A small San Bernardino County City with citrus roots and mountain views
In Southern California's Inland Empire, Mentone is an unincorporated bedroom suburb of roughly 10,000, set 5 miles east of Interstate 10. “You’ve got shopping to the west in Redlands, and San Bernardino Mountains trails in Yucaipa,” says Marjorie Lewis. “Plus, it generally has lower housing costs than both cities.” Local residents are also attracted by the area's well-rated schools, large lots and general lack of homeowners associations.
Mentone is named for the French Riviera village of Menton, but its San Bernardino Mountains backdrop makes it distinctly Californian. Founded in 1888 after a real estate agent planted the area’s first commercial orange grove, the town became known as a “foothill fruit colony.” Citrus production has long since dwindled, but spring still brings the sharp scent of orange blossoms from surviving groves, and the town celebrates its farming roots. Today, the local economy is more focused on specialty manufacturing industries like ceramic tile production, and many residents commute less than 20 miles to Riverside or San Bernardino.
Large lots among the orchards
As of early 2025, the median home price in Mentone is about $565,000, lower than the national median, as well as Yucaipa’s $573,000 and Redlands’ $640,000. Most homes are either 1950s and '60s ranch-style or 2020s two-story new traditional with Spanish Revival influences, all on roughly quarter-acre lots. Single-story Spanish Revival and ranch-style homes from the 1990s are set on smaller lots of about 5,000 square feet.
The Greensport neighborhood has some of Mentone's largest parcels of land, surrounded by several acres of orange groves; the homes here are the town's most expensive, generally priced between $700,000 and $1,000,000. There are also some condominiums, duplexes and manufactured homes set near the main thoroughfare of State Route 38, also known as Mentone Boulevard. The most affordable housing options are generally found in the 55-plus community of Carriage Isle, where manufactured homes from the 1970s and '80s range from $180,000 to $250,000.
A top-rated county district
Local kids are served by the Redlands Unified School District (RUSD), which Niche rates an A and ranks the No. 2 district in San Bernardino County. RUSD includes 16 schools, including a K-12 online school called Redlands eAcademy. University of Redlands, 2 miles from Mentone, stands out for its strong music programs, which include performance and composition.
Access to the San Bernardino National Forest
The local Thurman Flats Picnic Area serves as a gateway to the San Bernardino National Forest, a sprawling 823,000-acre pine-forest wilderness that's popular with hikers and birdwatchers. About 8 miles east of Mentone, Yucaipa’s Regional Park offers a swimming lagoon, picnic areas and playgrounds. The mountain-and-lake community of Big Bear is about 45 miles northeast via Mentone Boulevard, with year-round recreation that includes boating in summer and skiing in winter.
Nearby shopping variety in Redlands
A few markets, bars and restaurants line the city’s commercial corridor, Mentone Boulevard. Mill Creek Cattle Company steakhouse is known locally for its Old West-themed décor, Friday night karaoke and Saturday night band performances. Four miles away, downtown Redlands offers more variety with vintage boutiques, breweries and several malls like Citrus Plaza, Mountain Grove Shopping Center and Redlands Town Center.
Highway 38 access and public transit to the airport
Interstate 10 is 5 miles west, and locally referred to as "the 10," leading about 14 miles to San Bernardino and 67 miles to downtown Los Angeles. Highway 38 runs through Mentone, connecting to Redlands, 8 miles west, and Yucaipa, 9 miles southeast. Many locals rely on cars for daily travel, but Omnitrans' Route 8 bus runs hourly, seven days a week, with stops along Mentone Boulevard for easy access to Yucaipa, Redlands and San Bernardino. The San Bernardino Transit Center is 15 miles northwest, connecting riders to Metrolink trains. Redlands Community Hospital is 8 miles west, and Ontario International Airport is a roughly 30-mile trip.
High fire risk and crime mitigation funding
The San Bernardino County Police Department (SCPD) serves Mentone, and between 2022 and 2024 it reported higher rates of violent and property crime than state and national averages. In 2022, the State of California awarded SCPD nearly $4 million to fund its Violence Intervention and Prevention Program, which builds community partnerships to support at-risk youth and those involved in gangs.
Mentone’s location near the San Bernardino National Forest makes it vulnerable to wildfires. In late 2024, the Line Fire burned over 43,000 nearby acres. CAL FIRE and the San Bernardino Wildfire County Coordinator actively work on wildfire prevention through vegetation management, fuel reduction projects and public education campaigns to enhance community resilience and safety.
Photography Contributed By
Kory Ross
