Kingman

Kingman is a city in, and the county seat of, Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It is located 105 miles (169 km) southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 180 miles (290 km) northwest of Arizona's state capital, Phoenix. Kingman had its modest beginnings as a simple railroad siding near Beale Springs. It became one of the USAAF's largest, training some 35,000 soldiers and airmen. It was the site of a U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) airfield. The county seat transferred to the mining town of Cerbat. in 1873, then to Mineral Park near Chloride. The remaining territory of Pah-Ute County became part of Lincoln County, now Clark County, Nevada. The city is served by three exits on US172, which leads east to California, west to Las Vegas and south to Flagstaff and southwest to Wickenburg. It has a total of 37.5 square miles (97.5 km²), all of which are called Kingman Airport Industrial Park, which is located in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. It also has a number of other major new neighborhoods in Kingman were developed to house the skilled workers and professionals employed at the proving ground. It's the place where the city is called the Kingman Airfield, an engineer for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, and also the location of the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, which was founded in 1882.

History

Kingman is the primary city name, but also Hualapai are acceptable city names or spellings. Kingman was founded in 1882 before statehood, in Arizona Territory. It was the site of a U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) airfield during World War II. In 1953, Kingman was used to detain those men accused of practicing polygamy in the Short Creek raid. The Kingman Explosion, also known as the Doxol Disaster or Kingman BLEVE, was a catastrophic boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) that occurred on July 5, 1973, during a propane transfer from a railroad car to a storage tank on the Getz rail siding near Andy Devine Avenue/Route 66. In 1955, Ford Motor Company established a proving ground (now one of the Chrysler Proving Grounds) in nearby Yucca at the former Yucca Army Airfield. Several major new neighborhoods in Kingman were developed to house the skilled workers and professionals employed at the proving ground. The development of the Mineral Park mine near adjacent Chloride, and construction of the Mohave Generating Station in nearby Laughlin, Nevada, in 1971 contributed to Kingman's population growth. The Mohave County seat was originally located in Mohave City from 1864 to 1867. In 1865, the portion of Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River was transferred to Nevada after Nevada's statehood and became part of Lincoln County, now Clark County, Nevada. Its seat was moved to Hardyville (now within Bullhead City) in 1867, then to Mineral Park in 1873. After some time, the county seat and all instruments were permanently moved to King man in 1887.

Geography

Kingman is in central Mohave County, along Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 93. The city is served by three exits on I-40, which leads east 147 miles to Flagstaff and southwest 62 miles to Needles, California. US-93 leads northwest 107 miles to Las Vegas and southeast 130 miles to Wickenburg, 54 miles (87 km) from Phoenix. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Kingman has a total area of 37.5 square miles (97 km²), all land. It has a population of 1,071. The town is located on the banks of the Yavapai River, which flows through the center of the city. It is located near the junction of Interstate 40, US 93, and the Arizona Turnpike, which runs from south to north. It also is near the border with Arizona and California, and is about 60 miles (100 km) south of the state's largest city, Phoenix. In the summer, Kingman is known as the "Kingman of the Desert" because of its large number of hot springs and other water sources. It was the site of the first recorded mining operation in the area in the 18th century, and was the first city in the state to have a paved road built in the early 20th century. Its population was 1,061 in the 1930s, and in the 1940s, it was 2,074. In 2010, it had 1,081 residents.

Climate

Kingman sits on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert, but it is located in a cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) due to its plateau location. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F (32 °C) frequently, but rarely exceed 107 °C. Winter nighttime lows often fall to freezing, with significantly lower temperatures possible, and occasional snowfall. On December 31, 2014 and January 1, 2015, Kingman received 6.5 inches of snow. The snowiest year was 1949 with 18.2 inches (0.46 m). The most rainfall in 24 hours was 6.03 inches (153 mm) on November 28, 1919. The wettest year was 1919 with 21.22 inches (539 mm) and the driest years was 1947 with 3.58 inches (91 mm). The record low temperature in Kingman was set on January 9, 1937, at 6 °f (14 °C), and the record high temperature occurred on June 20, 2017, at 113°F (45°C) The most rain in one month was 9.85 inches (250 mm) in September 1939, and the most snowfall was 14.0 inches (0.36 m) in December 1932. The storm was so significant that it was a contributing factor for closing Interstate 40 at the US 93 Junction for 24 hours. It was also the reason for the closure of I-40 for a few hours in the early morning hours.

Demographics

At the 2000 census, there were 20,069 people, 7,854 households and 5,427 families residing in the city. The racial make-up of the city was 88.0% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 1.0%. Hispanic or Latino people of any race comprised 12.2% of the population. The median household income was $34,086 and the median family Income was $41,327. The per capita income for the city in 2000 was $17,181. About 15.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of people age 65 or over were living below the poverty line at the time of the 2010 census. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was2.94. The city has a population density of 669.7 per square mile (258.6/km²), with 8,604 housing units at an average density of 287.1 per squaremile (110.8/ km²) For every 100 females, there are 97.5 males. For each 100 females age 18 or over, there is 94.4 males. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city's population will reach 20,000 by the end of the year, with 7,000 people living in it by the year's end. It has a median age of 40 years, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 25.4% between the ages of 18 and 24, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older.

