La Quinta, Palm Desert or Indio?? (Riverside, Rancho Mirage: utilities, utility costs, safest)

[mamamartin603]

My family is relocating in Januray to Riverside County. We have narrowed down the area to La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indio or Rancho Mirage. Can anyone please give some advice on which town is better/safer for families? We will be flying out soon to visit ... but want to see if we can narrow down the area further. Thanks to anyone who can help!

[Desertho]

Any other things you're looking for when choosing cities?

[Twinkle Toes]

It all depends on what you are looking for. La Quinta is the fastest growing desert city and is more family oriented than Rancho Mirage. Rancho Mirage and La Quinta are on Imperial Irrigation, which is cheaper than Edison. Palm Desert is on Edison. Parts of Indio you want to steer clear of. Tell us what you are looking for and we desert residents will be able to help point you in the right direction.

[RodneyMax]

Indio is definately the least safest, while the remaining three cities are relatively close. If I had to pick the safest, I would say Rancho Mirage.

As far as "prestige", they rank as follows: Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, and Palm Desert.

I highly recommend subscribing to "The Desert Sun" newspaper or view it online. I found it helpful to get a feel of what is happening in the area.





quote=mamamartin603;2059137]My family is relocating in Januray to Riverside County. We have narrowed down the area to La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indio or Rancho Mirage. Can anyone please give some advice on which town is better/safer for families? We will be flying out soon to visit ... but want to see if we can narrow down the area further. Thanks to anyone who can help![/quote]

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by RodneyMax

Indio is definately the least safest, while the remaining three cities are relatively close. If I had to pick the safest, I would say Rancho Mirage.

As far as "prestige", they rank as follows: Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, and Palm Desert.

I highly recommend subscribing to "The Desert Sun" newspaper or view it online. I found it helpful to get a feel of what is happening in the area.





quote=mamamartin603;2059137]My family is relocating in Januray to Riverside County. We have narrowed down the area to La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indio or Rancho Mirage. Can anyone please give some advice on which town is better/safer for families? We will be flying out soon to visit ... but want to see if we can narrow down the area further. Thanks to anyone who can help!

[/quote]


Not really sure about your order of "prestige". It could be argued that Palm Desert has more prestige than La Quinta. After all Palm Desert has Bighorn and the Vintage. I think the prestige factor is subjective, really.

[lexi]

I would really think twice about Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert...your cooling bills
will be off the charts. You have to run the air almost 24/7 in the summer and
you'll have bills around 3 or 4 hundred in La Quinta and Indio but double that
in Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Who can afford another 3 or 4 hundred dollars
a month for utilities... maybe more if you have a pool. I really, really like Palm Desert
but would never move there due to the utility costs. I'd only move to the new parts
of Indio over by shadow hills if I were to moveto Indio..... good luck.

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by lexi

I would really think twice about Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert...your cooling bills
will be off the charts. You have to run the air almost 24/7 in the summer and
you'll have bills around 3 or 4 hundred in La Quinta and Indio but double that
in Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Who can afford another 3 or 4 hundred dollars
a month for utilities... maybe more if you have a pool. I really, really like Palm Desert
but would never move there due to the utility costs. I'd only move to the new parts
of Indio over by shadow hills if I were to moveto Indio..... good luck.

Actually, Rancho Mirage is on Imperial Irrigation District. Check into it.

[lexi]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

Actually, Rancho Mirage is on Imperial Irrigation District. Check into it.

Was it always that way? Or is this new?

[Twinkle Toes]

Not sure. I've been here since 1999 and as far as I know it was that way when I moved here.

[lexi]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

Not sure. I've been here since 1999 and as far as I know it was that way when I moved here.

Very interesting... Too bad Palm Desert wasn't IID. But now that I know
Rancho Mirage is...it's makes it more interesting if I ever move back.
Thanks!