Mohave County ( ) occupies the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona, one of 15 counties in the state. As of the 2020 census, its population was 213,267. The county seat is Kingman, and the largest city is Lake Havasu City. It is the fifth largest county in the United States (by area).

Mohave County makes up the Lake Havasu City–Kingman, Arizona Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Mohave County contains parts of Grand Canyon National Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area and all of the Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument. The Kaibab, Fort Mojave and Hualapai Indian Reservations also lie within the county.

History Mohave County was the one of four original Arizona Counties created by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature. The county territory was originally defined as being west of longitude 113° 20' and north of the Bill Williams River. Pah-Ute County was created from it in 1865 and was merged back into Mohave County in 1871 when much of its territory was ceded to Nevada in 1866. The county's present boundaries were established in 1881. The county is also home to a large polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints sect located in Colorado City.

Mohave County has had five county seats: Mohave City (1864–1867), Hardyville (1867–1873), Cerbat (1873–1877), Mineral Park (1877–1887), and Kingman (since 1887).Walker, Henry (1986). "Historical Atlas of Arizona", p. 32. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.1%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Arizona and the fifth-largest in the contiguous United States.

The county consists of two sections divided by the Grand Canyon, with no direct land connection between them. The northern section, smaller and less populated, forms the western part of the Arizona Strip, bordering Utah and Nevada. The larger southern section borders Nevada and California across the Colorado River, which forms most of the county's western boundary. The southern section includes Kingman, the county seat, and other cities, as well as part of the Mojave Desert.

Adjacent counties Washington County, Utah – north Kane County, Utah – northeast Coconino County – east Yavapai County – east La Paz County – south San Bernardino County, California – southwest Clark County, Nevada – west Lincoln County, Nevada – northwest

Mohave County and its adjacent counties form the largest such block of counties outside of Alaska. Their combined land area is , or larger than that of the state of Idaho. They include the #1 (San Bernardino), #2 (Coconino), #5 (Mohave), and #7 (Lincoln) largest counties outside of Alaska. If Nye County, Nevada- which is #3 for total county area that does not border Mohave but borders neighboring Lincoln and Clark counties is included, then the combined land area would be 107,726.34 squard miles or larger than the state of Colorado.

National protected areas Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge (part) Grand Canyon National Park (part) Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (part) Kaibab National Forest (part) Lake Mead National Recreation Area (part) Pipe Spring National Monument

There are 18 official wilderness areas in Mohave County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Most of these are managed by the Bureau of Land Management, but some are integral parts of the preceding protected areas, or have shared jurisdiction with the BLM. Some extend into neighboring counties (as indicated below) All wilderness areas within Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument are managed by BLM, although the National Monument shares management with the National Park Service: Arrastra Mountain Wilderness (BLM) partly in Yavapai County, Arizona, and La Paz County, Arizona Aubrey Peak Wilderness (BLM) Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness (BLM) partly in Washington County, Utah Cottonwood Point Wilderness (BLM) Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness (Grand Canyon–Parashant NM) managed by BLM Havasu Wilderness (Havasu NWR) partly in San Bernardino County, California Kanab Creek Wilderness (Kaibab NF / BLM) mostly in Coconino County, Arizona Mount Logan Wilderness (Grand Canyon–Parashant NM) managed by BLM Mount Nutt Wilderness (BLM) Mount Tipton Wilderness (BLM) Mount Trumbull Wilderness (Grand Canyon–Parashant NM) managed by BLM Mount Wilson Wilderness (BLM) Paiute Wilderness (partly in Grand Canyon–Parashant NM) managed by BLM Rawhide Mountains Wilderness (BLM) mostly in La Paz County, Arizona Swansea Wilderness (BLM) mostly in La Paz County, Arizona Upper Burro Creek Wilderness (BLM) mostly in Yavapai County, Arizona Wabayuma Peak Wilderness (BLM) Warm Springs Wilderness (BLM)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+Mohave County, Arizona – Racial and ethnic composition !Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) ! !2010 !2000 !1990 !1980 |- |White alone (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |75.1%(160,165) |79.6%(159,378) |84%(130,283) |91.8%(85,808) |92.9%(51,876) |- |Black alone (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |1%(2,063) |0.9%(1,715) |0.5%(787) |0.3%(291) |0.1%(68) |- |American Indian alone (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.9%(4,053) |1.9%(3,793) |2.1%(3,238) |2.1%(1,919) |2.8%(1,561) |- |Asian alone (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.2%(2,600) |1%(2,016) |0.7%(1,118) | |0.5%(514) | |0.3%(195) |- |Pacific Islander alone (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.2%(365) |0.2%(316) |0.1%(151) |- |Other race alone (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.3%(690) |0.1%(145) |0.1%(128) |0%(46) |0.1%(30) |- |Multiracial (NH) |style='background: #ffffe6; |4.3%(9,205) |1.6%(3,254) |1.4%(2,145) |— |— |- |Hispanic/Latino (any race) |style='background: #ffffe6; |16%(34,126) |14.8%(29,569) |11.1%(17,182) |5.3%(4,919) |3.8%(2,135)

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 213,267. Of the residents, 16.8% were under the age of 18 and 31.0% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 53.8 years. For every 100 females there were 102.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.8 males. 76.1% of residents lived in urban areas and 23.9% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 79.6% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.9% from some other race, and 9.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 16.0% of the population.

There were 91,270 households in the county, of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 117,650 housing units, of which 22.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.7% were owner-occupied and 28.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.0%.

2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 200,186 people, 82,539 households, and 54,036 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 110,911 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 86.9% white, 2.2% American Indian, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 6.0% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.1% were German, 16.2% were Irish, 15.6% were English, 5.7% were Italian, and 4.5% were American.

Of the 82,539 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 47.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,785 and the median income for a family was $47,530. Males had a median income of $36,222 versus $28,060 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,523. About 11.6% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.7% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 155,032 people, 62,809 households, and 43,401 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 80,062 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 90.1% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 2.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.0% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. 11.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 62,809 households, out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,521, and the median income for a family was $36,311. Males had a median income of $28,505 versus $20,632 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,788. About 9.8% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics, government, and infrastructure No Democratic presidential nominee has carried Mohave County since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. He managed a narrow victory of 152 votes over Arizona native Barry Goldwater despite Goldwater’s home state advantage.

The Mohave County Administration Building is located in downtown Kingman at 700 West Beale Street. The old County Complex, which the Administration Building replaced, was located adjacent to the courthouse on Spring Street and 4th Street. The Mohave County Superior Courthouse, built in 1915, is an Art Deco/Streamline Moderne building on the National Register of Historic Places. The county jail is adjacent to the County Administration Building at 501 S. Highway 66.

Arizona State Prison – Kingman, a privately run prison of the Arizona Department of Corrections, is located in unincorporated Mohave County near Golden Valley and Kingman."Golden Valley CDP, Arizona ." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 13, 2010.

Education K-12 school districts The following school districts serve Mohave County: – Text list

Unified school districts Colorado City Unified School District Fredonia-Moccasin Unified District Kingman Unified School District Lake Havasu Unified School District Littlefield Unified School District Peach Springs Unified School District – While it is a USD, it sends its high school students to other districts

High school districts Colorado River Union High School District

Elementary school districts Bullhead City Elementary School District Hackberry School District Mohave Valley Elementary School District Owens-Whitney Elementary School District Topock Elementary School District Valentine Elementary School District Yucca Elementary School District

Additionally there is a charter school: Kingman Academy of Learning

Colleges Mohave Community College