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Norco, California

Norco is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. Located roughly 40 mi inland from the Pacific Ocean, Norco is known as “Horsetown, USA” and prides itself on being a "horse community”. The area is dotted with corrals, farms, hitching posts, ranches, riding trails, and tack-and-feed supply stores; there are also city ordinances in-place requiring new construction to have a "traditional, rustic... Western flavor".

As of the 2020 census, the city population was 26,316, down from 27,063 at the 2010 census.

History
Luiseño Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the area.

The city's name is a portmanteau of "North Corona", named after the North Corona Land Company.

Norco had its "grand opening" on Mother's Day, May 13, 1923, and was later incorporated as a city on December 28, 1964.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.3 sqmi of which 14.0 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi, or 2.22%, is water.

One of the most notable geographical features in Norco, visible from anywhere in the city, are the Santa Ana Mountains.

Vegetation
Norco is rich in native plant species partly because of its diversity of habitats. The most prevalent plant communities are sage scrub, chaparral shrubland, and riparian woodland. Native plants include the California poppy, matilija poppy, toyon, Ceanothus, Chamise, Coast Live Oak, sycamore, willow and Giant Wildrye. (Erythrina caffra) (Strelitzia reginae). Mexican Fan Palms, Canary Island Palms, Queen Palms, Date Palms, and California Fan Palms are common in the Norco area, although only the latter is native. The Biome is the Mediterranean Biome but has many alternate names: The Woodland Biome, The Shrub Biome, or the Chaparral Biome.

Climate
Norco experiences a warm Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: CSa) and has mild to cool winters and hot summers. Most of the rainfall occurs during winter and early spring.

The spring provides pleasant weather with little rain. In early summer, Norco receives overcast weather known as "May Gray" or "June Gloom". Summer is generally hot, with highs averaging above 90 F. During the hottest months, daytime temperatures can exceed 100 F. Thunderstorms are rare but not unheard of in late summer. Fall brings sunny and slightly cooler weather with little rain, but can be windy due to the Santa Ana winds that blow October and November. The winter low temperatures can get cold enough for frost, which is not uncommon in December and January. Winter days are pleasant, with the temperature staying around 65 F and occasionally rising above 70 F.

2010
At the 2010 census Norco had a population of 27,063. The population density was 1,895.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Norco was 20,641 (76.3%) White (56.4% Non-Hispanic White), 1,893 (7.0%) African American, 248 (0.9%) Native American, 844 (3.1%) Asian, 59 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,514 (9.3%) from other races, and 864 (3.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,405 persons (31.1%).

The census reported that 22,666 people (83.8% of the population) lived in households, 75 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4,322 (16.0%) were institutionalized.

There were 7,023 households, 2,831 (40.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,353 (62.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 777 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 453 (6.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 354 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 61 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,030 households (14.7%) were one person and 458 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.23. There were 5,583 families (79.5% of households); the average family size was 3.53.

The age distribution was 5,488 people (20.3%) under the age of 18, 2,798 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 7,854 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 8,303 people (30.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,620 people (9.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 136.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 146.7 males.

There were 7,322 housing units at an average density of 512.8 per square mile, of the occupied units 5,702 (81.2%) were owner-occupied and 1,321 (18.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 18,572 people (68.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,094 people (15.1%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Norco had a median household income of $82,074, with 9.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 24,157 people in 6,136 households, including 4,945 families, in the city. The population density was 1,714.8 PD/sqmi. There were 6,277 housing units at an average density of 445.6 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 82.4% White, 6.1% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.4% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.8%.

Of the 6,136 households 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 13.7% of households were one person and 4.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.2 and the average family size was 3.4.

The age distribution was 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 37.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 128.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 137.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $62,652, and the median family income was $66,204. Males had a median income of $41,599 versus $30,652 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,710. About 3.3% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Major employers
According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Since 2017, Norco has been the location for Circle D Ranch, the housing and training facility for Disneyland's horses, many of which are used to pull the horse-drawn streetcars of the park's Main Street Vehicles attraction. The Circle D Ranch employs 60 people.

Culture
As a horse community, there are few sidewalks in the city of Norco; instead there are horse trails, and riders can ride to town and tie their horses at the many hitching rails and corrals placed close to businesses. Many horse-related associations are a part of the city, including the Norco Horsemen's Association and the Norco Junior Horsemen's Association.

Politics in Norco are also dominated by concerns about horses and animal-keeping versus suburbanization, a battle that has played out over development in the Norco Hills. In that area, which borders eastern Corona and Riverside, an influx of Orange County commuters are buying homes for $500,000 and up that have few provisions for animal-keeping. The original spirit of the town's incorporation was to promote "City living in a rural atmosphere". According to city ordinances, the architecture of Norco "shall reflect a desired Western theme," including qualities "described as rural, informal, traditional, rustic, low-profile and equestrian oriented".

Norco is the home of the Norco Animal Rescue Team.

In 2006, Norco began promoting itself as "Horsetown U.S.A." and received a federal trademark.

The largest event highlighting Norco's community and lifestyle is the annual Norco Fair, run by community volunteers. The Norco Fair runs over Labor Day Weekend, beginning on Thursday evening with the Miss Norco, Horsetown USA Contest and continues until Monday, finishing with a Labor Day Parade down 6th Street. Events included at the Fair are the rodeo, rodeo dance, calf dressing competition, pageants, exhibitions, cowboy poker, wild cow milking, snail races, talent show, pet parade, and "Family Fun Day".

Government
In 2003, Norco became a charter city for the express purpose of protecting and preserving animal-keeping rights. The charter was not extensive; it maintained nearly all aspects of California's General Law provisions, diverging only in three areas: horse trails, lot size, and animal-keeping rights. To change any ordinances in Norco relating to those three topics requires a supermajority (four-fifths) vote of the City Council.

Representation
Federal:
 * In the United States House of Representatives, Norco is in.
 * Democrats Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla represent California in the United States Senate.

State:
 * In the California State Legislature, Norco is in, and in.

Local:
 * In the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, Norco is in the Second District, represented by Karen Spiegel.

Voting history
Norco is staunchly Republican in presidential elections.

Transportation
Interstate 15 bisects Norco, connecting the city to points south such as San Diego and to points north such as Ontario and Las Vegas.

The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA)'s Route 3 provides bus transit from Norco north to Eastvale and south to Corona at the Corona Transit Center, approximately one mile south of the city limits. Rail transportation to Los Angeles and Orange County is provided via the Corona-North Main station on Metrolink's 91/Perris Valley and Inland Empire–Orange County lines, also out of the Corona Transit Center.

Public safety
Norco contracts out for law enforcement services with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department through a regional station on Clark Avenue.

The city of Norco contracts for fire and paramedic services with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE.

In popular culture

 * In the Sons of Anarchy episode "Greensleeves", Nero buys his uncle's ranch in Norco as his retirement destination.

title: Norco, California


text:
Nuevo, California

Nuevo (Spanish for "New") is a rural community located east of Lake Perris and the city of Perris in Riverside County, California. The population of the census-designated place (CDP) is 7,033 according to the 2020 census, up from 6,447 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Nuevo is located at 33.80694°N, -117.12861°W (33.807027, -117.128585).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.5 km$2$), all of it land.

The geography of the area consists of a wide variety of geographical features, including rocky and rolling hills and low-lying valleys. The usually dry San Jacinto River runs along the northern portion of the area.

The natural vegetation consists primarily of Coastal Sage Scrub, though much of this natural vegetation is visibly absent or exists in remnant form within the lowlands of the area where residential and agricultural uses are most prevalent.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Nuevo had a population of 6,447. The population density was 952.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Nuevo was 4,011 (62.2%) White, 113 (1.8%) African American, 91 (1.4%) Native American, 82 (1.3%) Asian, 16 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,810 (28.1%) from other races, and 324 (5.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,514 persons (54.5%).

The Census reported that 6,445 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,795 households, out of which 872 (48.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,178 (65.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 204 (11.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 122 (6.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 101 (5.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 12 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 219 households (12.2%) were made up of individuals, and 80 (4.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.59. There were 1,504 families (83.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.87.

The population was spread out, with 1,935 people (30.0%) under the age of 18, 690 people (10.7%) aged 18 to 24, 1,593 people (24.7%) aged 25 to 44, 1,615 people (25.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 614 people (9.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.

