When it comes to healthcare, housing, education, safety, economic opportunity and feeling connected, most Inland Empire residents are “struggling to get by,” a new UC Riverside report found.
Across the diverse region, people generally feel worse off than those across the nation, researchers from UCR’s Center for Community Solutions said.
The study, conducted in the first half of this year, is based on two surveys of more than 3,300 Inland residents. It found “both troubling disparities and hopeful signs of community cohesion,” researchers reported.
Those who are “struggling or suffering are more likely to delay medical care due to cost, feel less safe in their homes and feel less confident about job stability or income growth,” according to “Insights on Vital Conditions in the IE” — which was commissioned by the Inland Empire Community Foundation. The study asked participants to rate their lives today and in the future, on a scale from worst (“suffering,” followed by “struggling”) to best (“thriving”).
Just 41% of Inland survey respondents were “thriving” — the highest well-being category in the scale — compared with 53% nationwide, and 29% around the world. Results showed that 53% of Inland Empire residents were “struggling,” compared with 43% nationally and 60% globally. Finally, 6% of Inland residents reported they are “suffering,” or see little hope for the future.
The companion study, “Women & Well-Being through the Lens of Vital Conditions,” surveyed 1,000 women across Riverside and San Bernardino counties and was commissioned by the foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund. The results were sobering. Among those surveyed, 58% said they were “struggling,” 6% were “suffering,” and 36% reported “thriving.”
In Riverside County, more than one-third (36%) of women surveyed said they expected their lives to be worse in five years — far more than the 9% of women in San Bernardino County who felt that way.
Those who reported they were “thriving” tended to have higher incomes, more education, be married and belong to churches. About half of Asian respondents reported the highest rates of thriving (49%), a stark contrast with non-Hispanic white residents who reported the highest rates of suffering (8%). Multiracial and Black residents were among the least likely to be “thriving,” according to the survey.
“It isn’t just about having your basic needs met. For a community to be thriving — it’s about well-being that is strong, consistent and moving in a positive direction,” said Justine Ross, director of UCR’s Center for Community Solutions, which was established in July 2024. “People in thriving communities tend to feel good about their lives today and optimistic about the future. They report fewer health problems, less stress and worry, and more happiness, enjoyment and interest in life.”
Inland Empire residents face hardships in their day-to-day lives, Ross said, from financial strain and job insecurity, to housing and environmental concerns.
“This isn’t about a single weakness,” she added. “It’s that the conditions that support thriving and for inclusive well-being may not be as consistently in place here as they are nationally. That’s not to say the region doesn’t have incredible strengths — we’re diverse, young, and growing — but rapid growth can bring challenges, and our data suggests the IE is still catching up to meet the needs of its dynamic population.”
“Well-being” is shaped by interconnected factors, from healthcare and housing to community connection and opportunity, Ross said.
Among the factors the study examined include healthcare access, food insecurity, high housing costs and the lack of economic and educational opportunities.
Nearly 40% of uninsured women in Riverside and San Bernardino counties reported high costs as the reason they lack healthcare coverage. Also, access to care lagged significantly in the Inland Empire compared to nearby counties. In Orange County, 80% of women have access to healthcare, while the number in Los Angeles County is 79%.
Dr. Jason Gatling, an anesthesiologist and program instructor who helps train medical residents at Loma Linda University, agreed that the growing region has “a milieu of unrest and anxiety … but anytime there is growth, there is also anxiety from (finding) affordable housing, to good school systems and compensated jobs.”
Gatling said one solution is to create more medical training programs — such as Loma Linda’s partnership with the SAC Health clinic in San Bernardino — that address the Inland Empire’s shortage of physicians, and improve overall healthcare access.
“Medical care is part of a big puzzle,” Gatling said. “As a physician, my job isn’t to look at somebody’s income or wallet before they come and receive care — it’s patient-centered care.”
The study also cited access to a quality education and having basic needs met — such as food security — as barriers to thriving.
Just 30% of pre-kindergarten-aged (ages 3-4) girls in San Bernardino County, and 44% of girls in Riverside County, were enrolled in an educational program. Also, 16% of adult women — ages 25 and older — in both counties lack a high school diploma. Those without a diploma earned a median salary of $26,000 annually.
