33°44′N 115°59′W/33.73°N 115.98°W/ 33.73; -115.98

Riverside County is located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the United States. Located in Southern California, the county is named for the city of Riverside, which is its county seat.

Riverside County is included in the Riverside–San BernardinoOntario Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as the Inland Empire included in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Roughly rectangular, Riverside County covers 7,208 square miles (18,670 km2) in Southern California, spanning from the greater Los Angeles area to the Arizona border. Geographically, the western region of the county is chaparral with a Mediterranean climate, while the central and eastern regions of the county are predominantly desert or mountainous. Most of Joshua Tree National Park is located in the county. The desert resort cities of Indio, Coachella, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs are located in the Coachella Valley region of central-eastern Riverside County.

Between 2007 and 2011, large numbers of Los Angeles-area workers moved to the county to take advantage of more affordable housing. Along with neighboring San Bernardino County, it was one of the fastest-growing regions in the state prior to the recent changes in the regional economy. In addition, smaller, but significant, numbers of people have been moving into southwest Riverside County from the San Diego metropolitan area.

Location

Riverside County is bordered on the north by San Bernardino County; on the east by La Paz County, Arizona; on the southeast by Imperial County; on the southwest by San Diego County; and on the west by Orange County.

Etymology

When Riverside County was formed in 1893, it was named for the city of Riverside, the county seat. That city, founded in 1870, was so named because of its location near the Santa Ana River.

History

Indigenous

The homelands of the Cahuilla include a large area of Riverside County.

The Indigenous peoples of the valleys, mountains and deserts of what is now Riverside County are the Serrano, the Payómkawichum, the Mohave, the Cupeno, the Chemehuevi, the Cahuilla, and the Tongva. The Aguanga and Temecula Basins, Elsinore Trough and eastern Santa Ana Mountains are the traditional homelands of the Payómkawichum. The inland valleys in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains and the desert of the Salton Sink are the traditional homelands of the Cahuilla.

Spanish era

The first European settlement in the county was a Mission San Luis Rey de Francia estancia or farm at the Luiseño village of Temescal. In 1819, the Mission granted Leandro Serrano permission to occupy the land for the purpose of grazing and farming, and Serrano established Rancho Temescal. Serrano was mayordomo of San Antonio de Pala Asistencia for the Mission of San Luis Rey.

Mexican era

With the signing of the Treaty of Cordoba in 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain, but the San Gabriel Mission near what is now Los Angeles, California, continued to expand, and established Rancho San Gorgonio in 1824. The ranch was to be one of the Mission's principal rancherias, and the most distant, and it occupied most of today's San Gorgonio Pass area.

Following the Mexican secularization act of 1833 by the First Mexican Republic, a series of rancho land grants were made throughout the state. In the Riverside County this included; Rancho Jurupa in 1838, El Rincon in 1839, Rancho San Jacinto Viejo in 1842, Rancho San Jacinto y San Gorgonio in 1843, Ranchos La Laguna, Pauba, Temecula in 1844, Ranchos Little Temecula, Potreros de San Juan Capistrano in 1845, Ranchos San Jacinto Sobrante, La Sierra (Sepulveda), La Sierra (Yorba), Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Nuevo y Potrero in 1846.

New Mexican colonists founded the town of La Placita on the east side of the Santa Ana River at the northern extremity of what is now the city of Riverside in 1843.

American era

When the initial 27 California counties were established in 1850, the area today known as Riverside County was divided between Los Angeles County and San Diego County. In 1853, the eastern part of Los Angeles County was used to create San Bernardino County. Between 1891 and 1893, several proposals and legislative attempts were put forth to form new counties in Southern California. These proposals included one for a Pomona County and one for a San Jacinto County. None of the proposals were adopted until a measure to create Riverside County was signed by Governor Henry H. Markham on March 11, 1893.

County formation

The new county was created from parts of San Bernardino County and San Diego County. On May 2, 1893, seventy percent of voters approved the formation of Riverside County. Voters chose the city of Riverside as the county seat, also by a large margin. Riverside County was officially formed on May 9, 1893, when the Board of Commissioners filed the final canvass of the votes.

Riverside county was a major focal point of the Civil Rights Movements in the US, especially the African-American sections of Riverside and heavily Mexican-American communities of the Coachella Valley visited by Cesar Chavez of the farm labor union struggle.

