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Living in
Murrieta.
About
Life in Murrieta
With a median home value around $640,000 and rents averaging $2,388 a month, you're looking at Southern California real estate costs, but the median household income of nearly $110,000 suggests this is where people actually make it work, mostly through dual incomes and long-term equity building. The weather is genuinely pleasant—263 sunshine days a year with a Mediterranean climate—though summers are hot and you'll want air conditioning, and the 37-minute average commute (likely to San Diego or LA) means you're paying for proximity to the mega-region rather than working locally. Schools matter here, and the Murrieta Valley Unified School District serves most of the city with eleven elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools, which explains why nearly half of all households have kids under 18.
Murrieta at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Foreign-Born
16.6%
Broadband Internet
96.1%
of households
Population Growth
+2.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Murrieta: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Murrieta, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (33.4%), and 17.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.3%
of residents
65 and Older
12.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.9%
of households
Married Couples
60.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.08
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Murrieta
In Murrieta, rent runs 17% above the CA average, and home values are 13% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,648
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $686,107 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Murrieta and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Murrieta is 0.6 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Murrieta Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area
Commute37.4 min avg
How Murrieta residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Murrieta, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 30 mi
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD)
Regional airport · few flights68k passengers boarded in 2025
- 39 mi
John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 57 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 44% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Murrieta runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
186
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
860.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Murrieta Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 34 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Riverside County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Riverside County, which includes Murrieta, the most common type is high wind, with 34 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | High Wind | $161,000 |
| 2024 | 62 | High Wind | $527,000 |
| 2023 | 76 | High Wind | $455,000 |
| 2022 | 113 | High Wind | $240,000 |
| 2021 | 94 | High Wind | $4.2M |
| 2020 | 58 | Excessive Heat | $2.1M |
| 2019 | 62 | Excessive Heat | $112.2M |
| 2018 | 58 | High Wind | $1.6M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
162 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Riverside County, county-wide
Murrieta is about 5% of Riverside County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality80 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Riverside County, which includes Murrieta, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
80
Good Days
39
per year
Moderate Days
217
per year
Unhealthy Days
34
per year
Riverside County, county-wide
Murrieta is about 5% of Riverside County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Murrieta has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
82°/57°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
61
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
48
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 47°F | 3.17" |
| Feb | 67°F | 46°F | 3.74" |
| Mar | 70°F | 48°F | 2.02" |
| Apr | 72°F | 51°F | 1.00" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 0.36" |
| Jun | 81°F | 56°F | 0.12" |
| Jul | 87°F | 60°F | 0.08" |
| Aug | 89°F | 62°F | 0.22" |
| Sep | 88°F | 62°F | 0.11" |
| Oct | 83°F | 58°F | 0.70" |
| Nov | 74°F | 52°F | 1.15" |
| Dec | 67°F | 46°F | 2.64" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Murrieta
Murrieta has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
4.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Loma Linda University Medical Center-murrieta
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Temecula Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.2 mi away · Temecula
Menifee Global Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10 mi away · Sun City
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education23.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Murrieta
Murrieta's student/teacher ratio is 23.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 32.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
21
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Murrieta
Murrieta has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
21 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
62 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
81 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Murrieta
Murrieta Public Library
8 Town Square, Murrieta
Cities Near Murrieta
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Murrieta?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Murrieta FAQ
Is Murrieta, California affordable?⌄
Murrieta's median rent is $2,388/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $114,081/year. Median home value is $639,800.
Is Murrieta, California safe?⌄
Murrieta's violent crime rate was 186 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 860 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Murrieta, California?⌄
Murrieta has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Murrieta, California?⌄
The cost of living in Murrieta is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,388/month and median household income is $114,081/year. The median home value is $639,800. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Murrieta, California?⌄
The average commute in Murrieta is 37 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from