kids encyclopedia robot

Cochise County, Arizona facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Cochise County
County
County of Cochise
The art deco county courthouse in Bisbee
The art deco county courthouse in Bisbee
Flag of Cochise County
Flag
Official seal of Cochise County
Seal
Map of Arizona highlighting Cochise County
Location within the U.S. state of Arizona
Map of the United States highlighting Arizona
Arizona's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Arizona
Founded February 1, 1881
Named for Cochise
Seat Bisbee
Largest city Sierra Vista
Area
 • Total 6,219 sq mi (16,110 km2)
 • Land 6,166 sq mi (15,970 km2)
 • Water 53 sq mi (140 km2)  0.9%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 131,346
 • Estimate 
(2019)
125,922
 • Density 21.1201/sq mi (8.1545/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
Congressional district 2nd

Cochise County is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is named after the Native American chief Cochise.

The population was 131,346 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Bisbee and the most populous city is Sierra Vista.

Cochise County includes the Sierra Vista-Douglas, Arizona Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county borders southwestern New Mexico and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora.

History

Cochise County was created on February 1, 1881, out of the eastern portion of Pima County. It took its name from the legendary Chiricahua Apache war chief Cochise. The county seat was Tombstone until 1929 when it moved to Bisbee. Notable men who once held the position of County Sheriff were Johnny Behan, who served as the first sheriff of the new county, and who was one of the main characters during the events leading to and following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Later, in 1886, Texas John Slaughter became sheriff. Lawman Jeff Milton and lawman/outlaw Burt Alvord both served as deputies under Slaughter.

A syndicated television series which aired from 1956 to 1958, Sheriff of Cochise starring John Bromfield, was filmed in Bisbee. The Jimmy Stewart movie Broken Arrow and subsequent television show of the same name starring John Lupton, which also aired from 1956 to 1958, took place (but was not filmed) in Cochise County.

J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady mystery series takes place in Cochise County, with Brady being the sheriff.

Beginning in the late 1950s, the small community of Miracle Valley was the site of a series of bible colleges and similar religious organizations, founded by television evangelist A. A. Allen. In 1982, Miracle Valley and neighboring Palominas were the site of a series of escalating conflicts between a newly arrived religious community and the county sheriff and deputies that culminated in the Miracle Valley shootout.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,219 square miles (16,110 km2), of which 6,166 square miles (15,970 km2) is land and 53 square miles (140 km2) (0.9%) is water. Cochise County is close to the size of the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.

Adjacent counties and municipios

Protected areas

Kartchner Big Room
The Big Room in Kartchner Caverns
FortBowieSiteAZ2009
Fort Bowie site near Apache Pass.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 6,938
1900 9,251 33.3%
1910 34,591 273.9%
1920 46,465 34.3%
1930 40,998 −11.8%
1940 34,627 −15.5%
1950 31,488 −9.1%
1960 55,039 74.8%
1970 61,910 12.5%
1980 85,686 38.4%
1990 97,624 13.9%
2000 117,755 20.6%
2010 131,346 11.5%
2020 125,447 −4.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2018

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 131,346 people, 50,865 households, and 33,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 21.3 inhabitants per square mile (8.2/km2). There were 59,041 housing units at an average density of 9.6 per square mile (3.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.5% white, 4.2% black or African American, 1.9% Asian, 1.2% American Indian, 0.3% Pacific islander, 9.9% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 32.4% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were:

  • 28.3% Mexican
  • 16.2% German
  • 11.6% Irish
  • 9.8% English
  • 4.5% American
  • 3.7% Italian
  • 2.6% French
  • 2.1% Scottish
  • 2.0% Dutch
  • 1.9% Scotch-Irish
  • 1.9% Polish
  • 1.5% Norwegian
  • 1.1% Puerto Rican
  • 1.1% Swedish

Of the 50,865 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 39.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,876 and the median income for a family was $53,077. Males had a median income of $42,164 versus $31,019 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,010. About 11.8% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

AZ 80 Tombstone
State Route 80 seen towards north in Tombstone
  • I-10 (AZ).svg Interstate 10
  • US 80 (AZ historic).svg Historic U.S. Route 80
  • US 191.svg U.S. Route 191
  • Arizona 80.svg State Route 80
  • Arizona 82.svg State Route 82
  • Arizona 83.svg State Route 83
  • Arizona 90.svg State Route 90
  • Arizona 92.svg State Route 92
  • Arizona 186.svg State Route 186

Airports

Bisbee Municipal Airport is owned by the City of Bisbee and located five nautical miles (9 km) southeast of its central business district

Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (IATA: FHU, ICAO: KFHU, FAA LID: FHU), a joint-use civil-military airport which shares facilities with Libby Army Airfield, is located on the U.S. Army installation Fort Huachuca in the city of Sierra Vista. The airport has three runways and one helipad. It is mostly used for military aviation for the surrounding military base.

There are no commercial flights out of Cochise County; the nearest commercial airport is at Tucson, approximately 70 miles from Sierra Vista.

Communities

Cochise County Incorporated and Unincorporated areas
Map of incorporated areas and unincorporated areas in Cochise County.

Cities

Town

Census-designated places

Other places

Military sites

County population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Cochise County.

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Population (2010 Census) Municipal type Incorporated
1 Sierra Vista 43,888 City 1956
2 Douglas 17,378 City 1905
3 Sierra Vista Southeast 14,797 CDP
4 Bisbee 5,575 City 1902
5 Benson 5,105 City 1880 (founded)
6 Willcox 3,757 City 1915
7 Whetstone 2,617 CDP
8 Huachuca City 1,853 Town 1958
9 Mescal 1,812 CDP
10 Pirtleville 1,744 CDP
11 St. David 1,699 CDP
12 Tombstone 1,380 City 1881
13 Naco 1,046 CDP
14 Miracle Valley 644 CDP
15 Elfrida 459 CDP
16 Bowie 449 CDP
17 Sunizona 281 CDP
18 McNeal 238 CDP
19 Palominas 212 CDP
20 Dragoon 209 CDP
21 San Simon 165 CDP

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Cochise para niños

kids search engine
Cochise County, Arizona Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.