Encompassing 85 square miles within the borders of Riverside County, the city of Riverside boasts about 300,000 residents. It lacks the glitz of nearby star-studded Hollywood and the tourist attractions of the ocean cities, such as Long Beach, San Diego or San Pedro. So why do people live in Riverside, California? What do the residents know that makes them choose to live a stone's throw away from the fast-paced nightlife, the sun-kissed ocean waters and the frequent celebrity encounters that Angelenos have come to enjoy? One word: location.

Granted, there is no ocean beach to enjoy and the Santa Ana River only makes up somewhat for the lack of pristine beaches. Smog descends onto the city - like it does on much of Southern California - during the summer and fall months. On the flipside, the city lacks the problems associated with the nearby metropolises of San Diego and Los Angeles, both of which are located a short hour away in opposite directions. Residents, who desire a day at the beach or an afternoon in the local mountains, only need to drive an hour in opposing directions.

Riverside, California, is home to the Fox Performing Arts Center, the Metropolitan Museum, the California Museum of Photography, numerous historic sites and also plentiful nature spaces. Students flock to Riverside because of the University of California and its Botanical Gardens. Residents look forward to special occasions, most notably the Festival of Lights, which takes place the day after Thanksgiving, and also February's Dickens Festival.

The largest employer in the city is the University of California, which is closely followed by the Riverside and Alvord Unified School Districts but also the local Community College. The emphasis on education explains the presence of the many museums and the value that the city places on its cultural heritage, preservation of historical monuments and protection of natural lands.

Like many other areas in Southern California, Riverside experienced a veritable property values boom in 2006. As the bubble burst, the city felt the effects and foreclosures hit hard. That being said, the Riverside property values are rebounding nicely and currently the average cost for a single family home is right around $380,000, while town homes cost roughly $280,000. Less expensive than home costs in nearby L.A. or San Diego, Riverside, CA real estate is becoming more attractive for investors, telecommuters and those who do not mind the daily commute into the more crowded and expensive bigger cities.