It’s no secret Maricopa is growing by leaps and bounds. But the numbers became crystal clear during a conversation with the city’s Development Services Director Rodolfo Lopez.

He cited city data showing that there currently are 24,199 completed single-family homes in Maricopa. Using the United States Census Bureau’s figure of 2.6 residents per dwelling unit, defined as any single-family home, condominium, apartment or other permanent residence, that number of homes gets the city to its current population of 62,917.

There also are 1,675 improved lots in the city – lots that Lopez described as, “meaning there is a street in front of it.” Those improved lots will bring another 4,355 citizens to the city once built out, taking the city past 67,000.

It’s after that where the numbers become a bit mind-boggling.

Including only projects within the current city limits, Lopez said there are another 42,209 dwelling units that have been approved by the city in some fashion and are in one stage of development or another. That brings the total future population of Maricopa to 177,109 if no other projects are approved.

Lopez said the rooftops are creating demand for other services in the city.

“We are creating a lot of population that will create demand for retail in those areas where the homes are built,” he said. “We don’t decide where retail will go, or where the homes will go; that’s market driven. We provide the information and opportunities and are supportive, but it’s all being driven by the markets.”

He cited the area near Porter Road and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway as one area that has a large population that is beginning to attract interest from retailers, while the area surround Tortosa is not yet generating that kind of activity.

He described another part of the city planners see as being a major growth area. “The area to the southeast of Walmart is going to be huge,” he said. “That’s the direction a lot of our development is going because there’s so much open land out that way.”

He emphasized that there is a need for the new housing.

“Our city is growing, and that’s not going to stop,” Lopez said. “A lot of our existing subdivisions are getting ready to be built out, so there needs to be places for the people moving here to live. We’re just giving the market what it wants.”