choose from. Local art galleries feature artist Bev Doolittle’s work, and works by the very popular Arizona native, Anne Coe, can be found in multiple galleries as well. The restaurant at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort offers the finest Southwest cuisine and boasts Chef Enrique Morales, who studied under Southwest cooking guru, Mark Miller.
 Restaurants with nearly every cuisine imaginable are plentiful in Gold Canyon. Specialty cuisines such as Asian and Southwestern combine with American, Italian, and Mexican favorites. From gourmet establishments to rustic old west grills, Gold Canyon’s tempting restaurants include eateries rich in history and a wide variety of locally owned favorites. Take the time to savor the richness of the unforgettable cuisine combined with the breathtaking beauty of Gold Canyon.
Hiking trails abound throughout the Gold Canyon area. Over 350 miles of improved trails exist in the adjacent Tonto National Forest. The forest is home to the Superstition Mountain’s famous Flat Iron, a towering peak of over 5,000 feet that overlooks the entire city of Phoenix.
Explore the history of the Superstition Mountains and the Lost Dutchman State Park. Nature trails, horseback trails, picnic facilities, and a variety of educational programs are held throughout the year.
The Santan
 The Santan is an unincorporated area in northern Pinal County. Its unusual name derives from the San Tan Mountains Regional Park, the area’s main landmark and major attraction. The Santan is surely one of the most rapidly expanding areas in Arizona. In the 2000 Census a mere 651 people were listed. The present population is estimated at perhaps 40,000, depending on how the area’s borders are defined.
The area currently encompasses five school districts and an extension campus of Central Arizona College. The rural community, enriched by abundant hiking and riding trails, is rapidly evolving into a bustling area of shopping centers, office space, and improved transportation.
Weather
The area experiences approximately nine inches of rain, and an average of 214 totally cloudless days per year. The average January temperature is 53 degrees F, and the average July temperature is 93 degrees F.
Principal Economic Activities
Employment figures for Apache Junction do not truly represent its economic activity; proximity to metropolitan Phoenix gives a far more realistic indication of the area’s economic base. Apache Junction’s economy is based almost exclusively on recreation and retirement. Most commercial services in the area cater to tourists and recreation seekers on their way to Arizona’s central lakes and forests. Extensive developments and accommodations serve many retired persons and winter visitors.
Pinal County Employment, 2004
| Government |
16,250 |
| Trade, transportation and utilities |
7,475 |
| Educational and health services |
4,000 |
|
|
3,350 |
| Professional and business services |
2,950 |
| Manufacturing |
2,850 |
| Mining and construction |
2,725 |
| Financial activities |
875 |
| Information |
300 |
Source: Arizona Department of Economic Security. Figures organized under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS).
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