Census Data for Oro Valley
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Oro Valley a population of 46,116 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Oro Valley a population of 41,011 people.
The town of Oro Valley is located in Pima County. The 2010 Census gave Pima County; a population of 981,620 people. This means that Oro Valley had 4.18% of the county's total population, making it Pima's 2nd most populous community.
At the same time, Arizona had a population of 6,392,017 people, meaning that Oro Valley had 0.64% of the total population of Arizona - making it the state's 20th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Oro Valley has a total area of 35.64 square miles [92.3 km²]. Of this total, a small amount of the area is covered by water (0.11 square miles [0.3 km²]).
Pima County has a land area of 9,187 square miles [23,794.3 km²]. At 35.53 square miles [92 km²], Oro Valley has 0.39% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a town like Oro Valley, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the town.
- Things like population, area and housing for Oro Valley reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Oro Valley might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 32° 25' 19" (or 32.42°)
- Lon: -110° 58' 34" (or -110.98°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Oro Valley had 20,340 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 41,011 people, this averages 2.02 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Oro Valley had a land area of 35.53 square miles [92 km²]. This translates to 570 Housing Units per square mile [220.4 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Oro Valley had 13,946 Housing Units, a population of 29,700 people and a land area of 31.83 square miles [82.4 km²]. This gives a density of 2.13 people per Housing Unit and 436.8 Housing Units per square mile [168.6 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Oro Valley and you need to be careful when comparing results between the censuses. More information about the nature of these the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Pima County ...
The town of Oro Valley is located in Pima County<4>.
The county had a population of 981,620 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 41,011 people, Oro Valley represented 4.18% of the county's total.
In addition, where the town of Oro Valley has a population density of 1,150 people per square mile [444.3 people/km²], Pima County averages 106.8 people per square mile [41.25 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Pima County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Oro Valley, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Oro Valley. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Oro Valley or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Oro Valley, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Oro Valley.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 32.422094° (or 32°25'19" N)
- Lon: -110.976235° (or -110°58'34" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 32.421247° (or 32°25'16" N)
- Lon: -110.975993° (or -110°58'33" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 317.7 feet to the north<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2413092) to Oro Valley. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Oro Valley. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 32.422435° (or 32°25'20" N)
- Lon: -110.976430° (or -110°58'35" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 138 feet to the southeast<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Oro Valley. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Oro Valley.
Miscellaneous Information for Oro Valley ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Pima County or the town of Oro Valley:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 04 (Arizona)
- County Code: 019 (Pima County)
- Place Code: 51600 (Oro Valley)
- State & County Code: 04/019 (Arizona / Pima County)
- State & Place Code: 04/51600 (Arizona / Oro Valley)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Oro Valley is located in Census Region #4 (the West Region) and Division #8 (the Mountain Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Oro Valley.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Oro Valley: www.ci.oro-valley.az.us/
The official website for Pima County: www.co.pima.az.us/
The official website for State of Arizona: https://az.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of Arizona's counties, including Pima, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 13 degrees and a distance of 317.7 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 205 degrees and a distance of 138 feet. |