The population of Maricopa City is 1 million Once fully constructed, phoenix business journal reported Friday in an article with the flattering title, “This Pinal County city is poised to gain attention for economic development.”

But where did that number come from and what does it mean?

“It is important to clarify that this number is a theoretical estimate based on a broad planning area of ​​approximately 233 square miles,” said Quinn Connold, a spokesperson for the city of Maricopa.

The city currently has only 43 square miles of it developed, and the city’s population is estimated at 76,000, Konold said.

Rick Horst, Maricopa’s chief strategy officer, said given the number of housing units already permitted, if all the units were built and occupied without approving new projects, Maricopa’s population would reach 210,000 people. He said it would be exceeded.

“While we recognize that our planning area has the potential to accommodate significant growth, we cannot predict exactly how or when that will occur,” Konold said.

With several active projects, the city is expected to move towards achieving impressive numbers.

of The highly anticipated $100 million water park PHX Surf Completion is scheduled for late February 2026.

proposed industrial triangle A collaboration between Redevco Solutions and Rail Industrial Partners, it will be built along the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, with an estimated total investment of $1.4 billion, 6 million square feet, and rail service. It could create up to 36,000 jobs.

University of Arizona A 2,100-acre site has been set aside for an innovation center with a 300-acre research and technology park, a satellite education campus, and 600 acres of commercial buildings. Construction of the innovation center is scheduled to begin in the spring.

There is murphy park, 500 acre master planned community Just north of the Maricopa Casa Grande Highway Approximately half of the site has been set aside for business park development, with the potential for 1,870 homes to be built.

lastly, Copper Sky Medical Campus, Bids have been accepted since the city’s contract with hospital developer S3 Biotech collapsed for the second time in April. The campus will be 1.6 million square feet and include a hospital, medical office space, apartments, condominiums, a hotel, and a sports academy.

“We are dedicated to fostering a community that prioritizes sustainability and resiliency, ensuring future growth aligns with Maricopa’s long-term vision,” Konold said.

It is important to note that even if the current population density were expanded within the urban planning area, the population would still be approximately 350,000 people. This means that reaching a fully expanded population of 1 million people will require more vertical residential buildings and more compact housing such as apartments and townhomes.

apartment complex Account for less than 2% Percentage of housing options in Maricopa, according to U.S. Census data. However, in 2019, the city government set a lofty goal of having a quarter of all housing units be apartments. admitted last year “Maricopa is far from that goal.”

But Konold said that’s not the city’s only focus.

“Our mission is to ‘unlock the full potential of the City of Maricopa and create a thriving and durable community,'” Konold said. “This means that we are not focused on specific population numbers, but on making informed, sustainable decisions that improve the quality of life for all residents. means.”