Menifee, California | |
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 Menifee City Hall | |
 Seal | |
 Location inRiverside County and the state ofCalifornia | |
  Menifee Location in the United States Show map of southern California Menifee Menifee (California) Show map of California Menifee Menifee (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:33°41′27″N117°11′06″W / 33.69083°N 117.18500°W /33.69083; -117.18500[1] | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Riverside |
| Region | Southern California |
| Incorporated | October 1, 2008[2] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Ricky Estrada |
| • Mayor Pro Tem | Bob Karwin |
| • City Council | Dean Deines Ben Diederich Daniel Temple |
| • City Manager | Armando G. Villa |
| 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 | |
• Total | 102,527 |
• Estimate (2024)[5] | 117,041 |
| • Rank | 6th in Riverside County 55th in California 259th in the United States |
| • Density | 2,353.68/sq mi (908.76/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 |
| Website | www |
Menifee is a city inRiverside County, California, United States, and is part of theInland Empire.[6] Named after a local miner, Luther Menifee Wilson, it was settled in the 19th century, and incorporated as a city in 2008. Since then, Menifee has become one of the fastest growing cities in California and the United States.[7][8]
The city is centrally located inSouthern California in the Menifee Valley. It is almost 15 miles (24 km) north ofTemecula and just north ofMurrieta. 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 ofSun City,Quail Valley, andRomoland.
The Menifee area is the traditional lands of theLuiseño people, specifically thePechanga band. In the 18th century, the area fell underSpanish rule and was ceded byMexico to theUnited States in 1848 as a result of theMexican–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 whom Menifee derived its name.[9][10] Wilson discovered a gold-bearing quartz ledge near present-day Holland and Murrieta roads in 1883, and filed a claim with the San Diego County Recorder's office for this new "Menifee" mine. At the time, the area was referred to as the Menifee Valley.[11]
Early development of the Menifee area began with Sun City in the early 1960s, conceptualized as an active retirement community byDel Webb, a building contractor fromPhoenix, Arizona. Webb also developedSun City, Arizona, under the same concept. Sun City is located in the northwestern part of Menifee and features a mix of residential and commercial activity.
The Menifee area later grew during the late 1980s and early 1990s as a master-planned community. However, a lack of resources such as industry-oriented occupations and high-density retail and commercial businesses caused many residents to drive to cities such asTemecula orMurrieta to shop, dine, or work. In recent years, however, there has been substantial growth in Menifee, attracting many new residents from all areas of Southern California such as San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles, as well as other parts of the Inland Empire.
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 City of Menifee was officially established on October 1, 2008.[12]
The city of Menifee is bordered on the north, west, south and east by the cities ofPerris,Canyon Lake,Lake Elsinore,Wildomar,Murrieta, and the community ofWinchester. The city center of Menifee lies at the intersection of Newport Road andInterstate 215.
According to theUnited 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.
The Menifee Hills are a ridge approximately 2 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, with a high point of 2,141 ft.[13]Bell Mountain is a 1,848 ft mountain located in Menifee.
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Menifee has mild winters and hot dry summers.