Riverside county has also been a focus of modern Native American Gaming enterprises. In the early 1980s, the county government attempted to shut down small bingo halls operated by the Morongo Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians and the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. The tribes joined forces and fought the county all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in the tribes' favor on February 25, 1987. In turn, Congress enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988 to establish a legal framework for the relationship between Indian gaming and state governments. Naturally, both tribes now operate large casinos in the county: the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa and the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino adjacent to Spotlight 29 Casino.

Geography

El Paseo in Palm Desert, California

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 7,303 square miles (18,910 km2), of which 7,206 square miles (18,660 km2) is land and 97 square miles (250 km2) (1.3%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in California by area. At roughly 180 miles (290 km) wide in the east–west dimension, the area of the county is massive. Riverside County, California is roughly the size of the State of New Jersey in total area. County government documents frequently cite the Colorado River town of Blythe as being a "three-hour drive" from the county seat, Riverside. Some view the areas west of San Gorgonio Pass as the Inland Empire portion of the county and the eastern part as either the Mojave Desert or Colorado Desert portion. There are probably at least three geomorphic provinces: the Inland Empire western portion, the Santa Rosa Mountains communities such as Reinhardt Canyon, and the desert region. Other possible subdivisions include tribal lands, the Colorado River communities, and the Salton Sea.

Flora and fauna

Yucca pines near Ryan Mountain Trail in Joshua Tree National Park
Southerly view of the San Jacinto Mountains from State Route 62

There is a diversity of flora and fauna within Riverside County. Vegetative plant associations feature many desert flora, but there are also forested areas within the county. The California endemic Blue oak, Quercus douglasii is at the southernmost part of its range in Riverside County.

National protected areas

There are 19 official wilderness areas in Riverside County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Some are integral parts of the above protected areas, most (11 of the 19) are managed solely by the Bureau of Land Management, and some share management between the BLM and the relevant other agencies. Some extend into neighboring counties:

State parks

County parks and trails

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
190017,897
191034,69693.9%
192050,29745.0%
193081,02461.1%
1940105,52430.2%
1950170,04661.1%
1960306,19180.1%
1970459,07449.9%
1980663,16644.5%
19901,170,41376.5%
20001,545,38732.0%
20102,189,64141.7%
20202,418,18510.4%
2025 (est.)2,544,9165.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[failed verification] 1790–1960

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,418,185. The median age was 36.8 years, with 24.6% of residents under the age of 18 and 15.3% 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.4 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 41.2% White, 6.5% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.1% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 26.4% from some other race, and 16.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 49.7% of the population.

94.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 5.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 763,283 households in the county, of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 848,549 housing units, of which 10.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.6% were owner-occupied and 33.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.

Racial and ethnic composition

Riverside County, California – Racial and ethnic compositionNote: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)490,144754,140788,831869,068788,23573.91%64.43%51.04%39.69%32.60%
Black or African American alone (NH)30,08859,96692,403130,823146,7624.54%5.12%5.98%5.97%6.07%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)7,2048,39310,13510,93111,9601.09%0.72%0.66%0.50%0.49%
Asian alone (NH)9,21038,34955,199125,921164,8891.39%3.28%3.57%5.75%6.82%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)xx3,2845,8496,7670.21%0.27%0.21%0.27%0.28%
Other race alone (NH)2,1032,0512,4253,68212,3650.32%0.18%0.16%0.17%0.51%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)xx33,53548,11084,912xx2.17%2.20%3.51%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)124,417307,514559,575995,2571,202,29518.76%26.27%36.21%45.45%49.72%
Total663,1661,170,4131,545,3872,189,6412,418,185100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
Ethnic origins in Riverside County

2010 census

The 2010 United States census reported that Riverside County had a population of 2,189,641. The racial makeup of Riverside County was 1,335,147 (61.0%) White (40.7% Non-Hispanic White), 140,543 (6.4%) African American, 23,710 (1.1%) Native American, 130,468 (6.0%) Asian (2.3% Filipino, 0.8% Chinese, 0.7% Vietnamese, 0.6% Korean, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Laotian, 0.1% Pakistani), 6,874 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 448,235 (20.5%) from other races, and 104,664 (4.8%) from two or more races. There were 995,257 residents of Hispanic or Latino ancestry, of any race (45.5%); 39.5% of Riverside County was of Mexican origin, 0.8% Salvadoran, 0.7% Honduran, 0.6% Puerto Rican, 0.3% Cuban, and 0.2% Nicaraguan descent.

