Indio Real Estate & Market Trends

Living in Indio California

Indio is a city located in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado desert within Riverside County California. It is one of nine cities in the Coachella Valley probably most famously known as the greater Palm Springs area. Indio is precisely located at the edge of the Colorado Desert where it meets the Mojave and is just 23 miles east of Palm Springs.

Indio is popular for its location right next to the largest art and music festivals in the valley and it gives access to both Los Angeles and San Diego making it a perfect spot in the Coachella Valley.

History of the Indio Area

The first interest in Indio began with a railroad line construction coming east out of Los Angeles in 1873. The train eventually carried goods and passengers into Arizona. The city of Indio was built up because of a need for a halfway point for the Southern Pacific Railroad between Yuma Arizona and Los Angeles. This was mainly due to the fact that engines needed to be refilled with water.

The very first name for Indio was Indian Wells but there were already several other areas close by with the same name so Indio became the new official name of the town. With the official arrival of the railroad in 1876, the town quickly grew. The first building in Indio was the Southern Pacific Depot station and hotel. The railroad company built Indio into a place that their employees would find comfortable and love to stay and it became the center of social life in the desert at the time. Many people enjoyed the fancy dining room and hosting dances on Friday nights.

Indio got its start as a row road town and then expanded into an agricultural economy. Farms began to grow onions, grapes, cotton, citrus, and dates. Indio became a place where businessman and women found their last frontier land of the continental United States with an attitude of it being a place to create a fresh start. One of these people was Dr. Harry Smiley who landed in Indio after his car broke down on the way to Los Angeles. He and his wife Nell became people of influence that helped shape the area into a larger booming and thriving economy.

Things to do in Indio

Indio is not nicknamed the city of festivals for no reason. There is so much to do and love about Indio. This is perhaps why it might be the fastest-growing town in the Coachella Valley.

Festivals

There is always some sort of festival to enjoy in Indio. Whether it be the most well-known Coachella Music Festival or lesser known but equally as amazing festivals like the Southwest Arts Festival. Or the Heritage Festival there is always something to immerse yourself into in Indio. And of course, there’s also a little thing known as Stagecoach.

The Game of Polo

Starting every January Indio transforms into an international destination for polo players. Experience the sport of Kings at the Empire Polo Club and El Dorado Polo club. If you’ve always wanted to get into the game this is a great place to do so. Or if you just want to be a spectator you will not find yourself bored from January to April every year.

The Fairgrounds

Indio is host to the Riverside County Fairgrounds. Every year the fairgrounds is of course the host of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival to celebrate the end of the annual date harvest on the farms in the region. In addition, the fairgrounds also host a series of different concerts as well as the hugely popular family Motorcoach Association Western Area Rally.

Schools in Indio

Schools in India are award-winning and part of the Desert Sands Unified School District and the Coachella Valley Unified School District. In addition to the amazing public schools, Indio is also home to the only law school in Riverside County. The California desert Trail Academy College of law.

If you're interested in relocating to the town of Indio California and becoming part of this thriving and quickly growing Coachella Valley city please contact us anytime. We can help you find an available Indio home that you will love.