Redlands
Historic citrus-heritage university town with Victorian downtown, Esri global HQ, Redlands Bowl free summer concerts, and the eastern terminus of the Arrow rail line to San Bernardino
Why People Move Here
Redlands is the cultural anchor of the Inland Empire's East Valley — a university town (University of Redlands, private liberal arts, founded 1907) on a 160-acre campus at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, and a historic citrus-heritage city founded in 1881 that was known in 1900 as 'The City of Millionaires' and later 'The City of Beautiful Homes.' Tree-lined State and Orange Streets downtown preserve Victorian commercial blocks; the 1898 Moorish-style A.K. Smiley Public Library and the 1897 French château Kimberly Crest House & Gardens are both on the National Register of Historic Places. The Redlands Bowl at Smiley Park has hosted the longest continuously running free-admission summer music festival in the United States every year since 1924. Esri — the global leader in GIS software, with roughly 45% worldwide market share — runs its 6,000-employee global headquarters from 380 New York Street, served directly by the Arrow commuter rail line that opened October 2022 (three Redlands stations plus the University terminus). Median home prices run $604K-$655K across Redfin, Zillow, and Houzeo, with new construction in the Bergamont Specific Plan and Meritage / Tri Pointe Heritage Specific Plan pushing median list price to $695K. The city sits at the eastern edge of the San Bernardino Valley — I-10 west to LA, I-10 east through the San Gorgonio Pass to Palm Springs, SR-38 north through Mill Creek to Big Bear — giving it rail, freeway, and mountain access without leaving the city's boundary.
Key Statistics
Data sourced from census records, school district reports, and local transit authorities.
Commute Times
School Districts
Redlands Unified School District (RUSD)
A-- 19,673 students K-12, 21:1 student-teacher ratio
- Three comprehensive high schools serving Redlands residents — Citrus Valley HS (Niche A, #8 in San Bernardino County, 2,206 students, 23:1 ratio), Redlands East Valley HS (#244 in California Best Public HS, 1,866 students, SAT 1170 / ACT 23, 92% graduation rate), and Redlands Senior HS (#505 California Best Public HS, the original comprehensive campus)
- Orangewood HS serves as continuation / alternative
- District also serves Mentone, parts of Yucaipa, and eastern Highland (including East Highlands Ranch)
University of Redlands
B+- Private liberal arts university founded 1907; 160-acre campus at base of San Bernardino Mountains
- 3,087 total enrolled 2024-25 (2,049 undergraduate, 1,038 graduate)
- College of Arts & Sciences + graduate programs in business, education, communicative disorders, music, and GIS
- Member of Colleges That Change Lives (inducted 2025)
- Eastern terminus of the Arrow rail line (Redlands-University station)
FAQ — Redlands
What is the commute from Redlands to downtown Los Angeles?
Redlands is about 63 miles east of downtown LA, a ~75-minute drive off-peak and 100-140 minutes during rush hour via I-10. The rail option is the Arrow commuter line (opened October 2022) from Redlands-Downtown, Redlands-Esri, or Redlands-University station west to San Bernardino Transit Center, where most trips transfer to the Metrolink San Bernardino Line for the remaining 87-minute ride to LA Union Station (total ~110 minutes). One direct Redlands-Downtown to LA Union Station round-trip runs each weekday without a transfer.
What schools serve Redlands, CA?
Redlands is served by Redlands Unified School District (RUSD), which enrolls 19,673 students K-12 with a 21:1 student-teacher ratio and an overall Niche A- grade. Three comprehensive high schools operate within the city: Citrus Valley High (Niche A overall, #8 Best Public HS in San Bernardino County, 2,206 students, 23:1 ratio), Redlands East Valley High (#244 California Best Public HS, 1,866 students, average SAT 1170 / ACT 23, 92% graduation rate), and Redlands Senior High (#505 California Best Public HS, the original comprehensive campus). Orangewood High serves as a continuation school. Because three high school boundaries run through the city, verify enrollment eligibility by address before any home purchase decision. The University of Redlands, a private liberal arts university founded in 1907 with 3,087 students, anchors the eastern side of town.
What is the housing market like in Redlands, CA?
As of early 2026, Redfin reports a median sale price of $625,000 (January 2026, down 5.3% year over year) and median $/sqft of $397 (up 3.9% YoY). Zillow's 2026 typical home value sits around $604,000 (down 1.1% YoY), while Houzeo reports $655,000 (up 5.82% YoY) — the divergence reflects market cooling from the 2023-24 peak. New construction makes up a meaningful share of the market, with 37 new homes currently listed at a median of ~$695,000. Active subdivisions include the 317-lot Bergamont Specific Plan, Meritage Homes at Live Oak and Tri Pointe Meadowlark at the Heritage Specific Plan, and Madera at Citrus Trails. The citywide residential pipeline totals 3,403 proposed or approved units. Verify current listings on Redfin and Zillow before making decisions.
