Moving to Peoria, AZ: Peoria Homes for Sale and Local Guide
Peoria is a northwest Valley city about a 30-minute drive from downtown Phoenix, stretching from older neighborhoods near Grand Avenue and Loop 101 north past Loop 303 to Lake Pleasant. Peoria homes for sale range from established single-family neighborhoods in the south to newer master-planned communities such as Vistancia in the north.
I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. Peoria is a long, narrow city, and where you land in it changes your commute, your school district and even your county. This guide walks through the parts of town, the homes, things to do, schools, utilities and my tips for buying and selling here.
Peoria at a glance
- Population: 190,985 (2020 Census); about 200,881 (Census estimate, July 2025)
- Land area: about 176 square miles, mostly in Maricopa County with a far north section in Yavapai County
- Freeways: Loop 101 in the south, Loop 303 in the north, plus Northern Parkway
- Founded: 1886 by families from Peoria, Illinois; incorporated June 7, 1954
- Big draws: Lake Pleasant Regional Park, Peoria Sports Complex (Padres and Mariners spring training), P83 district
- Schools: mostly Peoria Unified, with parts in Deer Valley Unified and other districts
- Water, sewer and trash: City of Peoria
See Peoria homes for saleCall Terry: 602-483-4665
Where Peoria is and how you get around
Peoria sits northwest of Phoenix and Glendale. In the south, Loop 101 (the Agua Fria Freeway) runs through the city, with Bell Road and 83rd Avenue as the busy main roads. Northern Parkway, fully opened in October 2022, runs 12.5 miles from Loop 303 to Grand Avenue through El Mirage, Glendale and Peoria. In the north, Loop 303 serves Vistancia and the Lake Pleasant Parkway corridor, and a Jomax Parkway interchange opened there in 2022.
Expect road work in the north. ADOT is widening Loop 303 between Lake Pleasant Parkway and I-17, adding a third lane each way and a new Loop 303/I-17 interchange, with full completion expected around mid-2028. ADOT is also widening Loop 101 between I-17 and 75th Avenue, near Peoria's east edge, with completion expected in spring 2027. Peoria has no light rail; Valley Metro buses run on main roads such as 83rd Avenue, Peoria Avenue, Thunderbird Road and Bell Road. Sky Harbor is the closest major airport.
A short history
According to the City of Peoria, William J. Murphy oversaw building the Arizona Canal, finished in 1885, and recruited families from Peoria, Illinois, who settled here in November 1886. The town's plat map was filed in 1897, and Peoria incorporated on June 7, 1954. Farming shaped the town for decades; the rapid growth of north Peoria came much later, with master plans like Vistancia opening in 2004.
Main areas and neighborhoods
- Old Town Peoria: the original downtown around Grand and Peoria avenues, home to the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts.
- South and central Peoria: established neighborhoods near Loop 101, the P83 district and the Peoria Sports Complex.
- North Peoria: newer communities toward Lake Pleasant and Loop 303, including Camino a Lago, a D.R. Horton neighborhood south of Deer Valley Road.
- Vistancia: about 7,100 acres off Loop 303, opened in 2004, with The Village, Blackstone, Trilogy and Northpointe neighborhoods. See Vistancia, the guard-gated golf community Blackstone at Vistancia and Trilogy at Vistancia.
More Peoria community guides: Ventana Lakes, Fletcher Heights, Westbrook Village, Westwing and Lake Pleasant Heights.
Peoria also borders the Happy Valley area of north Phoenix, where Happy Valley Road turns into Happy Valley Parkway.
Types of homes
Most Peoria homes are single-family houses in HOA communities. South and central Peoria has more established resale neighborhoods, while north Peoria has newer master plans and new construction. You will also find golf and gated communities, age-restricted communities, condos and townhomes. Browse by type:
Things to do
Lake Pleasant Regional Park, run by Maricopa County Parks, covers about 23,000 acres with two marinas and sits inside Peoria's city limits; Pleasant Harbor Marina is on 87th Avenue. The Peoria Sports Complex at 16101 N. 83rd Avenue opened in 1994 as the first spring training ballpark shared by two teams, the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. Next door, the P83 Entertainment District along 83rd Avenue has restaurants and nightlife.
For parks, Rio Vista Community Park (8866 W. Thunderbird Rd.) has a 2.5-acre lake and a Veterans Memorial Wall, and Pioneer Community Park (8755 N. 83rd Ave.) has a stocked lake and a dog park. For shows, try the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, run by Theater Works, or Arizona Broadway Theatre on Paradise Lane.
