Get to know Moreno Valley, CA

Moreno Valley is a Riverside County city.  American settlers moved to the area after California was admitted to the Union in 1850.  The Tucson to San Francisco route of John Butterfield’s Overland Mail Company ran through the area.  In the 1880’s the area took the Moreno Valley name in honor of Frank Brown.  Brown’s Bear Valley Land and Water Company brought water to the land for farming.  A lawsuit in 1899 resulted in the city of Redlands gaining control over Bear Valley water.  Most residents were forced to leave as a result.  The area began to revive when March Field was constructed in 1918 just outside Riverside.  It became a full Air Force Base in 1927 and became March Joint Air Reserve Base in 1996.  The city grew rapidly in the 1980’s as a result of the economic boom in California and the construction of new homes and businesses.  Moreno Valley was incorporated as a city in 1984.  The main employers include the March Air Reserve Base, the Moreno Valley Unified School District, and the Riverside County Regional Medical Center.

Quick Facts

Population: 200,788

Median Household Income: $54,590

Median Property Value: $208,300