What is the Redlands Bowl?
The Redlands Bowl is the outdoor amphitheater at Smiley Park in downtown Redlands, home to the longest continuously running free-admission summer music festival in the United States. The 2025 season was the Bowl's 102nd season, which opened on June 20. Twenty world-class performances run Tuesday and Friday evenings at 8pm from late June through mid-August — tribute acts, patriotic pops, ballet, mariachi, swing, Broadway classics, and a fireworks finale. Seating is first-come first-served on the lawn, no admission is ever charged, and a free-will offering is collected at intermission. The Bowl has operated this way continuously since 1924.
What is Esri and why is it in Redlands?
Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute) is the global leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, best known for the ArcGIS product family, with roughly 45% worldwide GIS market share. Its global headquarters sits at 380 New York Street in Redlands — a sprawling campus of ~3,700 local employees out of 6,000+ worldwide across 49 global offices. Esri was founded in Redlands in 1969 and has remained headquartered here ever since. The Arrow commuter rail added a dedicated Redlands-Esri station when the line opened in October 2022, serving Esri employees directly.
What are the crime statistics in Redlands, CA?
Per the most recent FBI UCR data, Redlands has a total crime rate of 2,449.8 per 100,000 (15.6% above the national rate of 2,119.2). Violent crime is 280 per 100,000 (24.3% below the national average, 206 total incidents), while property crime is elevated at 3,079 per 100,000 (57.6% above national, 2,265 incidents). NeighborhoodScout reports 24 crimes per 1,000 residents and a 1-in-42 chance of being a victim. The Redlands Police Department's 2024 annual report showed total crime fell 5% year over year, with aggravated assault and intimidation down double-digits and rape down more than a third; homicide rose from 0 cases in 2023 to 3 in 2024. Verify current statistics via the Redlands Police Department and FBI UCR directly.
What outdoor recreation is available in Redlands?
Redlands sits at the foothill interface with the San Bernardino National Forest, with State Route 38 running north through the Mill Creek Ranger Station to Angelus Oaks, Jenks Lake, the Mt. San Gorgonio Wilderness, and Big Bear Lake via Onyx Summit (~75 minutes). Within the city, Prospect Park (11.4 acres) offers trails, the Smiley-planted botanical collection, an orange grove, and the 407-seat Avice Meeker Sewall amphitheater; Sylvan Park (23.3 acres) features the historic Mill Creek Zanja, softball, and picnic areas. The Santa Ana River Trail — a 50-mile multi-use paved trail from the San Bernardino Mountains to the Pacific coast — passes through the broader area. The city preserves 16 citrus groves totaling 184 acres (Valencia, navel, and grapefruit) as heritage open space. TrailLink lists 45+ trails accessible from Redlands.
What healthcare and accessibility options are in Redlands?
Redlands Community Hospital (350 Terracina Blvd) is the nearest full-service hospital — an independent non-profit established in 1929 with 300+ physicians, 1,800 employees, and national recognition for Top 100 Joint Replacement and Orthopedic Surgery. Loma Linda University Medical Center — a Level I trauma center, academic medical campus, and children's hospital — is just ~5 minutes west in Loma Linda and serves as the regional tertiary-care anchor. Loma Linda University Surgical Hospital operates at 26780 Barton Rd in Redlands itself. Multiple urgent cares line Redlands Blvd, Alabama St, and Lugonia corridors. St. Bernardine Medical Center (Dignity Health) is ~15 minutes west in San Bernardino, and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center is ~20 minutes southwest in Colton.
What is the Arrow rail line?
Arrow is the 9-mile commuter rail service that opened October 23, 2022, connecting San Bernardino Transit Center (SBTC) east to the University of Redlands — the first new passenger rail line in the Inland Empire in decades. Three of its four stations are in or directly adjacent to Redlands: Redlands-Esri (serving the Esri global headquarters), Redlands-Downtown (historic State Street district), and Redlands-University (eastern terminus on the University of Redlands campus). Weekday service runs 4am-11pm with 30-minute peak and hourly off-peak frequencies; weekend service is reduced. Arrow is operated under Metrolink, and at SBTC it connects to the Metrolink San Bernardino Line to Los Angeles Union Station (~87 minutes) — making Redlands the only East Valley city with direct passenger rail service to LA.
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