129-495: The Inland Empire (commonly abbreviated as the IE ) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California , centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside , and bordering Los Angeles County and Orange County to the west and San Diego County to the south. The bulk of the population is centered in the cities of northwestern Riverside County and southwestern San Bernardino County , and
258-465: A 1,700,000-square-foot (160,000 m) distribution center in Perris that is larger than 31 football fields but, more recently, 5,000,000 sqft warehouses are common. These centers operate as part of the system that transports finished goods and materials from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to destinations to the north and east such as Las Vegas , Phoenix , and Denver . More than 80 percent of
387-615: A 951 area code telephone number). The Coachella Valley region of Palm Springs , Palm Desert , and Indio is located much farther east in Riverside County (the distance between the city of San Bernardino and Palm Springs is approximately 50 miles) and is part of the much larger 760 area code . This area is sometimes considered a sub-region of the Inland Empire or its own separate region, the Desert Empire. This
516-644: A California earthquake forecast, which models earthquake occurrence in California. This is a partial list of earthquakes in Southern California. For a full list, see List of earthquakes in California . Note: Earthquakes with epicenters in the Los Angeles Metro Area are marked with the (#) symbol. Other earthquakes mentioned indicates shaking was felt in the region. As of the 2020 United States Census , Southern California has
645-658: A M w 6.7 earthquake or greater, such as the San Andreas Fault , which can produce M w 8.0 or greater. The largest known earthquake in California was the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake that ruptured 200+ miles (320+ kilometers) of the San Andreas Fault from Parkfield to Wrightwood . With a recurrence interval of roughly 150 years, this part of the San Andreas fault is well within its window to produce another large earthquake. Along with
774-427: A further 375,000 or another 9 percent to reach 4.6 million. According to census bureau's 2005–2007 estimates 61.8 percent of the population was White (40.4 percent White Non-Hispanic), 7.5 percent Black , 5.7 percent Asian and 25.0 percent of other or mixed race. 43.9 percent were Hispanic of any race. 21.9 percent of the population was foreign born. There is a large Mexican community in Inland Empire. Filipinos are
903-595: A higher population, with 23.76 million residents as of the 2020 census . The sparsely populated desert region of California occupies a significant portion (part of which has even been proposed to be split into a new county due to cultural, economic and geographic differences relative to the rest of the more urban region) of the area: the Colorado Desert , along with the Colorado River , is located on Southern California's eastern border with Arizona , and
1032-478: A lack of substantial public transportation in the Greater Los Angeles Area, this has led to traffic congestion and degradation in air quality for the Inland Empire. The solution to these problems is not simple. The presence of so many city governments within the Inland Empire, which often have different 'visions' for their own municipalities, means that two cities in the region rarely agree on
1161-417: A local economic downturn. The region as a whole had partially recovered from this downturn by the start of the 21st century through the development of warehousing, shipping, logistics and retail industries, primarily centered around Ontario. During the 2008 Recession , industry suffered heavily but had begun to recover by 2010. Physical boundaries between Los Angeles and the Inland Empire from west to east are
1290-449: A major thoroughfare, today runs from Highland to San Dimas , intermittently along the absolute baseline coordinates plotted by Col. Washington. San Bernardino County was first formed out of parts of Los Angeles County on April 26, 1853. While the partition once included what is today most of Riverside County , the region is not as monolithic as it may sound. Rivalries between Colton , Redlands , Riverside and San Bernardino over
1419-611: A population of 23,762,904. Despite a reputation for high growth rates, Southern California's population has grown slower than the state average since the 2000s. This is due to California's growth becoming concentrated in the northern part of the state as result of a stronger, tech-oriented economy in the Bay Area and an emerging Greater Sacramento region. Southern California consists of one Combined Statistical Area , eight Metropolitan Statistical Areas , one international metropolitan area , and multiple metropolitan divisions. The region
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#17327655902731548-419: A population of about 4.6 million in 2020. At the end of the 19th century, the Inland Empire was a major center of agriculture, including citrus, dairy, and winemaking. Agriculture declined through the 20th century, and since the 1970s a rapidly growing population, fed by families migrating in search of affordable housing, has led to more residential, industrial, and commercial development. The term Inland Empire
1677-473: A population of approximately 4 million, Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States. South of Los Angeles and with a population of approximately 1.4 million is San Diego, the second most populous city in the state and the eighth most populous in the nation. The counties of Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside , and San Bernardino are
1806-450: A problem for vehicles left unattended in the region. The Inland Empire does not have a particularly extensive or robust public transportation system. Due to the large physical size and sprawl of the region, the primary means of transportation in the region is the automobile. Less than five percent of the IE's 1,249,224 working-age residents use public transportation to get to work. Omnitrans
1935-461: A result of affordable housing, at least relative to the rest of Southern California, but most of the higher paying jobs are located in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties. Thus, many workers must commute daily from the Inland Empire to their jobs in these counties—sometimes up to two hours each direction—and even longer if by public transportation. As the population increases, the problem
2064-523: A solution; just as common, they may have unequal means for implementing one even if they were to agree. Having no region-wide governmental planning organization may undermine any solution that could be proposed. Lastly, the fast pace at which development occurs versus the limited ability of government to respond to changes means that it could easily take years, if not decades, for a viable solution (such as new roads, transit systems, or pollution controls) to go into effect. The Inland Empire routinely has some of
