Census Data for Thatcher
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Thatcher a population of 5,202 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Thatcher a population of 4,865 people.
The town of Thatcher is located in Graham County. The 2010 Census gave Graham County; a population of 37,152 people. This means that Thatcher had 13.09% of the county's total population, making it Graham's 2nd most populous community.
At the same time, Arizona had a population of 6,392,017 people, meaning that Thatcher had 0.08% of the total population of Arizona - making it the state's 61st most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Thatcher has a total area of 6.73 square miles [17.4 km²]. Of this total, a small amount of the area is covered by water (0.02 square miles [0 km²]).
Graham County has a land area of 4,622 square miles [11,972.5 km²]. At 6.71 square miles [17.4 km²], Thatcher has 0.15% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a town like Thatcher, 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 Thatcher reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Thatcher 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° 50' 57" (or 32.85°)
- Lon: -109° 44' 35" (or -109.74°)
- 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, Thatcher had 1,840 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 4,865 people, this averages 2.64 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Thatcher had a land area of 6.71 square miles [17.4 km²]. This translates to 273.4 Housing Units per square mile [105.6 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Thatcher had 1,427 Housing Units, a population of 4,022 people and a land area of 4.37 square miles [11.3 km²]. This gives a density of 2.82 people per Housing Unit and 326.2 Housing Units per square mile [125.9 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 Thatcher and you need to be careful when comparing numbers between the censuses. More information about these differences can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Graham County ...
Thatcher is located in Graham County<4>.
The county had a population of 37,152 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 4,865 people, Thatcher represented 13.09% of the county's total.
In addition, where the town of Thatcher has a population density of 722 people per square mile [279.1 people/km²], Graham County averages 8.04 people per square mile [3.1 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Graham County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Thatcher, 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 Thatcher. 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 Thatcher 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 Thatcher, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Thatcher.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 32.849292° (or 32°50'57" N)
- Lon: -109.743179° (or -109°44'35" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 32.832685° (or 32°49'57" N)
- Lon: -109.762879° (or -109°45'46" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 8,548 feet to the northeast<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 (#2413382) to Thatcher. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Thatcher. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 32.849289° (or 32°50'57" N)
- Lon: -109.745780° (or -109°44'44" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 796 feet to the east<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Thatcher. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Thatcher.
Miscellaneous Information for Thatcher ...
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 Graham County or the town of Thatcher:
- 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: 009 (Graham County)
- Place Code: 73420 (Thatcher)
- State & County Code: 04/009 (Arizona / Graham County)
- State & Place Code: 04/73420 (Arizona / Thatcher)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Thatcher is located in Census Region #4 (the West Region) and Division #8 (the Mountain Division).
- The US Postal Service ZIP Code ...
- While some people have used a ZIP code to identify a community, the purpose of the ZIP code was to make mail delivery more efficient by grouping addresses together. Although the ZIP Code doesn't specifically identify a town like Thatcher, it does identify addresses that are in (or near) Thatcher. It's important to remember that the boundaries of a ZIP Code can be changed, re-assigned or overlapped with other ZIP Codes.
- The ZIP code for Thatcher:85552<7>
- Census ZCTA Codes ...
- The US Census Bureau created statistical entities that they call ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) and these ZCTAs are frequently confused with the ZIP codes that come from the US Postal Service (USPS).
- ZCTAs were first created for the 2000 Census and at that time, they were based upon the USPS ZIP codes. While largely covering the same areas, the boundaries of a ZCTA do not necessarily match the boundaries of a postal ZIP code with the same number. For example, while a postal ZIP code can cross a county or state line, a Census ZCTA can not. They should be treated as separate entities with no correlation between them.
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Thatcher.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Thatcher: www.thatcheraz.com/
The official website for Graham County: www.graham.az.gov/
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 Graham, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 315 degrees and a distance of 8,548 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 270 degrees and a distance of 796 feet. |
| <7> | When looking for a ZIP Code, whether Thatcher or elsewhere, it's always best to check the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS). |