As with much of the Inland Empire, the region Moreno Valley occupies, the housing prices here are much lower than the coastal region to the west. This cheaper housing has driven LA residents east into Moreno, Fontana, San Bernardino, and the rest for decades. And it remains the primary selling point of Moreno Valley. Average home prices are in the $400k-$500k, and while that may seem expensive to much of the country if you live on the Pacific Ocean, that is darned reasonable and continues to be the reason people move here. 

Moreno Valley occupies an odd central position in the Inland Empire. It’s closer to LA than some of the suburban cities but farther from the mountains than others. It’s kind of trapped between the benefits of being on the coast and the benefits of being in the foothills of the mountains. That might be ok, except the commercial scene in Moreno Valley is severely lacking, making this a true bedroom community without the proximity to LA or the mountains to make up for it. You get bored without the quick drive to the more active metroplex or outdoor scene. If you live here and don’t feel like driving some distance to get somewhere interesting, you ain’t gonna like it. ![](https://example.com/your-image.png)



Housing Prices

LookyLOO Review of Moreno Valley

As was just noted, the lifestyle in Moreno Valley proper is pretty nominal. It’s a bedroom community for an extremely diverse population that pretty much all moved there to escape LA. Oddly, Moreno Valley has no real downtown, so you have to depend on neighboring cities to get a taste of bars, restaurants, or shopping in any concentrated area. That will change over time, as in 2020, a 56-acre parcel of land was approved to be a new downtown section of the city. Until then, expect a lifestyle of driving to reach the fun stuff. 

We highly recommend visiting Moreno Valley and staying in the community in a [**VRBO**](vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [**partnership with Expedia**](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.



Lifestyle

The biggest employer in Moreno Valley for decades was March Air Force Base. This huge armed service population created a vibrant middle class that was the backbone of the area economy. In 1996 it closed for active service and gutted the local economy. Until recently the majority of residents commuted to LA but now with Covid and the rise of a remote workforce Moreno Valley will undoubtedly see a reduction in commuting into the city and likely some rise in population that’s looking for lower housing prices and not needing to make the drive. 


Worklife

The most powerful thing Moreno Valley has going for it is much lower housing prices than the coast or even some of the other Inland Empire cities. When you combine these lower costs with the opportunity to work remotely these homes become even more attractive. When you add in the planned construction of a downtown area and you have a bit of a perfect storm. If you can wait for the development, Moreno Valley might be an option. 


The Upside

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Rrudderr**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉
I moved from LA ( korea town ) left a studio paying 2.5k no parking payed all utilities, got a house, 3 rooms pool and the best part, a garage!!! No more parking 3 blocks away also pay a lot less than the studio i use to live in... only thing i miss is getting any type of food i want at 2 or 3 am but i can live with out that. So far the neighbors are great the community i live in is very chil no drama partys are pretty quiet ( some are up all night but doesn't bother me ) i don't miss the helicopters flying around 24/7

For more reviews of Moreno Valley from locals, check out [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/moreno-valley/reviews).

Reviews of Moreno Valley from Locals

Moreno Valley is on the southwestern side of the Inland Empire region. This is a massive stretch of land that is larger than ten states and stretches from just east of Los Angeles to the borders of Nevada and Arizona. It was originally, much like its Central Valley neighbor to the north, dedicated to agriculture and filled with produce and dairy farms. Over the years however, agriculture declined in the face of rising populations and development, primarily driven by affordable housing opportunities east of the coast. The Inland Empire is located an hour+ east of Los Angeles, approximately an hour and a half north of San Diego, and around 3 ½ hours to Las Vegas. Many who choose to live here do so to take advantage of the short distances to the beaches, mountains, dessert, and gambling!

Moreno Valley is the only Inland Empire city with no downtown area. This makes its neighborhoods critical for supporting your lifestyle unless you’re venturing out of the city with some frequency. As with most Inland Empire cities the nicest neighborhoods are on the northern side of the city. It seems the closer you get to the mountains the roomier the homes, yards and blocks. The northside neighborhoods often have lakeside properties and amenities like a pool, a gym, clubhouse and family and community activities. 


The Area

Young families look to the north, if they can afford, or the east side for more reasonable pricing. The west side neighborhoods have great homes, albeit more modestly sized than the north, but also are part of neighborhoods that often have community amenities of a pool, and clubhouse for beating the heat and keeping the kiddos occupied during the blasted summer heat. Check out the eastern suburb of Moreno Valley Ranch first. It not only has the community amenities referenced but also is built around a lake for additional water and shoreline. That whole area on the east is nice due to proximity to Lake Perris State Recreation Area. Or check north if you’ve got the bucks. 
- Moreno Valley Ranch
- Legacy Park
- Mesa Verde


Young Families

Moreno Valley Ranch

The pricier homes and neighborhoods are found on the northside of Moreno Valley. They are commonly built around golf clubs and significant neighborhood amenities. Essentially they create a self-contained family experience for those who live here and are great options considering the limited city experiences in Moreno Valley. 
- Sunnymead Ranch Homes 
- Hidden Springs
- Shadow Mountain


Established Families

Sunnymead Ranch

Moreno Valley

**Rrudderr**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉
I moved from LA ( korea town ) left a studio paying 2.5k no parking payed all utilities, got a house, 3 rooms pool and the best part, a garage!!! No more parking 3 blocks away also pay a lot less than the studio i use to live in... only thing i miss is getting any type of food i want at 2 or 3 am but i can live with out that. So far the neighbors are great the community i live in is very chil no drama partys are pretty quiet ( some are up all night but doesn't bother me ) i don't miss the helicopters flying around 24/7



**tigerlee3**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

We definitely fell in love with the area when we first looked because of that as well. I was hesitant to move to MoVal bc growing up I knew it as “Murder Valley” (and I’m from San Bernardino) but have been pleasantly surprised. Where we are located is probably 15-20min from downtown Redlands, Yucaipa and Beaumont if you utilize the canyons, and about 25-30ish from Cabazon and 45-ish from Palm Springs. There are so many different amazing places to eat and it’s family friendly. The city usually puts on some type of seasonal event, there are plenty of dance studios, boxing clubs, and martial arts places for kids and adults, sports leagues for kids, and so many different places to hike. Again, my only complaints are the lack of action from the city about the illegal dumping and warehouses. As for safety, it’s the same as any other city, get to know your neighbors and don’t go looking for trouble.

**skyblueandblack**
2y ago
🦉🦉

Been here since 1987, with a few years around places in LA. Place could be better, but it could be a lot worse, too. Close enough to Riverside to find things to do. Traffic sucks, but no worse than elsewhere.

I live in the northeast part of the city, though, so my experience is probably not the most common -- there are a few areas you might want to avoid, I mean.

Oh, and if you end up on the north side of town, just know that you're not supposed to feed the donkeys. They end up coming into the neighborhoods and making a mess, as well as hanging around by busy roads and getting hit by cars.

Moreno Valley, California

MoVal

Looklyloo Score: 82

Reviews

What's it like to live in Moreno Valley?