School districts
Most Peoria addresses are in Peoria Unified School District. Parts of northeast Peoria are in Deer Valley Unified School District, and smaller areas in the northwest and the Yavapai County section are served by other districts. Always confirm the school district and boundaries for a specific address. Huntington University has a Peoria campus on Mariners Way.
Jobs, shopping and healthcare
The city's big employers include Peoria Unified and the City of Peoria. North Peoria is growing fast: the city's Innovation Core plan covers more than 7,000 acres of State Trust land along the Loop 303 corridor, and Amkor Technology is building a semiconductor packaging plant there, with production expected around 2028. HonorHealth opened an outpatient medical campus on 83rd Avenue north of Thunderbird in April 2025. Major hospitals nearby include Banner Boswell in Sun City and Abrazo Arrowhead in Glendale.
Utilities
The City of Peoria provides water, wastewater and trash service. Peoria's water comes from a mix of Colorado River water through the CAP, Salt River Project water, recovered well water and recycled water. Electric service is mainly APS, with some SRP customers, so check the provider for each address.
Buying and selling in Peoria
Questions buyers ask
How far is Peoria from downtown Phoenix?
The City of Peoria describes it as about a 30-minute drive northwest of downtown Phoenix, depending on where in Peoria you live and traffic.
Does Peoria have spring training?
Yes. The Peoria Sports Complex hosts the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, and it opened in 1994 as the first two-team spring training facility.
Is Lake Pleasant in Peoria?
Yes. Lake Pleasant Regional Park is within Peoria's city limits, though Maricopa County Parks runs it.
Who provides electricity in Peoria?
Most of Peoria is served by APS, and some areas are served by SRP. Confirm the provider for the home you are buying.
Looking farther northwest? Rancho Cabrillo is a newer community off Happy Valley Road near Loop 303 with Peoria mailing addresses, built by several national builders from about 2012 on. County records place it in unincorporated Maricopa County, so I check the jurisdiction on every home there.
In the far northeast corner of Peoria, Sonoran Mountain Ranch sits at the north end of 67th Avenue above Jomax Road, with homes built mostly from 2005 to 2018, gated custom-home sections, and Deer Valley Unified schools.
Just south of Sonoran Mountain Ranch, near 67th Avenue and Happy Valley Road, Terramar is an established neighborhood with homes from the late 1990s into the 2010s, two parks and a Deer Valley Unified K-8 arts school inside the community.
Homes by School in Peoria
Searching by school? Start with these high school area pages:
See more on my homes by school page.
Peoria: questions people ask
Is Peoria, AZ in Maricopa County or Yavapai County?
Peoria is in both counties: most of the city is in Maricopa County, and a portion of far north Peoria is in Yavapai County. The county line affects things like the county sales tax rate and county services, so check the county for any address you are considering.
What is the sales tax rate in Peoria, AZ?
The combined retail sales tax rate in the Maricopa County part of Peoria is 8.1%: 5.6% state, 0.7% county and 1.8% city, per the Arizona Department of Revenue rate table effective October 1, 2026. The Yavapai County part uses that county's 0.75% rate instead. See my cost of living guide for more on everyday costs.
Which school districts serve Peoria?
Most Peoria addresses are in Peoria Unified School District, and parts of the city are served by Deer Valley Unified and Nadaburg Unified. Always confirm boundaries for a specific address with the district. You can also start a search from my homes by school page.
Where does Peoria get its drinking water?
The City of Peoria runs its own water utility and uses a mix of Colorado River water from the Central Arizona Project, Salt River Project surface water and groundwater. CAP water has been the largest share in recent years, and in 2026 the city moved ahead with new groundwater wells as a backup supply.
How big is Lake Pleasant Regional Park?
Lake Pleasant Regional Park covers about 23,362 acres and is run by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation. The lake is a Central Arizona Project reservoir behind New Waddell Dam, filled mostly with Colorado River water pumped in during winter and spring, plus runoff from the Agua Fria River.
Comparing cities? See all of my Greater Phoenix city guides. Want to see what's happening in the market? Check my market reports, read the blog, or learn more about me. Ready to talk? Call Terry Day at 602-483-4665.
Browse current homes for sale listed by DeLex Realty agents.
Shopping between $600K and $1M? See my Peoria move-up homes page for the newest listings and the neighborhoods I'd look at first. Over $1M? See Peoria luxury homes.
Thinking about moving to Peoria?Call
Terry Day at DeLex Realty. I will help you compare Peoria neighborhoods, schools and commutes, at
602-483-4665.
City facts come from the U.S. Census Bureau, the City of Peoria, ADOT, MAG, school districts and news reports, and can change. Confirm school boundaries, utilities and HOA rules for a specific home. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
