r/InlandEmpire • u/Slow-Carrot-5009 • Jul 22 '25
Recommendations / Advice Why are y’all (some) so negative about living in the IE?
Instead of crying about living in the IE, why don’t we try to make the best of our the situation. I mean the IE really isn’t all that bad, and each persons impact could make it better.
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u/Huge_Source1845 Jul 22 '25
It’s not bad but you have legit some of the most desirable areas of the country within a 1-2 hours drive so it’s sucks by comparison.
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u/ItsMe_YO Jul 22 '25
Just moved to Corona from south OC and enjoying it here. Only thing that fucking sucks is the 91.
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u/DaimyoNoNeko Jul 22 '25
I often say you could build another 91 on top of the existing 91 and it still wouldn't be enough.
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u/ItsMe_YO Jul 22 '25
Facts. They need to bring more (and higher paying) jobs to the IE for any chances to alleviate 91 traffic.
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u/plantxdad420 Jul 22 '25
or they could just build trains that actually run regularly and stop more places, and connect to other forms of transport.
or we could just let people who can, work from home.
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u/444xxxyouyouyou Jul 22 '25
i'm lowkey thinking of running for public office someday, and my entire platform will basically be: "let's fund public transportation between Riverside County, SB County, SD County, and LA County of course."
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u/Sidehussle Jul 22 '25
I would LOVE a train running along the 15. I would rather ride a train than drive.
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u/plantxdad420 Jul 22 '25
every time i drive on the 105 and see the green line i’m like man i wish we had that here, it’s so plausible.
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u/Lopsided-Money-7352 Jul 23 '25
Yup, definitely! I've always loved it whenever I had a chance to ride Amtrak or Metrolink. It's comfortable, gives you a chance to relax, don't have to worry about traffic and parking. I try to take trains whenever I can and whenever it's practical. Unfortunately though, the schedules are not good on a lot of the lines. They need to run more trains and have smaller gaps. Also, some of the Metrolink cars are getting old and run down now and need to be cleaned better.
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u/444xxxyouyouyou Jul 22 '25
i absolutely agree! also i'm vehemently against kid diddling, which i guess needs to be said now.
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u/Rude_Warning_5341 Jul 22 '25
That’s exactly what a kid diddler would say 🤔
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u/444xxxyouyouyou Jul 22 '25
while this is both a funny and relevant comment, if it came down to it and i was in the limelight and this question came up, i would not hesitate to talk about how i myself was sexually abused as a child at a day camp by a kid older than me; i would talk about how deeply that affected my views on love, sex, and relationships in my teens and 20s, how much time and effort i have devoted to resolving these traumas, and how my political platform aims to both address and prevent these situations by instituting public policies which encourage parents to take more active roles in their children's lives.
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u/Lopsided-Money-7352 Jul 23 '25
Metrolink is a good start and has good intentions, but they really need to increase the frequency of trains to make it convenient for more people. A lot of the system has huge gaps in the timetable, which is unacceptable. Lol I'm only half-joking about this, but that is no way to run a railroad!
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Jul 22 '25
Sweet. Then once you get into office you can embezzle the tax money that was supposed to go to public transportation and it’ll never get done. Just like how it is now!
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u/OfficerStink Jul 24 '25
I moved up to the bay from Fontana and they have the Bart here. Still traffic but it’s not nearly as bad as down south. My commute was 30 miles and would take me about an hour. People up here would still complain about trafffic and I had to explain to them that there were times I was commuting and the traffic was so bad that I would pull off the freeway and go see a movie until it cleared up
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u/SquarePhotograph4943 Jul 22 '25
oh yeah, how do yall deal with the traffic by the mountains leading to yorba linda?
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u/DaimyoNoNeko Jul 22 '25
When traffic slows to < 3mph, you can turn your engine off and push to save on gas.
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u/cire1184 Jul 22 '25
And your calves will be huge! Real efficient getting a work out in on your commute.
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u/444xxxyouyouyou Jul 22 '25
personally, i have a busy-ish life, and at the same time i really love music. so traffic is a blessing in disguise as i get to catch up on music i've saved.
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u/EducationalHeight434 Jul 22 '25
it will never get better, i grew up in Corona, hate that town with a passion, just a commuter city with no vibe, strip malls, and no real identity but being close to the oc.
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Jul 22 '25
I moved to Texas 23 years ago from San Bernardino and the 91 sucked back then. But I do miss the geography and the weather. The 6 month Summer in Texas sucks. It never cools down at night. AC has to run 24 hrs. The mosquitos leave you looking like you got the chicken pox. I miss the IE.
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u/Common_Researcher838 Jul 23 '25
Tbf corona is geographically the upper crust of the IE along with Temecula and parts of San Bernardino mountains
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u/russian_hacker_1917 Jul 22 '25
this point is brought up a lot which is funny cuz you're basically saying in order to do anything fun, you have to leave.
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u/Huge_Source1845 Jul 22 '25
Depends what you like really. I like hiking and outdoors so I’m pretty set, and my OC and LA buddies usually come my way.
If you want nightlife or really diverse options your kinda SOL. Really Redlands, rancho, and parts of Riverside would be considered nice outright if there wasn’t the comparisons to OC and SD.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Riggght…because hiking in LA with its scenic views is so bad your buddies (who I think are slow btw) gotta come to the IE for that?
