Peoria, Arizona

Peoria is a fast-growing suburb of Phoenix, with a population of approximately 108,364. The community was named in the 1880s by settlers from Peoria, Illinois. Peoria is located in the northwest portion of the Valley of the Sun, four miles (six kilometers) northwest of Glendale and 13 miles (21 kilometers) northwest of Phoenix.

Baseball fans will be happy to note that the 11,000-seat Peoria Sports Complex hosts spring training of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.

And if there are space buffs in the family, note that Peoria is home to the Challenger Space Center, which is affiliated with the Smithsonian, and offers high quality exhibits and educational camps for stargazers.

When residents want to be out under the sunny skies, they have the 10,000-acre (4,047-hectare) Lake Pleasant at their northern doorstep. Lake Pleasant is the second largest lake in Arizona, and is surrounded by Lake Pleasant Regional Park. Together, the lake and park offer a wide variety of recreational activities for residents to enjoy. Speaking of parks, the 30,000-acre (12,141-hectare) White Tank Mountain Regional Park is just to the west of town. And those whose view of the outdoors ends at the golf green are also in luck: The valley has more than 200 golf courses!

See our 3 Jobs in Peoria, Arizona