When you move to a new town, one of your first thoughts is whether it’s a good place to live. Many folks also wonder if working and raising a family will be doable. If you’re moving to Riverside, CA, soon, good news! We’ve got oodles of information below to help you decide for yourself if Riverside is a good place to live. Before your upcoming move, read on to discover valuable information about Riverside, CA.
For California, the Cost of Living in Riverside is Relatively Affordable
There’s no denying that California is one of the most expensive states in the country. Cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Beverly Hills, Palo Alto, and others are costly. Riverside offers many of the same amenities for a fraction of the cost. Yes, it’s still expensive, but not even close to those other cities. Here’s a comparison based on the overall cost of living to help you see how (relatively) affordable Riverside is. (Note that 100 is the national average.)
- Riverside- 133 /100
- Beverly Hills. 547 / 100
- Palo Alto. 471 / 100
- Newport beach. 353 / 100
- Santa Ana. 223 / 100
- Los Angeles. 173 / 100
- Oakland. 174 / 100
- San Diego. 149 /100
As you can see, Riverside, CA, is more affordable than all of these towns. A more affordable city makes life easier for the people who live there. They can afford nicer homes, better food, and better healthcare, among other things. Is Riverside, CA, a good place to live? If we judge the cost of living alone, we would say that yes, it is.
Tip: Our post on the cost of living in Riverside, CA, gives an in-depth look at the cost indices here.
Riverside has Beautiful Weather All Year
One of the essentials for a city to be a good place to live is excellent weather. If that were the only criteria, Riverside would be a fabulous place to live, as the weather is gorgeous! In summer, for example, the comfort index is 8.1 / 10. In winter, it’s even better, with a score of 8.7 / 10 on the comfort index. Both scores are outstanding, with moderate temps, low humidity, and sunny days. Indeed, there are 277 sun-filled days a year in Riverside, which means the sun shines 75% of the time! Riverside sees about 30 days a year of precipitation in the form of rain but never any snow. In summer, the temps rarely go above 93° F. They never go below 41° F in winter. So if the weather were the only criterion, Riverside, CA, would be a great place to live!
Riverside has Good Public Schools
To be a good place to raise a family, a city or town needs excellent schools. Unfortunately, one area where Riverside lacks slightly is its public school system. That’s not to say there aren’t any good schools as some rate very highly. Most rank okay, with many schools getting a B or a C. Only one school in Riverside, CA, breaks the Top 100 in California, Riverside STEM Academy. (It’s #27.)
John F. Kennedy High School (ranked #140 in California) is the next best. After these two, no other school in Riverside breaks the Top 250. If you’re moving to Riverside with children, choose a neighborhood in a good school district.
Crime Rates in Riverside, CA, are a Concern
Raising a family in a city with a high crime rate can be daunting. That task is more difficult in Riverside as the crime rates are above the national average. For example, the violent crime rate is 28.7 out of 100, 6% higher than the national average. Property crime is even worse at 46.7 out of 100, about 11% higher than the average in America. Both statistics are concerning, especially with crime rates in the U.S. increasing. Is Riverside a good place to raise a family? After seeing these crime rankings, some might argue that it isn’t.
The Commute in Riverside, CA, is Brutal
One drawback of working in any city is when the commute times are long and tedious. That, unfortunately, is what they are in Riverside, CA. The average one-way commute time in the city is almost 31 minutes, which is brutal. That means you’ll spend over an hour a day staring out your windshield. The traffic can also be grueling, often crawling forward at a snail’s pace. About 14% of commuters take public transit, which helps. However, it still doesn’t erase the fact that you’ll spend 5 hours a week in Riverside’s traffic mess. That makes living in Riverside, CA, somewhat tedious and frustrating for commuters.
Outside Riverside, there are Many Places to Explore
One last factor that makes a city liveable or not is the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. There are many fun, engaging, and exciting things to do outside the city limits in Riverside, CA. For example, California Citrus State Historic Park offers a variety of exciting activities. There’s hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, horseback riding, and more to enjoy. Mount Rubidoux Park is just as nice and closer to the city. Whitewater Preserve is a stunningly beautiful park with nearly 3000 acres to enjoy. (The herds of bighorn sheep are impressive!) Then there’s the University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens with their incredible variety of flora and fauna. That’s just the tip of the iceberg in Riverside, CA! The abundance of outdoor activities and attractions makes Riverside a wonderful place to live!
Riverside, California, is a Good Place to Live
While it does have a few problem areas, we think you’ll agree that Riverside, California is a good place to live. It’s also an excellent place to work, enjoy life and raise a family.
Moving to Riverside, CA, sometime soon? If yes, we recommend reserving a storage unit in Riverside, CA, before you get here. When your movers arrive, your Riverside storage unit will be ready to store your things safely. The upside is that you can search for your new Riverside home at your own pace.
CA Storage has 9 self-storage centers in Riverside, CA, serving the public. All offer clean, safe storage units in Riverside, with 24/7 video monitoring and on-site managers for extra security. Questions about self-storage? Stop by the CA Storage self-storage location nearest you and meet the onsite manager. They can show you the best storage units in Riverside, CA, to fit your specific needs perfectly!