Riverside seemed to be on the move growth-wise a few years back but somehow it never really took off and just resulted in a lot of urban sprawl -- miles and miles of concrete and strip malls. It remains, sort of sadly, inland. Always in the shadow of the coastal cities, everything is always ‘relative’ to the rest of SoCal with costs not low despite the air not being terribly fresh and culture not terribly existent. It’s the king of the Inland Empire.

30 minutes from the mountains, 30 minutes from the ocean, and 30 minutes from the desert. Also, the UC Riverside campus is nice and has a botanical garden.

On the downside: a study from Brandeis University ranked several California metropolitan areas among the worst places in the U.S. to raise children. Out of the 100 largest U.S. cities, Bakersfield and Riverside ranked in the bottom five for the opportunities that the cities afford children.

LookyLOO Review of Riverside

Riverside is a bedroom community created to offer cheaper housing to Los Angeles and Orange Country residents fed up with their housing markets. The Downtown area has grown in recent years but you don’t live in Riverside for the nightlife. You live here because the housing is more affordable and you are close to LA and Orange County and the mountains to the east. Lifestyle in Riverside is largely built around family living and proximity to SoCal lifestyle without the SoCal prices. 


Lifestyle

Your best worklife in Riverside will be if you can work in the city or don’t have to leave your home. A third of the residents commute to LA or Orange County and trust us, they are not happy. Riverside jobs are often in government, education and transportation/shipping but they are making a big push for growth through the development of high-tech industrial business parks which serve tech and light manufacturing industries. To reiterate: move here to work here or at home and a family can enjoy Riverside. Move here just to save money on a home and need to commute to LA or Orange County and you will suffer. 


Worklife

[**Riverside Unified School District**](https://www.riversideunified.org/)(RUSD) receives an [**"A-" grade on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/riverside-unified-school-district-ca/) with solid "A's" for Teachers and College Prep. 

The district offers open enrollment policies within its boundaries, allowing students to transfer between schools based on space availability. Additionally, specific schools may have lottery systems for specialized programs, such as the [**Riverside STEM Academy**](https://stemacademy.riversideunified.org/). Priority is often given to students living within the school's attendance zone. Check out the [RUSD enrollment page](https://www.riversideunified.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=580805&pageId=951726) for more details. 

A few of the high-performing schools in RUSD include:

[**Riverside STEM Academy**](riversidestemhigh.ss12.sharpschool.com) receives an [**"A+" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/riverside-stem-academy-riverside-ca/?map) with "A+" scores for Academics, Teachers, and College Prep. It serves grades 5-12 and is known for its exceptional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) curriculum. 

-Martin Luther King Jr. High School is a solid [**"A" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/martin-luther-king-junior-high-school-riverside-ca/) with "A's" for Academics, Teachers, and College Prep. In addition to strong academics, it is also known for excellent athletic programs. 

-Polytechnic High School scores an [**"A-" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/polytechnic-high-school-riverside-ca/) with Teachers and Diversity receiving "A's". It's the oldest school in the region, tracing its origins to 1887, and is known academically for its large quantity of AP classes and tons of extracurricular options.


Schools

It’s cheaper than living on the coast and you can still get everywhere fairly quickly. Riverside has a population of 500K, is in Riverside County and has its own airport, yet it can be seen as a giant bedroom community to Los Angeles as many people commute (even by train.) The locals take umbrage at this view.


Relatively Inexpensive Access To Homeownership

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Here's a review from a local about what it's like to live in Riverside:**
*The immediate outdoor access and the plethora of parks is something that shouldn’t be understated as well. Having dozens of miles of trails, mountains, paths, bike paths etc is something so many cities lack entirely.
Lastly, the breathtaking views of mountains and rolling hills all throughout the city is, again, so unique! People talk about how expensive the inland empire is, but in a lot of ways I still think it’s a bit undervalued when compared with other desirable areas around the US.*

For more reviews of what living in Riverside is like from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/riverside/reviews)

Location, Location, Location

Reviews of Riverside from Locals

**The Good, the Bad and The Ugly**

Riverside seemed to be on the move growth-wise a few years back but somehow it never really took off and just resulted in a lot of urban sprawl -- miles and miles of concrete and strip malls. It remains, sort of sadly, inland. Always in the shadow of the coastal cities, everything is always ‘relative’ to the rest of SoCal with costs not terribly low despite the air not being terribly fresh and culture not terribly existent. It’s the king of the Inland Empire. 

