An emerging trend in North County Inland is to live, work and play within the confines of the region. Many have moved or started their businesses close to home, avoiding the commute altogether, and taking advantage of the quality of life to be found in the northern reaches of the county. The communities are a good mix of folks who have been around for a couple of generations and young families just starting out. Poway High School, for instance, has one of the highest percentages of graduates in the county who go on to college. East County is where you'll find the hottest temperatures during the summer months and the coldest in wintertime.
East County is even more rural than North County Inland.
East County residents share their neighborhoods with farm animals and country western bars. And if you're looking for the ultimate cowboy hat or the perfect pair of boots, you're in the right place. But don't let the casually rugged appearance of some of the inhabitants fool you. Hidden treasures of a most sophisticated nature abound in the region. The East County Performing Arts organization in El Cajon stages a variety of wonderfully entertaining productions every year.