2193-769: A whole enacted the Alquist Priolo Special Studies Zone Act in the wake of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake . The act prohibits new construction of residential buildings closer than 50 feet (15 m) from a surface rupturing active fault zone. In addition, the act improved safety by requiring new structures (both residential and commercial) to be seismically retrofitted. It also required existing infrastructure to comply. Since 1972, numerous large magnitude earthquakes have struck Southern California with little widespread damage in part due to act. However, exceptions can be noted for epicenters that lie directly on top of densely populated regions such as
2322-514: Is a city in San Bernardino County, California , United States located 65 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles and roughly 50 miles west of Palm Springs, California. The city's population, inclusive to its neighboring East Highlands community was 56,999 at the 2020 census . The Santa Fe Railway was built to cater to the requirements of the successful orange farmers. As documented within the 2020 local census, Hispanic and Latino were
2451-592: Is a gold-rated LEED building. It holds thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, and other items. It offers free computer access and Wi-fi. It has a rooftop garden and is home to animals, amphibians, and reptiles from around the globe. Local colleges and universities include: Loma Linda University , University of Redlands , California State University's San Bernardino campus , and the two-campus San Bernardino Community College District (which includes Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa and San Bernardino Valley College ). Highland
2580-472: Is a very good or fairly good place to live, while about 72 percent of residents in San Bernardino County felt the same way. Survey respondents cited "nice living area", "good climate", and "affordable housing" as the top positive factors in assessing their respective communities. Smog was by far the most important negative factor affecting respondents' ratings in both counties, while traffic was
2709-502: Is also home to a large surf and skateboard culture. Companies such as Vans , Volcom , Quiksilver , No Fear , Stüssy , RVCA , and Body Glove are all headquartered there. Skateboarder Tony Hawk ; surfers Rob Machado , Timmy Curran , Bobby Martinez , Pat O'Connell , Dane Reynolds , and Chris Ward live in Southern California. Some of the most famous surf locations are in Southern California as well, including Trestles , Rincon , The Wedge , Huntington Beach , and Malibu . Some of
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#17327655902732838-513: Is also known for its mountain resort communities, such as Big Bear Lake , Lake Arrowhead , and Wrightwood , and their ski resorts, like Bear Mountain , Snow Summit , Snow Valley Mountain Resort , and Mountain High . The inland desert city of Palm Springs is also popular. Southern California is generally considered the area of California south of the latitude 35°45', approximately one-third of
2967-687: Is an important government, arts and entertainment, and retail district. Downtown San Diego is the CBD of San Diego, though the city is filled with business districts. These include Carmel Valley , Del Mar Heights , Mission Valley , Rancho Bernardo , Sorrento Mesa , and University City . Most of these districts are located in Northern San Diego and some within North County regions. Los Angeles Orange County Riverside & San Bernardino San Diego Southern California
3096-555: Is documented to have been used by the Riverside Enterprise newspaper (now The Press-Enterprise ) as early as April 1914. Developers in the area likely introduced the term to promote the region and to highlight the area's unique features. The "Inland" part of the name is derived from the region's location, generally about 60 miles (97 km) inland from Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. Originally, this area
3225-410: Is home to Los Angeles International Airport , the second-busiest airport in the United States by passenger volume (see World's busiest airports by passenger traffic ) and the third-busiest by international passenger volume (see Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic ); San Diego International Airport , the busiest single-runway airport in the world; Van Nuys Airport ,
3354-568: Is home to two extended metropolitan areas that exceed five million in population. These are the Greater Los Angeles Area at 17,786,419, and San Diego–Tijuana at 5,105,768. Of these metropolitan areas, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area , Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area , and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metropolitan area form Greater Los Angeles; while
3483-408: Is larger than ten U.S. states — West Virginia , Maryland , Hawaii , Massachusetts , Vermont , New Hampshire , New Jersey , Connecticut , Delaware and Rhode Island . The U.S. Census Bureau –defined Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan area, which comprises Riverside County and San Bernardino County, California , covers more than 27,000 sq mi (70,000 km) and had
3612-401: Is low to moderate depending on the area. Rain is infrequent, but is often heavy when it does occur, making flash floods an aspect of living in Southern California. This climatic pattern was alluded to in the hit song " It Never Rains (In Southern California) ". While snow is very rare in lower elevations, mountains above 5,000 feet (1,500 m) receive plentiful snowfall in the winter. Since
3741-731: Is most certainly going to get worse. Forbes magazine ranked the area first in its 2007 list of most unhealthy commutes in the United States, beating out every other metropolitan area in the country, as Inland area drivers breathe the unhealthiest air and have the highest rate of fatal auto accidents per capita. According to a 1999 report by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, the Inland Empire leads in fatal crashes caused by road rage . The theft of copper, brass and other metals from highway and road fixtures has also led to decreased public safety on IE roads and freeways. Gas siphoning has also been noted as
3870-546: Is served by two public school districts: Redlands Unified and San Bernardino Unified School Districts (the boundaries are generally defined by City Creek; residents east of City Creek are in the Redlands Unified School District while those west of City Creek are served by San Bernardino City Unified School District). Highland is home to a library and environmental learning center. The Highland Sam J. Racadio Library and Environmental Learning Center
3999-595: Is sometimes considered to include the desert communities of the Coachella and Victor Valleys , respectively on the other sides of the San Gorgonio Pass and San Bernardino Mountains from the Santa Ana River watershed that forms the bulk of the Inland Empire; a much broader definition includes all of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The combined land area of the counties of the Inland Empire
Inland Empire - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-748: Is the chosen route for connecting California High-Speed Rail service to San Diego. While a final alignment has yet to be finalized, concepts include stops at the Ontario International Airport, in Riverside, San Bernardino, Corona, and Temecula or Murrieta. These would occur as part of Phase II, however, which currently remains unfunded. Several airports are located in the Inland Empire. San Bernardino International Airport , Ontario International Airport and Palm Springs International Airport are commercial airports in their respective cities. A local joint powers agency has redeveloped