Government and infrastructure

The city operates under the council-manager form of government. The city council consists of a mayor, vice-mayor, a five member council and the city manager. Arizona State Prison Kingman, a privately run prison of the Arizona Department of Corrections, is located in unincorporated Mohave County near Kingman. The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management has a field office located in Kingman and the county fairgrounds are located in the city. The current mayor is Ken Watkins and the vice-Mayor seat is currently vacant. The council also includes boards and commissions that assist the council in decision making. They are the: Clean City Commission, Golf Course Advisory Commission, Parks and Recreations Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission, Youth Advisory Commission and Tri-City Council.

Economy

According to Kingman's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Kingman, Inc. Kingman is home to the U.S. Air National Guard, which has more than 4,000 employees. The city is also home to a number of state and local government agencies, including the state Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Social Services. The top employers are Kingman and its surrounding areas. The economy is the No. 1 reason for the city's growth, according to the report. It is the second largest in the state, followed by the state of Arizona. The state's unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation. The U.N. has the highest unemployment rate in the United States, at 7.7 percent. The unemployment rate for Kingman has been at 6.2 percent since the start of the year. It's the lowest since the city was founded in 1868. The number of jobs is the highest since the town's incorporation in 1872. The largest employers in Kingman are the state and county governments, which have more than 6,000 workers. The most jobs are in the tourism industry, with more than 1,000 jobs in the town of Kingman. The biggest employers are the county government and the state department of health and human services, with over 1,200 employees. Kingmen are the only city in the county with a population of more than 10,000 people. The town's economy is based on tourism, with about 1,400 jobs.

Transportation

The Kingman Airport is located 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Kingman on Arizona State Route 66. The airport was originally built as Kingman Army Air Field during World War II and was the location of the Kingman Aerial Gunnery School. Kingman is located on the Southern Transcon route of the BNSF Railway which is the main transcontinental route between Los Angeles and Chicago. The Kingman Terminal Railroad (KGTR) opened in August 2012. The KGTR is a short line railroad owned by Patriot Rail and delivers to businesses at the industrial park. The closest commercial airport is Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise, Nevada, approximately 104 miles (167 km) northwest of King man. King man is served by the intercity bus companies Greyhound and TUFESA and the Tri-State Shuttle connects Kingman with Harry Reid Airport. The City of KingMan operates Kingman Area Regional Transit, which operates buses and shuttles to and from other cities in Arizona and Nevada. The city is home to the University of Arizona, which is a member of the College of Transportation and Information Studies and the Arizona State College of Journalism and Science. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has a chapter of the American College of Aeronautics and Astronautics, which was founded in 1903. The university is located in the city's downtown area and has a campus of the Arizona College of Optics and Aeronautical Sciences. The college has an aerospace engineering program which is based in the nearby town of Yavapai.

Education

Kingman has one public school district, one charter school district and one Christian school. The Kingman Academy of Learning, a charter school, is split into four schools: a primary (pre-school 2nd grade), intermediate (35), middle (68), and high school (912) The Emmanuel Christian Academy teaches students from kindergarten to 8th grade. Mohave Community College, a junior college, is located in Kingman. Northern Arizona University has an extension campus located inKingman. The town is home to the University of Kingman, which has four main campuses. The city is also the home of the Arizona Virtual Academy, a (K12) Blended learning center. It is located near the town of Dolan Springs, approximately 30 miles northwest of Kingmen. The community is also home to Arizona State University, a public university, and the College of Western Arizona, a private university. The mayor of the town has a doctorate degree from Arizona State, which is based in the town's downtown area. The man who founded Kingman's first school is a former Kingman City Councilman. He is the son of a former City Council member and a former Mayor of the city. The current mayor has a bachelor's degree from Kingman High School. He has a master's degree in business administration from the City College of Arizona, which was founded in the early 1900s. He also has a law degree from the University of Arizona, which began in the late 1930s.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Kingman, Mohave County, Arizona = 89.6. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 50. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Kingman = 6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 32,689 individuals with a median age of 37.7 age the population grows by 39.60% in Kingman, Mohave County, Arizona population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 870.62 residents per square mile of area (336.14/km²). There are average 2.54 people per household in the 10,771 households with an average household income of $41,889 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 10.40% of the available work force and has dropped -2.66% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 24.28%. The number of physicians in Kingman per 100,000 population = 129.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Kingman = 10.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 3.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 36. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 290. 98 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 31.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 46, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Kingman, Mohave County, Arizona which are owned by the occupant = 66.54%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 15 years with median home cost = $100,480 and home appreciation of -23.88%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $8.01 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,129 per student. There are 16.2 students for each teacher in the school, 386 students for each Librarian and 788 students for each Counselor. 7.12% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 8.71% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 5.66% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).