City of Colton Overview

An oasis of quality and stability at the center of an expansive, rapidly developing region, Colton offers all the benefits of a metro area without metro costs. Colton means business: We are a pro-business, pro-growth culture, and that growth is supported by powerful fundamentals.

Colton’s costs of living, including housing costs, are significantly below the state average. That affordability, along with available land and abundant training opportunities, makes Colton the right place to build a business, build a career, and build a life.

Within a radius of 25 miles, the regional labor force is over million, drawn from a population over 2.1 million+, growing at a rate of 5.5% over a ten-year period. Colton’s diverse population is majority Hispanic but also includes Caucasian, African American, American Indian and Asian residents. Over 30% of Colton’s population is under the age of 18, strengthening our workforce pipeline of the future.

Colton sits at the southwest edge of San Bernardino County, which at 20,000 square miles is the nation’s largest by geographic area. This southern location also puts the city in the heart of the “Inland Empire,” (or IE as is it sometimes called), the two-county region that includes Riverside County. The landscape here is geographically diverse, from mountain peaks to the Salton Sea, and the opportunity is unlimited. In fact, the Inland Empire is rapidly rising as a business location, with momentum propelled by available land and more affordable costs.

Colton’s fast-moving transit assets provide critical multimodal acceleration for the Inland Empire’s rapid transportation system. The nation’s two largest Class I freight rail lines intersect in Colton; two interstate highways converge here as well, with convenient local connections available at two international airports.

Colton’s business community is supported by state and federal incentives that foster growth and rapid return on investment.

A vibrant and richly historic community, Colton made its name as a frontier rail town, and today the city moves ahead of other state locales with a California lifestyle that is not only affordable but uniquely satisfying.