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Peoria, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Peoria, AZ

Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. Most of the city is located in Maricopa County, while a portion of it in the north is in Yavapai County. It is a major suburb of Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the population of Peoria was 190,985, up from 154,065 in 2010. It is the sixth-largest city in Arizona in land area and the ninth-largest in population. It was named after Peoria, Illinois. The word peoria is a corruption of the Miami-Illinois word for "prairie fire". It is the spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, who share the Peoria Sports Complex.

Peoria sits in the Salt River Valley and extends into the foothills of the mountains to the north. William John Murphy, who had worked on the Arizona Canal, recruited settlers to begin a community in Arizona, many of them from Peoria, Illinois. Albert J. and Elizabeth Straw were the first to establish residency in November 1886. They were followed by William T. and Sylvia Hanna, James M. and Clara Copes, and James and Ella McMillan, all from Peoria, Illinois. An old desert road connecting Phoenix to the Hassayampa River near present-day Wickenburg was the only major transportation route in the area until 1887 when a new road was laid out. Named Grand Avenue, this road angled through the newly designed town sites of Alhambra, Glendale, and Peoria and became the main route from Phoenix to Vulture Mine. The settlers filed Peoria's plot map with the Maricopa County recorder on May 24, 1897, naming the settlement after their hometown.

The public hospital system, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System), operates Valleywise Comprehensive Health Center – Peoria. Its sole hospital, Valleywise Health Medical Center, is in Phoenix. There are also health and wellness services and centers available. Banner Boswell Medical Center offers a range of wellness services including fitness classes, nutrition counseling, and health screenings. Natural Endocrinologist Specialists specialize in endocrinology and diabetes care, focusing on wellness and lifestyle management. Mountain Park Health Center - Peoria provides comprehensive healthcare services including wellness programs, primary care, and behavioral health services. Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa offers a variety of massage therapies, facials, and spa packages for relaxation and rejuvenation. Life Time Fitness - LifeSpa features a full-service spa offering massages, facials, body treatments, and salon services.

Top sites in Peoria, AZ are Lake Pleasant, Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum, and Sahuaro Ranch Park.

Population: 199,924 (2024). ZIP codes: 85345, 85373, 85380-85383, 85385. Area codes: 623, 928. Elevation: 1,581 ft (482 m). Area: 179.2 square miles (464 km2).

FAQs

What is Peoria, AZ is known for?

Peoria is home to Lake Pleasant Regional Park - a true oasis in the desert. The 23,000-acre park is home to two marinas and is a popular spot for boating, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, camping, and even scuba diving! When it comes to entertainment, Peoria is hard to beat! This city has Spring Training baseball, two community theatres, an art museum, and a year-round calendar of festivals and special events. P83 Entertainment District offers a wide variety of local restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options for the whole family.

What is it like living in Peoria, AZ?

Peoria offers residents a good quality of life. In recent years, employment rates in both Phoenix and Peoria have been on an upward trend. Some time ago, CNBC ranked it in first place for booming employment growth. Top employers in Peoria include the Peoria Unified School District which employs over 3,400 staff members, and the city itself which has over 1,000 staff members in its payroll. Peoria is located just 30 minutes northwest of downtown Phoenix. This means you will have convenient access to abundant entertainment and employment opportunities, without all the hassle that comes with living in a big city.

What is a fun fact about Peoria, AZ?

Peoria was named the "Rose Capital of the World" in 1956. Peoria takes its name from Peoria, Illinois. The city was founded by four families from Illinois who moved to Arizona in 1886 and named the new settlement after their hometown. Peoria is home to Lake Pleasant, the second largest lake in Arizona after Roosevelt Lake. Though Lake Mead is much larger, it is shared by both Arizona and Nevada. Peoria residents enjoy 34 neighborhood parks, three public pools, two large community parks, five dog parks, and more than 26 miles of mountain and multi-use trails.

Sources

City of Peoria

Wikipedia

Visit Peoria AZ

Paramount Realty AZ

Lake Pleasant

Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum

Sahuaro Ranch Park

Valleywise Comprehensive Health Center – Peoria

Banner Boswell Medical Center

Natural Endocrinologist Specialists

Mountain Park Health Center - Peoria

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa 

Life Time Fitness - LifeSpa

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.