Much of Hildale's history is wrapped up in its association with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), and two additional polygamist breakoffs.

In 1953 Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle ordered a raid of the surrounding community which lead to many arrests.

The majority of the area was developed as very low-density, with large homes to accommodate complex family structures, and a great deal of agricultural land.

This included the excommunication of many male members of the faith group, who were then expected to leave the community immediately, since their land and homes were operated by the Trust.

While this practice had affected the city in small numbers before, this singular event led to increased attention to the community, and scrutiny of the Trust's control.

When Jeffs was later accused of federal crimes in 2005, and became a fugitive, the Utah attorney general's office temporarily seized control of the assets of the Trust (which also included land in Arizona, Texas, British Columbia and elsewhere.)

According to one report, the warrants involved the misuse of funds and caused the Hildale Public Safety Department to be shut down.

During a flash flood on September 14, 2015, at least 12 members of two related families from the community were killed while stopped in a low water crossing at the mouth of Maxwell Canyon in Hildale.

In 2016, in United States V. Town of Colorado City Arizona, of which Hildale was also a defendant, the jury found that both cities, and associated corporations had violated various provisions of the Policing Act, The Fair Housing Act, and had multiple violations of discrimination against people who were not in good favor of the FLDS church, and its leaders.

People who had left the FLDS church in previous decades, including some "lost boys," began returning to accept these claims which has led to a major population shift.

The election received major pushback, with the current serving government initially locking her out of the offices and refusing her entry.

In 2018, on the day of her swearing in, in an act of protest, all the remaining city council members who were within the FLDS church resigned.

[15] While the population decreased significantly between 2010 and 2015,[3] since this transition of leadership, efforts have been made to both welcome and provide resources to people who leave the faith, but also invite all who have moved away to return to the community.

This also marked the first time positions in city government have been held by people who are not members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

[19] About a month afterward, 11 city employees resigned, at least one of whom said that his religion prevented him from "following a woman, and from serving on a board with apostates.