There were 1,963 housing units at an average density of 289.9 /sqmi, of which 1,400 (78.0%) were owner-occupied, and 395 (22.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 4,823 people (74.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,622 people (25.2%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,135 people, 1,302 households, and 1,076 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 764.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,379 housing units at an average density of 254.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 75.6% White, 2.1% African American, 1.0% Native American, 1.3% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 16.9% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.4% of the population.

There were 1,302 households, out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 13.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.2 and the average family size was 3.5.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 32.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $49,129, and the median income for a family was $51,059. Males had a median income of $40,321 versus $26,337 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,897. About 7.3% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Nuevo is in an unincorporated area and falls under the jurisdiction of the 5th District of Riverside County. Being unincorporated, Nuevo has no formal local government such as a mayor, city council, or treasurer - however, it has a Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), made up of residents appointed by the 5th District county supervisor.

In the California State Legislature, Nuevo is in, and.

In the United States House of Representatives, Nuevo is in.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Nuevo, California


text:
Palm Desert, California

Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, about 14 mi east of Palm Springs, 121 mi northeast of San Diego and 122 mi east of Los Angeles. The population was 51,163 at the 2020 census. The city has been one of the state's fastest-growing since 1980, when its population was 11,801.

History
Palm Desert is in the ancestral homeland of the Cahuilla, a division of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Their bird songs and funeral songs share the oral tradition of how they lived on this land for over 10,000 years.

The area was first known as the Old MacDonald Ranch, but the name changed to Palm Village in the 1920s when date palms were planted. Local historians said the main residents of pre-1950 Palm Desert were Cahuilla farmers of the now extinct San Cayetano tribe, but a few members of the Montoya family of Cahuilla/Spanish descent were prominent civic leaders.

The first residential development occurred in 1943 in connection with an Army maintenance camp in the area. That site was later developed into "El Paseo", an upscale shopping district not unlike Rodeo Drive. In 1948, the Palm Desert Corporation began to develop real estate, and in 1951 the area was given its present name.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 27.0 sqmi, of which 26.8 sqmi is land and 0.2 sqmi (0.76%) is water.

The elevation (at City Hall) is 224 ft above sea level. Elevations vary from the lower northern half once covered in sand dunes to the upper slope southern cove (300 - 900 ft) all the way to the ridgeline at 1000 ft. Palm Desert is in the Coachella Valley, the northwestern extension of the Sonoran Desert.

Sun City Palm Desert, California lies on the northern side of Interstate 10 from Palm Desert itself, but is unincorporated and not part of the City of Palm Desert (the original name was Sun City Palm Springs from 1991 to 1996).

Climate
The Coachella Valley's climate is influenced by the surrounding geography. High mountain ranges on three sides and a south-sloping valley floor contribute to its year-round warmth. Its winters are among the warmest in the western U.S. Palm Desert has a hot desert climate: its average annual high temperature is 88 °F and average annual low is 64 °F, but summer highs above 108 °F are common and sometimes exceed 120 °F, while summer night lows often stay above 82 °F. Winters are warm with daytime highs between 70 - 82 °F. Under 3 in of annual precipitation is average, with over 348 days of sunshine per year. The mean annual temperature at 76.0 °F makes Palm Desert one of the warmest places in the country. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Palm Desert was 125 °F on July 6, 1905.

The surrounding mountains create a thermal belt in the southern foothills of Palm Desert, leading to a micro-climate with significantly warmer night-time temperatures during the winter months. The University of California maintains weather stations located in this thermal belt as part of their ecological project in the Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Palm Desert had a population of 48,445. The population density was 1793.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Palm Desert was 39,957 (82.5%) White (70.4% Non-Hispanic White), 875 (1.8%) African American, 249 (0.5%) Native American, 1,647 (3.4%) Asian, 55 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 4,427 (9.1%) from other races, and 1,235 (2.5%) from two or more races. There were 11,038 residents of Hispanic or Latino origin (22.8%).

The Census reported that 48,137 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 98 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 210 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 23,117 households, out of which 4,253 (18.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,253 (44.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,177 (9.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 811 (3.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,227 (5.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 373 (1.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,948 households (34.4%) were made up of individuals, and 4,370 (18.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08. There were 13,241 families (57.3% of all households); the average family size was 2.65.

The population was spread out, with 7,534 people (15.6%) under the age of 18, 3,333 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 8,731 people (18.0%) aged 25 to 44, 12,924 people (26.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 15,923 people (32.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

There were 37,073 housing units at an average density of 1372.4 /sqmi, of which 15,171 (65.6%) were owner-occupied, and 7,946 (34.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 16.8%. 30,667 people (63.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,470 people (36.1%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Palm Desert had a median household income of $53,456, with 9.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
According to the 2000 United States Census of 2000, there were 41,155 people, 19,184 households, and 11,414 families residing in the city. The population density was 1689.1 PD/sqmi. There were 28,021 housing units at an average density of 1150.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.8% White, 1.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.5% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.1% of the population.

There are 19,184 households in Palm Desert, out of which 18.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.7. The demographics of Palm Desert shows a rising population of children and young adults.

The age distribution of the population was 17.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,000 and the median income for a family was $58,183. Males had a median income of $42,257 versus $32,202 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,463. About 5.9% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers
According to the City's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Recreation
Palm Desert is the home of the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, a combination zoo and botanical garden featuring over 500 animals from 150 species over 80 acres. The location also hosts an extensive collection of desert plants with a state-of-the-art animal hospital. Founded in 1970, The Living Desert hosts over 500,000 visitors a year.

Resorts, tennis, and golf clubs

There are around thirty golf courses throughout the city which has a long history with the sport. Palm Desert is home to hundreds of tennis courts, both public and private. Pickleball has also gained popularity throughout the region in the 2010s and 2020s.

The city's first golf course and tennis club was Shadow Mountain in 1952, followed by Marrakesh in 1954, the Palm Desert Greens mobile home park golf course in 1961, and the Palm Desert Country Club in 1962. The latter, located 5 mi east of the original city, was formally annexed in 1992. The total number of golf clubs (more than 30 located within 10 mi from the city) have made Palm Desert known as the "World's Golf Capital."

Desert Willow Golf Resort is the City Of Palm Desert's municipal golf course, and has two championship courses: Mountain View and Firecliff. It is associated with the Westin Desert Willow Resort at the golf course location. The Firecliff course is listed at No. 13 in Golf Magazine's 'Best Courses you can Play' 2010 list for California.

In the late-1970s and 1980s, a spate of private golf clubs, destination resorts and hotels appeared in the northern half of Palm Desert, such as the four-star JW Marriott Desert Springs Golf Resort and Spa in 1987 and the four-star Desert Willow Golf Resort in 2002. The city has over 30 hotels and 5,000 rooms, and lodging and hospitality is a major portion of the local tourist-based economy.

Government
Palm Desert was incorporated as a city in 1973 and designated a charter city in 1997. It operates on a council-manager form of government. Residents of Palm Desert elect five non-partisan council members who serve four-year staggered terms, with elections occurring every two years. Currently the Palm Desert city council is elected through Single transferable voting (proportional ranked-choice voting). The position of mayor is non-elected and rotates annually among the members of the city council. The council serves to pass ordinances, approve budgets, and hire the city manager and city attorney. The city manager oversees administrative operations and the appointment of department heads.

In the California State Legislature, Palm Desert is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Palm Desert is in.

Public safety
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department maintains the Palm Desert station which provides contract police services to the municipalities of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells, as well as the surrounding unincorporated areas.

The city of Palm Desert contracts for fire and paramedic services with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE. Palm Desert currently has three fire stations, which are Station 33 (Town Center), Station 67 (Mesa View), and Station 71 (North Palm Desert). Each fire station provides an engine company and a paramedic ambulance. Fire station 33 also has a truck company.

Education

Palm Desert is the site for the main campus of College of the Desert, a community college, which has expanded greatly in size since the campus opened in 1962. One of the buildings was built by donations from the local Cahuilla Indian tribal nations. The University of California, Riverside also has an extension learning center in the city.

California State University, San Bernardino first opened its Palm Desert campus in 1986, followed by its own stand-alone, 169 acre campus located on Cook Street in 2002. The Palm Desert Campus is a complete university with over 40 undergraduate, graduate, doctorate, and credential programs offered as the only full-service public school of higher education in the Coachella Valley.

