SafekipediaRiverside County, California
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Riverside County is a place in the U.S. state of California. It is the fourth-most crowded county in California and the 10th-most populous in the whole country, with over 2 million people living there as of the 2020 census.
The county is in Southern California and is named after the city of Riverside, which is where the government's main offices are located. It is part of a bigger area known as the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area, or the Inland Empire, which is close to the Greater Los Angeles Area.
Riverside County is very big, covering about 7,208 square miles (18,670 km2). It stretches from near Los Angeles all the way to the border with Arizona. The western part has dry, bushy lands and a warm climate, while the middle and eastern parts are mostly desert or have mountains. Much of Joshua Tree National Park is found here. The county is also home to popular desert towns such as Indio, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and others in the Coachella Valley.
In recent years, many people from Los Angeles moved to Riverside County looking for cheaper homes. It has been one of the fastest-growing places in California, along with nearby San Bernardino County. Some people have also moved into the southwest part of the county from the San Diego metropolitan area.
Location
Riverside County is in Southern California. It is bordered on the north by San Bernardino County, on the east by La Paz County and Arizona, on the southeast by Imperial County, on the southwest by San Diego County, and on the west by Orange County.
Etymology
Main article: List of Riverside County, California, placename etymologies
Riverside County was created in 1893 and was named after the city of Riverside, which is where the county government is located. The city of Riverside was founded in 1870 and was named because it is close to the Santa Ana River.
History
The original people of what is now Riverside County include groups like the Serrano, Payómkawichum, Mohave, Cupeno, Chemehuevi, Cahuilla, and Tongva. When Europeans arrived, a farm was set up by a mission in 1819, and a rancho was established for farming and grazing.
Later, when Mexico ruled the area, many rancho land grants were given out. When California became part of the United States, the area was split between two counties. In 1893, Riverside County was formed from parts of two existing counties, and the city of Riverside was chosen as its seat. The county played a role in civil rights movements and later became a place where some Native American tribes opened casinos after winning a legal battle.
Geography
Riverside County is a big place! It covers 7,303 square miles (18,910 km2), making it the fourth-largest county in California. Most of this area is land, with just a small part being water. The county stretches about 180 miles (290 km) from east to west.
The county has many different kinds of land, from desert areas to forested regions. Some special places in Riverside County include parts of Joshua Tree National Park and the Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge. There are also many parks and wild areas where animals and plants grow naturally.
Flora and fauna
Riverside County has many different plants and animals. Some plants grow in the desert, while others live in the forests. One special tree that grows here is the Blue oak, which is found only in California.
National protected areas
- Cleveland National Forest (part)
- Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge
- Dos Palmas Preserve
- Joshua Tree National Park (part)
- San Bernardino National Forest (part)
- Sand to Snow National Monument (part)
- Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
There are 19 special wild areas in Riverside County that help protect nature.
State parks
- California Citrus State Historic Park
- Lake Perris State Recreation Area
- Mount San Jacinto State Park
County parks and trails
- Hurkey Creek Park
- Idyllwild Park
- Indio Hills Palms
- Jensen Alvarado Ranch
- Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area
- Lake Skinner Recreation Area
- McCall Memorial Equestrian Park
- Santa Rosa Plateau
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Riverside County had a population of 2,418,185 people. The median age was 36.8 years, with 24.6% of residents under the age of 18 and 15.3% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The racial makeup of the county was 41.2% White, 6.5% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.1% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 26.4% from some other race, and 16.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 49.7% of the population.
94.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 5.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 763,283 households in the county, with 38.4% having children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.4% having a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 848,549 housing units, of which 10.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.6% were owner-occupied and 33.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.
Racial and ethnic composition
2010 census
The 2010 United States census reported that Riverside County had a population of 2,189,641. The racial makeup of Riverside County was 61.0% White, 6.4% African American, 1.1% Native American, 6.0% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 20.5% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. There were 995,257 residents of Hispanic or Latino ancestry, of any race (45.5%).
