If you’ve been looking for a new living space in Riverside, you might be in the need of a slight push to actually make the decision. No worries – there is so much to say about Riverside. If you’re career-driven, and you’re interested in settling down in a family-friendly community that offers it residents everything they could possibly need, you’re definitely not alone and you’re in the right place as well. Riverside is a community that keeps growing, and more people are starting to realize its potential and many opportunities that await them. In the past decade, more than 25,000 people have decided to call Riverside home. Riverside is currently the city with the most residents within Inland Empire, and is called home by approximately 330,000 residents.
Riverside attracts newcomers with its affordable housing, growing economy, and diverse weather. Living in Riverside, you’ll be living 30 minutes away from every climate you could possibly wish for, and visit the desert, mountains and beach all in one day. Overall, Riverside is a well-rounded community that perfectly fits everyone’s needs, and provides families with an amazing family-friendly experience.
1. Affordability
Riverside is famous for many things – the University of California, its beautiful citrus orchards, Riverside campus and much more. But what makes life in Riverside especially appealing, is the affordable housing options. The median home value In Riverside is currently around $400,000. However, the housing options are growing more expensive with each year, given the fact that Riverside is a growing community, with many millennials interested in settling down in this community. The easy access to different points of interest around the city, laid back neighborhoods and the vast variety of housing options available around Riverside, make the popularity of this city grow rapidly, and this is just the beginning.
2. Unique neighborhoods
Riverside has several detached, unique neighborhoods that can easily fit into your specific needs and wishes, and cater to both single professionals and families.
- Canyon Crest – situated between Sycamore Canyon Park and Box Spring Mountains, offers some of the most breathtaking views to its residents. Canyon Crest is widely known as one of the most populated and diverse suburbs of Riverside, and offers a diverse pallet of amenities, things to do and recreational opportunities, making the life in Canyon Crest a wholesome experience.
- Orangecrest – situated on the southeastern end of Riverside, the suburban setting and private feel this neighborhood provides its residents, makes Orangecrest one of the best neighborhoods for families to settle down in. The tight-knit feel this neighborhood of Riverside provides, and the family friendly amenities scattered around it, make the ultimate combination for the perfect neighborhood for young families.
- Downtown Riverside – the heart of Riverside and also so much more than that, Downtown Riverside is the urban and cultural center of the Inland Empire, which is considered to be amazingly walkable and also unique and diverse. Downtown Riverside is also the home to the renovated Main Street pedestrian mall, which is packed with numerous unique and diverse local shops, interesting dining options and amazing museums.
- Arlington Heights – also known as the Arlington Greenbelt, this is one of Riverside’s oldest neighborhoods. This neighborhood is perfect for single professionals, or even families that are searching for a rural escape that also offers a myriad of outdoor activities and recreational opportunities.

3. Education
The public schools in Riverside are some of the best public schools in all of Southern California, and with the addition of numerous private school options in Riverside and the surrounding cities, there are many different perks when choosing the best education for you child. The fantastic school district provides a real sense of community, and overall, the residents of Riverside care about both the town and its future as well.
Parents have choices in Riverside, as the school district, Riverside Unified School District places high value in diversity and a variety of options related to children’s educations. There are several schools in Riverside that consistently rank high and provide education excellence to their students.
Some of them include:
- Martin Luther King High School
- Ramona High School
- Amelia Earhart Middle School
- Mark Twain Elementary School

4. Convenient location
Living in Riverside, residents are provided with a central location to major attractions in Southern California. If you wish to go sunbathing on the beach, and snowboarding on the mountains all in one day, it is more than possible when living in Riverside. You can visit Disneyland on a whim, take on the slopes in the San Bernardino Mountains, experience the bustling city of Los Angeles for the day or go for a tasting of some of the exquisite wines in Temecula. Residents of Riverside are provided with the unique opportunity of being in the center of everything, and having everything they could possibly need and more just around the corner.

5. Weather
Living in Riverside, you’ll experience summers that are often hot and dry, while the winter months are quite long, cool, and sometimes cloudy. During the year, the temperature in Riverside ranges from 45 to 95 degrees. It rarely goes below 36 degrees, and snow is quite nonexistent in the area, while the warm, summer months rarely every exceed 103 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Things to do
Riverside is known as the hub of the California citrus growing industry, and is also the home to the University of California. Riverside offers its residents a large collection of fun, exciting things to do, including shopping malls, restaurants, entertainment venues, and much more. Visit the California Citrus State Historic Park which tells its visitors the story of the citrus industry’s rapid development in Southern California. History enthusiasts will enjoy visiting the Mission Inn Museum, which is located in the famous Mission Inn Hotel. Families will love going on trips to Castle Park, the largest family friendly amusement park in Riverside.
Living in Riverside will provide you with an amazing tight-knit community, with a variety of family friendly activities and opportunities and affordable housing selections.