The primary high school is Palm Desert High School (with 2200 students) which is part of the Desert Sands Unified School District. The main Middle School (with 1100 students) is Palm Desert Middle School, a charter school. The four elementary schools in the city are: George Washington Charter, Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. The northernmost part of Palm Desert is served by the Palm Springs Unified School District, so the students can attend Rancho Mirage High School in Rancho Mirage, or Nellie Coffman Middle School and Cathedral City High School in Cathedral City, California. Some students in the eastside are zoned to La Quinta High School and Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School.

The Riverside County Department of Education operates San Cayetano Community School, a grade 1 to 12 educational facility. Palm Desert has 8 private schools in the immediate area: Desert Adventist Academy, Palm Desert Presbyterian School, Sacred Heart Catholic Academy, The Palm Valley School, the Learning Tree Academy, Xavier College Preparatory High School (Catholic-Jesuit), the Hope Academy, and the Desert Torah Academy, a Jewish community school and its social recreational Jewish Community Center. It also has meetings by the Jewish Federation of the Desert based in Palm Springs, serving an estimated 35,000 Jewish people in the Coachella Valley.

Utilities
Electricity in Palm Desert is served by Southern California Edison.

Transportation
Modern transportation services include:
 * Palm Springs International Airport serves Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.
 * Historical note: during World War II it was operated as the Palm Springs Army Airfield.
 * SunLine Transit Agency provides bus service in the Coachella Valley.

Highways include:
 * – Interstate 10 runs north of the city.
 * – The Pines to Palms Scenic Byway (California State Route 74) runs from the coast, over the San Jacinto Mountains and has its eastern terminus at Highway 111 in Palm Desert before continuing northbound as Monterey Avenue.
 * – California State Route 111, which passes through the city.

Parks
Palm Desert has 14 city parks:

 * Cahuilla Hills Park
 * Cap Homme/ Ralph Adams Park
 * Civic Center Park
 * Community Gardens
 * Freedom Park
 * Hovley Soccer Park
 * Ironwood Park
 * Joe Mann Park
 * Magnesia Falls City Park
 * Palm Desert Dog Park
 * Palma Village Park
 * University Dog Park
 * University Park East
 * Washington Charter School Park

South of Palm Desert is the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and north of Palm Desert is the Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Cemeteries
The Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City is maintained by the Palm Springs Cemetery District. Also in Cathedral City is the Forest Lawn Cemetery, maintained by Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries.

Culture

 * Desert ARC Italian Festival
 * Greek Festival
 * Armenian Festival
 * CanadaFest
 * Scottish Festival

Attractions

 * Palm Desert
 * College of the Desert
 * Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center, a unit of the University of California Natural Reserve System
 * Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
 * McCallum Theatre
 * Circle of Land and Sky temporary art installation by Phillip K. Smith III, part of the inaugural Desert X
 * Surrounding communities
 * Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage.
 * Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells.

Notable people
Many celebrities keep homes in Palm Desert, including Rita Rudner and more recently, the current home of professional golfer Michelle Wie and one of the homes of Bill Gates. Legendary actress Anne Francis resided in a condominium until July 2000. Film producer Jerry Weintraub called it his second home before he died. Artist Phillip K. Smith III calls Palm Desert home and his studio is in Palm Desert.

The city is home to the Palm Desert Scene, a musical genre that has been heavily influential internationally since the early 1990s. Many of the Palm Desert bands are credited for starting the rock/metal subgenre known as stoner rock. Bands including Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Fu Manchu and Eagles of Death Metal have become well known rock bands.

Sister cities
Palm Desert had been in the sister cities program, as designated by Sister Cities International. Six to nine cities that are or were associated with Palm Desert:
 * Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
 * Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
 * Haifa, Israel
 * La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
 * Gisborne, New Zealand
 * Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
 * Port Elizabeth, South Africa
 * Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico

Palm Desert has a community exchange program with
 * Ketchikan, Alaska, U.S.

Also a community exchange relationship with the major city of Concepcion, Chile.

title: Palm Desert, California


text:
Pedley, California

Pedley was a census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 12,672 at the 2010 census, up from 11,207 at the 2000 census. On July 1, 2011, the CDP became part of the City of Jurupa Valley.

History
Pedley took its name from William Pedley, a former English cricketer who became manager of the San Jacinto Land Company at Riverside, California. He was the designer, builder, and engineer of the irrigation system that was installed there. The settlement was named in 1903 or 1904 when the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad (SP&LASL), which is now the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR), installed a switch and a railroad station at the location. The concrete viaduct train bridge that crosses the Santa Ana River was at one time the longest concrete railroad bridge in the United States. On the northern edge of Pedley at Jurupa Ave C/O Van Buren is the Bly Wye. The wye serves as a juncture to the Crestmore Cement Mill and was once the connection to the Pacific Electric to downtown Riverside and Rialto. The Bly Wye also led to the rock quarry at the end of Jurupa Ave. The rock quarry provided rock for San Pedro Harbor and the rock jetties.

Incorporation into the City of Jurupa Valley
On March 8, 2011, voters passed Measure A by a 54.03% YES vote, incorporating the areas of Mira Loma, Pedley, Rubidoux, Glen Avon, and Sunnyslope into a new city, Jurupa Valley. The effective date of incorporation was July 1, 2011.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Pedley had a population of 12,672. The population density was 2,477.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Pedley was 7,509 (59.3%) White, 381 (3.0%) African American, 119 (0.9%) Native American, 554 (4.4%) Asian, 48 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 3,520 (27.8%) from other races, and 541 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,773 persons (53.4%).

The Census reported that 12,502 people (98.7% of the population) lived in households, 17 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 153 (1.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,451 households, out of which 1,615 (46.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,106 (61.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 438 (12.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 260 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 236 (6.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 27 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 460 households (13.3%) were made up of individuals, and 201 (5.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62. There were 2,804 families (81.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.89.

The population was spread out, with 3,511 people (27.7%) under the age of 18, 1,450 people (11.4%) aged 18 to 24, 3,268 people (25.8%) aged 25 to 44, 3,171 people (25.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,272 people (10.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

There were 3,663 housing units at an average density of 716.0 /sqmi, of which 2,609 (75.6%) were owner-occupied, and 842 (24.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%. 9,229 people (72.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,273 people (25.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,207 people, 3,180 households, and 2,636 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,204.7 PD/sqmi. There were 3,289 housing units at an average density of 647.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 66.9% White, 4.6% African American, 0.9% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 18.4% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.3% of the population.

There were 3,180 households, out of which 47.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.5 and the average family size was 3.8.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 33.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,567, and the median income for a family was $63,239. Males had a median income of $40,227 versus $26,508 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,623. About 4.7% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Emergency services
The Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE provides fire and paramedic services to Pedley.

In Law enforcement, Pedley and the entire Jurupa Valley (i.e. Mira Loma and Glen Avon) is served by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department office based in Rubidoux.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Pedley is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Pedley is in.

title: Pedley, California


text:
Perris, California

Perris is an old railway city in Riverside County, California, United States, located 71 mi east-southeast of Los Angeles and 81 mi north of San Diego. It is known for Lake Perris, an artificial lake, skydiving, Southern California Railway Museum, and its sunny dry climate. Perris is within the Inland Empire metropolitan area of Southern California. Perris had a population of 78,700 as of the 2020 census.

History
Native Americans inhabited the hills. Things changed when Spanish and Mexican miners entered the area.

The coming of the California Southern Railroad led to the founding of the city around the new depot, on the rail connection between the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. The Perris Depot is included in the Library of Congress’ Historic American Buildings Survey. Due to a land title dispute at Pinacate, most of its citizens moved two miles north on the railroad and established Perris in 1885. The city is named in honor of Fred T. Perris, chief engineer of the California Southern Railroad. The city of Perris was incorporated in 1911. It originally was within San Diego County but, in 1892, it was transferred to the newly established Riverside County.

In 2005, the National Archives and Records Administration opened the National Archives at Riverside, which is its regional branch for federal documents relating to the Pacific Region (Arizona, southern California, and Clark County, Nevada) in Perris.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.68 sqmi, of which, 31.57 sqmi of it is land and 0.11 sqmi of it (0.35%) is water.

Climate
Perris has a Mediterranean climate, with long, hot summers and short, mild winters. The climate in this area is described by the Köppen Climate Classification System as "dry-summer subtropical" often referred to as "Mediterranean" and abbreviated as Csa.

