Nicknamed “City of Festivals,” and nationally known as the home of the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio is set about 125 miles east of Los Angeles. Originally a late 19th-century stopover town for the Southern Pacific Railroad, Indio has become a booming agricultural community by the early 20th century, its success fueled by dates, citrus fruits and cotton. Today, Indio is a city of roughly 90,000 people, offering a more suburban, affordable alternative to Los Angeles’ rising home prices and urban sprawl. “Coastal residents in Southern California are being priced out and migrating inland,” says Lupe Ramos Amith, the mayor of Indio.
Currently, the city is revitalizing its downtown with new businesses, and approving plans for new shared spaces like Indio Sports Park and the Civic Center Campus, which will include a new city hall building and library. Hundreds of new homes are being added here, as well. “Get in now while it’s still a value proposition, because once this is all developed it’s going to be more attractive and selling at higher price points,” says Chris Casas, a Realtor with Indian Springs Real Estate, who has over 23 years of experience. Healthcare, retail and hospitality are major local industries, and top employers include the city of Indio and Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. “We are so proud of our history and excited about our future,” says Jessica Mediano, marketing and public information officer for Indio.
Explore the rich railroad heritage that shaped Indio into the vibrant town it is today.
The Coachella music festival is held at The Empire Polo Club in Indio.
Indio City's colorful neighborhoods reflect its rich cultural mosaic.
Soak in the rich heritage and endless blue skies of Indio City.
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Lower home prices than Los Angeles
The average home price in Indio is about $580,000, compared to Los Angeles’ average of about $1.8 million. “This has become one of the most sought-after areas to buy a home in the valley, because the bang for your buck is big here compared to the rest of Southern California,” Mediano says. Most homes here were built over the past 25 years; many are new traditional Spanish-style with red clay-tiled roofs and desert-hued stucco exteriors set in master-planned neighborhoods. In 2023, Indio approved plans for 1,500 new homes in the Del Webb Desert Resort retirement community, which will also include a clubhouse and pickleball courts. “We’re issuing over 300 building permits per year, and it hasn’t slowed down. We’re probably the only city in the region that didn’t slow construction during the pandemic,” Ramos Amith says.
Experience lakeside living at its best with Indio City's stunning lakefront houses.
Indio City houses blend modern amenities with the warmth of community living.
Find your dream home in Indio City’s friendly and thriving neighborhoods.
Enjoy spacious living with stunning views in Indio City’s houses.
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Community comes together outdoors
Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Coachella Valley, Indio offers over two dozen community parks, recreation centers and golf courses. Miles Avenue Park is popular for a morning walk along palm tree-dotted walking paths and for playing sports like pickleball and basketball. The Indio Community Center’s the spot to hit the gym, jog the indoor track or play a racquetball match; locals may also sign up for the fitness and lifestyle classes at the center, like piano, yoga and salsa. North Jackson Park is another community highlight, offering a splash pad, softball fields and picnic shelters with barbecue grills. The 18-hole Indio Municipal Golf Course is touted as the only night-lit course in the Coachella Valley; a new clubhouse is scheduled to open here in 2025. For scenic desert views and striking rock formations, Joshua Tree National Park is about 27 miles away, with dirt-packed hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, as well as rare, spiny Yucca plants that give the park their name.
Discover golf courses conveniently located near your home in Indio.
Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the desert at Indio Hills Badlands Trailhead.
Experience the thrill of horseback riding through Indio City's scenic trails.
The Indio neighborhood offers a wide range of outdoor activities including a good walk.
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City of festivals
Held over two weeks each April, the Coachella Festival is the largest music festival in America, attracting over 100,000 visitors daily. Coachella’s best known for its high-profile music lineup, but around Indio the festival’s an economic booster that annually brings in over $100 million in revenue. However, Mayor Ramos Amith says the world-famous Coachella Festival is just one of many annual events in Indio. “We just celebrated our 76th annual date festival, which attracts around 300,000 people to the city, and our tamale festival is in its 30th year,” Ramos Amith says. February’s Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival celebrates the area’s date farmers with carnival rides, a rodeo and unique date recipes, like date milkshakes and date al pastor tacos.