4257-664: Is the largest bus agency in San Bernardino County, while the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) is the largest in Riverside County. Currently, some of Omnitrans' bus routes run on headways of an hour or more, and some routes stop service in the early evening or may not run on weekends. SunLine Transit Agency provides bus service in the Coachella Valley while the Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA) provides transit service in
4386-636: Is the second largest metropolitan region in the country. The Metropolitan Statistical Area population of the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area) itself is more than 4.2 million people and is the 12th largest metropolitan area in the United States . According to the 2000 U.S. Census, it is the fastest growing area in the state. Between 1990 and 2000, Riverside and San Bernardino counties added 700,000 to their population totals, an increase of 26 percent. Between 2000 and 2010 Inland Empire's population expanded by 970,000 or 30 percent, and between 2010 and 2020 it expanded by
4515-676: Is to help differentiate it from the urbanized area containing the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside. The RPA definition includes the Inland Empire ( San Bernardino – Riverside ) in the Southern California Megaregion, alongside Anaheim , Bakersfield , Huntington Beach , Long Beach , Los Angeles , San Diego , the geographically separate Las Vegas Valley , as well as the Tijuana area in Mexico. Orange County and San Diego County are completely encompassed within
4644-511: The 2010 census Highland had a population of 53,104. The population density was 2,811.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,085.4/km ). The racial makeup of Highland was 27,836 (52.4%) White (30.8% Non-Hispanic White), 5,887 (11.1%) African American, 542 (1.0%) Native American, 3,954 (7.4%) Asian, 168 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 11,826 (22.3%) from other races, and 2,891 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25,556 persons (48.1%). The census reported that 52,932 people (99.7% of
4773-411: The Coachella and Temecula valleys, may consider themselves separate from the IE. The California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC), a not-for-profit, nongovernmental entity that promotes tourism in California, divides the state into several regions for its own purposes. The CTTC defines the Inland Empire as being bounded by Los Angeles County and Orange County on the west and San Diego County on
4902-515: The Democrats (34 percent) slightly edged over the number identifying with the Republican party (33 percent). In the 2008 presidential election , Democratic candidate Barack Obama carried both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, becoming only the second Democrat to carry both counties since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. In 2012 , Obama repeated this feat and again carried both counties, and
5031-605: The El Centro metropolitan area and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos metropolitan area form the Southern Border Region . North of Greater Los Angeles are the Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and Bakersfield metropolitan areas. Los Angeles (with a population of approximately 3.9 million people) and San Diego (at nearly 1.4 million people) are the two largest cities in all of California, and are among
5160-714: The High Desert , including to Barstow after the transit systems in the latter was merged into VVTA in 2015. Other operators in the region include Pass Transit serving the Banning Pass area, Needles Area Transit serving the city of Needles, Mountain Transit serving the communities in the San Bernardino Mountains including Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear, Running Springs, and Crestline, and the MBTA serving
5289-618: The Inland Center mall in San Bernardino . In fiscal year 2006, retail sales in San Bernardino County grew by 11.9 percent to $ 31.2 billion, while sales in Riverside County were up 11.3 percent to $ 29.6 billion. The result of this ongoing development has resulted in greater homeownership for the region. Although the region saw an uptick in jobs over the past decade, it is not a heavy employment center, and many residents commute to Los Angeles and Orange counties for their work. With
Inland Empire - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-705: The Los Angeles metropolitan area ( Los Angeles and Orange counties, with 13.3 million people), the Inland Empire ( Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley cities, with 4.3 million people), and the Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura metropolitan area (0.8 million people). In addition, Southern California contains the San Diego metropolitan area with 3.3 million people, Bakersfield metro area with 0.9 million, and
5547-650: The March Air Reserve Base and Stringfellow Acid Pits have contaminated groundwater in parts of Riverside County. In 1997, perchlorate , a chemical used to produce explosives, was discovered to be seeping into the groundwater under Rialto in a plume that continues to grow. In 2007, the Rialto city council petitioned the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Superfund status to clean up
5676-717: The Mojave Desert shares a border with Nevada to the northeast. Southern California's southern border with Baja California is part of the Mexico–United States border . Southern California encompasses eight metropolitan areas (MSAs), three of which together form the Greater Los Angeles Combined Statistical Area (CSA) with over 18 million people, the second-biggest CSA after the New York CSA . These three MSAs are
5805-760: The Newport–Inglewood-Rose Canyon Fault (located adjacent to SoFi Stadium and responsible for Signal Hill ), the Elsinore Fault (created Lake Elsinore ), the Garlock Fault (which marks boundary between of the Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert ), and the Hollywood fault (which is within feet of Capitol Records and is roughly parallel to Hollywood Boulevard ). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has released
5934-779: The San Diego metropolitan area as they do with the Inland Empire . To the east, the United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino area as a separate metropolitan area from Los Angeles County. Newly developed exurbs formed in the Antelope Valley , north of Los Angeles, the Victor Valley , and the Coachella Valley with the Imperial Valley . Also, population growth
6063-492: The San Fernando Valley . The area of Santa Monica and Venice (and perhaps some of Culver City) is informally referred to as "Silicon Beach" because of the concentration of financial and marketing technology-centric firms located in the region. The San Bernardino-Riverside Area maintains the business districts of Downtown San Bernardino , Hospitality Business/Financial Centre , University District which are in