2010
At the 2010 census Perris had a population of 68,386. The population density was 2,170.7 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Perris was 28,937 (42.3%) White (11.0% Non-Hispanic White), 8,307 (12.1%) African American, 589 (0.9%) Native American, 2,461 (3.6%) Asian, 286 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 24,345 (35.6%) from other races, and 3,461 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49,079 persons (71.8%).

The census reported that 68,146 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 140 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 100 (0.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 16,365 households: 10,836 (66.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them; 9,778 (59.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together; 3,128 (19.1%) had a female householder with no husband present; 1,441 (8.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,314 (8.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 120 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,442 households (8.8%) were one person and 383 (2.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.16. There were 14,347 families (87.7% of households); the average family size was 4.32.

The age distribution was 25,288 people (37.0%) under the age of 18, 7,951 people (11.6%) aged 18 to 24, 20,088 people (29.4%) aged 25 to 44, 11,711 people (17.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,348 people (4.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 25.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

There were 17,906 housing units at an average density of 568.4 per square mile, of the occupied units 10,854 (66.3%) were owner-occupied and 5,511 (33.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 44,695 people (65.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 23,451 people (34.3%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Perris had a median household income of $46,435, with 28.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census, there were 36,189 people in 9,652 households, including 8,117 families, in the city. The population density was 1,153.5 PD/sqmi. There were 10,553 housing units at an average density of 336.4 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was predominately Hispanic, with figures as follows: 22% White, 30.9% African American, 1.5% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 32.6% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 76.2% of the population.

The median household income was $35,522, and the median family income was $36,063. Males had a median income of $31,891 versus $24,634 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,425. About 18.1% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

Of the 9,652 households 56.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.9% were non-families. 12.2% of households were one person and 4.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.7 and the average family size was 4.0.

The age distribution was 39.6% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 13.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% 65 or older. The median age was 25 years. Perris' large, youthful demographics are a result of families moving into the city's new housing tracts. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

Top employers
According to Perris's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture
The Southern California Railway Museum is the largest operating museum of its kind on the West Coast of the United States. The Southern California Fair has been held at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds since 1987.

The Farmer Boys restaurant chain, which has many locations throughout the Inland Empire, was started in Perris in 1981.

Rock Castle house is set on a hill above town.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Perris is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Perris is in.

Education

The city is served by three school districts: the Perris Elementary School District, the Perris Union High School District (which also serves Menifee), and the Val Verde Unified School District, which also serves the southern part of Moreno Valley. Perris High School of the Perris district is the city's first public (grades 9–12) school. Established in 1887, the school was relocated in 1961, and the school's western annex on I-215 and Nuevo Road became a Continuation High School in 1993. Now, there are more high schools in the area, including Citrus Hill and Orange Vista of the Val Verde district.

Middle schools include Pinacate, Lakeside, Perris and Tomas Rivera. There are ten elementary (grades K–6) schools.

Aviation
The nearby, privately owned, Perris Valley Airport (FAA designator: L65) has a 5100 ft runway. Perris has drawn a crowd of skydivers, amateur and professional, to Perris Valley Skydiving. The area's sudden fame gave Perris the nickname: "the skydiving capital of America". On April 22, 1992, a de Havilland Twin Otter crashed during takeoff at Perris Valley after an engine lost power. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the accident was caused by contaminated fuel obtained from the improper handling of the airfield's fuel tanks and the pilot's improper actions after the power loss, as well as other factors. The aircraft never rose above 50 feet and 14 parachutists and the two pilots were killed.

Highways
Perris is served by Interstate 215 which runs from Murrieta to the south to San Bernardino to the north, and by State Route 74, which serves Lake Elsinore and Orange County to the west, and the San Jacinto and Coachella valleys to the east.

Public safety
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department provides police services to the entire Perris Valley area (including the nearby communities of Mead Valley and Glen Valley, and the cities of Canyon Lake and Menifee) from its regional station on 4th Street (in the former headquarters of the now-disbanded Perris Police Department).

The city of Perris contracts for fire and paramedic services with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE. The CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department headquarters is located in Perris.

The California State Parks have a dispatch center located in the city as well – Southern Communications Center (SURCOM). Communications Centers operate multi-frequency/channel radio systems, law enforcement telecommunications systems (CLETS), computer terminals, and associated equipment to dispatch law enforcement/emergency response units and coordinate services with field personnel and other agencies.

Commuter Rail
In June 2016, the 91/Perris Valley Line of the Metrolink commuter rail system was extended from Riverside to Perris, connecting it to downtown Los Angeles and the rest of the Greater Los Angeles megalopolis with two stations. Future expansion to Hemet has also been discussed.

Cemetery
The Perris Valley Cemetery District maintains the Perris Valley Cemetery.

Notable people

 * Louis B. Mayer – Hollywood film mogul, owned a horse ranch in Perris
 * Alfred E. Green – film director, born in Perris
 * Danny Harris – former Olympic hurdler, silver medalist in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and the 1987 World Championships in Rome. Grew up in Perris and alumnus of Perris High School.
 * Elmer Rieger – baseball player
 * Abraham Placito – soccer player

title: Perris, California


text:
Quail Valley, Menifee, California

Quail Valley is a former census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States. On October 1, 2008, the community along with the neighboring communities of Sun City and Menifee incorporated as the City of Menifee.

The population when it was a CDP was 1,639 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Quail Valley is located at 33.7066°N, -117.24609°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.2 km2), all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,639 people, 484 households, and 369 families residing when it was a CDP. The population density was 1,307.6 PD/sqmi. There were 539 housing units at an average density of 430.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.6% White, 1.0% African American, 2.1% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 21.6% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.1% of the population.

There were 484 households, out of which 49.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.39 and the average family size was 3.86.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 37.3% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,344, and the median income for a family was $35,441. Males had a median income of $30,750 versus $16,548 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $9,751. About 18.4% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 25.8% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
In the state legislature Quail Valley is located in the 37th Senate District, represented by Republican Bill Emmerson, and in the 64th Assembly District, represented by Republican John J. Benoit. Federally, Quail Valley is located in California's 49th congressional district, which is represented by Republican Darrell Issa.

title: Quail Valley, Menifee, California


text:
Rancho Mirage, California

Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is a low-density desert-resort community with resorts, golf courses, and country clubs within the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert. Nestled along the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains in the south, it is located several minutes east of Palm Springs. The city is adjacent to Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and unincorporated Thousand Palms. The population was 16,999 at the 2020 census, down from 17,218 at the 2010 census, though the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. Incorporated in 1973, Rancho Mirage is one of the nine cities of the Coachella Valley.

Rancho Mirage is home to a number of celebrities past and present, including Don Sutton, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Billie Dove and Gerald and Betty Ford. The city has been nicknamed "Playground of the Presidents" and "Golf Capital of the World." The city has hosted and currently hosts a variety of golf and tennis tournaments, including the Ryder Cup, Desert Classic (PGA Tour), Davis Cup, and the LPGA Tour (Chevron Championship).

History
Native Americans came to the area 2,000 years ago. The local tribe in Rancho Mirage is the Agua Caliente Indian tribe of Cahuilla Indians. The tribe was almost annihilated by smallpox in 1862–63 but survived, today establishing a resort and casino within the modern city limits. An ancient Native-American trade route, the Halchidhoma trade route, follows the water holes and water springs along the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. This trail is now partially California State Route 111 in Rancho Mirage. The trade route originally reached from the Pacific Ocean in the west to central Arizona, and was used for centuries for trading, food, and for religious purposes. About 1,000 years ago, the local Cahuilla tribes were introduced to pottery from Native American tribes by the Colorado River. The Spaniards also knew of the Coco-Mariposa Trail in the 1820s when they would send letters by Cahuilla runners along the trail to the mission in Tucson, Arizona. The natural environment in Rancho Mirage has supplied the Cahuilla people with various water sources. Although rare in such arid desert environments, the Cahuilla had access to Magnesia Spring in Magnesia Spring Canyon, which is 1.5 miles from Whitewater River. In addition, a variety of natural springs are situated along the San Andreas Fault line near Indio Hills.