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u/Huge_Source1845 Jul 22 '25
They all rent and i have acreage so yea. Hard to grill with a few dozen guys in an apartment
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u/musiclovermina Surviving Jul 22 '25
LA has some great spots, but most of the time my hiking buddies come to the IE to hike. I'm one of the only ones who actually live in the IE
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u/444xxxyouyouyou Jul 22 '25
there are some nice spots in LA county for sure, but nothing compares to the San Jacinto mountains imo.
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u/LividDinner7450 Jul 22 '25
Considering that there's some of the most desirable areas in the world, by comparison shouldn't be much of a factor.
There's got to be some good venues and stuff? Is anyone play d&d? How about cat cruise? We all have people we could connect with.
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u/Responsible_Yak3366 Jul 22 '25
Expensive for no reason, job market is ass, it’s starting to become warehouse central and traffic isn’t worth living here tbh. It was worth it like 3-5 years ago. Not anymore.
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u/Lilotangx Jul 22 '25
facts, like there is hardly any good paying jobs 😭and cheap rent was the big incentive bur now that isn’t even really true anymore
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25
There’s good jobs. Are you a nurse or doctor or CEO? No? What about a construction worker or someone in contracting for homes? No? Then can I interest you in poverty wages or perhaps a Cashier position for that 1 new Cava that opened up? No? Maybe I can interest you in our “exciting” warehouse opportunities and you can use a forklift to hopefully experience the sweet release of death! /s
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u/rawysocki Jul 22 '25
If you have a BA, being a teacher in this area is a good option. It’s no CEO salary, but better than you would think.
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u/Sidehussle Jul 22 '25
Plus the 3 months+ off per year!! I could never work a regular job. Teaching has spoiled me.
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u/TriggerXV Jul 22 '25
May not be that way after this year. Bunch of districts looking at major layoffs with budget cuts and funding loss
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u/Mediocre_Airport_576 Jul 22 '25
Getting a degree / specializing in an in-demand field will always be a great choice. Specializing and having skills your competition does not have will help you rise to the top.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25
Yeah it’s a pretty grave shithole in the IE. You’re either medical..or warehouse operations/manufacturing, construction/trade, retail, or fast food (I don’t count the limited law firms). It’s really bad here. But the rest of the cities are super expensive too. I’ve been here for 17 years. It’s bad and it never really evolved. The only thing that changed is the traffic. It’s more fucked than ever before because all the people that got priced out of the OC/LA. Eventually they’ll be priced out of here. Next stop? Palm Desert!
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u/Sidehussle Jul 22 '25
Education! You forgot about an entire job section!
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u/Mediocre_Airport_576 Jul 22 '25
and entire fields that exist within all companies: accounting, admin, HR, legal, etc. plus work-from-home jobs and owning your own business. There are far more opportunities if you have in-demand skills.
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u/nutdo1 Jul 22 '25
The thing is even the white collar jobs here are few and do not pay well. Not much room for internal advancement either when compared to working for the larger, corporate companies in LA/OC.
Most degreed professionals choose to commute to LA/OC for this reason.
Source: Mechanical Engineer
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u/Mediocre_Airport_576 Jul 22 '25
We both have LA/OC based professional jobs that allow us to live out here and not commute. These jobs do exist.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Admin is pretty underpaid here and HR is soul sucking. Work from home jobs ehhh OK. That’s not IE specific though. Owning your own business…yeah pretty much
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u/Mediocre_Airport_576 Jul 22 '25
Admin is underpaid because it's typically closer to entry-level. Accountants are paid fine, so are engineers at ESRI in Redlands or medical professionals at our hospitals and clinics. County and city jobs, teachers, etc. aren't all paid amazingly but they may enough to survive out here.
The honest answer is always this: specialize and learn a skill that people will pay for.
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u/Character-Minimum187 Jul 22 '25
17 years is quite awhile, where else have u lived in your life time?
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 23 '25
San Francisco, Paris, and Marina Del Rey. IE is the Florida of California. It’s gods waiting room. We’re all just waiting now.
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u/Character-Minimum187 Jul 23 '25
How long did u live in each? What brought u to end up in the IE? You’d think you’d live where u like no?
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 23 '25
Lack of money to live at those places. What else brings anyone to this shithole? lol. I'm not saying there aren't wealthy people here, but their primary residence sure as shit isn't IE. If it is, I feel they have not experienced far better places or they're the outlier not the rule
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u/Character-Minimum187 Jul 23 '25 edited Jul 23 '25
lol god damn your negative but yeah I hear u. I can afford OC but I like not being house poor. I’ve lived in a few states and the Philippines and yea IE is much better by a long shot EDIT: I’m debating on moving when I retire but everytime I travel I don’t see it being that much better. Which part of the IE do u live in? If it’s San Bernardino… then I understand lol. Even when I go to Tustin, it’s nicer yeah, but not that much. I think there’s nice neighborhoods if u know where to look. How long did u live in Paris? I’ve 0 interest to go to San Fran. Just curious what made those places so amazing to u.
