Mesa, Arizona
Mesa is a city of 511,764 people in Maricopa County, Arizona, founded in 1878.
Why visit Mesa
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 357 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Wilkes University, Mesa, Boulder Mountain, Buckhorn Baths Motel and Chandler High School.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 106°F; December lows average 40°F.
Weather in Mesa
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mesa
Mesa is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 504,258 at the 2020 census. It is the third-most populous city in Arizona, after Phoenix and Tucson, the 38th-most populous city in the U.S., and the most populous city that is not a county seat (except for independent cities Washington, D.C. and Baltimore which are not part of any county). It is the most populous city in the East Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Mesa, Arizona (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Wilkes University, Mesa
School · 7.2 mi
Private university in Mesa, Arizona, United States
Boulder Mountain
Scenic view · 6.1 mi
Formerly Spook Hill colloquially; Las Sendas Community Association began using Boulder Mountain c. 1999.
Museums and landmarks15
Buckhorn Baths Motel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic defunct mineral hot spring resort in Mesa, Arizona
Chandler High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 9.6 mi
High school in Arizona, United States
Mesa Grande
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 7.8 mi
Cultural park in Mesa, Arizona, preserving a group of Hohokam structures
Mesa Historical Museum
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 6.9 mi
History museum
Rittenhouse Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 10.7 mi
Museum in Queen Creek, Maricopa County, Arizona, US
San Marcos Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 9.8 mi
Historic place in Chandler, Ariona
West Second Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.9 mi
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Maricopa County, Arizona
Wilbur Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.4 mi
Historic district in Mesa, Arizona, United States
Woman's Club of Mesa
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 7.0 mi
Historic women's club in Mesa, Arizona, United States
Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum
Museum · 3.8 mi
Aircraft museum in Mesa, Arizona
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes357
Alessia's Ristorante Italiano
Restaurant · Italian · 2.5 mi
5251 East Brown Road, Mesa
Tu-Sa 15:00-21:30; Su 17:00-21:30
All Pierogi Kitchen Restaurant & Euro Market
Restaurant · 8.5 mi
Euro Kitchen & Euro Market
1245 West Baseline Road, Mesa
Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su,Tu,We,Th 11:00-20:00
Barro's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 6.8 mi
1113 South Signal Butte Road, Mesa
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Cornish Pasty Co.
Restaurant · Pasty, Cornish, Pub · 9.6 mi
1941 West Guadalupe Road, Mesa
Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-25:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Desert Peaks Pizza & Grille
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.6 mi
5943 East McKellips Road, Mesa
Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr 11:00-24:00; Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Filibertos Authentic Mexican Food
Restaurant · Mexican · 6.9 mi
10749 East Apache Trail, Apache Junction
24/7
Green Corner Restaurant
Restaurant · Mediterranean · 7.9 mi
1010 West Southern Avenue, Mesa
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Princess Market
Restaurant · Mediterranean · 9.9 mi
2620 West Broadway Rd, Mesa
Mo-Fr 09:00-21:00, Sa-Su 10:00-20:00
345 more on the map.
History
The history of Mesa dates back at least 2,000 years to the arrival of the Hohokam culture. The Hohokam built the original canal system. The canals were the largest and most sophisticated in the prehistoric New World. Some were up to 90 feet (27 m) wide and 10 feet (3.0 m) deep at their head gates, extending for as far as 16 miles (26 km) across the desert. By 1100 CE, water could be delivered to an area over 110,000 acres (450 km2), transforming the Sonoran Desert into an agricultural oasis. By 1450, the Hohokam had constructed hundreds of miles of canals, many of which are still in use.
After the disappearance of the Hohokam and before the arrival of the early settlers, little is known; explorers did not venture into this area. By the late 19th century near present-day Mesa, U.S. Army troops relocated the Apache, opening the way for settlement.