6192-872: The San Jose Hills splitting the San Gabriel Valley from the Pomona Valley , leading to the urban populations centered in the San Bernardino Valley . From the south to north, the Santa Ana Mountains physically divide Orange County from Riverside County. The Santa Rosa Mountains , as well as the Southern California portion of the Sonoran Desert , physically divide Riverside County from San Diego County. Elevations range from 11,499 ft (3,505 m) at
6321-480: The Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and El Centro (Imperial County) metropolitan areas. The Southern California Megaregion (or megalopolis ) is larger still, extending northeast into Las Vegas , Nevada and south across the Mexican border into Tijuana . Within Southern California are two major cities, Los Angeles and San Diego , as well as three of the country's largest metropolitan areas . With
6450-526: The Transverse and Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, and into the large and small interior valleys, to the vast deserts of California . Note: Plate boundary faults are indicated with a (#) symbol. Each year, Southern California has about 10,000 earthquakes. Nearly all of them are too small to be felt. Only several hundred have been greater than magnitude (M w ) 3.0, and only about 15–20 have been greater than M w 4.0. California as
6579-558: The United States House of Representatives , Highland is split between California's 33rd congressional district , represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar and California's 23rd congressional district , represented by Republican Jay Obernolte . The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department provides contracted police services to the city of Highland from their regional station located at 26985 Base Line Road. The new 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m ) police station
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#17327655902736708-403: The entertainment industry . Other industries include software, automotive, aerospace, finance, biomedical, ports and regional logistics. The region was a leader in the housing bubble from 2001 to 2007, and has been heavily impacted by the housing crash. Since the 1920s, motion pictures, petroleum, and aircraft manufacturing have been major industries. In one of the richest agricultural regions in
6837-462: The freeway system in the area facilitated the expansion of suburbs and human migration throughout the Inland Empire and Southern California. The region experienced significant economic and population growth through most of the latter half of the 20th century. In the early 1990s, the loss of the region's military bases and reduction of nearby defense industries due to the end of the Cold War led to
6966-511: The 13,478 households 47.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 15.4% of households were one person and 4.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.3 and the average family size was 3.6. The age distribution was 35.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% 65 or older. The median age
7095-434: The 1950s, the area has changed from a rural to a suburban environment. The region now comprises numerous cities known as bedroom communities that are suburban cities to Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Affordable home ownership is the primary motivation behind the growth in these Inland Empire cities as homes in the region are generally less expensive than comparable homes in Los Angeles and Orange counties, but
7224-470: The Inland Empire and these two counties generally direct, especially to and from Los Angeles County. The Inland Empire has also been referred to as the 909 , after one of the region's most used area codes . In 2004, because of growing demand for telephone numbers, most of western Riverside County was granted a second area code, 951 , which is overlayed with the 909 area code (they have the same physical boundaries and new telephone subscribers likely receive
7353-481: The Inland Empire include off-road equipment (e.g., construction equipment, cargo-handling equipment), heavy-duty diesel trucks, ocean-going vessels, passenger vehicles, locomotives, aircraft, and industrial fuel combustion. Southern California is in extreme nonattainment for ozone and severe nonattainment for particle pollution. Multiple state and local efforts are underway to clean up the air, primarily focused on zero emissions vehicles. California has implemented some of
7482-445: The Inland Empire. Additionally, land that was used for agriculture is now being sold by owners for conversion to shopping centers, industrial warehouses , and more. Due to the lack of one central city in the Inland Empire, and the smaller geographical footprint that suburban cities tend to have, this continuous development has become seemingly unplanned suburban sprawl as local interest and zoning laws may quickly change from one city to
7611-546: The Los Angeles Area are the major business districts of Downtown Pasadena , Downtown Burbank , Downtown Santa Monica , Downtown Glendale and Downtown Long Beach . Los Angeles proper has many business districts, such as Downtown LA and those lining Wilshire Boulevard , including Mid-Wilshire , the Miracle Mile , Downtown Beverly Hills , and Westwood ; others include Century City and Warner Center in
7740-399: The M w 6.7 1994 Northridge Earthquake and, to a lesser extent, the smaller M w 5.5 2008 Chino Hills earthquake . The Northridge earthquake occurred on a blind-thrust fault directly underneath the San Fernando Valley , which until the earthquake was previously undiscovered. Seismic retrofitting of existing and new construction is aimed to prevent damage and save lives in
7869-675: The Mormons left a scant six years later, recalled to Salt Lake City by Brigham Young during the church's Utah War with the U.S. government, other settlers soon followed. The entire landmass of Southern California was subdivided according to the San Bernardino Meridian , which was first plotted as part of the Public Land Survey System in November 1852, by Col. Henry Washington. Base Line Road,
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#17327655902737998-734: The Morongo Basin and Yucca Valley portions of San Bernardino County. Although transit usage and infrastructure remains weak, several projects have moved forward and opened in the 2010s to improve transit accessibility in the region. Major projects include the Perris Valley portion of the Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line, the San Bernardino Transit Center, and the Omnitrans sbX Green Line, which connects
8127-471: The Pacific Ocean at Newport Beach and Huntington Beach . While temperatures are generally cool to cold in the mountains, it can get hot in the valleys. In the desert resort of Palm Springs , near Joshua Tree National Park , summer temperatures can reach well over 110 °F (43 °C). Unlike most metropolitan areas that have grown up around a central city, the Inland Empire has two main focus cities, Riverside and San Bernardino . Other major cities in
8256-456: The Southern California desert system. Because of the barrier formed by the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada ranges, cartographer George Wheeler observed in 1876 that Northern California was better connected to Oregon and Nevada than it was to Southern California. Following the acquisition of the territory of California by the United States, several pro-slavery politicians attempted to arrange
