159,567
Population
Sunny Days: 275
42100 Affordability
95100 Schools
60100 Diversity
86100 Safety
Corona, California
Circle City
Toms Farms
Fender Museum
Amber Waves Of Grain Beer Festival
The Best Thing About Corona?
Safe Suburbia
The Inland Empire offers escapes for those looking for one from the chaos and home prices of coastal cities. Corona is a clear representation of the ways in which that can work. Corona median home prices hover around $700k, significantly less than SD/LA, the homes themselves are relatively new and come with great amenities, and the schools are excellent. Complain all you want about not being near the coast and the social activities of big cities but the suburban dreams of home ownership, safe blocks for your kiddos and great public schools are alive and well in Corona.
The Worst Thing About Corona?
No Urban Infrastructure
Not that long ago Corona was essentially a giant lemon and orange farming community. The outpouring of people from the coast looking for cheaper housing led to the development of new suburban neighborhoods and Corona grew under the exclusive mandate of providing housing for the coastal expats. During this migration the area developed the way a lot of modern suburban cities did and ignored any development of a core urban center. This means you have to travel to find fun. Riverside is about 15 miles, albeit tough commuting miles, and Anaheim is 25 miles or so, equally tough for a drive. Living here requires a car and patience to get to somewhere to shop and go out at night and entertain the family. It’s a great place to raise a kid but tough for entertainment and culture.
Lifestyle of Corona
As noted Corona is not an urban / cultural experience-type of city. It’s a suburban family-centered place where entertaining the kiddos is at a premium. Much of what there is to do here is built around your beans. There are entertainment and adventure experiences available through; K1 Indoor Karting which is an indoor Go Kart racing spot (very popular with kids and grownups), Skull Canyon Ziplines, an “Aerial Adventure Park”, Over The Moon Escape Rooms, and several excellent public parks, including Stagecoach, Mountain Gate and Brentwood. There’s plenty of open spaces, playgrounds and sports fields for organized and casual play throughout the city.
Outside the kids play options there are a few grownup spots as well including a couple of solid microbreweries including Skyland Ale that has a ton of evening events like Tacos and Trivia Night and Open Mic Night, and Evans Brewing, that’s a bit more hardcore around the beer itself.
Basically there are things to do here but they tend to be more scattershot. That means lifestyle within the city is more centered around families, school, and then adventures outside the city boundaries to the amazing outdoor experiences available to the eastern and western mountains and national and state parks. The Inland Empire is central to the state so if you don’t mind driving you can get to a lot of amazing places from here.
Schools in Corona
A
Corona shares a school district called Corona-Norco Unified with next door neighbor city, Norco. It is a very highly rated district, scoring an A on niche.com. This district has schools with a wide degree of disparity in scores so if you pay close attention to these types of standardized scoring platforms then keep on eye on the neighborhood you consider and track the school zoning. Corona has a number of faith-based private schools that are highly rated, including Olive Branch Christian Academy, St Edward and Crossroads Christian.
Why You Should Move Here Now?
Long-Term Planning
If you need to get out of LA or San Diego for financial reasons, or to give your kids room to run in a place with excellent schools, then Corona should get a look. The thing to keep an eye on though is the long-term plan to develop an urban core. Most purely suburban cities understand that to support their populace in an increasingly work from home culture you need to provide a fun, interesting downtown core. It's in the early stages but definitely on the calendar and would change the fortune for Corona quite dramatically.
Living in Corona
Neighborhoods in Corona
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Corona Hills/Corona Ranch
Families
On the Northeast side of the city sit two neighborhoods, Coronal Hills and Corona Ranch that are kind of a pair. They're both just 10 minutes from Riverside so favored by those who either commute for work or who want a short drive for the commercial offerings of that bigger city. Home types are similar although the Hills homes tend to be a bit bigger, and more expensive in part due to the lovely views. Median home prices for Corona Ranch are ~$650k and Hills around $725k.
The area is home to Cresta Verde Golf Course, one of the oldest courses in the country - and at one time, the golf playground for Hollywood celebs. It's home to shopping centers so excellent for families looking for convenience. The neighborhoods have wonderful parks, including Rock Vista Park, a wonderful spot with beautiful open green spaces and hiking trails.
Schools in the area include Corona Ranch Elementary and McKinley Elementary, which are both highly rated.
Sierra Del Oro
Families
Sierra Del Oro is on the northwest side of the city, and is known for its beautiful homes and wonderful views of the city and mountains. The homes here are larger, generally 3-5 bedrooms and built in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Prices can be as low as the high 600k's and go up to the low million dollar range. It also has several condo communities most with nice pools, workout rooms and public spaces for bbq'ing and socializing. These condos tend to run in the $400-$500ks. It's a really lovely community for those who love the great outdoors, in part due to the presence of Fresno Canyon Trail. It's 4.5 miles of pretty serious trails with stunning views and very popular for birding, hiking and running. It's a prominent benefit to living in Sierra Del Oro.
Kiddos mostly attend Prado View Elementary, an excellent and much beloved local public school.
South Corona
Families/DINKs/Retirees
South Corona contains several neighborhoods is the most recently developed area of the city. The homes were built in early 2,000’s and beyond, many on top of the hills and with great views of the Santa Anna Mountains. Some avoid this section of Corona because the commute can be rough if you work north of the city in Riverside or San Bernardino. It's more convenient if you're commuting to or simply want to hit up San Diego more often. The area has a lot of casual places to eat and many of the big box shopping spots. It also includes the Shops at Dos Lagos, an upscale entertainment and shopping playland. It has a beautiful theater, amphitheater, and even a splash pad and children's playground. All of that in addition to great restaurants, cafes, pubs and shopping.
The area also has several large parks including Santana Park, which has nearly 50 acres of baseball/softball fields, soccer fields, skate park, playgrounds and tons of open green space for you and the kiddos to play.
The schools in South Corona are absolutely top notch with Benjamin Franklin Elementary and Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary among the highest rated.
Eagle Glen
Families/DINKs/Retirees
Eagle Glen is a newer neighborhood in Corona at the very southern tip of the city. Built on the hills right next to the mountain range to the west, homes here often have beautiful views, and larger lots than the rest of the city. Prices are higher than other neighborhoods with a median price of around $850k. It's home to Eagle Glen Golf Course, one of the most stunning and challenging tracks in Riverside County.
The neighborhood is also home to Eagle Glen Park, a 14-acre community center with soccer, baseball/soccer fields, lighted tennis courts, great children's playground and mountain views from every spot in the park.
Woodrow Wilson Elementary sits right in the center of Eagle Glen and is A-graded on niche.com.