Moreno Valley, CA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Moreno Valley, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Moreno Valley →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Moreno Valley, California runs approximately 209,578. Median household income sits at $82,637, landing above the benchmark median we track across cities (+15%).
For renters and buyers alike, Moreno Valley offers a median home value of $421,400 (above the tracked median, +29%) and median rent of $1,858 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Moreno Valley's home-price-to-income ratio of about 5.1× is fairly typical — housing costs track reasonably in line with local pay. Year-over-year, home values around Moreno Valley are up 1.32%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. Moreno Valley carries a Very High hazard rating from FEMA — elevated risk that's typically reflected in higher insurance premiums.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,858/mo in Moreno Valley would take 27.0% of your income.
$208/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($421,400) would take 32.7% of your income toward principal & interest.
$321/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Moreno Valley
Median home value is $421,400 and median gross rent is $1,858/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Riverside rose 1.32% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,201/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Moreno Valley's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Moreno Valley reported a violent crime rate of 299.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Moreno Valley
Planning a move to Moreno Valley? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Moreno Valley, CA?
- Moreno Valley's key cost-of-living figures: $421,400 median home value, $1,858 median monthly rent, and $82,637 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Moreno Valley?
- Moreno Valley's median rent of $1,858/month works out to roughly $74,320 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Moreno Valley.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Moreno Valley?
- In Moreno Valley, comfortably renting the median unit ($1,858/month) takes about $74,320 in annual income, while buying the median home ($421,400) takes roughly $96,414 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
- Is Moreno Valley safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Moreno Valley's violent crime rate was 299.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for Moreno Valley →
Cities with a similar cost of living
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