Peoria

Welcome to Peoria

Community Summary

An incorporated City in the northwest Phoenix metro area (West/Northwest Valley), roughly a 30-minute drive northwest of downtown Phoenix. The first residents (the Straw family) settled the site in November 1886, recruited from Peoria, Illinois by William J. Murphy, who had worked on the Arizona Canal; the settlement's name derives from a Miami-Illinois word carried over from Peoria, Illinois, described by one source as a corruption of the word for "prairie fire." A post office was established August 4, 1888. Additional early developers named in the City's own historic timeline include Joseph B. Greenhut and Deloss S. Brown, who acquired land in 1890 under the Desert Lands Act and platted the townsite.

The exact plat-filing date has two conflicting sources: Wikipedia states May 24, 1897, while the City of Peoria's own historic-preservation timeline states March 24, 1897. This should be confirmed with the City before publishing a specific date elsewhere.

Peoria was officially incorporated as a City on June 7, 1954, with a population of 1,925 residents on 720 acres.

Population figures by year:

• 2000 Census: 108,364
• 2010 Census: 154,065
• 2020 Census: 190,985
• July 2025 Census Bureau estimate: 200,881

Total land area is approximately 179.2 square miles (176.1 sq mi land, 3.2 sq mi water). Peoria is confirmed to span two counties — the great majority of the city sits in Maricopa County, with a portion in the north extending into Yavapai County.

Peoria is bordered by Glendale, Sun City, and Surprise.

Sub-Communities & Neighborhoods

Verified via official city, developer, or HOA primary sources:

• Vistancia — a master-planned community within the City of Peoria, containing named component communities including The Village at Vistancia, Blackstone at Vistancia, Trilogy at Vistancia, and Northpointe at Vistancia (which includes a sub-community called Ridgecrest)
• Fletcher Heights — a single-family HOA community of approximately 2,098 homes, built 1999–2002, located northwest of the Loop 101 near P83
• Terramar — a named Peoria neighborhood/HOA (sourced via its property-management company; a lower tier of verification than a city document)
• P83 (Peoria Entertainment District) — an official City of Peoria district/redevelopment area near the Peoria Sports Complex
• Old Town Peoria — confirmed via the City's own adopted 2011 Old Town Specific Area Plan

Flagged/unverified: "Westwing Mountain" appears consistently across real estate listings as a named Peoria neighborhood, but no official city planning document or dedicated HOA site could be located to confirm it in this pass — recommend verifying against city GIS/plat records before treating it as confirmed.

Important correction — Sun City and Sun City West are NOT part of Peoria. Both are separate, unincorporated Maricopa County census-designated places (CDPs), bordering Peoria but governed by their own resident/homeowner associations (the Sun City Homeowners Association and the Property Owners and Residents Association, respectively) rather than a municipal government. They should never be described as Peoria neighborhoods.

Market Stats (Annual)

Full calendar-year data, refreshed once a year. Source link

Peoria | Altos report: Peoria, AZ (citywide)

Schools

• Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) — the primary district, serving most of Peoria, some areas of Glendale and Youngtown, a small area of Surprise, and numerous unincorporated areas of Maricopa County; operates 44 schools, including high schools Cactus, Centennial, Ironwood, Liberty, Peoria, Raymond S. Kellis, and Sunrise Mountain, and elementary schools including Vistancia Elementary, Lake Pleasant Elementary, and Sunset Heights
• Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) — also serves a portion of Peoria, along with areas of Phoenix, Glendale, and Cave Creek

Nadaburg Unified School District (northwest portions) and Wickenburg Unified School District (the Yavapai County portion) are also reported to serve parts of Peoria via secondary sources, but this has not been independently confirmed against each district's own site.

Dining

P83 Entertainment District (83rd Ave & Bell Rd corridor):

• The Social on 83rd
• Pho For Days Vietnamese Cuisine
• Revolu Modern Taqueria + Bar
• Serra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse
• Osaka P83 Teppanyaki & Sushi
• Yummee Yogurt
• Headquarters Grill Bar Sushi

Annual Community Events

Spring

• Dolly Sanchez Easter Celebration — the Saturday before Easter, at Centennial Plaza

Summer

• All-American Festival — July 4th, at Peoria Sports Complex

Fall

• Old World Oktoberfest — late September, at Peoria Centennial Plaza
• ¡Somos Peoria! (Hispanic Heritage Month festival) — late September, in Old Town Peoria
• Halloween Monster Bash — late October, at Peoria Sports Complex

Winter

• Old Town Holiday Festival & Gingerbread House Competition — early/mid December, in Old Town Peoria

Recurring, Year-Round

• Second Saturdays — a monthly market and entertainment event held every second Saturday, in Old Town Peoria

Churches and Community Centers

Churches

• Christ's Church of the Valley, Peoria Campus — 7007 W Happy Valley Rd
• Mount Zion Lutheran Church — 8902 W Deer Valley Rd
• Cross of Glory (church and school) — 10111 W. Jomax Rd.
• First Presbyterian Church of Peoria — located in Peoria's downtown district; specific street address not independently confirmed

Community Centers

• Peoria Community Center — a 26,000 sq. ft., LEED Gold–certified facility with a game room, fitness classes, an active-adult lunch program, public computers/Wi-Fi, a community resource center, and rentable event space

Parks and Recreation

• Rio Vista Community Park — 52 acres, with an urban lake, seven lighted softball fields, sand volleyball courts, a skate park, batting cages, a playground, a seasonal splash pad (April–October), a walk/jog path, a fishing pond, and a veterans memorial
• Pioneer Community Park — an official City of Peoria park
• Citywide, the City reports approximately 570 acres of parks, including 36 neighborhood parks and two community parks, plus over 60 miles of trails

Important correction — Lake Pleasant Regional Park is not within Peoria city limits. Although frequently marketed as a Peoria-area attraction, its official mailing address (41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd.) places it in unincorporated Morristown, AZ, and it is operated by the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department, not the City of Peoria. It is more accurate to describe it as "near Peoria" or "in the Peoria area, accessed via Carefree Highway" rather than stating it is located in Peoria. Recreational activities confirmed there include boating, fishing, camping, hiking, swimming, water skiing, and a Discovery Center.

Amenities

• Peoria Sports Complex — opened 1994 as the first two-team spring training facility; currently has no naming-rights sponsor (the City has approved upgrades while pursuing a future sponsor); Cactus League spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, with leases confirmed through 2034
• P83 Entertainment District — retail and dining district adjacent to Peoria Sports Complex
• Vistancia — includes a 3.5-mile Discovery Trail (linear park/outdoor fitness path), two golf courses (at Blackstone at Vistancia and Trilogy at Vistancia), and integrated neighborhood parks

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Sun City and Sun City West part of Peoria? No. Both are separate, unincorporated Maricopa County communities bordering Peoria, governed by their own resident associations rather than a Peoria city government.

Is Lake Pleasant Regional Park located in Peoria? Not within city limits — the park's official address places it in unincorporated Morristown, AZ, and it is operated by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, though it is commonly described as being in the Peoria area.

What school district serves Peoria? Peoria Unified School District is the primary district; Deer Valley Unified School District also serves a portion of the city.

Which MLB teams hold spring training in Peoria? The San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners train at the Peoria Sports Complex, with leases confirmed through 2034.