H emet, California is nestled in the valley of the beautiful San Jacinto Mountains within Riverside County. The valley has long been a Mecca for retirees, while also maintaining a balance of young families that enjoy employment both locally and in surrounding communities. Residents enjoy clear skies, clean air, and an average temperature of 75 degrees with 342 days of sunshine! The valley has the most ideal climate throughout the Inland Empire region of Southern California.

Hemet is evolving from a primarily agriculture and retirement community into a modern family oriented city with facilities for all ages. Hemet is conveniently located to many major and regional cities such as: Palm Springs, 41 miles; San Bernardino, 41 miles; Riverside, 35 Miles; Temecula, 26 miles; Escondido, 60 miles; San Diego, 80 miles; Los Angeles, 90 miles; and Orange County, 70 miles. Hemet is ideal for commuters desiring the atmosphere and charm of a smaller community with convenient access to the mountains, desert and ocean beaches of Southern California.

As of January 2002, the City of Hemet had a population of 61,497, according to the California Department of Finance. The median age for Hemet is 41 years and has been dropping since 1980 when it was 64.2 years. The drop in median age is due in large part to the construction of new, entry-level homes and their sale to young families. This same boom in housing development is what is fueling the local economy in Hemet. The largest employers are Hemet Valley Hospital District and the Hemet Unified School District. Large private employers include Verizon, Target, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot. Housing is affordable compared to the rest of Southern California, sale prices of existing homes range from $61,000 to just over $200,000.

The City of Hemet Redevelopment Agency has been very active within the community leading the way with a vision to take the city to new heights. The Historic Downtown area has been the focus for the Agency, especially over the past year - from facade improvements for local businesses to constructing a new $14.5 million Public Library. The Redevelopment Agency has been working closely with community members and has been instrumental in revitalizing many aspects of public and private space throughout the growing city.

Shopping facilities are strategically located throughout Hemet, dominated by the Hemet Valley Mall in the Northwest section of the city, with Home Depot, Target and Wal-Mart located in the same area. Charming and unique neighborhood shopping is woven throughout the community. Dining choices are interesting and delightful with menus from the elegant to family-style casual.

The Hemet area is right next to the "Inland Empires Wine Country," known for its ideal climate for growing the distinctive grapes of regional wines. Warm days, cool nights, sunny hills and valleys make for excellent growing conditions. Temecula (about 25 minutes from Hemet) vineyards are the newest addition to the Inland Empire's wine growing country and offer over 15 wineries with tasting rooms and exciting tours. The older, original wineries are in the Rancho Cucamonga - Ontario area, about an hour drive from Hemet.

Diamond Valley Lake, Southern California's largest reservoir, costing $2.1 billion opened in October 2003. The lake provides an emergency water supply to Metropolitan Water District's 18 million customers. Fishermen from all over enjoy casting lines into its pristine waters. MWD is now crafting its master plan for the lake, which calls for recreation on the east and west sides and homes on the north and south sides. The reservoir is proving to be a boon to the area, attracting visitors and new development.

There are two school districts that serve Hemet and the greater Hemet area. They are the Hemet Unified School District (HUSD), administering to all but a small portion of the city, and the San Jacinto Unified School District (SJUSD). HUSD provides education for kindergarten through 12th grade and is the predominate district in the city. Both school districts have an excellent reputation for offering solid educational environments for area students.

Hemet is a unique and beautiful community offering a wonderful quality of life to business professionals, young families and those wishing to retire in a warm sunny climate. If you are planning on moving to the Hemet area or would like more information, please feel free to request a "free relocation package" today!