MURRIETA VS TEMECULA
Many people always ask me what the differences are between Temecula and Murrieta. I thought, what better blog post than Temecula vs. Murrieta? I will specifically go over statistics, the housing market, the pros and cons of each city, and what city is ultimately the right fit for you. I love both cities, so this Temecula vs. Murrieta blog and video just clear up some commonly asked questions about each place.
Statistics
Temecula outnumbers Murrieta by three or four thousand people in terms of population. From the statistics I found online, the Murrieta population is 113,000, and Temecula is going to be around 115,000. Both cities have grown tremendously over the last 20 years. Murrieta has increased by 130 percent since 2000.
Murrieta is around 33,000 square miles, and Temecula is around 30,000 square miles.
Real Estate
Home prices in the last three years have averaged higher in Temecula. The average home cost in Temecula is $508,000, while Murrieta’s is $458,000. At this point, affordability is definitely on the side of Murrieta.
In regards to the gain in equity of Temecula vs. Murrieta homes, Temecula had a 9.2% rise in home prices in the last 3 years; Murrieta had a 5.2% rise.
If I had to pick one of these statistics to comment on, it would be this one. Even though Temecula is a little more expensive, it has a higher return on investment in the long run. Temecula has a great deal to offer within the city, not only to its residents but also to vacationers or visitors. Temecula has Wine Country, a casino, Old Town, hundreds of restaurants, and an outdoor mall. These things are just a bigger draw for people, which inevitably will drive home prices up.
Employment
I would say that both Temecula and Murrieta are commuter communities. Many people who live in both Temecula and Murrieta commute to work every morning. This is where you need to be careful and do your homework. If you don’t know the area where the 15 Freeway and the 215 Freeway connect, that’s where the traffic gets really, really heavy. If you are working north (towards LA), Murrieta might be the city you should look at first. It will save you at least an hour of driving time per day.
On the flip side, if you are working in the South Bay or San Diego area, you might want to live in the southern part of Temecula. This area will cut off at least 3240 minutes one way every day.
I have written blog posts and produced videos about many Temecula communities. This blog post and video go over the top 10 neighborhoods in Temecula. I also have a blog post about the cost of living in Temecula here
Traffic DensityÂ
When we can pair Temecula versus Murrieta in regards to traffic, Murrieta is going to win on this one. Even though the population is relatively the same in both cities Temecula has more draw. As I mentioned earlier in the blog post, we have a casino, wineries, me, and Old Town. These four things alone bring thousands of people in for weekend getaways or vacations. This obviously has an effect on the roads and how many people are driving on them. When you’re driving around much of Murrieta, it’s actually calm and relaxing compared to some areas of Temecula.
Temecula Vs Murrieta
What to Do
Temecula is definitely going to take the win on this one, but Murrieta has a lot of things to do as well. Murrieta has a variety of golf courses, its own Old Town (nothing like Temecula), restaurants, and bars. Murrieta also has a very sought-after horse community called the Cresta. If you’re into golf, Murrieta has a beautiful private golf course community called Bear Creek.
I have written many blog posts on things to do in Temecula, so I will keep this short. You are never going to have a shortage of things to do in Temecula. One of the things that we have enjoyed doing, even though we don’t like gambling, is spending Friday nights at the casino. Oftentimes, they will have concerts or shows. We love going to dinner, having a drink, walking around the casino, and then ending the night with a concert or comedy show. The casino also has an RV park, golf course, spa, and nightclub.
More Communities in Temecula with a Lower Tax Rate
In general, the older the home, the less you’re going to pay in taxes. Because Temecula is a little older, it has communities that are older. In the last 6 months, there have been 100 more homes sold in Temecula that were built before 2000.
Please do not let old age scare you! There are plenty of older communities throughout Temecula that are beautiful, with lush, mature landscapes, pride in ownership, and half the tax rate of many of the newer communities.
Overall, both Temecula and Murrieta are amazing places to live. Both cities are safe, have great school districts, are very clean, and have a community that has pride. You never have to worry about walking at night because we’re constantly having cars broken into, like many other Southern California cities. Both of these cities have wonderful weather for four to eight months out of the year, inexpensive golf, and a great food scene.
If you have any further questions about either city, please contact us at 951-897-9466. My name is Joel, and I am a licensed broker and the owner of Greenleaf Real Estate here in Temecula. My wife, Christie, is a licensed and certified appraiser. We are happy to help with any questions regarding either the city or the surrounding area. Also, check out her YouTube channel, Exploring Temecula. We routinely do 3–4 videos a week on the area and give some great information on upcoming events and everything you need to know about Temecula.
We have attached a local home search below showing all active homes in the area. You can narrow the search down by size, beds, baths, price, or even draw an area on the map, and everything listed will come up for you.