Menifee has aMediterranean climate or Dry-Summer Subtropical (Köppen climate classificationCsa). 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.[17]
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 exceed 105 °F. The period of November through March is somewhat rainy, as shown in the adjacent table. At times, during the winter, large dust storms may form due to the large mass of humidity and low, flat land.[18]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77,519 | — | |
| 2020 | 102,527 | 32.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 117,041 | [5] | 14.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[19] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[20] | Pop 2020[21] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 41,988 | 44,973 | 54.16% | 43.86% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,630 | 6,482 | 4.68% | 6.32% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 314 | 390 | 0.41% | 0.38% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 3,597 | 6,292 | 4.64% | 6.14% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 262 | 438 | 0.34% | 0.43% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 124 | 548 | 0.16% | 0.53% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 2,053 | 4,655 | 2.65% | 4.54% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 25,551 | 38,749 | 32.96% | 37.79% |
| Total | 77,519 | 102,527 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2020 United States census reported that Menifee had a population of 102,527. The population density was 2,206.1 inhabitants per square mile (851.8/km2). The racial makeup of Menifee was 52.2%White, 6.8%African American, 1.3%Native American, 6.5%Asian, 0.5%Pacific Islander, 16.5% fromother races, and 16.4% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.8% of the population.[22]
The census reported that 99.8% of the population lived in households, 115 people (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 49 people (0.0%) were institutionalized.[22]
There were 34,706 households, out of which 34.8% included children under the age of 18, 56.1% were married-couple households, 5.7% werecohabiting couple households, 24.8% had a female householder with no partner present, and 13.4% had a male householder with no partner present. 20.8% of households were one person, and 13.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.95.[22] There were 25,713families (74.1% of all households).[23]
The age distribution was 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% aged 18 to 24, 24.9% aged 25 to 44, 24.1% aged 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males.[22]
There were 36,526 housing units at an average density of 785.9 units per square mile (303.4 units/km2), of which 34,706 (95.0%) were occupied. Of these, 77.4% were owner-occupied, and 22.6% were occupied by renters.[22]
During 2019–2023, Menifee had a median household income of $89,183, with 9.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[24]
According to the city's 2024 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the ten largest employers in the city are:[25]
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mt. San Jacinto College District | 1,604 |
| 2 | Menifee Union School District | 1,505 |
| 3 | Romoland Elementary School District | 793 |
| 4 | Menifee Global Medical Center | 362 |
| 5 | Stater Brothers | 348 |
| 6 | City of Menifee | 345 |
| 7 | United Parcel Service (UPS) | 232 |
| 8 | Southern California Edison | 189 |
| 9 | Texas Roadhouse | 188 |
| 10 | Olive Garden | 140 |
As of 2025, Menifee has 47 public parks, of which 23 are city-owned and 24 are Valley-wide owned parks.[26] In October 2025, the Menifee City Council voted to make steps towards potentially annexing 12 of the Valley-wide owned parks, in order to bring them under the city's control.[27]
Menifee's 4-acre (1.6 ha) Gale Webb Action Sports Park is the largest extreme bike park in Southern California.[28] The city also possesses the locally-popular Audie Murphy RanchSkate Park.[29]
As of 2025, anamphitheater is being constructed in Menifee's Central Park.[30] It will serve as an entertainment venue for performers; the project will cost the city an estimated $6.6 to $6.78 million.[31][32][33]
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024[35] | 42.43% (22,823) | 55.28% (29,734) | 2.29% (1,232) |
| 2020[36] | 43.57% (22,128) | 54.71% (27,789) | 1.72% (876) |
| 2016[37] | 38.55% (13,410) | 56.52% (19,659) | 4.93% (1,715) |
| 2012[38] | 40.21% (11,758) | 58.04% (16,969) | 1.75% (512) |
As of October 2025, Menifee is a part ofCalifornia's 41st congressional district, withRepublicanKen Calvert serving as itsrepresentative.[39] In theCalifornia State Assembly, Menifee lies within the63rd district and is represented by RepublicanNatasha Johnson.[40][41] In theCalifornia State Senate, it is part of the32nd district and represented by RepublicanKelly Seyarto.
Politically, Menifee is a Republican-leaning city.[42] It has voted Republican in the past four presidential elections (Romney in 2012 andTrump in 2016, 2020, & 2024).