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,545,387 people, 506,218 households, and 372,576 families residing in the county. The population density was 214 inhabitants per square mile (83/km2). There were 584,674 housing units at an average density of 81 per square mile (31/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 65.6% White, 6.2% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 18.7% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. 36.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2006 the county had a population of 2,026,803, up 31.2% since 2000. In 2005, 45.8% of the population was non-Hispanic White. The percentages of African Americans, Asians, and Native Americans remained relatively similar to their 2000 figures. The percentage of Pacific Islanders had risen to 0.4. Hispanics now constituted 41% of the population.
There were 506,218 households, with 38.9% having children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.0 and the average family size was 3.5.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,887, and the median income for a family was $48,409. Males had a median income of $38,639 versus $28,032 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,689. About 10.7% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 17,897 | — | |
| 1910 | 34,696 | 93.9% | |
| 1920 | 50,297 | 45.0% | |
| 1930 | 81,024 | 61.1% | |
| 1940 | 105,524 | 30.2% | |
| 1950 | 170,046 | 61.1% | |
| 1960 | 306,191 | 80.1% | |
| 1970 | 459,074 | 49.9% | |
| 1980 | 663,166 | 44.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,170,413 | 76.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,545,387 | 32.0% | |
| 2010 | 2,189,641 | 41.7% | |
| 2020 | 2,418,185 | 10.4% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 2,544,916 |  | 5.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 | |||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 490,144 | 754,140 | 788,831 | 869,068 | 788,235 | 73.91% | 64.43% | 51.04% | 39.69% | 32.60% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 30,088 | 59,966 | 92,403 | 130,823 | 146,762 | 4.54% | 5.12% | 5.98% | 5.97% | 6.07% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 7,204 | 8,393 | 10,135 | 10,931 | 11,960 | 1.09% | 0.72% | 0.66% | 0.50% | 0.49% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 9,210 | 38,349 | 55,199 | 125,921 | 164,889 | 1.39% | 3.28% | 3.57% | 5.75% | 6.82% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x | x | 3,284 | 5,849 | 6,767 | 0.21% | 0.27% | 0.21% | 0.27% | 0.28% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2,103 | 2,051 | 2,425 | 3,682 | 12,365 | 0.32% | 0.18% | 0.16% | 0.17% | 0.51% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x | x | 33,535 | 48,110 | 84,912 | x | x | 2.17% | 2.20% | 3.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 124,417 | 307,514 | 559,575 | 995,257 | 1,202,295 | 18.76% | 26.27% | 36.21% | 45.45% | 49.72% |
| Total | 663,166 | 1,170,413 | 1,545,387 | 2,189,641 | 2,418,185 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Government and law enforcement
Government
The government of Riverside County operates as a general law county under the California Constitution. It does not have its own special set of rules, called a county charter. The county government takes care of important services for everyone, like voting, keeping records, collecting taxes, and helping people with health and social needs. It also runs services for areas that are not part of any city.
The county is led by a group of five leaders called the Board of Supervisors. Each leader is chosen by voters in different parts of the county and serves for four years. In 1999, they started a big planning project to make new plans for land use, transportation, and protecting nature. The main plan they finished in 2003 was special because it brought together many different ideas to help the county grow wisely.
Courts
The Riverside Superior Court is the main court for Riverside County. It has 14 buildings where court meetings happen, including places in Riverside, Murrieta, Moreno Valley, Banning, Hemet, Corona, Temecula, Indio, Palm Springs, and Blythe. The main building is the Riverside Historic Courthouse. This building, made in 1903, looks like famous buildings in Paris, France. It was closed for a few years in the mid-1990s to make it safer after earthquakes but opened again in 1998.
Politics
Voter registration
Chart of voter registration
- Democratic (40.5%)
- Republican (31.3%)
- Independent (20.5%)
- Other parties (7.71%)
Overview
Before 2008, Riverside County usually voted for Republican leaders in big elections. It only chose Democratic leaders three times between 1893 and 2004: for Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, and Bill Clinton in 1992. In 2024, the county voted for Donald Trump after supporting Biden in 2020. This was the first time in 20 years the county voted for a Republican leader.
