Menifee, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Menifee, California
City
City of Menifee
Newport Road looking east toward the San Jacinto Mountains
Location in Riverside County and the state of California
Menifee, California Location in southern California Show map of southern California Menifee, California Location in California Show map of California Menifee, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Riverside
Incorporated	October 1, 2008
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	46.62 sq mi (120.75 km2)
• Land	46.48 sq mi (120.37 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.38 km2)  0.30%
Elevation	1,424 ft (434 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	102,527
• Rank	7th in Riverside County 73rd in California
• Density	2,205.83/sq mi (851.68/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	92584–92587, 92596
Area code	951
FIPS code	06-46842
GNIS feature IDs	252936, 2497157

Menifee is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and part of the Los Angeles Combined Statistical Area. The city is centrally located in the heart of Southern California, in the Menifee Valley. It is almost 15 miles (24 km) north of Temecula and just north of Murrieta. Menifee is roughly 46 square miles (100 km²) in size and has an elevation of 1,424 feet (434 m). The incorporated City of Menifee includes the communities of Sun City, Quail Valley, Paloma Valley, and Romoland.

History

The area was originally inhabited by the Luiseño people, specifically the Pechanga band. In the 18th century, the area fell under Spanish rule and was ceded by Mexico to the United States in 1850 as a result of the Mexican-American War.

Farming, which began in the mid-19th century, was concentrated in the Menifee area. Mining began in the early 1880s with the discovery of a significant quartz lode by miner Luther Menifee Wilson, from which Menifee derived its name.

Early development of the Menifee area began with Sun City in the early 1960s as the concept of an active retirement community envisioned by Del Webb, a building contractor from Phoenix, Arizona. Webb also developed Sun City, Arizona under the same concept. Sun City is a centrally located neighborhood within Menifee with a mix of residential and commercial activity.

The Menifee area later grew during the late 1980s and into the early 1990s as a master-planned community. However, lack of resources such as industry-oriented occupations and high-density retail and commercial businesses has made many residents drive longer distances or to nearby cities such as Temecula or Murrieta, to shop, dine, and work. However, there has been substantial growth in Menifee with new home construction in close proximity to large parks, lakes, and fine amenities have attracted many residents from all area's of Southern California such as the Inland Empire, San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles to live.

On June 3, 2008, the residents of the communities encompassing the Menifee area voted to incorporate together to form Riverside County's 26th city. The new City of Menifee was officially established on October 1, 2008.

Geography

The city of Menifee is bordered on the north, west, and south by the cities of Perris, Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta and on the southwest by the newly incorporated City of Wildomar. To the east and northeast, the city borders unincorporated county territory. The city center of Menifee lies at the intersection of Newport Road and the Escondido Freeway (Interstate 215).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of 46.6 square miles (120.7 km²), 99.70% of it land, and 0.30% of it water.

Climate

Menifee has mild winters and hot, dry summers.

• On average, the warmest month is August.
• The highest recorded temperature was 117 °F (47 °C) on June 20th, 2016.
• On average, the coldest month is December.
• The lowest recorded temperature was 18 °F (−8 °C) on Jan 1st,1976.
• The maximum average precipitation occurs in February.

Menifee has a Mediterranean climate or Dry-Summer Subtropical (Köppen climate classification Csa). Menifee enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of 263 sunshine days and only 35 days with measurable precipitation annually of 12.51" inches of rainfall.

The period of April through October is hot and dry with average high temperatures of 83 to 101 °F (28 to 38 °C) and lows of 42 to 66 °F (6 to 19 °C), though in the summer, temperatures can easily reach above 105. The period of November through March is somewhat rainy, as shown in the adjacent table. At times, during the Winter, large dust storms start to form due to the large mass of humidity, and low, and flat land that is there.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Menifee had a population of 77,519. The population density was 1,663.3 people per square mile (642.2/km²). The racial makeup of Menifee was 55,444 (71.5%) White (54.2% Non-Hispanic White), 3,858 (5.0%) African American, 655 (0.8%) Native American, 3,788 (4.9%) Asian, 296 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 9,642 (12.4%) from other races, and 3,837 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25,551 persons (33.0%).

The 2010 Census reported that 77,331 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 81 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 107 (0.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 27,461 households, out of which 9,729 (35.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,405 (56.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,743 (10.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,324 (4.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,348 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 184 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,591 households (24.0%) were made up of individuals, and 4,153 (15.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82. There were 19,472 families (70.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.35.

The population was spread out, with 20,067 people (25.9%) under the age of 18, 6,460 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 18,771 people (24.2%) aged 25 to 44, 17,571 people (22.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 14,650 people (18.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

There were 30,269 housing units at an average density of 649.5 per square mile (250.8/km²), of which 21,104 (76.9%) were owner-occupied, and 6,357 (23.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 58,330 people (75.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,001 people (24.5%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Menifee had a median household income of $54,903, with 10.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Transportation

Roads and highways

The primary routes in Menifee are Interstate 215 and Newport Road/Dominegoni Parkway. Scott Road, McCall Boulevard and Ethanac Road are also primary east–west travel streets in addition to State Route 74, which runs through the northern part of the city; Murrieta, Bradley, Haun, Antelope, and Menifee Roads are the main north–south thoroughfares. Improvements to the interchange at I-215 and Scott Road were completed in 2020. Other road improvements, such as a new interchange at Garbani Road and an overpass at Holland Road, are anticipated in the coming years.

Public transportation

Menifee has bus routes and Dial-A-Ride stops throughout the city to enhance mobility. RTA Routes 27, 40, 61, and 74 directly serve the Menifee area, linking it to other nearby cities including Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, and San Jacinto. Metrolink serves the area via the 91/Perris Valley Line, which ends at the South Perris Station, just north of the Menifee city limits. Metrolink is planning an extension along existing railroad tracks through the northeastern corner of the city to Hemet, though it is unknown whether there will be a station in Menifee.

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the ten largest employers in the city are:

Education

Public schools

Elementary and middle school level education in Menifee is provided by the Menifee Union School District and Romoland School District, which serves most of Menifee as well as parts of Lake Elsinore, Wildomar and Murrieta, and the unincorporated community of French Valley. High school students attend school in the Perris Union High School District, which includes Paloma Valley High School and Heritage High School.

Higher education

Menifee is also home to the Menifee Valley Campus of Mt. San Jacinto College, which serves the Temecula, Murrieta and Menifee areas and is known as the fastest-growing community college in California. There, students can take the classes necessary in order to transfer to four-year college institutions. The community college also has an award-winning nursing program for those wanting to become Registered Nurses. The MSJC Nursing Department has pathways from MSJC directly to Loma Linda Medical Center, Menifee Valley Medical Center, Temecula Valley Hospital, and Inland Valley Medical Center. Brandman University, which is part of the Chapman University System, has opened on the MSJC campus to offer Menifee its first four-year college and is accompanied by Grand Canyon University and Bellevue University.

Notable residents

• Tony Burton, Actor
• Adam Watts, Songwriter, producer, recording artist, and mixing engineer
• Fernando Gonzalez, MMA fighter
• Phyllis Love, Actress
• Benny Mardones, American singer
• Mike Metzger, Motocross rider

• Nia Sanchez, Model and Miss USA 2014
• Jeri Westerson, Author
• Eric Swanson, Obsession Racing-Monster Jam
• Jeremy McGrath, Motorcross/Supercross Rider
• Warren G, Rapper, Businessman

Images for kids

• 

  Luther Menifee Wilson

See also

In Spanish: Menifee para niños