Coconino County, Arizona

Coconino County is a large area in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is home to many people, with Flagstaff as its main city, called the county seat. The county’s name comes from an old name for the Havasupai people who live there.

It is one of the biggest counties in the contiguous United States, covering a large area. The county includes the Flagstaff area and Grand Canyon National Park, a famous natural wonder. It also includes parts of several Native American nations, such as the Havasupai, Navajo, Hualapai, and Hopi. Long ago, the county was even the setting for a famous comic strip called Krazy Kat created by George Herriman.

History

After the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad was built in 1883, the area in northern Yavapai County grew fast. People there found it hard to travel to Prescott for county matters. In 1887, they asked to make a new county called Frisco County, but this did not happen. Finally, in 1891, Coconino County was created, and Flagstaff became its main city.

Geography

Coconino County is a big place! It covers 18,661 square miles (48,330 km²), making it the largest county in Arizona. It has more land than entire states such as Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island.

The highest natural point in the county is Humphreys Peak, standing tall at 12,637 feet (3,852 meters). An interesting spot called the Barringer Meteor Crater is also found here.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Coconino County had 145,101 people. About 20.1% were younger than 18, and 13.8% were 65 or older. The median age was 32.5 years. Most people lived in cities.

The county had many different groups of people. About 57.4% were White, 1.4% were Black or African American, 25.0% were American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% were Asian, and smaller groups were Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. Some people were Hispanic or Latino.

2010 census

In the 2010 census, 134,421 people lived in the county. The racial makeup was 61.7% White and 27.3% American Indian, among other groups. The largest ancestry groups were Navajo, German, Mexican, and English.

2000 census

The 2000 census counted 116,320 people in the county. The racial makeup was 63.1% White and 28.5% Native American, among other groups. Many people spoke Navajo at home, and some spoke Spanish.

Communities

Coconino County has many places to visit and live. Some of the bigger towns include Flagstaff, the county seat, Page, Sedona, and Williams.

There are also smaller towns like Fredonia and Tusayan, and many places called census-designated places, such as Bellemont, Bitter Springs, and Cameron. Other small communities include Big Springs, Gray Mountain, and Happy Jack.

The county also includes several historical spots called ghost towns, like Canyon Diablo and Two Guns, and is home to various Native American reservations, including the Havasupai Indian Reservation, Hopi Reservation, and Navajo Nation.

Politics

Coconino County used to support one political party but has changed over time. Recently, it has mostly voted for the Democratic Party. The area around Flagstaff and some Native American reservations tend to support the Democratic Party, while places like Williams and Page lean toward the Republican Party.

Economy

Grand Canyon Airlines and Air Grand Canyon have their main offices at Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan.

In 2017, some of the biggest jobs in Coconino County were listed.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2019 many people in Coconino County worked in different areas.

Transportation

Flagstaff in Coconino County is an important place for highways. Interstate 40 runs east and west, connecting to Williams and Winslow in Arizona. Interstate 17 goes south from Flagstaff to Phoenix and Maricopa County. From Flagstaff, U.S. Routes go north to the Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon National Park Airport is in Tusayan, near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff Pulliam Airport is south of Flagstaff and serves small planes with some flights on bigger airlines. There is a Greyhound Bus Lines stop in Flagstaff for travel along Interstate 40 and to Phoenix via Interstate 17. Amtrak stops in Flagstaff and used to stop in Williams, offering daily train trips to Chicago and Los Angeles. The Grand Canyon Railway is a fun tourist train running between Williams and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, except on Christmas. The Mountain Line runs bus services around the Flagstaff area.

Education

Coconino County has many school districts that help children learn. Some of the bigger schools include Flagstaff Unified School District, Grand Canyon Unified School District, and Tuba City Unified School District. There are also smaller elementary schools like Chevelon Butte School District.

Besides regular schools, there are special schools called charter schools, such as Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy. Some schools are run by groups that work with Native American communities, like Greyhills Academy High School and Havasupai Elementary School.

For students who want to study after high school, there are colleges like Coconino County Community College and Northern Arizona University.