Throughout the 1920s, the area was open desert dotted with date and grape ranches. In 1928, 160 acre here were purchased by the Southland Land and Realty Company. Access was planned by camel on roads given North-African names, including Tunis Road, Tangier Road, and Sahara Road. The 1929 Depression put an end to the plans. A few years later, a Los Angeles realtor, Lawrence Macomber, purchased hundreds of acres here. Along with Don Cameron, the two began offering property here advertised as “fifteen minutes from Palm Springs, CA.” They were able to attract actor Frank Morgan, among others, until the onset of World War II brought development to an end once again. In 1944, hundreds of acres were bought by Major A. Ronald Button. He described it as “the most wind free area I could find in the desert.” Two years later, in 1946, Henry L. Gogerty established an airstrip here and later launched the Desert Air Hotel and Airpark.

The Annenberg Estate or 'Sunnylands', owned by philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg, was popular with the wealthy and powerful, including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Patrick Macnee, Zeppo Marx and Mary Martin. Several U.S. Presidents vacationed at the Annenberg estate, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and Barack Obama. President Ford later purchased a house in Rancho Mirage and was living there at the time of his death in 2006. The Betty Ford Center, an addiction rehabilitation center, is located in Rancho Mirage at the Eisenhower Medical Center. President Obama also used Sunnylands for summit meetings with world leaders during his administration.

Some of the first places of accommodation to be established were the White Sun Guest Ranch and Wonder Palms Ranch, and later Desert Air Hotel and Thunderbird Ranch in the 1940s. The 320-acre Desert Air Hotel was purchased by the Rancho Las Palmas Country Club in the 1970s. Rancho Las Palmas has Spanish architecture consisting of wood walls, Saltillo tiles, and high ceilings. The resort, which is the city's third-largest employer, is located on a 249-acre property in the center of Rancho Mirage, across Bob Hope Drive from The River, an outdoor shopping center. It has a 27-hole golf course.

Thunderbird Ranch, which opened in 1946, was purchased by Johnny Dawson, who established Coachella Valley’s first 18-hole golf course. Thunderbird Country Club was established in 1950, and the golf cart or electric golf cart is rumored to have been invented at Thunderbird. Ford Thunderbird is also named for the country club. Tamarisk Country Club soon followed in the 1950s, and later an array of country clubs were established in the city: Desert Island Golf and Country Club in 1971, Sunrise Country Club in 1974, Mission Hills Country Club in 1979, the Club at Morningside (1982), Rancho Mirage Country Club (1985), and Westin Mission Hills Resort and Spa (1987). Rancho Mirage was incorporated in 1973 from a merger of five unincorporated areas known as the "Cove communities" (Rancho Mirage, Desert, Palmas, Tamarisk, and Thunderbird), and had 3,000 permanent residents at the time.

In 2001, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians established the Agua Caliente Casino on the intersection of Bob Hope Drive and Ramon Road off Interstate 10. It was the second casino to be built in the Coachella Valley. The casino is a popular destination for locals, tourists, and gambling enthusiasts. In 2008 the tribal board completed the expansion of the Agua Caliente resort, which includes a 16-story hotel and spa, as well as remodeling the casino and expanding the parking structures. A theater for top-name entertainers opened in 2009. Though the Agua Caliente Resort and Casino was just outside the border of Rancho Mirage in an unincorporated area, the City of Rancho Mirage included the property as part of the city in an agreement with the tribe so they would have access to police and firefighting services.

Rancho Mirage has expanded its economy from one based on seasonal, resort-based golfing and rentals, to include light industry and commerce near the I-10 and high-end retail centers like The River shopping complex on Highway 111 and Bob Hope Drive.

A new residential development for senior citizens by Pulte Homes, Inc., known as Del Webb Rancho Mirage, will open in the year 2020. It is the third local development by the company after Sun City Palm Desert and Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio.

In March 2021, it was announced that Rancho Mirage would be the site of first US neighborhood composed completely of 3D-printed, zero net energy homes. The project is a joint effort from companies Palari and Mighty Buildings. It will comprise 15 homes, and are expected to be completed by 2022.

In February 2022, The Walt Disney Company announced that Rancho Mirage will be the location of its first Storyliving by Disney community. Named Cotino, the community will be developed in collaboration with DMB Development of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Etymology
The name is both Spanish ("Rancho") and French ("Mirage"). One story of the name's origin relates to a woman of the name Ruth Wheeler who visited Magnesia Falls Canyon and named the ranch she saw in a distance a mirage. The area adopted the name Rancho Mirage in 1934. The City of Rancho Mirage was incorporated under the same name on August 3, 1973.

Presidential history

Rancho Mirage has been nicknamed the "Playground of the Presidents" due to its extensive history of U.S. presidents residing in and visiting the city. For example, President Harry Truman regularly visited the Tamarisk Country Club, while President Dwight D. Eisenhower lived nearby. President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford were residents of Rancho Mirage for thirty years. The Fords moved to Thunderbird Country Club after leaving office.

Walter and Leonore Annenberg's estate, Sunnylands, became known as the western White House during the Richard Nixon administration in the 1960s. At the time, the estate also became the biggest single-family home in the county. President Dwight D. Eisenhower also stayed here and President Richard Nixon wrote the last State of the Union here. President Ronald Reagan was also a regular visitor at Sunnylands and Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have all been visitors here. While President George H. W. Bush had an official summit here with Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu in 1990, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain visited in 1980. President Barack Obama spent two days here in 2013 where he visited with President Xi Jinping of China. President Obama then became the eighth U.S. president to having visited Sunnylands. President Ronald Reagan attended eighteen New Year's Eve celebrations in Rancho Mirage, including every year during the Reagan Administration.

President George H. W. Bush played golf with Bill Clinton in Rancho Mirage throughout the 1990s. President Richard Nixon went to Rancho Mirage a month prior to announcing his resignation from office. Nixon signed the Sunnylands’ guestbook on the day he was issued a full pardon from President Ford. Thunderbird Country Club has hosted presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Barack Obama visited the country club on Presidents Day in 2020. President Obama hosted three world summits in Rancho Mirage during his presidency. He hosted the first-ever U.S. summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Rancho Mirage on February 15–16, 2016. He also hosted King Abdullah II of Jordan here in 2014.

President Donald Trump visited a fundraising event at Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage in February 2020.

President Gerald Ford died in 2006 at his home in Rancho Mirage. First Lady Betty Ford died on July 8, 2011, in Rancho Mirage.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.8 sqmi, of which 24.4 sqmi is land and 0.4 sqmi, or 1.57%, is water, including the 10-story Desert Island Hotel-Golf Resort built on an island surrounded by a 25-acre artificial lake.

Whitewater River (Agua Blanco), a perennial stream, flows through the city in a southeasterly direction before discharging into the Salton Sea. Another creek, the Magnesia Spring Creek, is located in Magnesia Spring Canyon where the 40 ft. tall waterfall Magnesia Falls also is found. A flood along Magnesia Spring Creek's alluvial fan in 1979 led to one death and $7 million in damages. Concrete-lined spillways have since been installed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Earthquakes are also somewhat common, and on July 8, 1986, an earthquake led to the destruction of 20 buildings and homes, along with big damages to roads and other structures.

A number of street names are named for celebrities, entertainers, and presidents who resided in the city, including Gerald Ford Drive, Ginger Rogers Road, Frank Sinatra Drive (formerly Wonder Palms Road), Bob Hope Drive (formerly Rio del Sol), Kaye Ballard Lane, Danny Kaye Road, Dinah Shore Drive, Dean Martin Drive, and Bing Crosby Drive. Bing Crosby established the Blue Skies Village Mobile Home Park in 1953 and named its streets after celebrities such as Burns and Allen, Jack Benny, Greer Garson, Claudette Colbert, and Barbara Stanwyck.

A stretch of California State Route 111 in Rancho Mirage has earned the moniker "Restaurant Row" as there are over thirty eateries located between Bob Hope Drive and Frank Sinatra Drive. A number of these are located at the River at Rancho Mirage, a 30-acre outdoor shopping center. The area surrounding The River is also known as Downtown Rancho Mirage. On a per-capita basis, the city is home to one eatery for every 240 residents, making it the city in the Coachella Valley with the most restaurants per capita.

Flora
The native flora is characterized by cacti and shrubs. Creosote bush, Bur sage, Palo verde, Desert willow, Cat's claw, Mesquite, Screwbean, and Brittle bush are some naturally occurring plant species. The California fan palm, which is the only palm tree native to the region, is found in areas of freshwater sources, including by Magnesia Spring Creek and Whitewater River.

