Home Sweet Home
Communities give life and personality to the West Valley By Carrie Snider and Taylor O’Connor
W
elcome to the West Valley! As you settle into your new space here, you’re in good company. The West Valley is home to some of the fastest-growing cities in the country—and for good reason. It’s filled with warm weather, fun activities and plenty of opportunities for employment and retirement. First, a bit of geography. The “Valley,” or Phoenix metro area, includes all of the cities from east to downtown to west. When some people refer to “West Phoenix,” they may be talking about areas still quite close to downtown. A clear distinction about the West Valley, however, is its core cities from east to west: Tolleson, Avondale, Glendale, Peoria, Litchfield Park, Goodyear and Buckeye. While each of those seven cities is distinct in its own way, collectively they are very close. Thankfully, there are freeways to help you get around quickly, including I-10, the Loop 101 and the Loop 303. Additionally, the Loop 202 is under construction and will open soon, offering another option when you’re heading to the East Valley. Here’s a bit more info to get you familiar with the different areas of the
Photo courtesy city of Peoria 6
WEST VALLEY NEWCOMERS’ GUIDE
West Valley: • Tolleson is immediately west of the Phoenix city limits and south of I-10. It was incorporated in 1929 and is named for founder W.G. Tolleson. Its population is about 7,000 people. Tolleson’s top employers include JBS Packerland, Americold, PepsiCo, Rousseau Farming Company, Fry’s Food and Drug, and Hillshire Brands. • Avondale is west of Tolleson and extends north and south of I-10. The area was originally known as Coldwater but was changed to Avondale after the Avondale Ranch. The city was incorporated in 1946 and has a population of about 84,000. While there are still cotton and alfalfa fields, much of the area is now populated with homes and shopping. Most recently, the city welcomed The Vitamin Shoppe headquarters, SanMar, Copper Springs Hospital, Welbrook Rehabilitation, Legacy Senior Living and Copper State Rubber. • Goodyear is west of Avondale and is named for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., which owned many cotton fields there to use in its tires. It was incorporated in 1946 and has about 80,000 people. Goodyear is home to the Goodyear Ballpark, where the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds have Spring Training. Some of the main employers include Amazon Fulfillment Center and the Arizona State Prison-Perryville. Goodyear has recently landed a host of new jobs, with the location of Ball manufacturing, Chewy and UPS fulfillment centers, along with Microsoft data centers. • Litchfield Park, located north of Goodyear and Avondale, was founded by Goodyear Tire executive Paul W. Litchfield in 1926. He purchased thousands of acres of cotton for the tire company. The Wigwam was started as a retreat for executives visiting the area and evolved into the resort it is today. The city, which has about 5,500 residents, is home to several historic
churches, homes, schools and a train station. Plus, it resides right next to Luke Air Force Base. • Incorporated in 1929, Buckeye was named after the Buckeye State, the home state of the Buckeye canal’s founder. Because the city was located by the canal, the name stuck. It is home to about 68,000 people, though as one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities with hundreds of square acres of land, Buckeye and its population will likely grow quickly. Buckeye is known for its rural areas, historic downtown and its proximity to outdoor recreation such as Skyline Regional Park. • Glendale is 30 minutes from Phoenix, two hours south of Sedona and a five-hour drive from Los Angeles. Glendale is home to Luke Air Force Base, State Farm Stadium, Westgate Entertainment District and has its historic downtown area. The city was founded in the late 1800s with a current population of about 252,381. With more entertainment facilities and restaurants moving to the area, the population grows with it, too. • Peoria is named after former Union Army officer William J. Murphy, who worked as head of construction on the Arizona Canal. Upon the canal’s completion in 1885, Murphy returned to his home of Peoria, Illinois, to recruit families to move out West; and by 1897 the settlement was named after the Illinois town. Now, its population is 175,961 and offers a variety of activities to do with Spring Training facilities, 60 miles of hiking trails and the P83 Entertainment District. Life is a lot different than it used to be—social distancing protocols are put in place and a lot more hand sanitizer is being used—but these cities still have a lot to offer. Make yourself at home! While the area is growing more populated every day, the mixture of long-time residents and new transplants make for a melting pot of cultures and people who are looking to enjoy life here.