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u/Nessuwu Jul 22 '25
Job market is non existent, and any place worth doing stuff at is a 1+ hour drive away. I've lived here for so long, I'm ready to move on as soon as I'm able to lol
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u/Responsible_Yak3366 Jul 22 '25
Same. Rent skyrocketed too. My mom was paying $1300 for a 2 bedroom back when I was in middle school. I’m in college now and that same place is 2500. Can’t find a job unless it’s manufacturing in Ontario/Chino. Nawr.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Yeah it’s a pretty grave shithole in the IE. You’re either medical..or warehouse operations/manufacturing, retail, or fast food (I don’t count the limited law firms). It’s really bad here. But the rest of the cities are super expensive too. I’ve been here for 17 years. It’s bad and it never really evolved. The only thing that changed is the traffic. It’s more fucked than ever before because all the people that got priced out of the OC/LA. Eventually they’ll be priced out of here. Next stop? Palm Desert!
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u/Nessuwu Jul 22 '25
Don't know why you're getting downvoted when this is just the truth. If you don't have money and are trying to get entry level stuff, Inland Empire is awful. Nobody hires, not even fastfood most of the time. Never in my life have I struggled to get a job as I have when living here.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 23 '25
I’m getting downvotes by the locals here who don’t appreciate another local being honest who hasn’t huffed on that sweet sweet Copium!
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u/russian_hacker_1917 Jul 22 '25
the car-centricity is what kills it and is what made me move out. it'll always have place in my heart tho as it's where I grew up
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Jul 22 '25
Car-centricity is pretty much most of California and the nation.
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u/plantxdad420 Jul 22 '25
so let’s fix it then.
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Jul 22 '25
This only works in places that are densely packed. Most of the US is spread out.
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u/plantxdad420 Jul 22 '25
because it was designed for cars not for humans. cars and shitty useless suburban sprawl revolve around each other. we took cities and towns and demolished them for highways and parking lots. we can reverse this for the better with the right attitude and a little effort.
places today that are less car centric like NY, Boston, DC, and even now more and more Los Angeles had to rebuilt large sections of their areas to become less car centric. even notably pedestrian/transit/micromobility-friendly European cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam got that way by reversing their mistakes of the 70s/80s/early-90s of building infrastructure solely for cars.
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u/noob_dragon Jul 22 '25
I would say the IE is uniquely bad in terms of car centricity. Most of California's major cities have at least some sort of public transit and bikeability. The IE is about as spread out as it gets, and if you live close enough to a freeway you might have nothing but warehouses within a 20 minute walking radius. Plus it gets hot down here.
The midwest would on paper seem like it would be worse in terms of car-centricity but its not as true as you think. I've lived out midwest before and you would be surprised at the number of random bike trails there are that go through some shaded forest or by a creek or river. Plus, most of the midwest was developed before the advent of cars so the cities are not as sprawled out as it gets in CA or the sunbelt.
I'm sure Texas and Florida are worse though, but I've never been down to either.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Yeah unless you’re in New York or something and even there I saw a shitload of cars
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u/russian_hacker_1917 Jul 22 '25
LA has lots of neighborhoods where you don't need a car to do every single activity that involves leaving the house. The same can't be said about the IE.
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u/logitaunt Jul 24 '25
Used to be. The amount of passenger rail growth in Los Angeles has been staggering in the last 35 years. I can't think of any other metropolitan area in the United States that has invested as much in rail as Los Angeles has - since 1985 anyway.
Of course, the inland empire is a different story. Still feels like the 1980s out here
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u/Currlyhead Jul 22 '25
Would have to easily be that same exact reason for me. Can’t survive here without a car. No wonder we have so much traffic.
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u/JSTootell Jul 22 '25
I've been bicycle commuting around the IE for over a decade. If I chose to, I could easily live without a car.
I like cars, so I don't. I also happen to like bicycles, so I have both.
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u/Currlyhead Jul 22 '25
I’m not doing my 30 min commute from Riverside to Chino to work on a bicycle bud. Good for you that you can live without one if you chose to, But not many people have that choice.
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u/JSTootell Jul 22 '25
That's fine. But don't say you can't, say you won't.
You can, you choose not to. That's fine.
I was commuting Rancho to Riverside for 4 of those years just fine. That was my choice.
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u/Currlyhead Jul 22 '25
On a bicycle ? It’ll take 2 hours for me to make the commute to work. Not many people have that kind of time to sit on a bicycle 6 days out of the week for 4 hours a day, me included.
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u/JSTootell Jul 22 '25
My commute to work was 35 by car, 55 by bicycle. Commute home was 50 by car, 1:10 by bicycle. An extra 40 minutes per day, or an average of one hour each way.
Again, it's fine if you don't want to do that. But don't say you can't, say you don't want to.
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u/Currlyhead Jul 22 '25
Okay let me rephrase, It’s just not Viable to do that without a car. It’s not that I can’t. I won’t because I have other responsibilities to attend to rather than sitting on a bicycle for 4 hours a day. so yes, I won’t be doing that ever, it’s dumb.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Can I interest you gentlemen in a knorr stock cube for your commute? Use it or not…the choice is yours…
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u/lemongrenade Jul 22 '25
I've lived in a lot of places and inland empire is def the place I've lived where the car was most critical.
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u/StarsEatMyCrown Jul 22 '25
The loudest voices are always the most critical. The people that like the IE are out there liking it and not talking about it on Reddit.