8385-530: The U.S. state of California . It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area (the second most populous urban agglomeration in the United States ) as well as the Inland Empire (another large metropolitan area). The region generally contains ten of California's 58 counties: Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , Kern , Ventura , Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and Imperial counties. Although geographically smaller than Northern California in land area, Southern California has
8514-426: The U.S., cattle and citrus were major industries until farmlands were turned into suburbs. Although military spending cutbacks have had an impact, aerospace continues to be a major factor. Southern California is home to many major business districts. Central business districts (CBD) include Downtown Los Angeles , Downtown Riverside , Downtown San Bernardino , downtown San Diego , and the South Coast Metro . Within
8643-432: The aftermath of a major quake, but it cannot guarantee that buildings will be unscathed if the epicenter is relatively close by. The 1994 Northridge earthquake was particularly destructive, causing a substantial number of deaths, injuries, and structural collapses. The quake caused the most property damage of any earthquake in U.S. history at an estimated $ 20 billion. Many Southern California faults are able to produce
8772-504: The area has increased to try to keep abreast with the growing suburban population. The region is home to several large shopping malls, including the Promenade Shops at Dos Lagos and the Crossings in Corona ; Ontario Mills in Ontario ; Promenade Mall in Temecula ; Galleria at Tyler , Riverside Plaza, and Canyon Crossings in Riverside; The Shoppes at Chino Hills in Chino Hills; Moreno Valley Mall in Moreno Valley ; Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga ; Montclair Place in Montclair; and
8901-560: The boundaries. Inexpensive land prices (compared with Los Angeles and Orange counties), a large supply of vacant land, and a transport network where many highways and railroads intersect have made the Inland Empire a major shipping hub . Some of the nation's largest manufacturing companies have chosen the Inland Empire for their distribution facilities including Toyota Motor Corporation's North American Parts and Logistics Distribution (NAPLD) center in Ontario and APL Logistics in Rancho Cucamonga . In 2007, Whirlpool Corporation leased
9030-497: The centers of their respective metropolitan areas, composed of numerous smaller cities and communities. The urban area is also host to an international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan region, created by the urban area spilling over into Baja California . The main barrier to urbanization along the Interstate 5 corridor is Camp Pendleton . The cities and communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are so interrelated that Temecula and Murrieta have as much connection with
9159-430: The cities of Loma Linda and San Bernardino, two universities, and the Loma Linda VA Hospital to the San Bernardino Transit Center. In addition to sbX, there are other express services available to public transportation users in the region. RTA operates a BRT-lite system in the RapidLink Gold Line, which runs from UCR to the Corona Transit Center . Due to the physical size of the Inland Empire, transit connections between
9288-679: The cities of San Bernardino and Riverside. In Orange County, has highly developed suburban business centers (also known as edge cities ) including the Anaheim–Santa Ana edge city along I-5; and another, the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city that stretches from the South Coast Metro to the Irvine Business Complex ; Newport Center ; and Irvine Spectrum . Downtown Santa Ana
9417-438: The city of Perris initiated a program to paint the brown lawns of abandoned homes green as a way to reduce the appearance of blight . In 2019, the "bedroom community" nature of the Inland Empire led to a plan to increase the construction of new housing in coastal cities (known as "job centers") preferentially versus building more housing in the Inland Empire areas. Meghan Sahli-Wells, mayor of Culver City, said that she supported
9546-405: The coastal plan because of the urgent nature of climate change. However, the plan was described as "toothless". The attractiveness of Inland Empire cities for warehousing and logistics has resulted in warehouses being built incrementally closer and closer to residential areas. With air pollution from diesel-powered transport trucks being a serious and cumulative concern for human health, an effort
9675-419: The country ranked the Inland Empire second to last, with an average annual wage of $ 36,924. Nonetheless, inexpensive land prices and innovative institutional support networks have attracted some small businesses and technology startups into the area. While urbanization continues to cut into agricultural lands, the Inland Empire still produces substantial crops. Although 10,000 acres (40 km) of irrigated land
9804-413: The decommissioned Norton Air Force Base into San Bernardino International Airport . There are also several general aviation airports in the region. The region is making some progress in developing dedicated bicycle commuter and recreation trails. The largest of these, the Santa Ana River bicycle path , currently connects Corona to Huntington Beach, and is eventually projected to stretch for 84 miles all
9933-594: The division of Alta California at 36 degrees, 30 minutes, the line of the Missouri Compromise . Instead, the passing of the Compromise of 1850 enabled California to be admitted to the Union as a free state , preventing the southern half of California from becoming its own separate slave state . Subsequently, Californians (dissatisfied with inequitable taxes and land laws) and pro-slavery Southerners in
10062-423: The effects of economic recessions. For example, during the global economic downturn of 2008–2009, industrial vacancies doubled from 6.2 percent in 2007 to 12.4 percent to 2008. In San Bernardino and Redlands, vacancies reached 22 percent. The Inland Empire area is one of the least educated areas of the state with the lowest average in annual wages in the country. A 2006 study of salaries in 51 metropolitan areas of
10191-429: The first decade of the 21st century, droughts and wildfires have increased in frequency as a result of climate change . Southern California consists of one of the more varied collections of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diversity outnumbering other major regions in the state and country. The region spans from Pacific Ocean islands , shorelines , beaches, and coastal plains , through
10320-689: The five most populous in the state, and are among the top 15 most populous counties in the United States. The motion picture , television and music industry are centered in the Los Angeles area in Southern California. Hollywood , a district of Los Angeles, gives its name to the American motion picture industry, which is synonymous with the neighborhood name. Headquartered in Southern California are The Walt Disney Company (which owns ABC ), Sony Pictures , Universal Pictures , MGM , Paramount Pictures , and Warner Bros . Universal, Warner Bros., and Sony also run major record companies. Southern California
