Metro Phoenix / Communities / Gold Canyon
Gold Canyon Overview
Gold Canyon is an unincorporated community of the East Valley, directly east and bordering Apache Junction. Gold Canyon is adjacent to the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and at the foothills of Superstition Mountain, offering thousands of square miles of public land for hiking, mountain biking, camping, and other outdoor recreation. There are half a dozen 18-hole golf courses within Gold Canyon and vicinity. The community is made up of year round residents, as well as seasonal snow birds who came here to escape the harsh winters of the midwest and northeastern US and Canada. Many of the homes in Gold Canyon have been built after 2000. The current population is around 11,000, but this number tends to increase about 30% in the winter months.
History
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Pinal County was largely agricultural. Farms and ranches were established in the area due to fertile land, with cotton, alfalfa, and other crops being the primary agricultural products.
Gold Canyon was most likely named for the gold rush era in the Superstition Mountains, back in the 1800s. Its western neighbor, Apache Junction, was established as a stagecoach stop and mining camp. For the area of Gold Canyon, however, settlements and housing developments did not begin until late in the twentieth century.
City Government
Gold Canyon, being part of an unincorporated area of Pinal County, does not have its own municipal government like a city or town. Instead, it falls under the jurisdiction of Pinal County’s government for local services and governance. The county provides services such as law enforcement, road maintenance, and other community services typically managed by a town or city government.
Business
Hospitality, recreational services, and residential services are significant in Gold Canyon.
Transportation
While Gold Canyon lacks direct access to major freeways within its borders, transportation routes connect Gold Canyon to nearby communities within Metropolitan Phoenix.
US Route 60: Significant transportation route for Gold Canyon, running east-west and connecting the community to neighboring cities like Apache Junction, Mesa, and the rest of Metro Phoenix to the west. To the east, US 60 provides access to smaller towns such as Globe and Miami, Arizona.
Kings Ranch Road: Major north-south route that runs through the heart of Gold Canyon. It connects local residential areas, businesses, and amenities with US 60, providing a convenient link between the community and the highway.
Superstition Mountain Drive: Local road within Gold Canyon, primarily serving residential neighborhoods and connecting to US 60. It also provides access to Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club.
2023 Population (estimate)
Gold Canyon: 11,565
Arizona: 7,427,991
Median Household Income (2022)
Gold Canyon: $80,780
Arizona: $74,568
Estimated Home Value (2024)
Gold Canyon: $491,508
Arizona: $431,492
Median Age (2022)
Gold Canyon: 66.5
Arizona: 38.8
Land area: 22.3 square miles
Population density:
518 people per square mile
