GOVERNANCE: The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is governed by a President, Vice President, and seven council members representing two districts. Tribal Council members serve staggered four-year terms, with elections held the first Tuesday in September in even-numbered years. The Tribal Council meets monthly, date to be determined. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is in Congressional District 6; Legislative District 26.
CONSTITUTION:
COMMUNITY PROFILE: Two tribes make up the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community: the Pima ("Akimel Au-Authm" or River People); and the Maricopa ("Xalychidom Pipaash" or People Who Live Toward the Water). The two tribes originally banded together for protection against the Yuman and Apache Tribes.
The Pima are descendants of the Hohokam, an ancient civilization that farmed the Salt River Valley using elaborate canal irrigation techniques that are still used today. The Pima are known for their intricate, watertight basket-weaving.
The Maricopa people were small bands that migrated east from the Colorado River. The Maricopa are known for their red clay pottery. When the Salt River Indian Community formed a Reservation in 1879, it included both tribes within its boundaries.
According to the U.S. Census, approximately 7,386 individuals live in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, a sovereign community bounded by the cities of Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, and Fountain Hills. The Community holds 52,600 acres, 19,000 of which are held as a natural preserve. Approximately 12,000 acres produce cotton, melons, potatoes, onions, broccoli, and carrots.
The Community operates two casinos as well as Talking Stick Resort and Spa, and Talking Stick Golf Club. Other enterprises include a commercial landfill, Salt River Materials Group that provides construction aggregates, Salt River Financial Services, and Saddleback Communications, among others.
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Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Reservation
|
Arizona
|
United States
|
| Total Population* |
7,386 |
6,946,685 |
322,903,030 |
| Number of Households |
2,437 |
2,524,300 |
119,730,128 |
| Average Household Size |
3.03 |
2.69 |
2.63 |
| Median Age |
36.3 |
37.4 |
37.9 |
| Population Under Age 18 |
22.2% |
23.5% |
22.8% |
| Population Over Age 65 |
16.3% |
16.7% |
15.2% |
| Speaks a Language Other Than English in Household |
11.7% |
27.2% |
21.5% |
| Married-Couple Households |
29.9% |
57.0% |
58.6% |
| Owner-Occupied Housing Units |
77.3% |
63.6% |
63.8% |
| Age 25+ with High School Degree or Higher |
73.3% |
86.8% |
87.7% |
| Median Household Income |
$18,310 |
$56,213 |
$60,293 |
| Below Federal Poverty Threshold |
30.2% |
16.1% |
14.1% |
| Households with at Least One Computing Device |
81.5% |
89.9% |
88.8% |
| Households with a Desktop/Laptop |
64.4% |
79.7% |
77.9% |
*All statistics are from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.