10449-627: The high unemployment and housing foreclosure rates, a higher percentage of Inland residents rely on public assistance. According to the Press-Enterprise, "twelve percent of Riverside County and 17 percent of San Bernardino County residents used food stamps in January 2012", as compared with "11 percent of those living in Los Angeles County, 8 percent of San Diego County residents and 7 percent of Orange County residents". Since
10578-463: The importation of navel and Valencia orange trees in the 1870s touched off explosive growth, with the area quickly becoming a major center for citrus production . This agricultural boom continued with the arrival of water from the Colorado River and the rapid growth of Los Angeles in the early 20th century, with dairy farming becoming another staple industry . In 1926, Route 66 (now known as Foothill Boulevard and Interstate 215 ) came through
10707-665: The largest Asian immigrant group in Inland Empire. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2006, 33.1 percent of people in the Greater San Bernardino Area were overweight , and 30.8 percent were obese . In 2019, San Bernardino County found that 34.1% of the county's population were obese, with an additional 34.5% being overweight. A substantial majority of residents (76.6 percent), last comparatively surveyed in 2001, rated their respective counties as good places to live. Over 81 percent of Riverside County residents indicated that their county
10836-480: The largest ethnicities reported as residing within Highland, California while the demographics of neighboring East Highlands were notably quite more diverse. Consistent of white-collar executives, professionals and retirees; a striking amount of this suburban enclaves residents continue to traverse eastward in search of solace beyond the exorbitant real estate prices of neighboring Orange and Los Angeles counties. At
10965-582: The lightly populated "cow counties" of Southern California attempted three times in the 1850s to achieve a separate statehood or territorial status separate from Northern California . The last attempt, the Pico Act of 1859, was passed by the California State Legislature and signed by State Governor John B. Weller . It was approved overwhelmingly by nearly 75 percent of voters to form the proposed Territory of Colorado . This territory
11094-433: The location of the county seat in the 1890s caused each of them to form their own civic communities , each with their own newspapers. On August 14, 1893, the state Senate allowed Riverside County to form out of land previously in San Bernardino and San Diego counties, after rejecting a bill for Pomona to split from L.A. County and become the seat of what would have been called San Antonio County. The arrival of rail and
11223-659: The main backbones such as the PE Trail and provide a network of connectivity to nonmotorized users throughout the region. The majority of Inland Empire’s immigrants come from Mexico , the Philippines , El Salvador , Vietnam and Guatemala . The population of the Greater Los Angeles area (which includes the Inland Empire) is about 18 million people according to the 2010 United States Census , and
11352-592: The megaregion. There is no universally accepted definition for the boundaries of the Inland Empire region. Some sources such as the Los Angeles Times have referred to Riverside County and San Bernardino County as the Inland Empire, mirroring the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area. Kern County is occasionally included within the Inland Empire. Some residents of certain areas, such as Twentynine Palms or
11481-550: The more urban region) that have been left undeveloped. It is the third most populated megalopolis in the United States, after the Great Lakes megalopolis and the Northeast megalopolis . Much of Southern California is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County , San Diego , and Riverside – San Bernardino , each of which are
11610-578: The most aggressive vehicle electrification rules in the country, including the Advanced Clean Cars II rule that will mandate 100% zero-emission passenger vehicle sales in 2035, and the Advanced Clean Fleets rule for trucks that will require all drayage trucks to be zero-emissions starting in 2024 and all trucks to ZEV by 2036. Water pollution has also been found in the Santa Ana River and Cajon wash, and pollutants from
11739-403: The next city. The Inland Empire was declared the nation's worst example of sprawl according to a study by Smart Growth America in 2002. During the housing bubble collapse of the late 2000s, foreclosures rose by 3,500 percent. In 2010, the area ranked fourth in the nation in the number of foreclosures, with one filing for every 133 households. The problem of abandoned homes became so great that
11868-616: The nodes of the region are primarily served by freeway express services. Transit operators of the IE provide service between major destinations and transit centers around Southern California including the San Bernardino Transit Center , the Montclair Transcenter , Disneyland , Pomona–Downtown station , and Oceanside . The region is also part of the five-county Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) " Metrolink " commuter rail system. Of
11997-570: The northern parts of the area, bringing a stream of tourists and migrants to the region. Still, the region endured as the key part of the Southern California "citrus belt" until the end of World War II , when a new generation of real-estate developers bulldozed acres of agricultural land to build suburbs. The precursor to the San Bernardino Freeway , the Ramona Expressway, was built in 1944, and further development of
12126-425: The occupied units 10,106 (65.3%) were owner-occupied and 5,365 (34.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.7%. 33,361 people (62.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,571 people (36.9%) lived in rental housing units. At the 2000 census , there were 44,605 people in 13,478 households, including 10,782 families, in the city. The population density
12255-588: The origin site. The sites comprising March Air Reserve Base , Norton Air Force Base and the Stringfellow Acid Pits have already been classified as EPA Superfund toxic waste sites. Traffic congestion is a major issue in the Inland Empire. Many of the existing freeways were completed in the late 1970s with the exception of the segment of the Foothill Freeway , State Route 210 (SR 210) between San Dimas and San Bernardino , which
12384-601: The other line connecting San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties directly. Southern California is also home to the Port of Los Angeles , the country's busiest commercial port; the adjacent Port of Long Beach , the country's second busiest container port; and the Port of San Diego . The following table shows all airports listed by the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) as a hub airport: Highland, California Highland (inc. East Highlands)
12513-622: The population) lived in households, 76 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 96 (0.2%) were institutionalized. There were 15,471 households, 7,922 (51.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 8,475 (54.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,884 (18.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,183 (7.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,129 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 109 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 2,254 households (14.6%) were one person and 757 (4.9%) had someone living alone who
