What Cities Are in the Inland Empire? Complete List + What the Areas Are Actually Like
If you searched “what cities are in the Inland Empire,” I’ll give you the list first.
But if you’re asking because you’re actually thinking about living here, the list is only the beginning. The Inland Empire is enormous, and cities that fall under the same regional label can feel almost nothing alike.
That gives us 52 incorporated municipalities across the broader two-county region.
It includes places as different as Corona, Riverside, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Palm Springs, Victorville, Murrieta and Temecula.
Which is why, when somebody tells me they’re thinking about “moving to the Inland Empire,” my first question is usually:
Which part?
What Exactly Is the Inland Empire?
The broad definition generally centers on Riverside County and San Bernardino County. The federal metropolitan area covering the region is formally called the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area.
But locals usually break this enormous area into smaller regions.
Temecula, Murrieta and nearby communities are usually discussed as Southwest Riverside County or the Temecula Valley. Palm Springs and surrounding desert cities are normally discussed as the Coachella Valley. Victorville and Hesperia are generally talked about as part of the High Desert.
They can all fall under a broad Inland Empire umbrella while creating completely different decisions about housing, climate, commuting and lifestyle.
Complete List of Inland Empire Cities Under the Broad Two-County Definition
Riverside County
28 Incorporated CitiesSan Bernardino County
24 Incorporated Cities & TownsIf You Asked Me Where I’d Actually Live in the Inland Empire
I’m not saying every other Inland Empire city is bad. They’re not. And depending on your job, budget, commute and the type of home you want, another part of the region may make considerably more sense for you.
But I’ve lived in different parts of Riverside County. I spent about eight years living in Riverside, I lived in Murrieta for about four years, and I’ve spent years selling homes throughout this part of Southern California.
If I were choosing for myself today, I would keep coming back south.
Temecula, Murrieta and the surrounding areas give me the combination I personally like best: restaurants, golf, Wine Country, Old Town, newer communities, established neighborhoods, larger-property options and access south toward San Diego.
There are parts of the Inland Empire where I personally would not choose to live. That doesn’t mean somebody else shouldn’t.
Someone commuting toward Los Angeles or Orange County may be much better off farther west. Someone else may want a lower purchase price, acreage, mountain living or the desert lifestyle.
That’s why I think “What is the best city in the Inland Empire?” is actually the wrong question.
The better question is:
Which part of the Inland Empire fits the way you actually want to live?
52 Cities, but They Aren’t 52 Versions of the Same Place
Palm Springs and Corona are both in Riverside County. Living in them is completely different.
Big Bear Lake and Rancho Cucamonga are both in San Bernardino County. Again, completely different housing, climate and commute decisions.
An Inland Empire city list is useful for getting oriented. It becomes much more useful once we break the region into smaller areas.
The Inland Empire Makes More Sense When You Break It Into Areas
Corona, Eastvale, Chino, Ontario & Rancho Cucamonga
This side of the region can make considerably more sense if work or family pulls you toward Los Angeles or Orange County. The trade-off is that the 91, 15, 10 and 60 freeways become a major part of the housing decision.
Riverside, Moreno Valley & Perris
This part of western Riverside County offers everything from historic neighborhoods and established suburban areas to newer housing and larger-property options. Exact location matters a lot.
Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar & Lake Elsinore
This is the area I know and work in most. The I-15 and I-215 corridors connect cities that may look close on a map but can have very different taxes, housing ages, neighborhoods and day-to-day lifestyles.
Winchester & French Valley
These unincorporated areas are important parts of the local housing conversation, especially for buyers comparing newer construction. Tax assessments, HOA costs, solar and the exact property deserve close attention.
Beaumont, Banning & the Coachella Valley
Drive east and the region changes dramatically. Beaumont and Banning sit along the pass, while Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio and surrounding cities form their own recognizable desert region.
Victorville, Hesperia, Big Bear & Beyond
San Bernardino County is enormous. Its High Desert and mountain communities may belong to the broader two-county region while creating entirely different climate, housing and commuting decisions.
I spent years living in Riverside. I’ve lived in Murrieta. I live in the Temecula Valley now, and I’ve sold homes throughout Southwest Riverside County.
I’ve dealt with the 91 traffic. I know what it was like getting from Orangecrest toward the freeway. I’ve watched Menifee grow around the 215. And I’ve lived the differences between Murrieta and Temecula instead of simply comparing median home prices on a spreadsheet.
