Tempe has long been a city of less than 200,000 due to its landlocked position and geographical features. The city has only grown 0.6 percent annually and 3.4 percent since 2020.
A 2025 report from the U.S. Census Bureau states the city has a population of 190,571, up from over 184,000 from April 2020.
That lack of population growth ranging from city budgets to school district enrollment. In December, the Kyrene Elementary School District voted to close four elementary schools and two middle schools by 2028, starting as soon at the 2026-27 school year.