12642-432: The pricing gap continues to shrink each year due to migration and increasing population. The steady rise in population and the demand for housing has led to a dramatic increase in the building of single-family homes on parcels of 0.25 acres (1,000 m) or more, as opposed to the construction of high-density development such as multi-story apartment or condominium buildings. This low-density development has caused sprawl in
12771-443: The region include Rancho Cucamonga , Ontario , and Corona . Suburban sprawl spreads out to form a connection with the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Further development is steadily, if not heavily, encroaching past the mountains into the outlying desert areas. The Inland Empire borders both Los Angeles and Orange counties. Freeways in Southern California are heavily used, but this comprehensive freeway system has made travel between
12900-547: The sbX West Valley Connector, Arrow , the extension of the L Line to Montclair (to become part of the A Line ), and daily train service to the Coachella Valley. Additional routes have also been studied including extending the Metrolink's Perris Valley Line to San Jacinto and Temecula, a passenger rail spur along I-15 to Lake Elsinore, BRT routes throughout the respective service areas of Omnitrans and RTA, and an aerial tram from Highland to Big Bear. The Inland Empire
13029-400: The second highest concern in Riverside County and crime the second highest concern among San Bernardino County residents. While the region as a whole had traditionally leaned more Republican than the rest of California, newer residents are less likely to identify with the Republican party than longer-term residents (36 percent to 42 percent), and the total number of residents identifying with
13158-486: The seven lines that Metrolink operates, four of them directly serve the Inland Empire: Although a robust transit network has been lacking in the region for decades, steps are being made toward developing one in the future. The councils of governments and transportation commissions in both IE counties have identified and are working on future expansions of transit to better serve the region. These include
13287-471: The sole county to vote for the GOP, with Orange County having been Democrat since 2012. Southern California is one of the largest economies in the United States. It is dominated by, and heavily dependent upon, the abundance of petroleum, as opposed to other regions where automobiles are not nearly as dominant, due to the vast majority of transport that runs on this fuel. Southern California is famous for tourism and
13416-711: The south, stretching as far north as the Victor Valley area and as far east as Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains . The state of California's official website links to the CTTC's map with the description "Map of the Inland Empire region". Other sources, including Kevin Starr , former state librarian of California, include the eastern Los Angeles County cities of the Pomona Valley , such as Claremont , Pomona , La Verne , San Dimas , and Diamond Bar . Other sources also include cities in Los Angeles County within
13545-584: The southern section of the San Andreas (in the Palm Springs region, which has not ruptured in ~400 years), the entire Southern California portion of the San Andreas Fault is ready to produce a powerful earthquake in the near future. Notable faults capable of large magnitude events include the San Jacinto Fault (a splay of the San Andreas that runs directly under the I-10 & I-215 interchange),
13674-498: The state's imported cargo is shipped through the Los Angeles/Inland Empire Corridor. During the late 2010s and early 2020s, Amazon , the largest private employer in the region, has rapidly expanded its facilities and warehouses there, responding to explosive growth in online retailing and shipping and increasing traffic and air pollution. Like most industrial areas, the Inland Empire is vulnerable to
13803-470: The state, formed by the northern boundaries of San Luis Obispo , Kern , and San Bernardino counties, which are not exactly a straight line. Another definition for Southern California uses Point Conception and the Tehachapi Mountains as the northern geographical barriers, especially when defining California's bioregions . In this definition, Owens Valley and Death Valley are part of
13932-537: The surrounding desert communities, and a much more widespread definition includes all of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. What is now known as the Inland Empire was inhabited for thousands of years, prior to the late 18th century, by the Tongva , Taaqtam , Ivilyuqaletem and Payómkawichum Native Americans.The first American settlers, a group of Mormon pioneers, arrived over the Cajon Pass in 1851. Although
14061-417: The top eight largest cities in the United States. In Southern California, there are also 14 cities with more than 200,000 residents and 48 cities over 100,000 residents. Many of Southern California's most developed cities lie along or in close proximity to the coast, with the exception of San Bernardino and Riverside. Southern California has drifted left since 2004, and is solidly Democrat. Kern County remains
14190-567: The top of San Gorgonio Mountain to −220 ft (−67 m) at the Salton Sea . The San Bernardino mountains are home to the San Bernardino National Forest and the resort communities of Big Bear Lake , Lake Arrowhead , and Running Springs . The Santa Ana River extends from Mt. San Gorgonio for nearly 100 miles (160 km) through San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties before it eventually spills into
14319-537: The two Inland Empire counties have stayed in the Democratic column in presidential elections since. Nonetheless, the area continues to be far friendlier to Republicans than Los Angeles County or the San Francisco Bay Area . Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal ) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of
14448-542: The way to Redlands when completed. A shorter trail exists along the former path of the Pacific Electric Railway from Claremont to Rialto. A number of communities have also built trails along the levees and maintenance roads of other waterways in the region, including the CV Link, which is under construction in the Coachella Valley area of the region. Other plans also exist to provide feeder trails to meet
14577-429: The world's busiest general aviation airport; major commercial airports at San Bernardino , Orange County , Bakersfield , Ontario , Burbank , and Long Beach ; and numerous smaller commercial and general aviation airports. Six of the seven lines of the commuter rail system, Metrolink , run out of Downtown Los Angeles, connecting Los Angeles, Ventura , San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties with