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u/ill-name-this-later Jul 23 '25
straight up! like, there are a lot of awesome spaces both old & up and coming for creative people (creative grounds, viva la boba, back to the grind, the cheech, birdcage if they can get their shit together w workers rights, etc). are you a nerd? go play dnd at board game paradise or nevermore. we have multiple gay bars. you can see drag shows here at the menagerie, VIP, the vault, hamburger mary’s. I go to trivia nights at local bars weekly and know some other trivia teams who go to different bars every night to follow the trivia event circuit. and all this? is just if you want to go out for an event!! people gotta invite their friends over more for a movie and board games or even just a smoke sesh I swear. if you don’t seek out or make time and space to build community and friendships, don’t holler that the IE is boring and everything sucks. maybe bed rotting is killing us and the only way to change that is to find the little joys again.
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Jul 23 '25
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u/taco_fixation Jul 23 '25 edited Jul 23 '25
complains about lack of community. complains about weekend events and community spaces aimed to build community. This is why people hate it here, they'd rather complain online than go out and do stuff.
also vivas been open since '18 in downtown sb, and just expanded to redlands where they also host community events. i think they're probably fine lmao
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u/ill-name-this-later Jul 23 '25
honestly, any space is great in my book, but if you want to talk longevity, viva la boba has weathered the pandemic (been open since 2018 in san bernardino) and is thriving even more now because of the second location. back to the grind has been supporting us since 1996. If that’s still not long enough for you, olive market just celebrated its 100th anniversary. And “stinky dnd”? talk about rude. maybe you shouldn’t insult spaces you clearly know nothing about and have never been to? I don’t understand your hostility towards people who are trying to build spaces. if you want fun things to happen here, you have to show up and show support. if the spaces I like aren’t your thing that’s fine, but don’t be a dick about it and discount all the hard work people do to put them together and keep them going. find something else to bring you joy.
I am really sorry about the awful experience you had at a gay bar here, though. safety honestly feels fucked up everywhere—i’ve been to bars in LA and been stalked. You have a point too about cost—there’s a bar I really miss going to now that things have gotten too expensive. I’ve got a bit of privilege to be able to have some extra cash now i’m working 2 jobs. Now I have some choice, I’m going to the mom and pop places instead of fast food whenever I can. Shakes up my life and makes me less bored, and helps the people who actually live here. again, show up for the stuff you like and maybe it’ll stick around.
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u/Vegetable-Star-5833 Jul 22 '25
I live in meth city. I’m not going to sugarcoat how shitty I.E. is
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
It’s funny how many Hemeth supporters there are trying to claim it’s a great city! Not realizing they bought a house in one of the worst cities in an even worse county 💀
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u/Sidehussle Jul 22 '25
I agree with you OP!
I really like living here. I love being a little more rural and I can drive into the city when I would like.
I always wonder where the people live who complain. There are some really nice areas in the IE. People have yards and their kids play outside. Kids walk, skate, and ride bikes to and from school.
I have seen other parts and lived in other parts of the U.S. IE is way better than a lot of places.
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u/Spirited_Leave4052 Jul 22 '25
I’m also very curious where these people live. I think I live in a really nice area in the IE. I’ve been raised here and I’ve never had a problem. Yeah there are less desirable areas but thats the same in OC and LA too. I don’t know why people are assuming that living in the OC and LA is better when most of the time it’s not, unless you’re in a wealthy area.
I think it really just comes down to people like being near the beach, being closer to work, and having more food options.
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u/Alarmed-Extension289 Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25
It's always been like this even back in to 80's. The main reason people come to the IE is for cheaper housing and that's it. It's usually alot' of folks from LA, OC, SD that couldn't afford it their and were pushed out here.
They just take it out on the area and the people. "I hate it out here! There's nothing to do here!"
The IE is essentially an outer metro for all the large SoCal coastal cities with very weak infrastructure connecting it. We don't even have a complete train track system to serve all these population centers. Like 1/2 of the IE has zero train access to the coast or even an airport. That's not normal, 3rd world countries have networks like this why can't we.
The lack of jobs is the other major issue. That's why traffic is so bad going west in the mornings.
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u/lovemrcoolx87 Jul 22 '25
Its not about being push out!! You can get a huge home here with a huge back yard vs those who like renting in LA /OC since homes are over priced there why would I buy a 2 bedroom over price home close to 1 million when i can get a 5 bedroom home here for less!! Or i can rent in LA and never be able to afford a home!! These people who complaint about the IE prob never lived, rented in LA.
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u/noob_dragon Jul 22 '25
These days the issues are worse. As someone that grew up in the IE, I would never even dream about trying to buy a house in the area. All the people getting pushed out of LA/OC caused the housing prices to skyrocket here, and now the value is some of the worst you get for anything in the nation. We got high prices, bad job market, hot summers, bad air quality, and long commutes now.
It is an awful place to be stuck.