Population reported at 2010 United States census
The CountyTotal PopulationWhiteAfrican AmericanNative AmericanAsianPacific Islanderother racestwo or more racesHispanic or Latino (of any race)
Riverside County2,189,6411,335,147140,54323,710130,4686,874448,235104,664995,257
Incorporated citiesTotal PopulationWhiteAfrican AmericanNative AmericanAsianPacific Islanderother racestwo or more racesHispanic or Latino (of any race)
Banning29,60319,1642,1656411,549394,6041,44112,181
Beaumont36,87723,1632,2765442,845836,0581,90814,864
Blythe20,81712,3963,126243319324,04565611,068
Calimesa7,8796,7778899100105652401,762
Canyon Lake10,5619,49512861190363163351,303
Cathedral City51,20032,5371,3445402,5625512,0082,15430,085
Coachella40,70419,5763202902663419,1541,06439,254
Corona152,37490,9258,9341,15315,04855228,0037,75966,447
Desert Hot Springs25,93815,0532,133357675846,3431,29313,646
Eastvale53,66822,9985,19029013,0031989,1722,81721,445
Hemet78,65753,2595,0491,2232,35228412,3714,11928,150
Indian Wells4,9584,72129208325251209
Indio76,03646,7351,8057411,6935522,3942,61351,540
La Quinta37,46729,4897132301,176414,5951,22311,339
Lake Elsinore51,82131,0672,7384832,99617411,1743,18925,073
Menifee77,51955,4443,8586553,7882959,6423,83725,551
Moreno Valley193,36580,96934,8891,72111,8671,11751,74111,061105,169
Murrieta103,46672,1375,6017419,5563918,6956,34526,792
Norco27,06320,6411,893248844592,5148648,405
Palm Desert48,44539,9578752491,647554,4271,23511,038
Palm Springs44,55233,7201,9824671,971714,9491,39211,286
Perris68,38628,9378,3075892,46128624,3453,46149,079
Rancho Mirage17,21815,26725694651145983381,964
Riverside303,871171,66921,4213,46722,5661,21968,11115,418148,953
San Jacinto44,19925,2722,9288121,34112411,2082,51423,109
Temecula100,09770,8804,1321,0799,7653687,9285,94524,727
Wildomar32,17622,3721,0653761,454695,1241,71611,363
Census-designated placesTotal PopulationWhiteAfrican AmericanNative AmericanAsianPacific Islanderother racestwo or more racesHispanic or Latino (of any race)
Aguanga1,128929112024010935274
Anza3,0142,4113457363347126791
Bermuda Dunes7,2825,43318063241111,1262282,371
Cabazon2,5351,7511359038143581491,135
Cherry Valley6,3625,450631028744512051,347
Coronita2,6081,649383110812688821,349
Crestmore Heights384229226013312263
Desert Center204164132025938
Desert Edge3,8223,0511434281624701,220
Desert Palms6,9576,72859169551539177
East Hemet17,41812,257679323275292,9978586,778
El Cerrito5,1003,542915495111,1221852,657
El Sobrante12,7237,4351,010732,240361,3126173,626
French Valley23,06714,8271,8282292,6721341,8891,4886,318
Garnet7,5434,2472039662102,6362895,580
Glen Avon20,19910,272805216462347,56784313,766
Good Hope9,1924,156669986443,8853167,319
Green Acres1,8051,1923441252396115856
Highgrove3,9882,10416241113131,3881672,604
Home Gardens11,5705,275364126667514,5005878,524
Homeland5,9693,7271308549151,6732903,110
Idyllwild-Pine Cove3,8743,4343230135688149479
Indio Hills9725426155139112657
Lake Mathews5,8904,2392535919338912521,808
Lake Riverside1,1731,0422116284638186
Lakeland Village11,5417,764285131168212,5755975,114
Lakeview2,1041,117154872842731,350
March ARB1,159811171103529337172
Mead Valley18,5108,3831,515179259177,48467313,395
Meadowbrook3,1852,034130195147981491,765
Mecca8,5772,68640471775,5432378,462
Mesa Verde1,023589894137339715
Mira Loma21,93012,577383240465437,25097214,846
Mountain Center636001100115
North Shore3,4771,39433261851,8841173,313
Nuevo6,4474,0111139182161,8103243,514
Oasis6,8901,69322964204,9271106,731
Pedley12,6727,509381119554483,5205416,773
Ripley69239310321416524537
Romoland1,684958658351251492865
Rubidoux34,28016,9351,85039185513612,4691,64423,322
Sky Valley2,4061,961353421328270682
Sunnyslope5,1533,017965576101,6962033,630
Temescal Valley22,53514,7851,5071312,157742,5651,3166,753
Thermal2,8651,03428303211,685552,730
Thousand Palms7,7155,76310575129101,4222114,051
Valle Vista14,57811,542440252283411,3516694,027
Vista Santa Rosa2,9261,6998140609421312,487
Warm Springs2,6761,67311924102146061381,232
Whitewater85963637312109737267
Winchester2,5341,57738174627281261,233
Woodcrest14,34710,41871669715411,7166724,113
Other unincorporated areasTotal PopulationWhiteAfrican AmericanNative AmericanAsianPacific Islanderother racestwo or more racesHispanic or Latino (of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined)73,11751,4222,2312,1023,79420610,1053,25724,128

