The Valley had seven cities with less than a million, but more than 100,000 residents in the year 2000. These cities were: Chandler, Peoria, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale and Gilbert. That same year, Phoenix boasted a population of over a million people.

Many of the Valley’s gated master planned communities are built where cotton once grew. Subdivisions have sprouted up on farmland in all directions. Areas that were once rural are now home to a more diverse population, who enjoy amenities that were previously out of their budget.