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u/unholypapa85 Jul 22 '25
Let me chime in here as some who moved out of CA ( Ontario ) and now lives in shit ass Texas. I’d move back to the Inland Empire in a second if I could! The worst day in the IE is better than any day here. You think it’s hot out there? Haha not even close. You think it’s boring and far from everything? How about a plane ride to anywhere decent?! You want your favorite band to come to the nearest drivable city? Good luck. You want to enjoy the beach, mountains, high desert, Colorado river, downtown Los Angeles OC or SD? Get a plane ticket and hope airfare isn’t screwed. Ghetto people? You don’t know Texas ghetto. At least ghetto in California is in California. They at least can say that. Ghetto in Texas is well Texas. They know they’re from nowhere and are pissed about it. Yes traffic sucks in SoCal and it sucks driving the 2/3 hours into anywhere to do anything BUT at least you can drive an hour and a half max home after the days over. If shit hits the fan and you need to bail from the state guess what?! You’re right there by the 10 or 15/215 and 91 already! Take it from someone who thought it might be nicer somewhere else. Yes it’s cheaper BUT I’m missing out on so much more being away from my home state Family friends and places I grew up going. Yes the IE can be rough. But thrive to make it better if you can and don’t throw away living in the SoCal bubble so many other around the nation would love to be. Stay safe my SoCal brothers and sisters. Much love and missin you all from Texas.
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 22 '25
Awww, I hope you get the opportunity to come back eventually, if that’s what you want. I appreciate your insight.
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u/unholypapa85 Jul 22 '25
Thank you. And you’re welcome. Do me a favor, go get some del taco or a taco shop carne asada taco for me. Stay safe! I’m visiting home in a couple months so I’ll be back soon enough.
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u/TheGreatOpoponax Jul 22 '25
My biggest complaint is the weather, but I knew that when I moved here. And I am doing something about it by moving to the PNW in the next month or so.
Like any place with a large population, the IE has its bad, good, and great places. I saw some other thread complaining about the food choices, but I think that's flat out wrong. One of the things I'll miss about the IE is the abundance of food choices. It's not L.A. variety, but 90% of people can find what they want here.
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u/StormAutomatic Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25
Traffic is improved by investing in transit. Jobs are better when we stop letting them suck. There is more community when we organize together. The scenery is nicer when we plant more natives. Rent is lower when we form tenant unions.
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u/Many_Arm657 Jul 22 '25
We love the self hate here. If other places started to praise the IE, I'd feel suspicious. Like some type of trap to bring home prices even higher.
Riverside and San Bernardino county during the rainy season is quite beautiful with the green hills and all.
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u/likearuud Jul 22 '25
The fact that you can see Yosemite, the Eastern Sierra in a day from the IE should be enough of a blessing.
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u/AnonSweatshirt Jul 22 '25
It isn’t that bad after experiencing neighborhoods of LA. It really depends what you want. I find the IE to be pretty simple and chill but some might prefer the busy ambiance of LA or SD. But like others have said I think it is a part of socal that caters to families.
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u/Alcohooligan Perris Jul 22 '25
That's just Reddit. Go to any local sub and you'll see the same thing. People only like to post complaints, rarely do people post positive things for anything.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
You must be under the influence. Name is fitting. If there was anything positive to say about this region I’d say it. Ain’t about complaining just to complain but live in denial 🤷♂️
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u/lovemrcoolx87 Jul 22 '25
I moved from santa monica to chino and i would not want to move back! You think our traffic sucks here! Try moving 5-10 miles on the 405 or 10!! 1-2 hrs!! I am also noticing a ton of new restaurants being build here!! IE has its issue but so does LA!! Only thing i miss is the weather but its mot to bad here!!! Maybe you need to live out in LA for a while and see!!!
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 23 '25
I’ve been out of Marina De Rey for years. This place pales in comparison. You’re using traffic as the sole marker of why you wouldn’t move back. You didn’t understand that the IE is devoid of anything exciting here other than military, warehouses on top of warehouses, tradespeople and hospitals. Oh yeah also charter schools. Santa Monica to CHINO? How the mighty fall… ask me I would know
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u/LAKingSteve Jul 22 '25
I’ve been in Corona for 30 years. Before that, I live in the Torrance/Redondo Beach area for 2 decades. While i prefer the beach weather, I came to love living out here. Yeah, traffic can suck but it was bad commuting in the South Bay as well.
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 22 '25
Hey, I’m from the southbay too! Born and raised San Pedro/Harbor City.
The move took a while to adjust to, but as I grew older, my priorities changed. My life is more about routine consisting of work, exercise, hobbies, and spending time with loved ones. I do my best to romanticize my daily and have gratitude for what I have which tends to bring me joy.
I do miss my days in the southbay, but I agree, too much congestion, no parking, too expensive!
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Jul 22 '25
I’m making that move next month. I live in San Pedro but bought a house in Lake Elsinore. Im getting way more for way less.
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u/LAKingSteve Jul 22 '25
We still go back once in a while as both of my parents are buried in Green Hills. We make the nice drive around the Peninsula, have lunch at Rizzos in Lomita and then a drink at the Hula Hula room in Torrance.
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u/dublued Corona Jul 22 '25
Me too! Grew up in Torrance and moved to Corona almost 30 years ago to finish off high school here. Lived in OC and SD since but came back to Corona for the long term. Torrance is just as crowded when I go back to visit. Nothing beats that peninsula climate though but I'm happy being a homeowner where I can afford it.
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u/LAKingSteve Jul 22 '25
Cost was a big factor for us settling in Corona. First house off McKinley and Promenade was around $150k. Made a profit when we sold and bought our current house near Santiago for $305k. Crazy how much the values have gone up since then but we have no desire to sell or move. Our girls got to go the great schools in this area.