On June 3, 2008, voters elected to incorporate Menifee as a general law city. The new City of Menifee was officially established on October 1, 2008, and is the 26th city located within Riverside County. It was first governed by a five-member city council, with Wallace Edgerton as the mayor.[43] Edgerton was re-appointed mayor for a second term in 2009,[44] and for a third term in 2010.[45]
| No. | Name | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wallace Edgerton | 1 Oct. 2008 - 4 Jan. 2012 |
| 2 | John Denver | 4 Jan. 2012 - 4 Dec. 2012 |
| 3 | Scott Mann | 4 Dec. 2012 - 17 Nov. 2016 |
| Acting | Greg August | 17 Nov. 2016 - 7 Dec. 2016 |
| 4 | Neil Winter † | 7 Dec. 2016 - 19 May 2018 |
| Pro Tempore | Lesa Sobek | 19 May 2018 - 18 July 2018 |
| 5 | Bill Zimmerman | 18 July 2018 - 17 Dec. 2024 |
| 6 | Ricky Estrada | 17 Dec. 2024 - Present |
In 2011, John Denver was appointed mayor by city council, after the city's people requested a change in leadership at city council meetings.[46]
In November 2012, Scott Mann was elected mayor;[47] he was re-elected in November 2014.[48]
In 2016, Neil Winter was elected mayor, defeating Mann, who unsuccessfully ran for a third term.[49] Mann's FPPC violation of using campaign funding for personal funding was believed to have helped Winter to win the election.[50] Mann resigned office early after being formally censured by city council, and Greg August served as acting mayor for 20 days until Winter was sworn in.[51] During the 2016 election, voters also approved a measure to increase mayoral terms from two to four years.[52]
On May 19, 2018, Mayor Winter unexpectedly died in office, due to an apparent heart attack.[53] Councilwoman Lesa Sobek took up mayoral responsibilities as mayor pro tempore following Winter's death.[54] After 60 days, Bill Zimmerman was elected Mayor of Menifee in a 3-1 decision by the city council, on July 18, 2018.[55] In November 2020, Zimmerman was re-elected to serve a four-year term as Mayor.[56][57]
In November 2024, Ricky Estrada was elected mayor;[58] and was sworn in on December 17.[59] In August 2025, Estrada (a member of theU.S. Air Force Reserve) was called into a 6 month deployment; Mayoral Pro Tem Bob Karwin has temporarily assumed mayoral duties from October 2025 to spring 2026 in his absence.[60] According toMenifee 24/7, Estrada's deployment represents only the fourth time in U.S. history where an active mayor was deployed during their term; the three previous cases involvedPete Buttigieg,Brent R. Taylor (KIA), andJacob R. Day.[61]
In 2024, Menifee was ranked among the 20 safest cities in California.[62] For 2024, Menifee's violent crime rate averaged 2.4 per 1,000 people (compared to 4.2 state average and a 4.0 national average); while its property crime rate averaged 14.0 per 1,000 people (25.3 state average and 20.7 national average).[62]
In June 2019, the City of Menifee voted to end its contract with theRiverside County Sheriff's Department and create its own police department.[63] The Menifee Police Department officially launched in July 2020.[64] In the 2023–2024 fiscal year, the Menifee Police Department accounted for 23.3% of the city's budget ($27.5 million).[65]
The City of Menifee contracts for fire and paramedic services with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement withCAL FIRE.[66] There are four fire stations in Menifee and each station has a paramedic engine company, and there is one medic patrol unit out of Fire Station #7 to assist with call volumes, as Station #7 is the 10th-busiest station in the nation. The Menifee Lakes station also has a truck company located there with specialized equipment for large structural fires.
Paramedic services are provided by American Medical Response, whose South Riverside Headquarters are located in Menifee.
K-12 education in Menifee is primarily provided by theMenifee Union School District, theRomoland School District, and thePerris Union High School District in separate sections.[67] These unions oversee multiple schools in the city, includingPaloma Valley High School andHeritage High School.[68]
In addition to Menifee, these districts also serve nearby parts ofLake Elsinore,Wildomar,Murrieta, andFrench Valley.
Separate from the public school districts, Menifee possesses twocharter schools, Santa Rosa Academy and the Bear River Student Center.[68]
Menifee is also home to the Menifee Valley Campus ofMt. San Jacinto College, a publiccommunity college.[69] The Menifee Valley Campus is one of four that the college possesses; the three additional campuses are located in the nearby cities ofSan Jacinto,Banning, andTemecula.[70]
The primary routes in Menifee areInterstate 215 and Newport Road/Dominegoni Parkway. Scott Road, McCall Boulevard and Ethanac Road are also primary east–west travel streets in addition toState 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.[71] Other road improvements, such as a new interchange at Garbani Road, are anticipated in the coming years.[72]
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 theSouth Perris Station, just north of the Menifee city limits.[73] Metrolink has proposed an extension along existing railroad tracks through the northeastern corner of the city to Hemet,[74] though it is unknown whether there will be a station in Menifee.
Emergency medical services in Menifee are provided by the 84-bed Menifee Global Medical Center, which is a licensed acute care hospital. It opened in 1989 and is located on McCall Boulevard in the northeastern part of the city.[75]
The city is provided water by theEastern Municipal Water District. Adesalination plant in the city treats underground water to producedrinking water.[76]
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