**The Best Thing About Riverside?** 

30 minutes from the mountains, 30 minutes from the ocean, and 30 minutes from the desert. Also, the UC Riverside campus is nice and has a botanical garden.
 
**The Worst Thing About Living in Riverside?**

A study from Brandeis University ranked several California metropolitan areas among the worst places in the U.S. to raise children. Out of the 100 largest U.S. cities, Bakersfield and Riverside ranked in the bottom five for the opportunities that the cities afford children.

**How You Living?** 

Most likely In a newer construction single-family home on a suburban development tract. Orangecrest caters to families with top-rated schools.. One of the most populated and diverse neighborhoods is Canyon Crest and it sits on hilly terrain offering some of the best views and has its own Town Center. Downtown Riverside is just about the only walkable area and features a historic mission which serves as a five story hotel (The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa) as well as Fairmount Park. Main Street is a pedestrian mall lined with local shops and restaurants. Victoria is the upscale neighborhood and Arlington Heights is one of Riverside’s oldest neighborhoods. Also known as the Arlington Greenbelt, for people looking for a rural environment and a wide range of outdoor activities.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

It’s cheaper than living on the coast and you can still get everywhere fairly quickly. Riverside has a population of 300K+, is in Riverside County and has its own airport, yet it can be seen as a giant bedroom community to Los Angeles as many people commute (even by train.) The locals take umbrage at this view.


University neighborhood is a great option for college students attending UC Riverside as well as young professionals who want to draft the inexpensive housing and social life options the school population provides. Tons of apartment buildings,  cheap eats and bars fill the streets of University Ave. 
- University
- Eastside


College Students/Young Professionals

University

The Eastside neighborhood is an interesting option for singles and couples looking for interesting older homes and apt/condos. It has more boutique shopping and eclectic food choices than the University neighborhood and it is a bit less “rowdy” than the college blocks can feel. 
- Eastside
- La Seirra Hills


DINKs/SINKs

Eastside

Riverside doesn’t have a specific LGBTQ+ neighborhood like other California cities but certainly is considered welcoming to all. Downtown probably attracts the highest concentration in part due work proximity for some, and for others it is proximity to some of the area gay community meetings spots. The Menagerie club in Downtown is the most popular and well known entertainment club for the LGBTQ+ community in Riverside.
- Downtown


LGBTQ+

Downtown

Orangcrest is a newer neighborhood in Riverside that is a good starting point for a search for families. The schools are excellent, it has a huge community park that acts as the hub for family activities throughout the area and blocks are filled with single-family homes at reasonable prices, assuming you are used to coastal California housing options.  Victoria is another great option with tree-lined streets, great schools, including the exceptions Polytechnic High School, and tons of parks and recreation spots throughout the neighborhood.
- Orangecrest 
- Victoria
- Canyon Crest


Families

Orangecrest

Riverside

**Should I move to Riverside?**

I've lived in Riverside off and on over the last 15 years or so and have worked here for 20. I've never lived in another state but I've lived in other communities in Southern California so I just have those for comparison. The city of Riverside is pretty huge. It's comprised of a ton of different neighborhoods with their own personalities, pros and cons. It's a big city but I think most residents probably imagine it as smaller because most of us circulate within our own enclaves within the city most of the time. Prices depend on where you're living in town but I think you can still find a decent deal compared to surrounding communities. I just moved from renting a 4 bedroom home in a desirable neighborhood for $1950 a month. For a similar home and community, that would run me around $2500 in Corona, $2800 in Rancho Cucamonga, and $3000-4000 in Orange or LA Counties.

It's suburban but there's a lot to do in town. It's also got easy access to amenities in other communities. For instance, I love seeing bands but we don't have a ton of bigger names coming to town, but Pomona is just 35 minutes away where they have great venues. A good hike is between 15 and 45 minutes away depending on your preference. There's big shopping centers with all the huge stores and also a downtown area with small shops and events like street fairs, the Dickens Festival, holiday programs, etc. I think Riverside can pretty much be however you decide to experience it.