In local elections, Democrats do well in big cities like Riverside, Perris, and Moreno Valley, especially in areas with many Black and Hispanic people. Republicans are stronger in places like the Temecula Valley, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and Menifee, as well as in rural areas and wealthy retirement spots.
Riverside County is split among several areas in the United States House of Representatives and the California State Senate and Assembly, with both Democratic and Republican leaders representing different parts of the county.
Crime
The following table shows the number of reported incidents and the rate per 1,000 people for different types of offenses.
Cities by population and crime rates
Education
Riverside County has many places where people can go to learn. There are universities and colleges in cities like Murrieta, Riverside, and Palm Desert. Some of these schools include Azusa Pacific University, California Baptist University, and University of California, Riverside.
The county also has many public school districts that help children from kindergarten through high school. These districts cover towns and cities across the area, making sure every child has access to education. Some of these districts include Alvord Unified School District, Riverside Unified School District, and Temecula Valley Unified School District. There are also special schools, like the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, to support students with different needs.
Transportation
Major highways
- I-10
- I-10 BL (Blythe)
- I-15
- I-215
- US 95
- SR 60 – former US 60
- SR 62
- SR 71
- SR 74
- SR 78
- SR 79
- SR 86
- SR 91
- SR 111
- SR 177
- SR 243
- SR 371
Public transportation
The Riverside Transit Agency helps people travel in the western part of Riverside County, reaching as far east as Banning. The SunLine Transit Agency serves Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. RidePV offers service in Blythe, close to the Arizona border. Other local services include Beaumont Transit in Beaumont, Banning Connect in Banning, and the Corona Cruiser in Corona.
Riverside County also has Greyhound buses. Amtrak trains stop in Riverside and Palm Springs, with Amtrak California buses connecting to places like Riverside–Downtown, Beaumont, Palm Springs, Thousand Palms, Indio, Moreno Valley, Perris, Sun City, and Hemet. Amtrak Thruway buses link Fullerton to Palm Springs and Indio.
Metrolink trains stop at nine stations in Riverside County: Riverside–Downtown, Riverside–La Sierra, Corona–North Main, Corona–West, Jurupa Valley/Pedley, Riverside–Hunter Park/UCR, Moreno Valley/March Field, Perris–Downtown, and Perris–South. These trains go to Orange, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties every day, mainly for people who commute to work.
Airports
Military air bases
Commercial airports
General aviation airports
- Banning Municipal Airport
- Bermuda Dunes Airport
- Blythe Airport
- Corona Municipal Airport
- Flabob Airport, Riverside
- French Valley Airport (Temecula Valley)
- Hemet-Ryan Airport (San Jacinto Valley)
- Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, Thermal (Coachella Valley)
- Perris Valley Airport
- Riverside Municipal Airport
Military installations
Riverside County has several important places used by the military. Some that are still active today include the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, March Air Reserve Base, and the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Detachment Norco, which has the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division.
In the past, the county also had many military airfields, such as the Desert Training Center with locations like Blythe Army Airfield, Desert Center Army Airfield, Palm Springs Army Airfield, Rice Army Airfield, Shaver's Summit Army Airfield, and Thermal Army Airfield. There was also the Hemet Army Airfield.
Points of interest
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Riverside County, California and List of museums in the Inland Empire (California)
Riverside County has many interesting places to visit. You can explore amusement parks like Castle Park (amusement park), enjoy art at The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, or attend famous music festivals at the Empire Polo Club, home to events like Coachella and Stagecoach.
Other highlights include the beautiful Joshua Tree National Park, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Don’t miss the Riverside Art Museum or the Western Science Center, perfect for learning and having fun.
