By Taylor Seely | Arizona Republic
The equivalent of a mid-sized city sprouted in the West Valley this past decade with about 178,000 new residents scattered among the metro cities and towns west of Phoenix, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Some of the key take-aways on the growth that is reshaping the region:
- Glendale remains the largest West Valley city with 248,000 residents, but neighboring Peoria is quickly gaining ground with191,000 residents.
- Two cities account for nearly half of the region’s growth: Buckeye and Peoria.
- Goodyear overtook Avondale to become the largest city in the southwest Valley. Goodyear grew by 46% to a population of 95,000.
- But no city in the region — or the nation — compares to Buckeye, which saw an 80% growth rate. Buckeye grew from 51,000 residents in 2010 to 91,500 in 2020, which was the fastest rate of growth of any U.S. city with a population of 50,000 or more.