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,545,387 people, 506,218 households, and 372,576 families residing in the county. The population density was 214 inhabitants per square mile (83/km2). There were 584,674 housing units at an average density of 81 per square mile (31/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 65.6% White, 6.2% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 18.7% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. 36.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 9.2% were of German, 6.9% English, 6.1% Irish and 5.0% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 67.2% spoke English and 27.7% Spanish as their first language.

In 2006 the county had a population of 2,026,803, up 31.2% since 2000. In 2005 45.8% of the population was non-Hispanic whites. The percentages of African Americans, Asians and Native Americans remained relatively similar to their 2000 figures. The percentage of Pacific Islanders had majorly risen to 0.4. Hispanics now constituted 41% of the population.

There were 506,218 households, out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.0 and the average family size was 3.5.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,887, and the median income for a family was $48,409. Males had a median income of $38,639 versus $28,032 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,689. About 10.7% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government and law enforcement

Government

The Government of Riverside County is defined and authorized under the California Constitution and law as a general law county. The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, and social services. In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas.

Government

Riverside County is organized as a General Law County under the provision of the California Government Code. The county has five supervisorial districts, and one supervisor is elected from each district every four years.

Riverside County Historic Courthouse

In 1999, the County Board of Supervisors approved a multimillion-dollar planning effort to create the Riverside County Integrated Plan (RCIP) which was to encompass a completely new General Plan, regional transportation plan (CETAP) and Habitat Conservation Plan. The resultant General Plan adopted in 2003 was considered groundbreaking for its multidisciplinary approach to land use and conservation planning.

Courts

The Riverside Superior Court is the state trial court for Riverside County with 14 courthouses: Riverside Historic Courthouse, Riverside Hall of Justice, Riverside Family Law Court, Riverside Juvenile Court, Southwest Justice Center – Murrieta, Moreno Valley Court, Banning Court, Hemet Court, Corona Court, Temecula Court, Larson Justice Center – Indio, Indio Juvenile Court, Palm Springs Court and Blythe Court.

The main courthouse is the Riverside Historic Courthouse. This landmark, erected in 1903, was modeled after the Grand and Petit Palais in Paris, France. The courthouse, designed by Los Angeles architects Burnham and Bliesner, has a classical design – including a great hall that connects all the departments (courtrooms). In 1994, the courthouse was closed for seismic retrofits due to the 1992 Landers and 1994 Northridge earthquakes. The courthouse was reopened and rededicated in September 1998.

Riverside County hands down 1 in 6 death sentences in the US, in spite of it having less than 1% of the population.

Law enforcement

Sheriff

The Riverside County Sheriff provides court protection, jail administration, and coroner services for all of Riverside County. It provides patrol, detective, and other police services for the unincorporated areas of the county plus by contract to the cities and towns of Coachella, Eastvale, Indian Wells, Jurupa Valley, La Quinta, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Norco, Palm Desert, Perris, Rancho Mirage, San Jacinto, Temecula and Wildomar. The Morongo Indian Reservation also contracts with the Sheriff's Office to provide police services to the reservation.