Over 1,000 wild plant species are found in the Coachella Valley. Besides desert flowers, cacti, and palm trees, there are ephemeral flowers, ferns, vines, and shrubs. The vast majority of these species are able to live through extended periods of non to little precipitation, including local cacti species as the California barrel cactus, which is the biggest of the 20 native species of cacti in the Coachella Valley. Several of the local desert species are edible, including cactus fruits from the Beaver tail cactus, California barrel cactus, and the Prickly pear cacti. Fruits and flowers from several Yucca species are also edible, as well as the seed pods and blossoms of the Mesquite. Some local species are poisonous, including Jimsonweed and Locoweed. Springs and streams are home to species such as the California fan palm, which is North America's largest palm species, along with other common tree species in oasis environments such as the Willow, Fremont's cottonwood, California sycamore, Honey-pod mesquite, and White alder. Other species include the Smoke tree, Palo verde, Ironwood, Desert willow, Stream orchid, Creosote bush, Burrobush, Brittlebush, Sand verbena, Desert primrose, and Desert sunflower.

Fauna
The fauna consists of over 20 species of mammals. Some native carnivores include the Gray fox, Coyote, Ringtail cat, Bobcat, and the Desert Kit Fox. Other species include the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Bell's Vireo, Prairie Falcon, and the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. Another notable species of wildlife is the endemic Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard. The Sonoran Desert has eleven species of rattlesnakes - more than anywhere else in the world. Other notable species include the Gila monster, Chuckwalla, Horned lizard, Desert iguana, Vulture, Desert tortoise, Scorpion, and Javelina. Black bears are rare, however, they inhabit the surrounding mountains and have been sighted on numerous occasions. Four species of Scorpion are found in the Coachella Valley, none of which are considered dangerous to humans. The most common species is the Dune scorpion or Desert sand scorpion (Paruroctonus mesaensis) but the valley is also home to the Giant hairy scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis), which is the largest species of scorpion in the United States.

Rancho Mirage has adopted the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep as its "community icon" and its official city symbol. The city has also adopted a bighorn ram as its official city logo. The Peninsular Bighorn Sheep has been on the U.S. federal list of endangered species since 1998 (or 2004). In 2002, the city invested $1.2 million in constructing a 3.5-mile fence to separate the rams from civilization. The 8-ft. mesh fence was installed between the California State Route 111 and the peaks of the Santa Rosa Mountains. When the city was incorporated in 1973, 1,200 sheep lived in the Peninsular Ranges which consist of the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains. By 1995, the number of sheep was 276 but reached 400 in 2002.

The fauna consists of species adapted to desert, temperature extremes, and to lack of moisture. 450 vertebrate species have been recorded in the Coachella Valley including 347 species of birds, 58 species of mammals, 40 species of reptiles, and eight species of amphibians. The largest native mammal, the Bighorn sheep, can reach 200 pounds in weight. Large predators include the Bobcat, Mountain lion, Kit fox, Ring-tailed cat, Coyote, and Gray fox. Some other species include the Antelope ground squirrel, Roadrunners, Side-blotched lizard, and several species of scorpions, centipedes, and rattlesnakes. Some bird species, including the White-crowned sparrow and Ruby-crowned kinglet, spend winters in the Coachella Valley before flying to colder climates during the hot summer months. The Coachella Valley is home to four endangered or threatened species, including the Desert pupfish, Desert tortoise, Desert slender salamander, and the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard. Threatened or endangered species in Rancho Mirage include the Peninsular Bighorn sheep, Fringe-toed lizard, Desert tortoise, Southwestern willow flycatcher, Desert slender salamander, Peregrine falcon, and Least Bell's vireo.

Climate
Rancho Mirage's climate is a hot desert climate, with hot and dry summers, often with temperatures reaching 120 F. Winters are short and mild, with chances of night frost occurring only in December and January. Annual precipitation ranges between 3.5-5.5 in and is often the result of winter rainstorms. Rancho Mirage is one of nine cities situated in the Coachella Valley, a 55 mi valley that is an extension of the Sonoran Desert to the southeast. It is located in the Colorado Desert, a name used for the California section of the Sonoran Desert. Climatically, Rancho Mirage is dominated by hot temperatures and perception that averages less than ten inches a year. Even in the coldest month, January, temperatures below 40 F are rare.

The climate of the Coachella Valley is influenced by the surrounding geography. High mountain ranges on three sides and a south-sloping valley floor all contribute to its unique and year-round warm climate, with the warmest winters in the western United States. Rancho Mirage has an arid climate; its average annual high temperature is 87 °F and average annual low is 63 °F but summer highs above 108 °F are common and sometimes exceed 120 °F, while summer night lows often stay above 82 °F. Winters are warm with daytime highs between 73 - 84 °F. Under 5 in of annual precipitation are average, with over 350 days of sunshine per year.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Rancho Mirage had a population of 17,218. The population density was 693.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Rancho Mirage was 15,267 (88.7%) White (81.7% Non-Hispanic White), 256 (1.5%) African American, 94 (0.5%) Native American, 651 (3.8%) Asian, 14 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 598 (3.5%) from other races, and 338 (2.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,964 persons (11.4%).

The census reported that 17,154 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 16 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 48 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

There were 8,829 households, 1,031 (11.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,159 (47.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 453 (5.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 213 (2.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 316 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 454 (5.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,055 households (34.6%) were one person and 1,961 (22.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.94. There were 4,825 families (54.6% of households); the average family size was 2.46.

The age distribution was 1,828 people (10.6%) under the age of 18, 508 people (3.0%) aged 18 to 24, 1,885 people (10.9%) aged 25 to 44, 5,415 people (31.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,582 people (44.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 62.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.

There were 14,243 housing units at an average density of 573.5 per square mile; of the occupied units 7,089 (80.3%) were owner-occupied and 1,740 (19.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 17.2%. 13,845 people (80.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,309 people (19.2%) lived in rental housing units.

Between 2009 and 2013, Rancho Mirage had a median household income of $77,526, with 13.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,249 people in 6,813 households, including 4,074 families, in the city. The population density was 544.9 PD/sqmi. There were 11,816 housing units at an average density of 486.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.7% White, 0.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of the population.

Of the 6,813 households 10.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 32.3% of households were one person and 19.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.9 and the average family size was 2.4.

The age distribution was 10.3% under the age of 18, 2.7% from 18 to 24, 14.0% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 43.0% 65 or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males. Rancho Mirage owes its legacy to being a retirement haven for senior citizens since the 1950s. The notion of building a new airport 30 minutes away (the Desert Cities Regional Airport in Coachella) from Rancho Mirage is still under debate.

The median household income was $59,826 and the median family income was $78,384. Males had a median income of $50,027 versus $36,529 for females. The per capita income for the city was $58,603. About 4.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The Rancho Mirage City Council has adopted a $28.8 million budget for fiscal year 2021–22. Sales and hotel taxes are the two biggest sources of revenue for the city, making up 51 percent of Rancho Mirage's annual revenue. Transient occupancy taxes (TOT) provides 31 percent of the revenue, while sales taxes, Rancho Mirage's second-biggest revenue source, make up nearly 20 percent of city revenue. About 43 percent of city expenditures are allocated to public safety, the city's biggest annual expense. Most of this expense is allocated to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The River at Rancho Mirage is an outdoor venue for entertainment, dining, and shopping. It is home to a variety of shops, restaurants, an amphitheater, a gallery, and a multiscreen movie theater. The surrounding area has been named Downtown Rancho Mirage.

Top employers
According to Rancho Mirage Economic Development, 10,000 people are employed by 1,700 different business organizations. According to Rancho Mirage's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

Notable hotels and resorts include The Ritz-Carlton, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa, The Omni Las Palmas, Hilton Garden Inn, and the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage (formerly The Lodge at Rancho Mirage) is a five-star resort situated at a secluded location in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. This luxury resort has 244 rooms, a 25,000 sqft spa, and three swimming pools. It is situated on 24 acre of land on a 650 ft plateau in the Santa Rosa Mountains.

The Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa has over 1,000 slot machines and video games, 49 gaming tables, and regular live entertainment. There are also several bars, pools, lounges, a 1,000-seat showroom, and six restaurants at the casino resort. It is a $205 million casino resort with 340 rooms and sixteen stories.