Rachel Bonilla, a spokesperson with Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, a regional food bank, said the statistics reflect a larger trend in the economy, plus the rising cost of living and low-income jobs since the pandemic. Food pantry needs have doubled over the past year, Bonilla said. For example, the food bank’s Moreno Valley Senior Mobile Pantry has served nearly 400 households a month — up from 200 — over the past year.
“This comes at a time when the cost of living is high, and that is weighing on families heavily as the lack of resources to higher-income jobs, low-cost housing, and high food costs are all hitting at once,” she said. “We see families needing to sacrifice one bill for another, which often tends to be food, to pay rent, electric bills, or other important bills.”
Riverside and San Bernardino counties have more than 530,000 people “who are food insecure,” Bonilla said. The nonprofit organization works with hundreds of pantries to provide 36 million pounds of food — and about 300,000 individuals each month, Bonilla said.
“Families and nonprofits are working very hard, but the fact is that there are certain things we can’t do alone, we need to be working with elected officials to make hunger-relief a priority for local government and educate our population on how to advocate alongside us,” Bonilla said.
At a Thursday, Oct. 9, Feeding America food pantry drive-thru distribution in Moreno Valley, older residents and others in need lined up for hours to load boxes of food, including fresh produce, into their cars.
Bertha Gonzalez, 71, was not surprised by UCR’s findings.
“With the price of everything so high — and I’m retired, a widower — things have been difficult for myself and a lot of people. These food drives are a blessing for everybody,” Gonzalez said. “I really don’t have anyone to help me … I don’t want to go back to work, that’s for sure. I’ve been working since I was 15, and my health is not the greatest.”
Earnestine Beverly, 71, said more affordable food and housing would make a big difference for communities. She said the economy will probably get “worse before it gets better” and added: “I got to feed my grandkids.”
According to the study, it turns out that money does not buy happiness — but it could help.
If the Inland Empire were an independent country, the region’s “well-being” score would place it on par with low-gross domestic product countries such as Brazil, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Slovakia, and position it just below the U.S., the UCR study found.
Thriving results from more than just having a higher income, researchers said. Feeling connected and engaged in one’s community — and having a sense of belonging, stability — contributes to true thriving.
With less than half of Inland residents thriving, research shows there’s room for improvement. The good news, Ross said, is that “with the right investments and policies, that share of people thriving can absolutely grow … we can better understand what factors may help people thrive, and where people face challenges.”
Ross and UCR researchers said more practical solutions such as workforce programs that train people for jobs and connect them to resources like childcare, transportation or community networks could help. Housing policies that don’t just build affordable units, but ensure safety, clean air and local amenities would also assist.
“This is really a call to action for policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders at every level to think more holistically,” Ross said. “Because if we legislate or develop programs that are narrowly tailored to address individual problems, we’ll miss the real opportunity to improve well-being in a lasting way.”
The report names seven “vital conditions” needed for communities to thrive, which includes people feeling seen, connected, and having the support or means to get closer to thriving. These conditions include having reliable transportation, meeting basic health and safety needs met, access to educational opportunity and meaningful work and wealth/wage growth, according to the study. Another is having stable, affordable housing centered around dignified living conditions, that allow people to put down roots.
The good news is that Inland Empire residents — men and women — are resilient, the research shows. Inland residents are generally more likely than other Americans to feel a sense of community belonging, which contributes to overall well-being.’
Nearly a third (32%) of Inland residents reported a strong sense of belonging in their local communities, more than the national average, which is less than 20%. Communities with high levels of civic trust and engagement are more likely to experience lower crime rates, stronger local economies, and greater responsiveness from public institutions, the report shows.
Those who reported not feeling that sense of belonging — about two-thirds of survey respondents, including people of color, younger residents, and lower-income residents — did so because of cultural divides, not being affiliated with groups such as churches or formal organizations, or not feeling represented in local institutions or decisions, the research showed.
“That’s why belonging matters so much for the Inland Empire,” Ross said, noting that belonging and civic engagement are “strongly” correlated and “the heart” of well-being. “When people feel seen, included, and connected to one another, well-being rises for everyone.”
Staff photographer Will Lester contributed to this report.