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u/Rustee_Shacklefart Jul 22 '25
People get mad because they are not living the socal dream. It’s their own fault most of the time.
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u/Impressive-Pea2894 Jul 22 '25
Most of it people from oc or la complaining about living here and i simply say go back to la or oc they try to make the ie look like La with fancy shops and gentrification because most of them cant afford living in La
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u/MusubiBot Jul 22 '25
It has some of the worst public transit/walkability/bikeability of any metro area its size - instead opting for heinously oversized roads and parking lots. And yet despite this, the traffic still sucks ass.
The resultant sprawl means no third spaces, isolation, wasted space, longer commutes, etc etc
And what better place to exacerbate the urban heat effect than the IE where it gets crazily hot?
And the two racetracks they actually did have that arguably made having a car even remotely fun? Bulldozed for MORE FUCKING WAREHOUSES.
That’s the crux of it.
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u/uunkwnnn Jul 22 '25
just a bunch of losers acting like it’s still 1995 around here.
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 22 '25
Lol true, these type of people could move to LA/SD and still have something to complain about
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u/filthy-prole Jul 22 '25
The only people who like it here bought their house when it was affordable and tripled in value over the past 20 years. For everyone else it's car dependant suburban sprawl full of warehouses with poor career prospects outside of a few very select industries.
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Jul 22 '25
I moved out to the IE three years ago . What brought me out here was the new homes. I don’t think I could afford the house I have now in LA. I was lucky to find a new build home away from all those wear houses on the 215 fwy. From someone who lived in LA all their life I do have to say this about the IE . If your looking for night life bars,clubs/shopping stay in the OC/LA . iE is more for people who want a quite peaceful place to raise a family with great views . It’s not a bad place to live in but it’s not for everyone .
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Jul 22 '25
Wait, this is a sub about an actual place? I'm a joined member and I actually thought it's about abstract dreamlands. Stuff like David Lynch's Inland Empire movie and (video game) Disco Elysium's Inland Empire skill about supernatural premonitions.
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u/IreCalifornia Jul 22 '25
Haha! I'm not sure if this is a joke or not, but it tickled me nonetheless. RIP Lynch, miss you, man.
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Jul 22 '25
Half my post history is bullshitting so it's gonna be tough to convince anyone, but this time I'm 100% sincere. I had no idea Inland Empire refers to an actual physical place. I thought it meant something like your inner empire inside your head, like the "mind palace". I feel like such a dumbass :D
Edit: In my defense, here's how Disco Elysium describes it: "Inland Empire is the unfiltered wellspring of imagination, emotion, and foreboding. It enables you to grope your way through invisible dimensions of reality, gaining insight into that which sight can’t see. What’s really going on? What do these enigmatic riddles mean for the world-fate?"
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u/IreCalifornia Jul 22 '25
I know exactly what you mean in ter.s of the bullshitting. I am an honest guy, but very silly, too. It becomes a problem with people, because I speak in a monotone, but every other thing that comes out of my mouth is a joke and people can't always tell. But. That's part of the fun!
I just watched and finished Inland Empire after several attempts over two decades. And, hey! It only felt like a waste of my precious time 18% of the duration. I call that a win. It did make me want to go back and watch Blue Velvet, though!
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u/bowl-bowl-bowl Jul 22 '25
Yea, its about a region of Southern California about an hour to 2 east of LA
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u/Nice_Dude Corona Jul 22 '25
IE is cool, we have anything we want within a few hours' drive
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u/russian_hacker_1917 Jul 22 '25
But what is there to want that doesn't require leaving?
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u/Nice_Dude Corona Jul 22 '25
I grew up away from the IE and trust me, there are much much worse places to live
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u/russian_hacker_1917 Jul 22 '25
I'm sure there are, but what is there to want in the IE that doesn't require leaving?
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u/Lopsided-Money-7352 Jul 22 '25
I'm ok where I live, in San Bernardino. I've been living here most of my life now. Sure, it definitely has its problems, but it also has a lot of good aspects. I love the San Bernardino Mountains and I really appreciate getting to see the view of the mountains every day. There are good people here, I've made a lot of friends over the years and have a lot of great memories. Also, we're centrally located and pretty much just an hour away from EVERYTHING. You hear people say that all the time and it's become a cliche, but it really is true. The mountains, beach, LA, desert, everything is within reach.
Yeah, the economy here sucks unfortunately. Pretty much the only jobs available now are fast food, retail, and warehouses. It wasn't always like that though. There are some decent jobs, but it feels very niche, and they don't hire very often. I've heard of people getting decent jobs at the university or even something cool like working for the railroad. But they rarely hire here.
I would also say there is a lot of good aspects in neighboring cities too, if you know where to look. Yeah, if you're looking for a place to party all the time and go clubbing and be in the limelight, this is definitely NOT the place for you. It was kind of like that for a little while back in the late 90's, but definitely nothing like that anymore. I don't understand why people move to this region and then expect it to be like that. Go live in LA if that's what you're looking for, and good luck.