Communities
Cities
Census-designated places
Some places in Riverside County are not part of a city but have their own names. These include:
- Aguanga
- Anza
- Bermuda Dunes
- Cabazon
- Cherry Valley
- Coronita
- Desert Center
- Desert Edge
- Desert Palms
- East Hemet
- El Cerrito
- El Sobrante
- French Valley
- Garnet
- Good Hope
- Green Acres
- Highgrove
- Home Gardens
- Homeland
- Idyllwild
- Indio Hills
- Lake Mathews
- Lake Riverside
- Lakeland Village
- Lakeview
- March ARB
- Mead Valley
- Meadowbrook
- Mecca
- Mesa Verde
- Mountain Center
- North Shore
- Nuevo
- Oasis
- Ripley
- Romoland
- Sage
- Sky Valley
- Temescal Valley
- Thermal
- Thousand Palms
- Valle Vista
- Vista Santa Rosa
- Warm Springs
- Whitewater
- Winchester
- Woodcrest
Unincorporated communities
These places in Riverside County are not part of any city or town and have their own names:
- Alberhill
- Alessandro
- Arnold Heights
- Bonnie Bell
- Box Springs
- Cahuilla
- Chiriaco Summit
- Desert Beach
- Edgemont
- El Cariso
- Fern Valley
- Gilman Hot Springs
- La Cresta
- Lake Tamarisk
- North Palm Springs
- Pine Cove
- Pinyon Pines
- Radec
- Rancho Capistrano
- Snow Creek
- Thomas Mountain
Former census designated places
One place used to be its own area but is now part of a bigger city:
- Crestmore Heights, annexed to Jurupa Valley
Ghost towns
These are old places that are no longer lived in:
- Dos Palmas
- Eagle Mountain
- Fertilla
- Hell
- La Placita
- Leon
- Midland
- Pinacate
- Saahatpa
- Temescal
- Terra Cotta
- Willow Springs Station
Indian reservations
Riverside County has 12 special areas where Native American tribes live. These are called Indian reservations. They share this spot with Sandoval County in New Mexico, which also has 12. San Diego County in California has the most, with 18 reservations.
- Agua Caliente Indian Reservation
- Augustine Indian Reservation
- Cabazon Indian Reservation
- Cahuilla Indian Reservation
- Colorado River Indian Reservation (partly in La Paz County, Arizona and San Bernardino County, California)
- Morongo Indian Reservation
- Pechanga Indian Reservation
- Ramona Village
- Santa Rosa Indian Reservation
- Soboba Band of Mission Indians
- Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation (partly in Imperial County, California)
- Twenty-Nine Palms Indian Reservation (partly in San Bernardino County, California)
Population ranking
The list below shows how many people live in each place, based on the 2020 census of Riverside County. The county seat is marked with a symbol.
† county seat
| City | Year incorporated | Population, 2020 | Median household income, 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banning | 1913 | 29,505 | $42,274 |
| Beaumont | 1912 | 53,036 | $84,105 |
| Blythe | 1916 | 18,317 | $45,385 |
| Calimesa | 1990 | 10,026 | $56,903 |
| Canyon Lake | 1990 | 11,082 | $100,682 |
| Cathedral City | 1981 | 51,493 | $46,521 |
| Coachella | 1946 | 41,941 | $34,224 |
| Corona | 1896 | 157,136 | $86,790 |
| Desert Hot Springs | 1963 | 32,512 | $33,046 |
| Eastvale | 2010 | 69,757 | $119,213 |
| Hemet | 1910 | 89,833 | $39,653 |
| Indian Wells | 1967 | 4,757 | $107,500 |
| Indio | 1930 | 89,137 | $74,774 |
| Jurupa Valley | 2011 | 105,053 | $76,090 |
| Lake Elsinore | 1888 | 70,265 | $77,090 |
| La Quinta | 1982 | 37,558 | $77,839 |
| Menifee | 2008 | 102,527 | $77,033 |
| Moreno Valley | 1984 | 208,634 | $65,449 |
| Murrieta | 1991 | 110,949 | $100,080 |
| Norco | 1964 | 26,316 | $102,817 |
| Palm Desert | 1973 | 51,163 | $59,977 |
| Palm Springs | 1938 | 44,575 | $53,441 |
| Perris | 1911 | 78,700 | $70,714 |
| Rancho Mirage | 1973 | 16,999 | $78,682 |
| Riverside | 1883 | 314,998 | $71,967 |
| San Jacinto | 1888 | 53,898 | $52,009 |
| Temecula | 1989 | 110,003 | $95,918 |
| Wildomar | 2008 | 36,875 | $74,991 |
Climate
Images
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