The Mission of the Central Arizona Association of Governments is to provide effective planning and model programs which offer creative solutions to the unique needs within Region V.
The Central Arizona Association of Governments (CAAG) was formed in 1970 and incorporated in 1975. CAAG is one of six regional planning districts, or Councils of Governments (COGs), established by Executive Order 70-2 by the Governor of Arizona.
The six designated districts ultimately became two urban COGs, and four rural COGs. The goal was to create regional groupings that could provide more effective regional planning than various small towns, individual counties, or rural areas could on their own. The idea was to promote a community of interest, to preserve county boundaries, and to have a population base adequate to support planning activities, while complying with federal planning requirements and addressing the concerns of local government officials. The COGs, especially in rural areas, produced an economy of scale that allowed governments within a region to pool limited resources for maximum effect.
The CAAG Region is comprised of Gila and Pinal Counties, which includes seventeen incorporated communities, and over 10,000 square miles of area. The region is very diverse in terms of socioeconomic characteristics as well as geography and climate.
Community
County
Incorporated
Population*
Apache Junction
Pinal
1978
36,805
Casa Grande
1915
41,869
Coolidge
1945
11,590
Eloy
1949
12,419
Florence
1908
24,476
Globe
Gila
1907
7,958
Hayden
1956
865
Kearny
1959
2,280
Mammoth
1958
1,782
Maricopa
2003
33,923
Miami
1918
1,955
Payson
1973
17,167
Queen Creek
1989
366†
Superior
1976
3,367
Winkelman
Gila & Pinal
441
* Population estimates provided by CAAG Planning Department † Represents Pinal County portion of Queen Creek's population ‡ Town of Marana has annexed into Pinal County, but does not yet have population within Pinal County
View a map of the CAAG Region