Municipal Police

Municipal departments within the county are Banning, Beaumont, Blythe, Calimesa, Cathedral City, Corona, Desert Hot Springs, Hemet, Indio, Menifee, Murrieta, Palm Springs, Riverside, Riverside Community College and University California Riverside

Riverside County Probation Department

Politics

Voter registration

Population and registered voters
Eligible voters2,473,902
Registered voters1,372,54883.34%
Democratic539,62439.32%
Republican447,21732.58%
Democratic–Republican spread+92,4076.74%
American Independent63,6214.64%
Green5,3290.39%
Libertarian15,5411.13%
Peace and Freedom9,2610.67%
Unknown2,8070.20%
Other14,5991.06%
No party preference274,54920.00%
Cities by population and voter registration
CityPopulationRegistered votersDemocraticRepublicanD–R spreadOtherNo party preference
Banning29,41442.9%38.9%40.8%-1.9%8.2%15.4%
Beaumont34,73746.4%33.6%40.8%-7.2%10.3%19.4%
Blythe21,10223.1%40.3%36.0%+4.3%9.2%18.3%
Calimesa7,92353.7%29.0%48.8%-19.8%10.1%16.2%
Canyon Lake10,66357.3%19.9%57.5%-37.6%9.7%16.8%
Cathedral City51,13037.6%46.9%31.8%+15.1%6.2%17.5%
Coachella39,44225.0%72.1%13.1%+59.0%2.9%12.8%
Corona158,39143.0%32.9%43.3%-10.4%7.2%19.2%
Desert Hot Springs25,79335.5%44.0%32.7%+11.3%8.3%18.0%
Eastvale53,43740.6%38.0%34.2%+3.8%6.9%23.6%
Hemet77,75244.8%34.0%42.4%-8.4%9.3%18.1%
Indian Wells4,93759.8%19.0%62.7%-43.7%6.5%14.4%
Indio74,40239.7%47.9%33.0%+14.9%6.0%15.4%
Jurupa Valley57,46458.4%40.1%37.1%+3.0%7.1%18.3%
La Quinta36,60052.8%30.6%47.4%-16.8%8.1%17.2%
Lake Elsinore50,40538.1%33.8%36.8%-3.0%9.7%23.4%
Menifee75,02352.0%31.1%44.2%-13.1%9.6%19.0%
Moreno Valley190,97743.5%48.1%33.5%+14.6%5.6%14.8%
Murrieta99,47648.8%25.3%48.2%-22.9%9.2%20.8%
Norco27,13145.0%25.2%52.5%-27.3%8.2%17.2%
Palm Desert48,76950.7%31.5%45.8%-14.3%7.6%18.1%
Palm Springs45,04553.7%50.9%26.7%+24.2%7.3%17.9%
Perris65,99336.3%54.2%27.8%+26.4%5.1%14.6%
Rancho Mirage17,02258.8%33.2%45.3%-12.1%5.8%18.0%
Riverside303,56944.0%38.5%39.0%-0.5%7.5%17.6%
San Jacinto42,72238.0%36.5%38.6%-2.1%9.3%19.1%
Temecula98,18948.0%25.2%47.6%-22.4%9.7%21.4%
Wildomar31,45247.4%26.8%45.4%-18.6%10.3%21.4%
  1. Democratic (40.5%)
  2. Republican (31.3%)
  3. Independent (20.5%)
  4. Other parties (7.71%)

Overview

Prior to 2008, Riverside County was a Republican stronghold in presidential and congressional elections. Between its creation in 1893 and 2004, it voted for the Democratic presidential nominee only three times: Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 (by a margin of 337 votes, or 0.99%), Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 (by a margin of 19,363 votes, or 13.65%), and Bill Clinton in 1992 (by a margin of 6,784 votes, or 1.58%). In 1932, it was one of only two counties in the entire West Coast to vote for Republican president Herbert Hoover over Roosevelt during the latter's landslide victory. In 2024, it was one of ten counties that flipped for Donald Trump after voting for Biden in 2020, and was one of six that voted for the Republican presidential candidate for the first time in 20 years since George W. Bush in 2004. At the state level, Riverside remains one of the most conservative counties in Southern California and is frequently the only county in the region to not vote for Democratic candidates, having not voted for a Democrat for governor since 1998 (and having only voted three times for Democrats in the past century).

