Overview
Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town in Maricopa
County, Arizona, USA. The population was 38,309 at the 2000 census. Its
adjoining sister city is Sun City West both of which are retirement
communities often for snowbirds.
Geography
Sun City is located at 33 36′51″N, 112 16′55″W (33.614238, -112.281925)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of
37.8 km (14.6 mi). 37.6 km (14.5 mi) of it is land and 0.2 km (0.1 mi) of it
(0.62%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 38,309 people, 23,490 households,
and 12,520 families residing in the CDP. The population density was
1,019.4/km (2,639.5/mi). There were 27,731 housing units at an average
density of 737.9/km (1,910.7/mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.44%
White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.30% Asian,
0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more
races. 1.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 23,490 households out of which 0.3% had children under the age of
18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 3.0% had a
female householder with no husband present, and 46.7% were non-families.
44.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 39.4% had someone
living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 1.60 and the average family size was 2.07.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 0.4% under the age of 18, 0.3%
from 18 to 24, 2.0% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 79.8% who were
65 years of age or older. The median age was 75 years. For every 100 females
there were 69.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were
69.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,508, and the median
income for a family was $40,464. Males had a median income of $35,459 versus
$26,453 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,935. About
2.5% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line,
including none of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
Sun City started construction in the 1960s as a Del Webb community. Del Webb
is a group that constructs retirement communities in the Sun Belt. Sun City
has a planned street network, but disrupts the secondary street layout of
Phoenix. Little has changed for the community in the last 40 years. However,
as more retired to the area, Del Webb began construction on Sun City West in
the late-1980s, Sun City Grand in the late-1990s, and Sun City Festival in
the early to mid-2000s and Sun City Anthem in the mid to late-2000s.
The community is well known to law students, as it is featured in the case,
Spur Industries v. Webb, 494 P.2d 700 (Ariz. 1972), commonly used in first
year property law courses to illustrate nuisance law.