I don't think the crime rate is particularly bad, even in the downtown area, but people who are not used to diverse communities may see some homeless people in certain areas or businesses with signs in different languages and think "crime". This is in no way a judgment on anyone - our brains are just wired to be wary of things that are different; we're all descendents of ancestors who didn't eat the poisonous berries or wander into a hostile tribe's camp. We've got a mix of different income levels and ethnicities but I think that's a good thing. 

**Should I move to Riverside?**

So to give you some context, I grew up in the High Desert, which is about an hour outside of Riverside, then ended up going to school and a bit of college in Riverside in my late teens/young adult life.

Crime: It's just like any other city in the world. It has its good areas, and it has its bad areas. I never once felt threatened walking or driving around. Traffic is AWFUL, but you learn the routes and how to skip it for some areas.

City vs small town: In my opinion it has a city feel to it and not small town. If you want small town move to the other side of the Cajon junction which would be Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley. It isn't Los Angeles, but it is pretty close. You can find anything within driving distance, which should note, to take advantage of anything in Southern California it is imperative you have a car. Public transportation just isn't there yet for us. There are those who might disagree with me and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have never met a single person in real life who uses public transportation full time that lives in Southern California.

Cost of living: Riverside thinks it is the next LA and that is what you pay for. It isn't as highly priced as Orange County, but it's close. If you want cheaper try San Bernardino. Cheap is not really a California term, and the state in general is going to be a lot higher in cost of living than other states.

What is it like: I loved Riverside when I was there and I enjoy getting a chance to visit when I am in the area, but the beauty of California is that every city has its own little spots, and I would say that almost every city within a 30 mile radius you will find something you have never found before. I can't comment on the nightlife, but I've found and enjoyed a lot of unique restaurants in the area.

Pros/cons: I'll leave this one to someone else, as I think I covered most of the pros and cons above.

**What is it like to live in Riverside, CA?**

Overall, good. I was born, raised, and still reside in Riverside. Riverside is actually a big city (c. 300,000), providing much of what people need to access for general living. It has proactive schools, good universities, and many libraries. Most of the city has access to free wifi. The weather is very nice, except for a couple of months late in summer when it gets very hot, though it is a dry heat, and thus usually cools off in the evening. There's plenty of parks and opportunities for athletics. Many people in Riverside drive to Orange County and Los Angeles County for work and pleasure; many of us spend a lot of time in our cars. One of the things that amazes me about my hometown is the natural variation. There are beautiful hills within the city, and there still are orange groves to drive through. Victoria Avenue and Magnolia Avenue (in places) remain beautiful thoroughfares in southern California. The city ranges about 1000 feet in altitude, from its lowest point to its highest. Mt. Rubidoux is a great place to walk for challenging exercise and to gain a view of the entire area. Most of all, Riverside is self-reflective. It seems to me that people are always trying to do better at the community level.

**What does Riverside, California look like? How safe is it to live there?**

Riverside, CA is pretty much what is called a bedroom community, as there is not as much nightlife as neighboring communities such a Orange County, and because a lot of people commute to and from work.

Most of our growth, and the growth of Corona, Moreno Valley, Perris, and Hemet is due to people being forced out of the housing markets in Orange County, and Los Angeles County.

I would recommend downloading Google Earth, to get a good satellite view.

I have lived in Riverside for almost 70 years, and I am quite comfortable here. We have a very good police and fire departments. Our city owns and operates our own utilities (electric and water).

Gang activity is generally reported to be in the Casa Blanca, Arlanza and Eastside areas. Even so, crime in Riverside has been on the decline while in our neighbor to the north—San Bernardino—crime has been on the rise.

Years ago, Riverside implemented a code that required every house to have one tree in its front yard, called the city tree. Each neighborhood has different trees assigned to them. If you do download Google Earth you will see lots of trees which I believe add to the beauty of my city. Sure, you are free to plant whatever tree you like in your yard, as the city tree is the only theme tree.

Everyone I know loves Riverside, because Riverside is a great place to live.

Riverside, California

Highlanders

Looklyloo Score: 83