At the local level, Democrats are strongest in Riverside County in large cities such as Riverside, Perris, and Moreno Valley, performing especially well in majority Black and Hispanic areas, although those have been shifting heavily to the right. Democrats are also strongest in progressive-leaning White areas and college campuses such as Downtown Riverside, the area surrounding UC Riverside, the LGBT enclave of Palm Springs and most of the Hispanic-majority Coachella Valley.

Republicans perform especially well in the wealthy San Diegan exurbs in the Temecula Valley as well as more middle-class white cities such as Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and Menifee. Republicans are also usually more successful in the rural areas of the county as well as wealthy retirement enclaves such as Canyon Lake and Bermuda Dunes. Republicans have been consistently gaining in almost all areas of the county, however, and in 2024 put up massive gains in both affluent suburbs and blue-collar majority Hispanic areas, even flipping the city of Jurupa Valley, the most Hispanic city in Riverside County.

United States presidential election results for Riverside County, California
YearRepublicanDemocraticThird party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
18962,06353.06%1,68443.31%1413.63%
19002,32961.14%1,13429.77%3469.08%
19042,63865.23%67816.77%72818.00%
19083,22957.24%1,37424.36%1,03818.40%
19121241.23%2,96329.33%7,01669.44%
19167,45254.64%4,56133.44%1,62611.92%
19209,12469.55%2,79821.33%1,1969.12%
19249,61961.99%1,3188.49%4,57929.51%
192817,60077.94%4,76921.12%2120.94%
193214,11250.20%12,75545.37%1,2454.43%
193616,67448.89%17,01149.88%4221.24%
194021,77951.39%20,00347.20%5981.41%
194423,16853.94%19,43945.26%3460.81%
194832,20955.66%23,30540.28%2,3504.06%
195251,69265.08%26,94833.93%7880.99%
195656,76662.16%34,09837.34%4650.51%
196065,85556.15%50,87743.38%5440.46%
196461,16543.14%80,52856.79%950.07%
196883,41452.90%61,14638.78%13,1108.31%
1972108,12058.00%71,59138.41%6,6933.59%
197697,77449.24%96,22848.46%4,5562.29%
1980145,64259.87%76,65031.51%20,9868.63%
1984182,32463.48%102,04335.53%2,8350.99%
1988199,97959.46%133,12239.58%3,2470.97%
1992159,45737.06%166,24138.64%104,57724.30%
1996178,61145.61%168,57943.05%44,42311.34%
2000231,95551.42%202,57644.90%16,5963.68%
2004322,47357.83%228,80641.04%6,3001.13%
2008310,04147.90%325,01750.21%12,2411.89%
2012318,12748.06%329,06349.71%14,7172.22%
2016333,24344.35%373,69549.73%44,4535.92%
2020449,14445.04%528,34052.98%19,6721.97%
2024463,67749.30%451,78248.04%25,0512.66%

In the United States House of Representatives, Riverside County is split between 6 congressional districts:

In the California State Senate, the county is split between four legislative districts:

In the California State Assembly, the county is split between six legislative districts:

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Population and crime rates
Population2,154,844
Violent crime7,2843.38
Homicide910.04
Forcible rape4240.20
Robbery2,6021.21
Aggravated assault4,1671.93
Property crime37,80317.54
Burglary17,3088.03
Larceny-theft35,13516.31
Motor vehicle theft8,6414.01
Arson2830.13

Cities by population and crime rates

Cities by population and crime rates
CityPopulationViolent crimesViolent crime rate per 1,000 personsProperty crimesProperty crime rate per 1,000 persons
Banning30,5411484.8570823.18
Beaumont38,0721032.711,34235.25
Blythe21,323733.4275935.60
Calimesa8,136131.6020224.83
Canyon Lake10,905111.0120919.17
Cathedral City52,8672043.861,57629.81
Coachella42,0342656.301,54736.80
Corona157,3422101.334,14326.33
Desert Hot Springs27,92934412.321,15741.43
Eastvale55,439410.741,00718.16
Hemet81,2134065.003,48642.92
Indian Wells5,12020.3920339.65
Indio78,5014505.732,79135.55
Jurupa Valley97,5773123.203,17432.53
Lake Elsinore53,9121302.411,93235.84
La Quinta38,6901503.881,66943.14
Menifee80,047871.091,94224.26
Moreno Valley199,6737063.546,37131.91
Murrieta106,839700.661,71516.05
Norco27,850562.0158020.83
Palm Desert50,0211042.082,32246.42
Palm Springs45,9963026.572,23248.53
Perris70,6162403.402,08129.47
Rancho Mirage17,778231.2972640.84
Riverside313,5321,3894.4310,81834.50
San Jacinto45,6371373.001,47932.41
Temecula103,414970.942,44023.59
Wildomar33,227531.6070721.28

Education

Universities and colleges

The 161-foot, 48-bell carillon tower at the University of California, Riverside, designed by A. Quincy Jones.