That is where this guide stops being a list of cities and starts becoming the part I think is actually useful if you’re considering moving here.
Watch My Inland Empire City Breakdown
I made this video specifically about Inland Empire cities I know from living and working throughout Riverside County. It covers Corona, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, Menifee, Murrieta and Temecula, so it fits this guide rather than being a random video dropped into the middle of an article.
The Inland Empire Cities I Know Best: What Actually Changes From One to the Next
Corona
Corona is one of the first places I would consider if getting farther west matters. But I would not choose a Corona home without taking the commute seriously. The 91 and I-15 can affect your daily life a lot more than a nicer kitchen will.
Riverside
I lived in Riverside for about eight years. Orangecrest, Canyon Crest, the Wood Streets and areas around downtown can feel completely different. Riverside is a city where I would choose the part of town before I chose the house.
Moreno Valley
Moreno Valley covers a large area with major differences in housing age, lot sizes, freeway access and surrounding development. Broad citywide averages do not tell me enough. I want to know exactly where the house sits.
Perris
Perris includes traditional subdivisions, larger parcels and more rural-feeling properties depending on location. Gavilan Hills is a good example of why the city name alone tells you very little about the property you are actually buying.
Menifee
Menifee has changed dramatically. New housing, restaurants and retail followed the growth, although some traffic areas remind you that houses occasionally get built faster than roads do.
Murrieta
Murrieta can mean established neighborhoods, newer communities, private golf in Bear Creek, gated Greer Ranch, acreage toward the west or neighborhoods closer to French Valley. It is not one type of home search.
Temecula
Temecula can mean Wine Country, Old Town, golf communities, master-planned neighborhoods, newer construction or larger lots. The neighborhood and micro-location matter almost as much as the house.
Wildomar
Wildomar can offer subdivisions, larger parcels and areas that feel less dense than nearby cities. Exact access, surrounding uses, lot characteristics and property type deserve attention.
Winchester & French Valley
This is an important part of a Southwest Riverside County home search even though these areas are not incorporated cities. There is substantial newer housing, so I want buyers comparing taxes, special assessments, HOA, solar and total monthly cost rather than just the base purchase price.
Riverside Is Where I Learned How Much the Neighborhood Matters
I spent about eight years living in Riverside, including time in Orangecrest.
I enjoyed Riverside overall, but the part of the city you choose changes the experience quite a bit.
Orangecrest has a completely different feel from the historic Wood Streets. Canyon Crest has mature landscaping and established homes. Downtown has the Mission Inn, restaurants and a completely different character again.
My wife and I used to go downtown for dinner at the Mission Inn and Mario’s across the street. That is the kind of thing I remember about actually living there rather than simply looking at Riverside on a map.
One thing I also remember very clearly about Orangecrest is freeway access. Something can look conveniently located on Google Maps and still add a frustrating amount of time before you even reach the freeway.
That gave me a rule I still use with buyers:
Don’t choose the house and then figure out your daily life afterward.
Corona Can Make Sense Until You Forget About the Freeway
Corona is farther west than the cities I work in most today, and that can be a major advantage if your job or regular travel pulls you toward Orange County.
But I would test that drive during the hours you will actually commute.
I have always liked some of the hillier areas farther south in Corona because they can feel less congested and more spread out. But the farther south you go, the more important that commute calculation becomes.
If your life pulls you more toward Ontario, Chino or the western Inland Empire, then Eastvale, Norco, Chino, Chino Hills, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga can belong in the same broader conversation.
If You’re Moving South, This Is Where My Advice Gets Much More Specific
Once you get into Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar and Winchester/French Valley, I stop thinking about “the Inland Empire” as one giant region.
I start thinking about individual neighborhoods, I-15 versus I-215 access, newer versus established housing, tax structures, lot position, HOA, solar, insurance, commute and what you are actually paying every month.
Two homes twenty minutes apart can have nearly identical asking prices and still be completely different purchases.
Menifee: Growth Is the Story
Menifee is one of those cities where I can remember what it looked like before a lot of the current development existed.
Newer housing and retail have changed it quickly. That can be attractive if you want newer floor plans and master-planned communities, but growth also means I pay attention to traffic and infrastructure.
I also want buyers comparing the total monthly ownership cost. A lower purchase price does not automatically mean a lower monthly payment once property taxes, special assessments, HOA and other expenses are included.
