Sleepy California boomtown where homes are half-price - and the biggest complaint is too much sun

A sleepy Southern California community which only achieved city status in recent years has rapidly become one of the state's fastest-growing boomtowns.

Part of the Inland Empire, Menifee's population has rocketed from 46,000 people when it officially became a city in 2008, to an estimated 117,000 residents today.

While Menifee's baby boomers grew up in a slow-paced coal mining town, the next generation is rapidly becoming accustomed to metropolitan life.

Located around 75 miles inland from both San Diego and Los Angeles , newcomers only have two complaints - the traffic and the weather.

Temperatures tend to lurk in the low 90s through the summer months, but Shane Bernal, a real estate agent in the area, told SFGate 'you get used to it'.

Meanwhile, highway infrastructure has struggled to keep apace with the city's rapid growth.

On average, residents take a 45 minute commute to work, according to a town survey, Menifee city manager Armando Villa told SFGate.

But the benefits seem to outweigh the issues. Despite its city status, Menifee is home to 45 sprawling public parks, providing plenty of peaceful escapes for residents.

Menifee also has a reputation for being the 'last affordable' area in the region as coastal renters flock to snap up cheap homes.

Data revealed earlier this year that the Inland Empire region of California is thriving, with Riverside and San Bernardino counties collectively adding more than 22,000 people in just last year.

This trend is driven partly by coastal renters moving inland to purchase more affordable homes, as reported by SFGate.

In May, the California Department of Finance published its annual report on population and housing estimates.

Menifee, located in Riverside County, emerged as one of the state's top population growth centers, adding over 2,000 residents in the past year.

Victorville in San Bernardino County also saw substantial growth, pushing its population to nearly 140,000, surpassing cities like Santa Clara and Berkeley, and approaching the sizes of Pasadena and Orange.

The report does not specify the origins of these new residents and whether they moved from other parts of California or from out of state.

Nevertheless, these counties now boast 14 cities with populations exceeding 100,000.

This surge in population has attracted significant interest from real estate investors, causing fluctuations in median home prices across the region.

The average home price in Inland Empire fell 2.5 percent between February 2023 and 2024 to $535,000 - compared to a steep $1.2 million in Los Angeles.

The report also highlights growth in other areas of the state. Imperial County, on the southern border between San Diego and Arizona , saw several cities rank in the top 20 for population growth by percentage.

The San Joaquin Valley also experienced a significant increase, with Bakersfield emerging as a key area for new housing.