K-12 schools

Public school districts

K-12 unified:

Secondary:

Elementary:

State-operated schools

Bureau of Indian Education-operated schools

Transportation

Major highways

Public transportation

Amtrak trains stop in Riverside and Palm Springs, and Amtrak California provides bus connections to the Gold Runner in Riverside–Downtown, Beaumont, Palm Springs, Thousand Palms, Indio, Moreno Valley, Perris, Sun City, and Hemet. Amtrak Thruway buses connect Fullerton tp Palm Springs and Indio.

Metrolink trains serve nine stations in Riverside County: Riverside–Downtown, Riverside–La Sierra, Corona–North Main, Corona–West, Jurupa Valley/Pedley, Riverside–Hunter Park/UCR, Moreno Valley/March Field, Perris–Downtown, and Perris–South. These trains provide service to Orange, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties seven days a week, with a primarily commuter-oriented schedule.

Airports

Military air bases

Commercial airports

General aviation airports

Military installations

Points of interest

Communities

Cities

CityYear incorporatedPopulation, 2020Median household income, 2019
Banning191329,505$42,274
Beaumont191253,036$84,105
Blythe191618,317$45,385
Calimesa199010,026$56,903
Canyon Lake199011,082$100,682
Cathedral City198151,493$46,521
Coachella194641,941$34,224
Corona1896157,136$86,790
Desert Hot Springs196332,512$33,046
Eastvale201069,757$119,213
Hemet191089,833$39,653
Indian Wells19674,757$107,500
Indio193089,137$74,774
Jurupa Valley2011105,053$76,090
Lake Elsinore188870,265$77,090
La Quinta198237,558$77,839
Menifee2008102,527$77,033
Moreno Valley1984208,634$65,449
Murrieta1991110,949$100,080
Norco196426,316$102,817
Palm Desert197351,163$59,977
Palm Springs193844,575$53,441
Perris191178,700$70,714
Rancho Mirage197316,999$78,682
Riverside1883314,998$71,967
San Jacinto188853,898$52,009
Temecula1989110,003$95,918
Wildomar200836,875$74,991

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Former census designated places

Ghost towns

Indian reservations

Riverside County has 12 federally recognized Indian reservations, which ties it with Sandoval County, New Mexico, for second most of any county in the United States. (Sandoval County, however, has two additional joint-use areas, shared between reservations. San Diego County, California has the most, with 18 reservations.)

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Riverside County.