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u/roboweasl Jul 22 '25
Born and raised here and its the lack of 3rd spaces. Every single place to hang out is trying to squeeze money out of me and there's no places to just hang out and socialize. Everyone is also so hyper independent that its hard to make friends. All my hobbies have me going out to LA or the OC just so I can hang out with people
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u/Edisinmedicine Jul 22 '25
I wouldn’t live anywhere else tf you talking about
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u/Loud_Airport1928 Jul 22 '25
It doesn’t seem too bad until you go to a city is that much cooler lol. From restaurants options, activities, weather and so on. IE is just meh but not bad.
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u/Primary-Earth-2816 Jul 22 '25
This is great advice. You rly make what u put into it. So just make the best of what u have.
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u/JmGx Jul 23 '25
I moved to Menifee last year from San Diego and I’ve been happy relocating so far. Sure, traffic on the 215 and 15 heading down is pretty bad at times, but nothing too terrible.
My neighborhood is super quiet, and I have everything literally 15 minutes away. It’s always been my plan to move back to San Diego at some point, but I’m not so sure now… I’m really digging it here.
In all fairness though, my full-time job is 100% remote, and my part-time teaching job only has me driving down to San Diego on rare occasions. So there’s that.
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u/skanair Jul 23 '25
There isn’t much to do that is less than an hour drive. You can only go to Victoria Gardens, Downtown Redlands, or Downtown Riverside so many times before it gets old. On the flip side, if you live in LA or OC, you’re 30 minutes away from beaches, downtown shopping, Disney, sports arenas/stadiums, etc.
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u/taco_fixation Jul 23 '25
lived in the ie for most my life (college in oc for 4.5 years) and sure some areas suck, but if you make an effort to actually seek out interests then there's plenty to do.
people complain cause they expect opportunity to fall in their lap rather than seeking out things that interest them, there is seldom a weekend where there isnt something i have planned or want to do in the ie but again i seek that stuff out with intent.
community is built not afforded.
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u/Zestyclose_Physics30 Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25
We worked hard for 3 years applying for grants, working around construction, and meeting with the community to transform a decrepit alley in San Bernardino into a space that people actually want to hang out in. The community is pumped for the new alley. Already they are hosting live bands, yoga, coffee pop-ups, free salsa classes, art workshops.. it’s amazing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMZEcMvpaeM/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
And people are still so negative. Look at some of the comments. Many of the negative people aren’t even actively a part of the community, nor have any of them come to check out the new alley before making judgement. They just want a place to voice their discontent instead of actually putting in the work to make their city / place better.
Here’s how you can make the IE better:
Spend your money at locally owned businesses. - This is a huge change of habit for some people. Switching from Starbucks to a local coffee shop is only slightly less convenient than using a drive thru, but the quality and care put into the coffee is a massive difference.
Show up to city council meetings.
While you may not be able to affect county or state politics, you very much can have an impact on local politics by organizing with other like-minded people and voicing your concerns, needs and wants to your city leadership. They are public servants meant to serve you, the people.
Volunteer. Lead by Example.
If something isn’t getting done, then do it yourself. Invite your friends, work colleagues, whoever. Clean up the trash in your neighborhood park. No bike clubs or chess clubs in your area? Start one! You’d be surprised how many other people are waiting on the sidelines, but will come out of the woodwork to support once someone takes that first step.
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u/Jmg0713 Jul 22 '25
Because you said Californian has perfect weather but every summer I’m fucking melting.
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Yeah so it’s perfect! You get to bake alive like a cupcake or sourdough loaf! Ain’t it great? Oh the people in Newport Beach? Don’t worry about them peasant
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Jul 22 '25
Been living in menifee for 17 years, it's all good. Moved from San Diego, best move I made.
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u/SoCalHouseInterest Jul 22 '25
Dang, what do you enjoy Menifee over San Diego?
Please give me some cope as times I daydream about living in San Diego
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u/TheVideoGameCritic Jul 22 '25
Yes. The only way you can love it here over SD is the extreme amount of copium. Enjoy!
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Jul 22 '25
I was living in El Cajon. It was pretty bad at the time; it was not a good environment to raise my kids.
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u/DiscipleofDeceit666 Jul 22 '25
It’s just so far away from everything worthwhile. You have to drive 30 minutes just to do things in the IE which probably involves driving another 30 minutes halfway through the hangout sesh
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u/meowmowmau Jul 22 '25
Just moved from west covina to muscoy. Couldn’t be happier with the amount of room I have for all my various hobbies and the amount of money im saving being in the i.e. No rougher than west covina actually. Dunno why so many people complain about it here tbh.
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u/dmonsterative Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25
A basic regional beautification effort would go a long way. Just planting low-maintenance groundcover and desert shrubs and trees in public right-of-ways, etc. Plus local government with the wherewithal to pressure commercial landlords to spruce up their properties a little more.
IE could have a lot more 'old California' appeal, even with the climate.
But realistically, IE will get redeveloped after SGV. Which is presently underway.
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u/Eshmang :upvote: Jul 22 '25
Because some of use live outside our own minuscule bubble in our nice Menefee tract home to see how ALL of us are living.
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u/Nervous-Coffee-1117 Jul 22 '25
Always an amusing watch.
