The county seat is Phoenix , [ 2 ] the state capital and fifth-most populous city in the United States. The Office of Management and Budget renamed the metropolitan area in September Previously, it was the Phoenix—Mesa—Glendale metropolitan area, and in , that was changed to Phoenix—Mesa—Scottsdale. Maricopa County was named after the Maricopa people.
According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 9, sq mi 23, km 2 , of which 24 sq mi 62 km 2 0. From west to east, it stretches miles km , and miles km from north to south. It is the largest county in the United States to have a capital city. From to , an inventory of all vascular plants growing along the Salt River Arizona , Gila River , New River and Agua Fria River and their tributaries in the Phoenix metropolitan area was done.
As of the census , 3,, people, 1,, households, and , families were living in the county. The 1,, housing units averaged Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up Of the 1,, households, The average household size was 2. The median age was About According to data provided by the United States Census Bureau in October and collected from to , As of the census of , 3,, people, 1,, households, and , families were living in the county.
The racial makeup of the county was The age distribution in the county was The median age was 33 years. For every females, there were For every females age 18 and over, there were About 8. In statistics, the largest religious group in Maricopa County were Catholics, who are organized under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix with , Catholics and 99 parishes, and 9 additional eastern rite Catholic parishes.
This is followed by , LDS Mormons with congregations, , non-denominational adherents with congregations, 93, Assembly of God Pentecostals with congregations, 73, Southern Baptists with congregations, 35, Christian churches and churches of Christ Christians with 29 congregations, 30, Evangelical Lutherans with 47 congregations, 28, UMC Methodists with 55 congregations, 18, Missouri Synod Lutherans with 34 congregations, and 15, Presbyterians with 42 congregations.
