The County of rvierside has been one of the fastest growing areas in Southern California and has generally outpaced the rest of the SCAG region. The recession of the mid-nineties slowed growth considerably from that experienced in the decade of the eighties. Canyon Lake was part of the county statistical area until incorporation in December of 1990. The City growth rate has been slightly less than the county's and has been more stable during this time.
Canyon Lake is considerably more affluent than Riverside County.
The 1990 median income of the City was 1.49 times as great as the county's. As a factor in housing affordability, the higher the income of the household, the more discretionary income there is available to spend on housing. This higher income level allows residents to seek ownership or rental housing that is above the typical values seen in the subregional area. These figures are based on the 1990 Census, since that time Countywide property values have significantly declined. The housing characteristics reflected by the above table clearly show that Canyon Lake is a community of detached, single-family units.