Murrieta: The City I Think People Oversimplify
I lived in Murrieta for about four years, and I still spend a lot of time there.
One thing I like about Murrieta is that parts of it can feel quieter than Temecula without feeling disconnected from everything around it.
I enjoy going down to the market nights in Historic Downtown Murrieta. I like that the downtown area feels noticeably quieter to me than Old Town Temecula. There are restaurants and places for happy hour without quite the same level of weekend activity you can get farther south.
I also golf, so being close to the Murrieta Valley Golf Range is something I personally enjoy.
From a housing standpoint, Murrieta gives you very different options. Bear Creek is a private golf-community lifestyle. Greer Ranch feels completely different. West Murrieta can give you more rural and acreage influences. Newer neighborhoods toward French Valley create another search entirely.
Temecula: Why We Eventually Chose It
Temecula was one of those places my wife and I kept coming back to before we eventually decided to live here.
We had lived closer to the coast and traveled around Southern California, but Temecula kept having the combination we enjoyed: Wine Country, Old Town, golf, restaurants, established neighborhoods, newer communities and enough housing variety that you are not choosing between fifty versions of the same subdivision.
That's also why a Temecula home search needs to be narrowed before you start scrolling through listings.
Harveston, Redhawk, Paseo del Sol, Paloma del Sol, Roripaugh Ranch, Sommers Bend and Wine Country are not interchangeable. Taxes, HOA, lot sizes, commute and home age can change substantially.
How I Would Actually Choose an Inland Empire City
Where Do You Actually Need to Go?
A cheaper house can become a very expensive decision if you buy yourself an extra hour in the car every day. Test the route during your actual commute window.
Ignore the Price Tag for a Minute
Compare mortgage, property taxes, special assessments, HOA, insurance, solar obligations and other recurring costs before declaring one city cheaper than another.
Newer Is Not Automatically Better
New construction can offer modern layouts and efficiency. Established neighborhoods may offer different lots, landscaping and ownership costs. Decide what you actually value.
The Street Still Matters
Busy roads, backing conditions, privacy, lot shape, road noise and neighboring uses can affect your experience and future resale regardless of the city name.
HOA & Special Assessments
Two homes with the same asking price can create very different monthly payments. I want the actual property information before making the comparison.
What Have Comparable Homes Sold For?
The asking price is what the seller wants. Relevant nearby sales, condition, location and current competition help tell us what the property may actually be worth.
A Perfect Example: Murrieta Isn’t Automatically Cheaper Than Temecula
Buyers sometimes look at asking prices and assume they already know which city costs less.
That can be misleading.
I recently broke down an example where a lower-priced home could still carry a higher monthly cost once the individual property's taxes and special assessments were included.
That's the kind of comparison I want somebody making before deciding which Inland Empire city is actually more affordable for them.
If Southwest Riverside County Is on Your List, Keep Narrowing
Explore Temecula Communities
See how Redhawk, Harveston, Paseo del Sol, Paloma del Sol, Roripaugh Ranch, Sommers Bend and other areas differ.
Explore Murrieta Communities
Compare Bear Creek, Greer Ranch, Spencer's Crossing, The Colony, West Murrieta and other areas.
Explore Menifee Communities
Compare established, newer, master-planned and age-qualified areas before deciding where to focus your search.
Explore Riverside Communities
Start comparing Orangecrest, Canyon Crest, Mission Grove, historic neighborhoods and other parts of Riverside.
Moving From Outside the Area?
My relocation guide gets into the taxes, neighborhoods, commuting and ownership issues people usually don't understand until they start seriously shopping here.
See the Homes I Think Deserve a Closer Look
My Deal Finder is where I regularly identify Temecula Valley properties that appear interesting based on current competition, recent sales and value.
Inland Empire Cities FAQ
What cities are in the Inland Empire?
How many cities are in the Inland Empire?
Is Temecula part of the Inland Empire?
Is Murrieta part of the Inland Empire?
Is Corona in the Inland Empire?
What is considered the southern Inland Empire?
What does IE mean in Southern California?
What is the best Inland Empire city to live in?
How should I compare schools when choosing a home?
Moving to the Southern Inland Empire? Start With the Area, Not the House
Tell me where you're coming from, where you need to commute, your comfortable price range, the type of home you want and the things you absolutely don't want. I can help you narrow Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar and the surrounding areas before you spend weekends looking at homes that never really made sense.