Yuma County is a located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of 2007, its population was estimated to be 190,557, an increase of 30,531 people since the 2000 census count of 160,026^[1]. The county seat is Yuma.^[2] Yuma County is part of the Yuma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county's southwestern Colorado River border forms a 4-state division between southeast California and southwest Arizona, and northeast Baja California state, Mexico with northwest Sonora state.  

History

Yuma County was the one of four original Arizona Counties created by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature. The county territory was defined as being west of longitude 113° 20' and south of the Bill Williams River.^[3] Its original boundaries remained the same until 1983, when La Paz County was created from its northern half.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,519 square miles (14,294km²), of which, 5,514 square miles (14,281km²) of it is land and 5 square miles (13km²) of it (0.09%) is water. The lowest point in the state of Arizona is located on the Colorado River in San Luis in Yuma County, where it flows out of Arizona and into Sonora in Mexico.

Yuma County is in the west, and northwestern regions of the north-south Sonoran Desert that extends through Sonora state Mexico to the border of northern Sinaloa state. West of the county across the Colorado River in southeast California is the Colorado Desert, (a northwestern subregion of the Sonoran Desert). North of the county, with La Paz County the regions merge into the southeastern Mojave Desert. Southwest of Yuma County, is the entirety of Northwest Mexico, at the the north shoreline of the Sea of Cortez, and the outlet of the Colorado River into the Colorado River Delta region, now altered with lack of freshwater inputs.

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 160,026 people, 53,848 households, and 41,678 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 74,140 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.28% White, 2.22% Black or African American, 1.64% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 23.59% from other races, and 3.22% from two or more races. 50.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 43.71% reported speaking Spanish at home.

There were 53,848 households out of which 36.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.30% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.60% were non-families. 18.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.27.In the county the population was spread out with 28.90% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 18.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 102.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,182, and the median income for a family was $34,659.


Map of Yuma County showing incorporated and unincorporated areas as well as Indian reservations in the county.

Communities

Cities

Towns