Looking to move to Banning with small children (Riverside, Redlands: crime, house)

[issapowers]

Hi I have two small children and my husband was transfered out to Cathedral City. We rented a house out in Desert Hot Springs from a relative not knowing anything about the area. We hate it, it's full of gang activity and we want out asap. I have lived in Sanbernardino County all my life, not knowing much about Riverside County. Were looking to move to Banning. We don't care about fancy, just want a good community with little gang activity and cooler weather. Can anyone tell me if Banning is a good place to raise small children and what to expect? Any areas to avoid? Thank you.

[allisonguru]

Originally Posted by issapowers

Hi I have two small children and my husband was transfered out to Cathedral City. We rented a house out in Desert Hot Springs from a relative not knowing anything about the area. We hate it, it's full of gang activity and we want out asap. I have lived in Sanbernardino County all my life, not knowing much about Riverside County. Were looking to move to Banning. We don't care about fancy, just want a good community with little gang activity and cooler weather. Can anyone tell me if Banning is a good place to raise small children and what to expect? Any areas to avoid? Thank you.

Banning is not much better. The crime and drugs there have gotten a lot worse. I would recommend you look into Beaumont which is the next city over. It is growing tremendously and is relatively a safe area. 10 acre park, lots of shopping, and never seen any gang problems. I have lived here for 5 years and anytime there is crime here, it seems that it almost always comes from Banning.

[cl723]

Beaumont is a pit also. I would look into Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta and Indian Wells.

[QuestInThePast]

I think Banning is a great place to raise a family. I have recently moved from Redlands to Banning and love it. I find it odd that the previous post stated that Banning has a higher crime rate. If I were you I would check recent crime stats. FYI Banning has a higher income per capita than Beaumont. Hope this helps.

[cawkazn]

almost all of IE seems to be a pit, temecula winchester menifee and murrieta are nice areas, anything else in the IE will be a gang infested, tweeker ran, illegal immigrant town.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by issapowers

my husband was transfered out to Cathedral City.

Originally Posted by cl723

I would look into Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta and Indian Wells.

If your husband works in Cathedral City, then I agree with cl723. Why drive all the way to Banning or Beaumont, when there are very nice places much closer?

[JSies11]

I agree with the other posters.

Why would you choose the Banning area when you have some very nice, family friendly areas in the Coachella Valley that are no more expensive than Banning/Beaumont, like Palm Desert, parts of Indio, and Rancho Mirage?

If heat is your reason for not wanting to live in the CV, let me just tell you that both areas are unbearably hot half of the year, and you will be inside all day anyways.

The Coachella Valley offers slightly better schools, and many more recreational activities (because of tourism). The fact that there are also tons of good places to eat/shop is also a plus.

As far as gang problems go in the CV, if you stay out of Desert Hot Springs, North Palm Springs, and Thousand Palms, you will be fine. This leaves me wondering why you would want to relocate to Banning when the gang problems are even WORSE than Desert Hot Springs. Beaumont isn't great in that aspect either.

[tesmrqz]

Up-dates on Banning: Elevation 2,349 ft; Population in 2010 total 29,603; Density 1,300/sq mi;
It has better air quality than Beaumont and many of the other surrounding towns.