<h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Peoria, <em>Phoenix</em></h1>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This Arizona town anchors its history in expansion and settlers looking for opportunity. The original settlement, upon which Peoria was built, was just one square mile. Now interweaving across 175 square miles of breathtaking Sonoran desert, Peoria is home to a populations of 154,000. Peoria is located about 15 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix and covers parts of Maricopa and Yavapai counties.&nbsp;</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For sports fans, Peoria is a destination unto itself. Serving as spring training home to both the Seattle mariners and the San Diego Padres, it is also adjacent to the home of the Arizona Cardinals. Visitors and residents interested in shopping and dining can visit Peoria&rsquo;s Park West Mall. National retailers, restaurants, and cafes occupy 250,000 square feet.&nbsp;</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The neighborhoods of Peoria feature 35 miles of hiking trails and over 30 neighborhood parks. For more outdoor entertainment, Lake Pleasant, one of Arizona&rsquo;s largest lakes, is the destination for water skiing, windsurfing, fishing, or sailing. The median home in the area lists for $147,400 with cost of living 4.3 percent lower than the average for the United States. The city is served by Peoria Unified School District for the most part with Deer Valley Unified School District, Nadaburg Unified School District and Wickenburg Unified School District also serving select areas of the city.</p>