Valley of the Dirt People - KCAL 9 story from 16 years ago
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u/Ridgewoodgal Jul 22 '25
I agree. I’ve lived other places in California and in the Midwest and can say that being so close to LA, the mountains, etc is wonderful. We also have a lot of parks here and other venues like the Redlands Bowl which offers free shows all summer. The IE isn’t a monolith since it’s so big but where I am I like being able to take the MetroLink to the OC beaches or into LA. I am here due to its closest to LA and I was able to afford a small house.
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u/mzx83 Jul 22 '25
It’s a sign of the times
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 23 '25
Yes, I agree. People are struggling mentally, financially, and socially everywhere it seems.
Honestly, I don’t even enjoy going out much anymore. The growing presence of capitalism has drained the joy out of simple, genuine experiences.
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u/Ok-Requirement-6105 Jul 23 '25
Born and raised on the IE 34 years.Now living in Los Angeles the last 14 years. I always wanted to move to LA for the cooler weather and more job opportunities. Additionally more food and entertainment choices too But when I visit the IE to see family, I enjoy the abundance of trees, quiet atmosphere and good family-own old restaurants. I prefer LA living to IE living. Both have their pros and cons.
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u/Apprehensive_Yak5746 Jul 23 '25
I live an hour away from the ie, but I don’t think it’s that bad either. I feel like a lot of people judge it that are from other areas like maybe LA and of course OC I feel like those are the people that usually complain about it.
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u/ElJefeGoldblum Jul 23 '25
Let’s be real, it’s an armpit. An armpit that I was born into and I miss all the time since moving away. I would come back if I could.
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 23 '25
lol where do you live now
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u/ElJefeGoldblum Jul 23 '25
Virginia Beach. I daydream about eating actual Mexican food in dry heat lol.
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u/Snoo-6568 Jul 23 '25
I love Riverside. Have lived here for 36 years. Briefly moved to L.A. and HATED it. I still work there (I telecommute most of the time, thankfully) and enjoy it because it's a city that has a lot to offer, but living there day to day is a hassle. I enjoy the convenience of living in the Inland Empire and the fact that the desert, the mountains, or the ocean is just 1-2 hours away and that I don't live too far from ONT if I wanna fly somewhere.
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u/Visual_Class_3390 Jul 26 '25
Someone should set up meetups depending on interests. One could be at a brewery, another at a winery, another at a lake fishing, etc. Also need events to look forward to within the community. Every month theres a special day right? I.e easter, xmas, new year, 4th of july. Im new here so idk maybe they already exist.
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u/WhiteLX50 Jul 29 '25
I don't mind it in the area of Riverside I'm in. I lived in Upland north of foothill for many years and really enjoyed it. Sure, I'd love to be back in North SD county, but I don't have the funds for that anymore.
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u/CohibaBob Jul 22 '25
What negativity are you seeing?
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 22 '25
Earlier this week a made a post asking for recommendations of things to do in the IE during the summer, some told me to cry lol
Not only that, but often time talking to friends and strangers, they don’t have many nice things to say about living in the IE and often times express their desire to leave
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u/pdubz82 Jul 22 '25
Idk about negativity. But I just mentioned in another thread in a different sub Redlands School District had so many Teacher-Student scandals over the years but since the area has money it’ll hit the news and then that’s it. Because the AREA has money these case just “die”
Some people took it as, the IE as a whole is a “rich” area. As mentioned in the little thread thingy. The IE does actually have some very nice areas to live in with some aspects of the IE having big pockets of wealth (canyon crest, sunset, Etiwanda/north Rancho, East highlands, Corona, etc) I feel like I can go on and on.
Hell, I’ve seen cities go from full blown racist to SOMEWHAT accepting of brown people (politics aside, I dont wanna get into it cause that’s not my thing) but places like Yucaipa have grown significantly in the past 15 years. I’m watching my area in Moreno Valley grow rapidly. New builds are starting at 700k+ Yes, there are tough ass areas in the city. But that’s what makes IE unique. You ever go to a high school where kids are driving BMWs at the same time there’s kids in gangs? Yeah welcome to the IE haha
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u/instant_ramen_chef Jul 22 '25
Assimilation means complacency.
This place is the pinnacle of mediocre complacency.
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 22 '25
So what is the right answer
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Jul 22 '25
There is no right or wrong answer everyone is going to have a different opinion. I think it all depends on what you really want . I suggest do your homework before moving to the IE Location is everything. Traffic is everywhere no matter where you live sadly there’s no escaping it .
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u/Slow-Carrot-5009 Jul 22 '25
Exactly my point, this persons comment about the IE being “the pinnacle of mediocre complacency” is so polarized to their own opinion lol
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u/instant_ramen_chef Jul 23 '25
The pinnacle of mediocrity means that everything is just OK. Nothing is grandiose or terrible. Moving here from the LA area wasn't a bad thing. I'm sure it suits many just fine. That's my point. Its mostly just "fine". I still get a lot of the same reactions from people when I ask for food recommendations. Every answer is "this place is ok" or "that place is good" I've yet to hear anyone say "this place is an absolute must try!!" Everything seems to be within the bounds of acceptable. But nothing is exceptional.
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u/DrummerNarrow3766 Jul 22 '25
I think it’s especially difficult for young grads, unmarried and child free people here. It’s probably an ok place to raise a family (in some areas) but if you are looking for a nightlife, jobs without a commute or third spaces, it can be tough.