The now public 18-hole golf course at Desert Island Golf & Country Club, which was formerly known as The S at Rancho Mirage and Sinatra Resort & Country Club, was designed by British-American golfer Desmond Muirhead. Located on 160 acre, the country club has 226 units and three separate condo buildings. A seven-story building is located on an island in the club's 25 acre artificial lake. It is located across Frank Sinatra Dr. from Sunnylands.

Arts and culture

The annual two-day Rancho Mirage Art Affaire is held in Rancho Mirage Community Park (formerly Whitewater Park) and is a fine art and jazz festival held every November. It is an annual weekend celebration with entertainment, food vendors, and art. The Art Affaire features about 100 arts and crafts exhibits but also food, jazz entertainment, wine tasting, and more. It is Rancho Mirage's biggest community event and attracts 10,000 annual visitors.

The Rancho Mirage Amphitheater, which is located in Rancho Mirage Community Park, was established in 2016 and offers free concerts throughout the year. It plays host to the free annual outdoor concert series "Music in the Park." The amphitheater has seating for up to 1,000 spectators. Former entertainers at the venue have included Blue Öyster Cult, Rodney Atkins, Thompson Square, Pam Tillis, Pablo Cruise, Thelma Houston, Roberta Gambarini, Maxine Nightingale, Diane Schuur, and Mickey Thomas.

The Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert has interactive exhibits and programs focused on the local natural environment. The museum features instructive exhibits, picnic areas, an outdoor amphitheater, miniature rock-climbing areas, a sculpture wall, a rope maze, and more. There is also an archeological dig where children can search for Cahuilla artifacts.

The Rancho Mirage Library features 62,000 volumes and regularly hosts musical events, exhibits, and various programs. The library hosts the annual International Classical Concert Series along with a number of other musical performances. Public events at the library also include exhibits, movie screenings, book discussions, lectures, family outings, and more. It has been named one of the best libraries in California.

The botanical gardens at Sunnylands Center and Gardens feature over 53,000 plants in its 9 acre of desert gardens. The desert botanical gardens opened to the public in 2012 and have a 1.25 mi walking path with 70 species of arid plants surrounded by views of Mount San Jacinto. Guided tours are offered at the historic landmark, which is situated at the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains. The botanical gardens were designed by architect James Burnett using Vincent van Gogh’s artwork series Olive Trees as his inspiration. The gardens feature rows of Golden barrel cactus, Moroccan mound cactus, Artichoke agave, and species such as Pink hesperaloe, Spanish bayonet, and Palo verde.

Architecture
The 1957 Kenaston House was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2016 due to its local architectural significance. Architect E. Stewart Williams designed its distinctive mid-century modern design and U-shaped form. It has cantilevered rooflines, open floor plans, walnut walls, and an exterior of corrugated aluminum and natural rock. The house has been featured in magazines such as W and Elle, and photoshoots for celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Madonna, James Blunt, and Coldplay have taken place at the Kenaston House. The house has four bedrooms, three baths, fifty palm trees, and a six-car garage. It was built for local resident Roderick W. Kenaston.

Another structure known for its mid-century modern architecture, the 1962 Samuel and Luella Maslon House designed by architect Richard Neutra, was demolished in 2002.

As of 2021, there are 72 structures listed on the Rancho Mirage Register of Historic Places, including celebrity homes previously owned by Kaye Ballard, Red Skelton, and Gummo Marx. The houses are designed by notable architects such as E. Stewart Williams, William Cody, Wallace Neff, Hugh M. Kaptur, and Archibald Quincy Jones. The city's oldest house, the 1934 Casa Chiquita (Ranchito Chiquito) was the first structure added to the register when designated a historic site on June 1, 2003. The 850 sq. ft. house, which was constructed by the Les and M.C. Clancy brothers, was located on the corner of Rancho Palmeras and Follansbee Rd. from 1934 to 2004. In 2004, it was relocated and reassembled at Rancho Mirage Community Park, one block west of the River at Rancho Mirage. The ranch-style house is constructed with Mediterranean Revival elements and of local rock from the Whitewater River.

The Club at Morningside and Sunnylands were added to the city's Register of Historic Places due to President George H. W. Bush's official summit with Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu in Rancho Mirage on March 2–3 in 1990.

Places of interest

 * Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory, a beautiful cultural center, home to five telescopes and a 360-degree dome telescope, and loans out other telescopes for home use
 * Sunnylands Center & Gardens, historic estate offering tours. Designated an historic site by the city.
 * Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, $205 million casino resort with occasional concerts and live entertainment
 * Mission Hills Country Club, host of the ANA Inspiration
 * Thunderbird Country Club, first golf resort established in a desert environment.
 * The River at Rancho Mirage, outdoor shopping and dining center in Downtown Rancho Mirage
 * Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert, children's museum with exhibits focused on the local natural environment
 * Tamarisk Country Club ("The Compound"), former home to the Rat Pack
 * Kenaston House, historic building listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
 * Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, U.S. National Monument that consists of 280,071 acres of wilderness

Sports
Tamarisk Country Club has hosted the Bob Hope Classic nineteen times. Thunderbird Country Club has hosted the Ryder Cup and the Desert Classic of the PGA Tour. It also held a PGA Tour event from 1952 to 1959 and was one of the original golf courses in the tournament that later became the Bob Hope Classic. Mission Hills Country Club hosted the Davis Cup finals in 1978. The Chevron Championship was held at Mission Hills Country Club in 2022, one of five major championships in women's professional golf (LPGA).

The Dinah Shore Golf Classic is held in Rancho Mirage every March and draws an estimated 15,000 lesbian visitors to the area. It is part of the Kraft Nabisco Championship tournament which is held at the Mission Hills Country Club. In women's golf, the tournament ranks second only to the U.S. Women's Open.

Rancho Mirage has 12 or 13 golf courses, also known as country clubs or golf resorts. The city's first resort was the Thunderbird Guest Ranch, opened in 1946 for entertainers and business clientele. Other golf resorts are The S at Rancho Mirage, Tamarisk, Mission Hills, Thunderbird, The Springs, Sunrise, Omni Resorts Rancho Las Palmas hotel (opened in 1979 to replace the Desert Air golf and private airport from 1954 to 1978), Morningside, Mission Hills North Course, Westin Hotels Mission Hills resort and Tuscania by Sunrise Company opened in 2006.

Recreation
Some of the most visited hiking trails in the Coachella Valley are found within city limits. Some trails here include the Jack Rabbit Trail, Road Runner Trail, and Big Horn Overlook Trail, which has a trailhead by the Rancho Mirage City Hall. Access to the Mirada Trail System is located behind Rancho Mirage City Hall where trailheads can be found for a number of trails, including the Bighorn Overlook Trail, Chuckwalla Trail, Jack Rabbit Trail, and Road Runner Trail.

Other trails include the Chuckwalla Trail, Butler-Abrams Trail, and the Clancy Lane Trail, which has a trailhead in Rancho Mirage Community Park. An additional trail, the Mirage Trail (also known as the 'Bump and Grind' or the Desert Drive Trail), climbs the Santa Rosa Mountains and offers panoramic views of the surrounding Coachella Valley and neighboring mountains, including views of the San Jacinto Mountains, Salton Sea, La Quinta, and other desert sights. The trail connects with other mountain trails, including Art Smith Trail and Hopalong Cassidy, which leads to Homme-Adams Park in Palm Desert. Its trailhead is located at Desert Drive and follows a wide dirt and gravel path up the Santa Rosa Mountains. It joins the Magnesia Falls Trail after less than a mile.

City officials in Rancho Mirage have worked with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to further expand and improve desert trail networks. The city also operates various nature and wildlife reserves, such as the Magnesia Springs Ecological Reserve and Rancho Mirage Mountain Reserve, two of several reserves established within city limits to provide habitat for the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other local wildlife.

There are six Cahuilla cultural heritage sites within the city limits of Rancho Mirage, including Bradley Canyon, Magnesia Spring, and Edom Hill (Indio Hills).

Parts of the city lie within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which makes up 280,071 acres and borders Rancho Mirage in the southwest.

