Why We Live Here
Once primarily a sparsely populated farming community with many acres of alfalfa and cotton fields, Avondale has transformed into a major bedroom suburb for Phoenix. Several major residential subdivisions and shopping centers have recently been built on former farmland, many adjacent to Interstate 10.
Avondale is a community where people share a deep sense of pride in what has been accomplished and what it is today. In Avondale, there is a strong belief that the blending of a broad spectrum of cultures comes from a true sense of harmony throughout the community, and not mere rhetoric about diversity. People and businesses are welcomed with open arms and supported in a way that exemplifies a progressive, intelligent and driven city.
The people of Avondale feel strongly that the city is on a course for a bright future. They have supported an approach to growth that follows their sense of achievement. Avondale is a city of possibilities with unified leaders in the private and public sector who are dedicated to continuing the smart growth of the past decade.
For more information, click here and here. For the city’s stats on housing, schools, the job market, and much more, click here.
- Incorporated 1946
- Area 45.2sqmi
- Elevation 974’
- County Maricopa
- Website https://www.avondaleaz.gov
- Population 92,363 (2021 est.).4% since 2010
- Population Density 2,041.2 per sq.mi.
- Median Age 30.8
- Families with Kids Under 18 47.9%
- Average Household Income $57,150
- Overall Cost of Living 99.7
History
Avondale’s founding father, William “Billy” G. Moore, arrived in Arizona in the late 1860s, settling near the Agua Fria River in 1880. Billy Moore called his settlement “Coldwater, Arizona” – apparently both for the river and the water that flowed from a local spring. He served a brief stint as Justice of the Peace for the Agua Fria area. He bought land, established a stage stop, erected a saloon and a general store, and was Postmaster of Coldwater from 1901 till 1905. In the early 1900s, the Coldwater post office moved to a site near Avondale Ranch. The post office soon became known as Avondale, and the name Coldwater was discontinued.
Subsequent development has resulted in a conglomeration of styles and architecture along Western Avenue typical of small western towns, with ranching, the railroad and cotton farming as main industries. Recently, the city has seen tremendous growth in new development, both residential and commercial, while the Old Town area along Western Avenue preserves the historic business district and safeguards opportunities for small, independent businesses.
Interesting Facts
2021 marks Avondale’s 75th Anniversary.
Major Attractions and Events
- Family Fishing Derby
- Festival Fields Park
- Friendship Park and it’s Food Truck Fridays
- Phoenix Raceway
Popular Restaurants
(See https://avondaleedge.com/business-resources/dining-guide.)
- Café Zamora
- Flavors of Louisiana
- Litchfield’s
- TJ’s Homestyle
- Zeta’s Grill