Riverside, CA, known as 'The City of Arts and Innovation,' offers a unique blend of cultural heritage and urban amenities. Located in southern California, Riverside is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like San Bernardino and Corona enhance its status as a central point in the region. Riverside's blend of historic landmarks, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Riverside is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, the Riverside Art Museum, and the historic Riverside County Courthouse. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Mount Rubidoux Park to the bustling Riverside Plaza, known for its shopping and dining. Riverside's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from farm-to-table cuisine to international dishes.
Annual events such as the Riverside Festival of Lights and the Riverside Tamale Festival highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Riverside's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like the University of California, Riverside contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Riverside is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Fox Performing Arts Center and the California Museum of Photography are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Riverside provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Riverside’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Inland Empire 66ers (MiLB), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Riverside include education, healthcare, and logistics, with significant employers such as Riverside Unified School District and Kaiser Permanente driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and Metrolink trains, making commuting convenient for residents.
Commute
An elevated score in the commute category points to excellent public transit accessibility and shorter-than-average work commute times in this area.
Employment
Higher than average median household income, income per capita and lower unemployment rates are seen in this area. The result is a high score in the employment category.
Housing
High scores in the housing category are a distinguishing feature of this area, possibly driven by a favorable home affordability ratio, higher home values and appreciation rates.
Ratings
Based on recent surveys and polls, locals gave high marks in the walkability to local amenities, safety, public transit, friendliness of neighbors and overall sense of community in the area.
Cost Of Living
Living in this region comes with a high cost of living, translating to elevated costs for homes, goods and services, groceries, utilities, health care and transportation.
Crime
This area reports elevated crime rates per 100,000 individuals, potentially pointing some areas being unsafe for its residents. Stats are based on both property and violent crimes.
Located in the state of California, Riverside is a big city with a population of 334,324 inhabitants. With a population density of 4,115 people per square mile, Riverside is well above the nation's average density level. More than a quarter of the residents of Riverside identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 37% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. Riverside tends to attract a younger crowd, as the median age of 32 is far below the national average. Riverside is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 48%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married. An important consideration when living in Riverside is the longer-than-average commute times. If you seek a short work commute, this area may not be the best choice for you. The one-way commute time here typically takes 32 minutes, far surpassing the national average of 26 minutes.
Are you trying to decide if living in Riverside is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a great experience before relocating to any new city in California, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, cost of living, commute, health & safety, you can easily compare the best places to live in Riverside and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Riverside to California and the national average.
Using data and statistics Riverside has received a livability score of 67 out of 100. This score is ranked in the 67th percentile when compared to all other cities. There are nine total categories that form the livability score. Riverside ranks well for employment (A-) and housing (A) There are some categories that Riverside does not rank well for, including: crime (F) and cost of living (F). It might be worth taking a closer look to find out why.
Real estate represents the most substantial investment for homebuyers, constituting their most valuable asset. Renters, on the other hand, typically see their monthly rent as their most significant expense. The Riverside market earns a high score in the housing category, surpassing the national average in factors like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates. This robust real estate market not only benefits individual homeowners and renters but also spurs vigorous local economic activity and job growth, solidifying its significance in driving the region's prosperity and financial well-being.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Riverside is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in Riverside come in at $687,895, which is 6% lower than the California average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Riverside, the home price to income ratio is 6.3, which is 18.2% lower than the California average.
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Statistic | Riverside | California | National |
| Average one way commute | 32min | 28min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 76.1% | 73.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 12.0% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 2.5% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.6% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 5.3% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
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