Together, agriculture and tourism built Chandler into a thriving community. While both remain important contributors to its economic base, the open land that once drew farmers and ranchers is now a magnet for high-tech manufacturing companies including Intel Corp, Motorola and Microchip Technology.

Their arrival in Chandler fueled phenomenal population growth. In 1980, Chandler had close to 30,000 residents. By 1999, that number had skyrocketed to more than 170,000. The median age in Chandler is 30.6, a figure that reflects the large number of families with young children. Median family income is $46,096.