Both families and students called the city home during its booming growth in population.
Downtown Phoenix was labeled a growing city when recognized by community-building organization Downtown Phoenix Inc. But World Population Review deemed that the growth happening with just the population alone was drastic. From 2022 to now, the city had an increase of 100,000 people while still recovering from COVID.
The population growth varied from families moving there due to job relocation to students attending one of the three universities with central Phoenix campuses. World Population Review showed 41.2% of the Phoenix population was married and 40% was never married/single.
The marital status of the population and the overall median age being 34.5 between males and females helped draw the conclusion that all types of people were moving to the city.
Downtown Phoenix student, Joey Setti, grew up in the Paradise Valley–Scottsdale area and relocated to Central City for school. Faced with the option to go back to the suburbs of Scottsdale or stay in the city, he signed a lease downtown.
In the newly built building Sorra, Setti noticed the demographic was a mix of Arizona State University students, residents, and Airbnb guests.
The demographic of downtown changed during the summer. Setti said, “I lived in Kenect during the summer; it was a lot quieter, but when the school year picked up there was a lot more traffic.”
When in the elevator around midday alone, he said he saw students, young adults, business people, and people going out.
“It really was versatile,” Setti remarked.
Setti also added that the amount of community events made the rapidly growing city feel like a tight community. Each business was still relatively new but unique in its own way.
Someone who saw that uniqueness was Danyelle Huegerich, and her husband, David Huegerich, who moved to north Phoenix before COVID in 2019 for David’s job. During that time, Phoenix held far fewer public events and did not have any of the new high-rises that filled the city’s skyline today.
Mrs. Huegerich said when she first moved to Phoenix the city was “empty with a developing art scene.” After living there for six years, her opinion evolved to “a lively city that is filled with culture.”
Danyelle Huegerich witnessed firsthand the evolution of Roosevelt Row and the iconic First Friday. She said it was the unique art culture and citywide events that made her want to stay in Phoenix.
Since moving there, the Huegeriches started a family and had no plans of leaving since Phoenix had proven to be a good place for art and family.
A person who made these events and the evolution of downtown Phoenix possible was Jessica Baker, community engagement director at Downtown Phoenix Inc. The organization helped raise awareness about restaurants, events, and arts culture through its website, social media, and local advertisements.
“We wanted events that were family-friendly, budget-conscious… culturally inclusive and diverse… art-centric,” and that ‘activated public spaces like a park or a plaza or a street’ while supporting “our local businesses,” Baker said
Baker said they continuously tried to include as many different groups of people as possible, and the mission was always to attract people into a welcoming community.
While Phoenix was still projected to have another 200,000 people join the community before 2029, the art culture and welcoming community were expected to remain the same.
Edited by Shi Bradley
