Loading Content...
Cooper Ranch, Gilbert: Demographic Shift Towards Low Diversity and High Affluence
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Cooper Ranch, a neighborhood in Gilbert, Arizona, currently exhibits characteristics of Low Diversity, with a white majority comprising 85% of the population as of 2022. The neighborhood has a median income of $110,262, suggesting an affluent community. Cooper Ranch has experienced significant fluctuations in its population over the past decade, ranging from 718 residents in 2013 to 1,433 in 2010, indicating dynamic changes in its residential composition.
Over the past decade, Cooper Ranch has undergone a transformation in its racial composition. In 2013, the neighborhood could be categorized as having Moderate Diversity, with a Hispanic population of 30% alongside the white majority of 58%. By 2022, the area had transitioned to Low Diversity, with the white population increasing to 85% and the Hispanic population decreasing to 8%.
This shift suggests a Transitional Community status during the mid-2010s, as the Hispanic population declined while the white population increased. The neighborhood briefly experienced periods of higher diversity, particularly around 2016-2018, when it could be classified as having Moderate Diversity with notable Hispanic (30-37%) and small but growing Black and multiracial populations.
The demographic shifts in Cooper Ranch correlate with changes in median income. As the neighborhood transitioned towards lower diversity and a stronger white majority, median income generally increased. From 2013 to 2022, median income rose from $99,567 to $110,262, with a peak of $114,690 in 2021. This trend suggests that the increasing homogeneity of the neighborhood may be linked to rising property values and affluence.
The population has fluctuated significantly during this period. The lowest population (718 in 2013) coincided with the start of available income data, while subsequent years saw varying levels of population growth and decline. This could indicate changing housing dynamics, possibly including new development or changes in housing affordability that influenced who could move into or remain in the neighborhood.
The trends observed in Cooper Ranch reflect patterns seen in many suburban areas across the United States, where increasing property values and median incomes often correlate with decreasing diversity. This phenomenon can lead to the displacement of minority and lower-income residents as neighborhoods become more expensive.
The median household income in Cooper Ranch ($110,262 in 2022) is higher than the national median ($70,784 in 2021), indicating that this neighborhood is particularly affluent. This high income level, combined with the trend towards lower diversity, suggests that Cooper Ranch may be experiencing a form of economic segregation common in many growing suburban areas.
The fluctuating population numbers, despite the overall trend towards higher incomes and lower diversity, could indicate ongoing changes in the neighborhood's housing stock or zoning policies. This volatility might warrant further investigation into local development patterns or policy changes that could be influencing these demographic shifts.
Cooper Ranch has evolved from a moderately diverse community to one of low diversity with high affluence over the past decade. This transition reflects broader national trends of suburban demographic change but also presents unique patterns of population fluctuation that may be tied to local factors specific to Gilbert or the Phoenix metropolitan area.
