City of Peoria Home Go Services Residents Business Government I Want To... Services About Peoria - Peoria's History Vision, Mission, and Values Sustainability Building Permits and Info COVID-19 Information Neighborhoods + Newsroom + Parks and Recreation + Fire-Medical Peoria SUPPORT Services Police Department Pop Up Peoria Public Meetings + Trash and Recycling Transportation Volunteer in Peoria Residents ABOUT PEORIA, ARIZONA Print Feedback Share & Bookmark Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option Font Size: + - Located about 30 minutes northwest of downtown Phoenix, Peoria was established in 1886 as a humble agricultural community. Since incorporating on June 7, 1954, Peoria has blossomed as a rapidly-growing, modern city that offers a high quality of living in the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert. How Peoria Got Its Name Peoria, Arizona came to be when William J. Murphy, a former Union Army officer, was working as head of construction on the Arizona Canal. Upon the canal’s completion in 1885, Murphy saw the potential for agriculture in the area and returned to Peoria, Illinois where he recruited four families to move out west in November 1886. The official plat map was filed with the County Recorder on March 27, 1897, naming the settlement after their hometown. Quality of Life Peoria is home to Lake Pleasant Regional Park - a true an 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! Our residents enjoy access to 570 acres of parks including 36 neighborhood parks and three large community parks. Explore more than 60 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. When it comes to entertainment, Peoria is hard to beat! We offer Spring Training baseball, two community theatres, an art museum, and a year-round calendar of festivals and special events. Our P83 Entertainment District offers a wide variety of local restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options for the whole family. The City of Peoria takes pride in providing excellent municipal services to residents. Four of the city's essential service departments (Police, Fire, Public Works, and Parks & Recreation) are nationally accredited by independent agencies. In order to be accredited, these departments must meet specific criteria, which is evaluated on a regular basis. It is uncommon for cities with 1 million or more residents to have four departments accredited, and is truly exceptional among cities that are Peoria's size. This commitment to excellence is part of what sets Peoria apart from other cities and makes it a great place to live. City Facts: Population: 191,000 (2020 Census) Incorporated: June 7, 1954 Size: approximately 179 square miles (463 km2) Awards & Accolades: No. 1 city to live, work and play in Arizona (Ranking Arizona, 2021) No. 7 for most open spaces (Rent.com, 2020) 6th Wealthiest ZIP codes in the Valley (Phoenix Business Journal, 2020) Top 20 cities for staycations (Wallethub, 2020) Top 50 Happiest cities in America (Wallethub, 2019) Top 15 Safest Cities in the U.S. (Wallethub, 2019 and 2017) Top 100 Golf Courses - Quintero Golf Club (Golf Digest, 2019 and 2017) 38th Healthiest Cities in the U.S., one of two Arizona cities in the top 40 (Wallethub, 2019) 12th city for green space in the U.S. (2019) 13th Wealthiest ZIP codes in the Valley (Phoenix Business Journal, 2019) Top 10 Unique Destinations (USA Today, 2019) 22nd Safest City in the U.S., one of four in Arizona in the top 25 (Phoenix Business Journal, 2018) 50 Hottest Hoods in the Valley (Phoenix Business Journal, 2018) 4th Best Place to Get a Job (Wallethub, 2018) No. 1 best city to live in Arizona and the 29th in the country (Money Magazine, 2018 9th Least Stressed City in the country (Wallethub, 2017) 10th Best City to Raise a Family (Wallethub, 2017) Best winter destination in the U.S. (Expedia, 2017) No. 1 city with booming employment growth (CNBC, 2017) The Village at Vistancia was ranked the No. 1 master-planned community in Arizona (2013-2017) Top 25 Best Places to Retire (Forbes, 2017) Peoria Sports Complex was named the Best Place to Watch a Spring Training Game (Phoenix New Times, 2017) Top 10 places for pizza in the U.S. (SmartAsset, 2017) Top 5 disability-friendly cities in the U.S. (Wallethub, 2016) No. 2 in Arizona for recycling (AZCentral, 2015) Read More: Peoria’s History Peoria’s Vision, Mission, and Values Peoria’s Commitment to Sustainability Peoria: A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace Contact Us Peoria City Hall 8401 W. Monroe St. Peoria, AZ 85345 Phone: (623) 773-7000 TTY: (623) 773-7221 Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. *Note: Some city departments operate on a Monday - Friday schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. City of Peoria 8401 W. Monroe St. Peoria, AZ 85345 Contact Us (623) 773-7000 Employee Login Home Employment Accessibility Privacy Policy / Terms of Use Sitemap Contact Us Website Design by Granicus - Connecting People and Government