In March 1877, Mormon pioneer Daniel Webster Jones and Henry Clay Rogers left St. George, Utah. Jones had been asked by Mormon officials to direct a party of people in establishing a settlement in Arizona. They traveled south and settled on the north side of the present Mesa area. This settlement was initially known as Fort Utah and later as Jonesville. It was located near Lehi Road. In 1883, it was named Lehi at the suggestion of Brigham Young, Jr.
From the History section of Mesa, Arizona on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship27
Freedom Gate Church
Church · Nondenominational · 8.6 mi
2815 South Alma School Road, Mesa
Shopping46
Gas and EV charging12
Schools, colleges and libraries56
Arizona Medical Training Institute
School · 7.8 mi
1530 North Country Club Drive, Mesa
American Leadership Academy Gilbert North K-12
School · 4.7 mi
1070 S Higley Rd, Gilbert
Benjamin Franklin Charter School - Gilbert
School · 5.7 mi
320 E Warner Rd, Gilbert
Healthcare104
Arizona Ophthalmology Specialists
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
4824 East Baseline Road, Mesa
Map of Mesa
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 41°F | 1.4 in |
| Feb | 70°F | 43°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 77°F | 48°F | 1.3 in |
| Apr | 85°F | 53°F | 0.4 in |
| May | 94°F | 62°F | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 104°F | 71°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 106°F | 79°F | 1.2 in |
| Aug | 105°F | 78°F | 1.3 in |
| Sep | 100°F | 71°F | 1.1 in |
| Oct | 90°F | 59°F | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 77°F | 48°F | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 66°F | 40°F | 1.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for E Mesa (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Maricopa County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-06-28: Boulder View Fire (Fire)
- 2024-06-12: Rose Fire (Fire)
- 2023-06-28: Diamond Fire (Fire)
- 2020-06-27: Avondale Fire (Fire)
- 2020-06-23: Aquila Fire (Fire)
- 2020-06-20: Bush Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 31 miles away.
- Gilbert 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Apache Junction 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Chandler 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Tempe 12 mi west, about 20 min by car
- Queen Creek 13 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Fountain Hills 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Sun Lakes 16 mi southwest, about 25 min by car
- Gold Canyon 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- San Tan Valley 18 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Paradise Valley 18 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Mesa Arizona, Ixnayonthetimmay, CC BY 3.0
- Mesa-Lehi School-1913, Tony the Marine ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mesa Grande 2011-03-19 3825, Argon233, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS036-E-4174 - View of Arizona, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-267641 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- STS131-E-11505 - View of Earth, NASA, Public domain
- STS133-E-12791 - View of Earth, NASA, Public domain
- ISS038-E-55050 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Agapornis roseicollis 462791295, Dan Vickers, CC BY 4.0
- 2021GMC Yukon Denali, 2007DodgeRam, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 22 double cottage detail, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 21 double cottage, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 20 double cottages, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 10 landscaped area remnants, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 11 landscaped area remnant, miniature castle, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 19 unidentified building, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 12 single cottages, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 13 single cottage, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 18 unidentified building, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 16 fireplace-barbecue area, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 03 office, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 07 Cactus Garden, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 17 fireplace-barbecue, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- This is a panorama of Buckhorn Baths Motel - panoramio, Jack CameraMan, CC BY 3.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 14 single cottages sharing a carport, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 15 motel building, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 09 Bathhouse Recker Road facade, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021 Buckhorn Baths Motel 08 view from Recker Road, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buckhorn Baths, Panchitaville, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wizard magic shop, Leighhotz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Macy's Superstition Springs Center Closed, Memphis2320, CC BY 4.0
- Mitt Romney (45231804992), Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Martha McSally (44558822214), Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mitt Romney & Martha McSally (31406814728), Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mitt Romney, Doug Ducey & Martha McSally (45281426071), Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Doug Ducey, Mitt Romney & Martha McSally (45231818292), Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mitt Romney & Martha McSally (45281318091), Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
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