Chandler gets its name from A.J. Chandler, the Arizona Territory's first veterinary surgeon (circa 1887), who invested the profits from his practice in a landholding known as Chandler Ranch, which he then divided into agricultural plots and advertised for sale in 1911. He later built the San Marcos Hotel, a lavish golf course resort which became a popular getaway spot for such famous and infamous icons as Erroll Flynn, Gloria Swanson, Fred Astaire, Al Capone and Herbert Hoover. This combination of agriculture and tourism helped Chandler grow to its current size of 71.5 square miles with a population of 208,631 a median age of 31.2 (reflecting the large number of young families) and an average family income of $66,730.

Located just 25 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix, the open land that once drew farmers and ranchers now attracts high tech manufacturing companies like Intel, Motorola and Microchip Technologies, earning it the nickname, "The Silicon Desert."

More than 64% of Chandler's population is between the ages of 18 and 54, with 75% of the 30,000 manufacturing sector workers employed in high technology fields, compared with the national average of 15%.

The outstanding educational programs offered throughout the school district have resulted in nearly all of its schools being awarded citations for excellence by outside organizations, including the Arizona Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. Chandler students consistently have test scores higher than state and national averages. Chandler also has the distinction of recently being named the safest city in the state.

The Chandler Center for the Arts is the city's cultural hub. On the lighter side, the yearly Chandler Ostrich Festival, held in March, gives spectators the unique chance to see ostriches pulling jockeys in lightweight chariots.

Opportunities for outdoor activities abound here. Chandler's planning includes developing one neighborhood park in each square mile of the city. There is a 6.5 mile system of parks and trails along the Consolidated Canal for walking, running and playing. Chandler's Parks and Recreation system was named tops in the country in 1998 for its programs, receiving the National Recreation and Parks Associate Gold Medal Award.

Come and see all that Chandler has to offer!

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