The Indio International Tamale Festival in December has been a local tradition for over 30 years, offering live entertainment, a classic car show and hundreds of tamale vendors vying for the top spot in the annual tamale cook-off. “The tamale festival is special because it celebrates the many generations that built our community. There are families and businesses that have been participating for decades,” Mediano says.
The city partners with Goldenvoice, the creators of Coachella, to procure art and murals from Coachella for public display in the city. “A lot of Coachella’s larger art installations have been integrated into the city’s landscape and park system," Casas says. "You’ll find big dogs, teepees, robots—big public artwork that was at Coachella." The city also partners with local artists for city projects, like the Traffic Signal Beautification Program, which had local artists paint traffic boxes around the city in 2021. Mediano says, “Through our public arts program, we commission 8 to 10 pieces a year, including murals, sculptures and installations."
A downtown renaissance
Shopping and dining are found throughout Indio, but downtown’s one of the most popular commercial areas, where residents can find boutique stores and locally owned eateries, including coffee shops and bars. “Downtown’s going through a renaissance—going from that 50s style to a newer, hipper style with bustling local businesses and entertainment,” Casas says. The Indio Business Connect program supports both new and established businesses by offering professional resources and networking opportunities, like the annual Indio Mixer in May, that keeps the business community tight-knit. “We’re starting to attract some national chains, but historically our restaurants have mainly been mom and pop Mexican establishments, some are third and fourth generation,” Ramos Amith says. Around Interstate 10, the Showcase at Indio is a shopping plaza with nearly 40 stores, including fast-food restaurants, department stores and locally owned spots, while Indio Towne Center is anchored by a WinCo Foods and big-box retailers, like Home Depot. “Everything you need is right here in town,” Mediano says.
Discover local restaurants and retailers in downtown Indio.
Costco in Indio ensures a convenient and one-stop shopping experience.
From sunrise to sunset, Indio City is awash in color.
Experience the vibrant atmosphere and delicious meals at El Tapatio Restaurant in Indio.
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Desert Sands Unified School District receives high marks from Niche
“25% of our growing population is under the age of 18, so schools are a top priority for us,” Ramos Amith says. Indio is part of the Desert Sands Unified School District, which serves about 27,000 students and earns an overall A-minus from Niche. Many of the district’s high schools offer career and technical education courses in subjects like culinary arts, cosmetology and engineering. In 2024, Indio’s College of the Desert was renovated to include a new breezeway and study spaces.
Indio High School is part of the Desert Sands Unified School District in Indio.
Indio Middle School is one of many great schools in Indio.
Mountain Vista Elementary School features a program focused on English learning.
Coachella Valley High's wall art showcases creativity and expression.
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Getting around from Indio
Indio is crossed by two major highways, Route 111 and Interstate 10. I-10 leads about 125 miles to Los Angeles, but Ramos Amith says, “Nobody locally uses I-10. That’s for big rigs and people traveling from L.A. to Phoenix.” The more locally popular 111 leads 10 miles to Palm Desert, 17 miles to Cathedral City and about 23 miles to Palm Springs. “Getting around locally takes time, but that’s a product of distance, not traffic,” Mediano says. “Honestly, the scenery here is so beautiful that I never mind a drive.” Streets are typically sidewalk-lined and bike-friendly, and Sun Line buses travel both the city and the Coachella Valley. John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital is located within the city, and Palm Springs International Airport is about 20 miles away.
Crime and environmental factors
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, the total number of reported violent- and property-related crimes in Indio decreased by 31% between 2013 and 2023, from nearly 3,200 incidents to about 2,100. Ongoing environmental concerns here include extreme heat and wildfires. During Indio's hot summers, temperatures regularly top 100 degrees, but Casas sees this as a plus for locals. “We get our communities back to ourselves," says Casas, "and our restaurants and golf courses start to open up.” There haven’t been any recent wildfires in Indio, but in case of local emergencies, the city is home to four fire stations.
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