The little neighborhood near Rural Road and Apache Boulevard is the most crowded census tract in the state and possibly the mnost culturally diverse. In this sliver of Tempe, the only things as jammed as the parking lots and coffee bars are the sidewalks and bike racks. Indian women in traditional saris mix with Britney Spears look-alikes showing off their midriffs.
Slackers brush up against deep thinkers working on their doctorates.
The flow of people never seems to stop. Just ask the Census Bureau. The bureau proclaims this little neighborhood near Rural Road and Apache Boulevard as the most crowded census tract in the state, home to the equivalent of about 26,000 people per square mile. Other Arizona places have 2,000 to 3,000 residents per square mile. This spot has 3,188 residents, and it only spans about one-eighth of a square mile.