14706-435: The world's largest action sports events, including the X Games , Boost Mobile Pro , and the U.S. Open of Surfing , are held in Southern California. The region is also important to the world of yachting with premier events including the annual Transpacific Yacht Race , or Transpac , from Los Angeles to Hawaii. San Diego Yacht Club hosted the three America's Cup races from 1988 to 1995. The first modern-era triathlon
14835-425: The worst air quality in the United States. San Bernardino County and Riverside County are the first and second worst counties in the United States for tropospheric ozone air pollution. Pollution in Southern California mostly is blown from the coast towards the mountains. Inland Empire counties are downwind of the highly populated counties of Los Angeles and Orange County. The largest sources of air pollution affecting
14964-474: Was $ 25,993.34 in 2011, nearly half among the nation's top 50 Gross Metropolitan Product . Due to the housing crisis, the GDP fell from $ 114.8 billion in 2007, despite a heavy influx of residents. The unemployment rate in the Inland Empire has been consistently over the national average since 2007. 10.4 percent of Inland residents were unemployed as of August 2013, compared with the national rate of 7.3 percent. Due to
15093-486: Was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males. The median household income was $ 41,230 and the median family income was $ 43,649. Males had a median income of $ 38,695 versus $ 27,308 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,039. About 17.5% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over. Highland
15222-401: Was 3,273.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,263.8/km ). There were 14,858 housing units at an average density of 1,090.3 per square mile (421.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 56.3% White, 12.1% African American, 1.3% Native American, 6.1% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 18.6% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.6% of the population. Of
15351-587: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.42. There were 12,542 families (81.1% of households); the average family size was 3.74. The age distribution was 16,916 people (31.9%) under the age of 18, 5,900 people (11.1%) aged 18 to 24, 13,837 people (26.1%) aged 25 to 44, 12,357 people (23.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,094 people (7.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 30.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. There were 16,578 housing units at an average density of 877.6 per square mile, of
15480-480: Was called the Orange Empire due to the acres of citrus groves which extended from Pasadena to Redlands during the first half of the 20th century. The boundaries of the Inland Empire are nebulous, but the region is generally defined as the cities of western Riverside County and southwestern San Bernardino County, adjacent to the Los Angeles metropolitan area . A broader definition includes Palm Springs and
15609-496: Was completed in July 2007. New freeways or highway "fix-ups" are either in progress or being planned, such as the construction of Mid County Parkway between Perris and San Jacinto or the addition of toll lanes on both I-15 and I-10 through heavily urbanized portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Other problems exist, however, including the imbalance between housing and job availability. The Inland Empire population grew as
15738-621: Was founded as a townsite in 1891 and incorporated as a California general law city in November 1987. It follows a City Manager, City Council form of government with the City Manager appointed by the City Council. In the California State Legislature , Highland is the 23rd Senate District , represented by Republican Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh , and in the 40th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Pilar Schiavo . In
15867-528: Was grouped with other counties of the San Joaquin Valley , California's central agricultural valley. Southern California consists of a heavily developed urban environment, home to some of the largest urban areas in the state, along with the Deserts of California (part of which was even proposed to become a new county due to cultural, economic and geographic differences relative to the rest of
15996-660: Was held in San Diego's Mission Bay in 1974. Since then, Southern California, and San Diego in particular, have become a mecca for triathlon and multi-sport racing, products, and culture. Southern California has multiple sports franchises and networks, such as Fox Sports Net . Many of these locals and tourists frequent the Southern California coast for its beaches. Some of Southern California's most popular beaches are Malibu , Laguna Beach , La Jolla , Manhattan Beach , and Hermosa Beach . Southern California
16125-546: Was high in the Bakersfield-Kern County , Santa Maria , and San Luis Obispo areas. Most of Southern California has a Mediterranean -like climate, with warm and dry summers, mild and wet winters, where cool weather and freezing temperatures are rare. Southern California contains other types of climates, including semi-arid , desert and mountain , with infrequent rain and many sunny days. Summers are hot or warm, and dry, while winters are mild, and rainfall
16254-499: Was lost between 2002 and 2004, agriculture still brought in more than $ 1.6 billion in revenues to the two-county region in 2006. Being a MSA, aggregate GDP figures are reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis annually. The Inland Empire ranks 25th in the nation with a 2011 GDP of $ 109.8 billion, roughly a third of San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area despite their close population numbers. Per capita GDP
16383-447: Was made to impose a 1,000-foot buffer zone (separation distance between residential and commercial land uses) for new construction. However, this effort was not successful, due to local municipal officials giving priority to maximizing the construction of both housing and warehouse facilities, with the goal of maximizing employment as well as property-tax revenue from both the residential and the commercial/industrial sectors. Retailing in
16512-698: Was the name of a proposed new state which failed to get on the 2018 California ballot. The ballot measure proposed splitting the existing state into three parts. In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , the state government led by Governor Gavin Newsom divided the state into five regions for the purpose of issuing stay-at-home orders. The Southern California region consisted of the following counties: Imperial , Inyo , Los Angeles , Mono , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , San Diego , San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , and Ventura . However, Kern County
16641-707: Was to include a portion of the much larger Tulare County and all of San Luis Obispo County . The proposal was sent to Washington, D.C. , with a strong advocate in Senator Milton Latham . However, the secession crisis following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the subsequent American Civil War led to the proposal never coming to a vote. In 1900, the Los Angeles Times defined Southern California as including "the seven counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, and Santa Barbara." This definition left out San Luis Obispo and Kern counties. Southern California
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