county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2020 Census)
1 RiversideCity314,998
2Moreno ValleyCity208,634
3CoronaCity157,136
4MurrietaCity110,949
5TemeculaCity110,003
6Jurupa ValleyCity105,053
7MenifeeCity102,527
8HemetCity89,833
9IndioCity89,137
10PerrisCity78,700
11Lake ElsinoreCity70,265
12EastvaleCity69,757
13San JacintoCity53,898
14BeaumontCity53,036
15Cathedral CityCity51,493
16Palm DesertCity51,163
17Palm SpringsCity44,575
18CoachellaCity41,941
19La QuintaCity37,558
20WildomarCity36,875
21French ValleyCDP35,280
22Desert Hot SpringsCity32,512
23BanningCity29,505
24Agua Caliente Indian ReservationAIAN27,090
25NorcoCity26,316
26Temescal ValleyCDP26,232
27Mead ValleyCDP19,819
28East HemetCDP19,432
29BlytheCity18,317
30Rancho MirageCity16,999
31Valle VistaCDP16,194
32WoodcrestCDP15,378
33El SobranteCDP14,039
34Lakeland VillageCDP12,364
35Home GardensCDP11,203
36Canyon LakeCity11,082
37CalimesaCity10,026
38Good HopeCDP9,468
39Bermuda DunesCDP8,244
40MeccaCDP8,219
41Thousand PalmsCDP7,967
42HighgroveCDP7,515
43GarnetCDP7,118
44HomelandCDP6,772
45NuevoCDP6,733
46Desert PalmsCDP6,686
47Cherry ValleyCDP6,509
48Lake MathewsCDP5,972
49El CerritoCDP5,058
50Indian WellsCity4,757
51OasisCDP4,468
52Desert EdgeCDP4,180
53Idyllwild-Pine CoveCDP4,163
54North ShoreCDP3,585
55Torres-Martinez ReservationAIAN3,454
56SageCDP3,370
57MeadowbrookCDP3,142
58AnzaCDP3,075
59WinchesterCDP3,068
60Green AcresCDP2,918
61ThermalCDP2,676
62CoronitaCDP2,639
63CabazonCDP2,629
64Vista Santa RosaCDP2,607
65Sky ValleyCDP2,411
66RomolandCDP2,005
67LakeviewCDP1,977
68Warm SpringsCDP1,586
69Colorado River Indian ReservationAIAN1,395
70Lake RiversideCDP1,375
71Morongo ReservationAIAN1,243
72Indio HillsCDP1,048
73AguangaCDP989
74WhitewaterCDP984
75March ARBCDP809
76Mesa VerdeCDP766
77Pechanga ReservationAIAN582
78Soboba ReservationAIAN567
79RipleyCDP538
80Desert CenterCDP256
81Cahuilla ReservationAIAN229
82Cabazon ReservationAIAN192
83Santa Rosa ReservationAIAN131
84Mountain CenterCDP66
85Twenty-Nine ReservationAIAN5
86Augustine ReservationAIAN0
87Ramona VillageAIAN0

Climate

Riverside County
Riverside County Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 8 20 7 12 24 9 4 31 13 3 37 17 1 45 21 1 44 27 16 46 28 19 44 27 8 45 25 2 36 20 6 28 11 15 20 6 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mmSource: Imperial conversion JFMAMJJASOND 0.3 68 45 0.5 75 48 0.2 88 55 0.1 99 63 0 113 70 0 111 81 0.6 115 82 0.7 111 81 0.3 113 77 0.1 97 68 0.2 82 52 0.6 68 43 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 8 20 7 12 24 9 4 31 13 3 37 17 1 45 21 1 44 27 16 46 28 19 44 27 8 45 25 2 36 20 6 28 11 15 20 6 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mmSource:
JFMAMJJASOND
8 20 712 24 94 31 133 37 171 45 211 44 2716 46 2819 44 278 45 252 36 206 28 1115 20 6
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source:
Imperial conversion JFMAMJJASOND 0.3 68 45 0.5 75 48 0.2 88 55 0.1 99 63 0 113 70 0 111 81 0.6 115 82 0.7 111 81 0.3 113 77 0.1 97 68 0.2 82 52 0.6 68 43 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
0.3 68 450.5 75 480.2 88 550.1 99 630 113 700 111 810.6 115 820.7 111 810.3 113 770.1 97 680.2 82 520.6 68 43
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

See also

Notes

Bibliography

  • Fitch, Robert J. (1993). Profile of a Century: Riverside County, California, 1893–1993. Riverside County Historical Commission Press. pp. 300. OCLC
  • Gunther, Jane Davies. Riverside County, California, Place Names; Their Origins and Their Stories, Riverside, CA, 1984. LCCN
  • Holmes, Elmer Wallace (1912). . Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company. pp. 783 (840 in 2010 republishing). ISBN 978-1174620966. OCLC . {{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  • Lech, Steve (2004). Along the Old Roads: A History of the Portion of Southern California that became Riverside County: 1772–1893. Steve Lech. p. 902. OCLC . Lech, Steve (2012). Pioneers of Riverside County: The Spanish, Mexican and Early American Periods. Charleston, SC: The History Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-1609498313. OCLC . (a reprint of the first three chapters of Along the Old Roads.)

Further reading

  • Brown, James B. (1985). Harvest of the Sun: An Illustrated History of Riverside County. Northridge, CA: Windsor Publications. p. 244. ISBN 0-89781-145-3. OCLC .
  • Gunther, Jane Davies (1984). Riverside County, California, Place Names. Their Origins and Their Stories: Rubidoux Printing Co. 1984. LCCN 84-72920
  • Justitia Rei Publicae Fundamentum: Justice is the Foundation of the Republic. Riverside, CA: Riverside Museum Press. 1998. p. 34. ISBN 0-935661-28-X. OCLC .

External links