The Inland Empire area is a region of Southern California directly adjacent to the East of Los Angeles and Orange Counties made up of two Counties: San Bernardino and Riverside. While there is debate on the "official" imaginary boundary lines of the Inland Empire, most local people generally consider the area to be the combination of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
However, some would say the Inland Empire also includes Caremont, La Verne, San Dimas and even Pomona which are all in Los Angeles County. Others might contend that the Palm Springs, Victorville, and Temecula Valley areas are so far removed that they shouldn't be considered apart of the "Inland Empire". This region was originally referred to as the "Orange Empire" due to the vast amounts or orange and citrus fruit grown from Redlands to Pasadena.
Facts regarding the Inland Empire*:
However, some would say the Inland Empire also includes Caremont, La Verne, San Dimas and even Pomona which are all in Los Angeles County. Others might contend that the Palm Springs, Victorville, and Temecula Valley areas are so far removed that they shouldn't be considered apart of the "Inland Empire". This region was originally referred to as the "Orange Empire" due to the vast amounts or orange and citrus fruit grown from Redlands to Pasadena.
Facts regarding the Inland Empire*:
- If the Inland Empire was a state, it would be the 41st largest by land mass in the United States (27,408 square miles), between South Carolina and West Virginia. Reference
- If the Inland Empire was a state, it would be the 25th largest by population in the United States (4.65M), between Kentucky and Oregon. Reference
- If the Inland Empire was a Country, it would be the 150th largest, (of 258), in the world between Haiti and Rwanda, ("countries" defined from Wikipedia). Reference
- San Bernardino County is the largest County in the United States at 20,105 square miles. Reference
- The Inland Empire has a population of 4,653,000 as of the 2020 US Census, which is the 12th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States. Reference
- The Inland Empire is known as the "IE" or the "909" in reference to the predominant area code in San Bernardino County.
- Other area codes in the Inland Empire are: (951) for much of Riverside County and (760) for the "Low Desert" Palm Springs area and "High Desert" Victorville area.
- The Median household income for San Bernardino County was $70,287 and Riverside County was $76,066 based off the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data. This is roughly the same as Los Angeles County at $76,367.
- More than 80% of California's imported goods are shipped through the Inland Empire corridor. However, since the "Great Recession", some local cities have seen industrial and warehouse vacancies over 22%.
- Crime rates in Riverside and Ontario are only slightly higher than national average. However, the city of San Bernardino is consistently twice, (or more), than national average crime rates.
Although the Inland Empire has historically had a negative reputation as a bad place to live, (for a number of reasons), there are far more nice cities and neighborhoods than "bad". Most of the perceptions of the Inland Empire are based on outdated or biased opinion.
Cities like Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Redlands, Fontana, Loma Linda, Chino Hills, Riverside, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Eastvale, (and many others), all have a variety of incredibly nice neighborhoods ranging from middle to upper-middle class. However, there are some very rough neighborhoods in parts of San Bernardino, Riverside, Fontana, Ontario, Moreno Valley and others. Cities like these are so large, (larger than many counties throughout the U.S.), that they're bound to have very good and very bad areas.
*Defined as San Bernardino + Riverside County
Images used from Wikipedia Creative Commons
Cities like Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Redlands, Fontana, Loma Linda, Chino Hills, Riverside, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Eastvale, (and many others), all have a variety of incredibly nice neighborhoods ranging from middle to upper-middle class. However, there are some very rough neighborhoods in parts of San Bernardino, Riverside, Fontana, Ontario, Moreno Valley and others. Cities like these are so large, (larger than many counties throughout the U.S.), that they're bound to have very good and very bad areas.
*Defined as San Bernardino + Riverside County
Images used from Wikipedia Creative Commons