Lake Elsinore FAQ

Download the Lake Elsinore City Fact Sheet (PDF)

How large is the City of Lake Elsinore?
41 square miles.

When did the City of Lake Elsinore incorporate?
The City of Lake Elsinore incorporated on April 9th, 1888.

What is the population?
The population within the City of Lake Elsinore was 47,634 as of January 1, 2007.

What is the average climate?
The average winter low temperature is 35.8 degrees, while the average summer high is 98.4 degrees. The community enjoys a yearly average daily temperature of 78.5 degrees.

How large is the Lake?
Lake Elsinore is the largest natural lake in Southern California at approximately 3,000 surface acres.

What are some of the major tourism attractions?
Lake Elsinore is popular for all kinds of water sports, the Lake Elsinore Outlet Center, Historic Downtown, Diamond Stadium - home of the Lake Elsinore Storm - Lake Elsinore Recreation Area and Campground, air sports from the Ortega Mountains and Skylark Airport, nearby Cleveland National Forest, The Links at Summerly and Temecula Valley Wine Country.

What is the driving distance to the nearest major population centers?
Lake Elsinore is located on the I-15 corridor at the intersection of State Route 74, 20 miles south of State Route 91. We are approximately a one-hour drive east from metropolitan Orange County and forty-five minutes southwest from Riverside. San Diego is approximately a one-hour-and-fifteen-minute drive south on I-15. Highway 74 connects westward over the Ortega Mountains to Orange County beach communities and eastward to mountain and desert cities in Riverside County. Lake Elsinore is 73 miles east of Los Angeles and 74 miles North of San Diego.

What transportation services are available?
The city is served by the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) for local bus service. Major air travel service is provided at Ontario, Orange County/John Wayne, San Diego, and LAX International Airports. French Valley Airport provides charter air service. AMTRAK, Metrolink and Greyhound Bus services are located nearby. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has an outlet in the city.

What is the average new home cost?
A wide array of housing options are available from quality neighborhoods to executive estates. The median home price for 2006 was $423,000.

What is the average residential rental rate?
Home rentals range from approximately $985 - $2,650/month. Apartments range from $745 - $2,045/month, or a median rental price of $1,345.

What are the average monthly residential utility rates?

• Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District: $55
• Southern California Edison – Electric: $125
• Southern California Gas Company – Gas: $25
• Verizon – Telephone: $45
• CR&R – Refuse Disposal: $18
• Time Warner – Cable TV: $80

Are sports and service clubs available?
A variety of youth and adult sports leagues compete at local park sites in the city. Youth and adult non-profit and service clubs are very active with regular meetings and area events.

How large and what is the quality of the school system?
The Lake Elsinore Unified School District covers 140 square miles and serves more than 22,000 students in 15 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high schools and 4 alternative schools. The district’s newest campus, Earl Warren Elementary School in the Rosetta Canyon development opened in August, 2007. Over the last several years, the district has achieved unprecedented success on standardized tests. In 2006, the Lake Elsinore Unified School District was the second highest-improving district out of 23 Riverside County school districts. And because of the hard work of students, their teachers and administrators, the district now ranks sixth in the county on standardized tests – up two spots from 2005. Two of the district’s high schools, Elsinore High School and Temescal Canyon High School, were recently named California Distinguished Schools by state education officials. They join Luiseno Elementary School as three of only four Southwest Riverside County schools to receive the prestigious designation the last two years.

What institutions of higher education serve the community and where are they located?
Mt. San Jacinto Community College began classes in a temporary facility in the city in the fall of 1996. A full 100-acre campus is expected within five years. The city is also served by Lake Elsinore Unified School District has been recognized as one of the most progressive educational districts in Riverside County, offering strong academic curricula, vocational and advanced technology programs, and featuring magnet schools in fine and performing arts. Mt. San Jacinto Community College, Menifee Valley Campus, located within 15 minutes of Lake Elsinore, offers a variety of courses, including customized industry training and a two-year academic program with course requirements transferable to the Cal State and University of California systems. The area is also served by University of California at Riverside, University of California at San Diego, San Diego State University, Cal State San Marcos, California State Polytechnic University at Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, University of California at Irvine, Cal State San Bernardino, Palomar Community College and Riverside Community College, all within an hour’s drive.

What hospitals serve the community?
The valley is served by two high-quality medical institutions, Rancho Springs Medical Center and Inland Valley Regional Medical Center, which includes a trauma care unit.

Who provides fire protection services?
The City contracts for fire protection services with the Riverside County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry. Nearby Cleveland National Forest is protected by the U.S. Forest Service.

Who provides police protection services?
The City contracts for police services with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and a new, state-of-the-art police station is located in the city as well as a satellite substation. The excellence of our police protection services is demonstrated by an approximate 65% decrease in the local crime rate over the past 7 years.