Parks
The city operates the following five public parks:

 * Blixseth Mountain Park (access near the corner of Indian Trail and Mirage Road): 7-acre desert mountain park at the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, accessed by a wooden bridge. Features desert landscape, Bighorn sheep displays, trails, native flora, and mountain vistas. The park was dedicated on April 19, 2002, and it is located immediately east of the Magnesia Storm Channel.
 * Rancho Mirage Community Park (formerly Whitewater Park): 8.8-acre park featuring a fitness trail, picnic areas, a playground, an amphitheater, and sports facilities including two basketball courts, four tennis courts, and two handball courts. The city's oldest home dating to 1934 was moved to this park in 2004. The park also hosts annual concerts and events such as the Rancho Mirage Art Affaire. The park is located adjacent to Whitewater River and was originally developed in 1982. The park was expanded in 1994 and in 2015.
 * Rancho Mirage Dog Park: 4-acre park which opened in 2016 on the intersection of Key Largo Ave. and Via Vail.
 * Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Park: park adjacent to Rancho Mirage City Hall dedicated as a tribute to survivors of cancer. It is part of the series of parks known as Cancer Survivors Park. It has bronze sculptures, walkways, tiled benches, and a waterfall.
 * Michael S. Wolfson Park (trailhead for the Butler-Abrams Trail): 1.7-acre park landscaped with native palm and cactus gardens. The park was dedicated in 1986 and has a Victorian theme. There are several walking paths, decorative lights, picnic areas, bronze Braille plaques, and fountains. The red button near the entrance greets visitors with a recorded message from longtime local resident Frank Sinatra. The park is named for Michael S. Wolfson, mayor of Rancho Mirage from 1973 to 1986.

An additional park, the 1.3-acre Magnesia Falls Neighborhood Park, is adjacent to Rancho Mirage Elementary School. It is a joint-use facility operated in conjunction with the Family YMCA of the Desert and the Palm Springs Unified School District. The park opened in 1999 and is equipped with a playground, benches, picnic areas, and ball fields.

Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve
The Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve, a 3,800-acre area, was designated a nature reserve by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 1975. It is home to wildlife such as the Peninsular bighorn sheep, Coyote, Bobcat, Gray fox, Prairie falcon, Golden eagle, Gambel's quail, and Mourning dove. It became a reserve to preserve and rehabilitate both habitat and access to freshwater sources for the Bighorn sheep. Magnesia Spring Canyon is the only desert palm oasis within city limits. The ecological reserve is located in Magnesia Springs Canyon and is an important habitat site for sensitive species such as the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep, Bell's Vireo, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, and the Prairie Falcon. It is managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Hiking is permitted in the reserve parts of the year. It can be accessed from trails such as the Mirage Trail and Magnesia Spring Falls Trail. It can be reached by following the trail to Magnesia Falls, which has its trailhead at Blixseth Mountain Park, next to Rancho Mirage Elementary School. This trail leads to a variety of oases and waterfalls in the Santa Rosa Mountains and is closed from January 1 to September 30 in order to protect the native Peninsular bighorn sheep. Lower Magnesia Falls is 2.5 miles roundtrip from Blixseth Mountain Park, while the Upper Magnesia Falls waterfall is a 6.5-mile roundtrip hike. This trail eventually joins the Art Smith Trail.

Rancho Mirage Mountain Reserve
Rancho Mirage was the first Coachella Valley city to establish a mountain reserve within its city limits. Rancho Mirage Mountain Reserve, which is approximately two square miles (5,182 acres), was established to provide habitat for the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. It consists of rocky terrain and a series of canyons and creeks in the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Rancho Mirage is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Rancho Mirage is in.

The tribal government of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians governs over parts of the city where reservation jurisdictions overlap.

In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, 57.8 percent voted for Joe Biden, while 41.2 percent voted for Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton won the 2016 U.S. presidential election in Rancho Mirage.

Rancho Mirage City Hall is located at the intersection of California State Route 111 and Frank Sinatra Dr. It was previously Merton Baker's real estate office.

Education
There is one elementary school (Rancho Mirage Elementary) and one high school, Rancho Mirage High School, which are part of the Palm Springs Unified School District, the newly renovated Nellie Coffman Middle School is on the city line with Cathedral City. Palm Valley School is the only private school in the city and covers grades preschool-12th. PSUSD has planned a new grade-middle school complex on the lands of the former Walter Annenberg estate donated to the school district. Rancho Mirage is also home to a campus of Santa Barbara Business College, a private college that offers academic degrees and career training.

Notable people
• Spiro Agnew – Vice President of the United States; also his wife Judy Agnew

• Stuart Anderson – restaurateur

• Walter Annenberg – ambassador, publisher, philanthropist

• Danny Kaye – actor

• Esther Williams – actress

• Perry Como – singer

• Desi Arnaz – actor, director, musician

• Lucille Ball – actress

• Kaye Ballard – actress

• Timothy Blixseth – real estate developer, timber baron

• Barbara Boxer – United States Senator

• Harry Caray – baseball broadcaster

• Michele Carey – actress

• Carol Channing – actress

• Sydney Chaplin – actor, singer, restaurateur

• Broderick Crawford – actor

• Johnny Bench – MLB player

• Covelli "Coco" Crisp – MLB player

• Bing and Kathryn Crosby – actors and singers

• Brad Dexter – actor

• Gummo Marx – actor

• Gale Anne Hurd – film producer

• Larry Ellison – business magnate, co-founder and chief executive of Oracle Corporation

• Alice Faye – actress

• Bruce Fessier -- journalist

• Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford.

• Jacqueline Gagne – golfer

• Al Geiberger – golfer

• Tom Gamboa – baseball coach and manager

• Gary Graver – director, cinematographer. Died in Rancho Mirage

• Phil Harris – actor, comedian, bandleader. Voice of Baloo in Disney's The Jungle Book

• Donald Holmquest – astronaut, physician

• Michael Masser – songwriter

• Beverly Johnson – model, actress, author

• Gregg Juarez – art dealer, gallerist, philanthropist

• Ralph Kiner – baseball player, broadcaster

• Desirae Krawczyk – tennis player

• Rod Laver – Australian tennis player

• Shelby Lynne – musician, singer, producer, owner of Everso Records, actress

• Patrick Macnee – British actor

• Gene Barry – actor

• Frank Marth – actor

• Peter Lawford – actor

• Kiel Martin – actor

• Stubby Kaye – actor

• Mary Martin – actress

• Hoagy Carmichael – actor, songwriter

• Harpo Marx – actor, comedian

• Zeppo Marx – actor, comedian

• Dennis L. Montgomery – computer software designer

• George Montgomery – actor

• Alan Morgan – sailor

• Anne Rice – writer

• Jack Benny – entertainer

• Buddy Rich - drummer

• Buddy Rogers – actor

• Ginger Rogers – actress

• Dean Martin – singer and actor

• Sammy Davis Jr. – singer

• Edgar Bergen – actor

• Al Rosen – Major League Baseball MVP, 4x All Star

• Dinah Shore – singer, TV personality

• Frank Sinatra – singer, actor

• Red Skelton – comedian, actor

• Lee Surkowski – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League baseball player

• Don Sutton - Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball baseball player

• Ken Venturi – World Golf Hall of Fame and broadcaster. Winner of the 1964 U.S. Open

• Lorna Luft – singer, actress

• Hal B. Wallis – film producer

• Howie Richmond – music industry executive

• Mark Woodforde – tennis champion

• Jane Wyman – actress

• Billie Dove – actress

• Don Hutson – professional football player

In popular culture
At least two novels, Love Child by Andrew Neiderman (1986) and Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture by Douglas Coupland (1991), are set in Rancho Mirage. Both have references to the city and to Palm Springs, as well as the Mojave Desert. A third book, Rancho Mirage: an American Tragedy of Manners, Madness, and Murder by Aram Saroyan (2002), concerns a murder that occurred in the city.

The Bob Cummings Show, a sitcom series starring Bob Cummings, was partially filmed at the Desert Air Hotel and Airpark (today known as Rancho Las Palmas Country Club). The airplane chartering scenes in the Oscar-winning film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) were also shot at the resort. Scenes in the movie also feature Bob Hope Drive and what later would become the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. A Warner Bros. film, Two Guys from Texas (1948), was filmed at Thunderbird Ranch in Rancho Mirage. In 1926, filming took place in Rancho Mirage for the 1928 film The Vanishing Pioneer starring Jack Holt.

The Tamarisk Country Club was featured in the sixth episode of the 2003 Bravo show Boy Meets Boy. The 2003 ABC miniseries Trista & Ryan's Wedding was filmed at The Lodge at Rancho Mirage, now known as the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage.

title: Rancho Mirage, California