Greater Inland Empire

Approximately 4.4 million people live in the Inland Empire comprised of Caucasian, Hispanic and a rising Asian population.  As a whole, the Inland Empire has been growing rapidly since the 1990s and is expected to continue doing so.  Cheaper housing compared to LA and Orange Counties and a strong job market, particularly in warehousing, logistics, and retail are luring new residents.

The region boasts a number of large univiersities including UC Riverside, Cal State San Bernardino, University of Redlands, California Baptist University, La Sierra University etc.

Those moving to the Inland Empire will find comfort in the fact that it’s one of the fastest growing regions in California, proven to be economically resilient. The area suffered major financial devastation following the 2008 housing market crash and economic recession. Unemployment rates soared above 14% between 2009 and 2012. But in 2016, both the economy and employment in the Inland Empire is trending in the right direction. Recently I.E.’s industry profile expanded to include transportation and fulfillment warehouses, on top of construction, logistics and farming. And, with the craft beer boom, dozens of breweries are opening their doors in the Inland Empire. Just another reason why the job market is projecting positive growth from 2016-2026.

The I.E has a geographic advantage and a wide range of attractions being located in Southern California. It’s the place where music finds its stage. Coachella, one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the world attracts hundreds of thousands of music lovers two weekends a year every April. And the San Manuel Amphitheater (big-name country stars perform at this venue), rocks out all-year round in San Bernardino. Big Bear Lake is widely popular and is also located within the region. It’s known as Southern California’s premiere four-season resort where Californians retreat to winter cabin hibernation, fish in the summer or camp in the forests in the fall.

The Inland Empire sits adjacent to the San Bernardino Mountains. Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear are just some of the lakes located in the mountains. Lake Arrowhead becomes very popular in the summertime, while Big Bear becomes popular in the winter for skiing and snowboarding activities. Various locations in the Inland Empire provide venues for cultural performances and entertainment.^[86] The Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, which is owned and operated by the City of Rancho Cucamonga, opened in the Fall of 2006 providing theatre, concerts and family entertainment to the region. The San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino's Devore neighborhood is the nation's largest outdoor amphitheater.^{[citation needed]} San Bernardino's "Route 66 Rendezvous (the largest classical car show in the US)," an annual street fair and classic car show, draws a half-million people from around the world.^[87] The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs is a popular attraction, rising to more than 8500 feet.

Orchestras in the IE include the Redlands Symphony, which performs at the University of Redlands, the Riverside County Philharmonic, which performs at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, the San Bernardino Symphony, which performs at the California Theatre, and the Victor Valley Symphony, which performs at Victor Valley College. Theatrical Arts International is housed at the California Theatre as well. With the largest subscriber base in the Inland Empire, Theatrical Arts International presents the largest caliber tours available including such blockbusters as Cats, Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and Miss Saigon. There are many other large theater programs in the community