History of Indio, California in Timeline

Indio is a city located in Riverside County, California, specifically within the Coachella Valley in Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It's situated about 125 miles east of Los Angeles, 23 miles east of Palm Springs, and 98 miles west of Blythe, California. Its location makes it a notable city within the Coachella Valley.

July 6, 1905: Record High Temperature in Indio on July 6, 1905

On July 6, 1905, Indio recorded its highest temperature ever at 125 °F (51.7 °C).

1907: Establishment of USDA Date Station in 1907

In 1907, the USDA's Date Station was established in Indio, facilitating scientific research on dates and enabling local farmers to excel in date crop production in the Coachella Valley.

1909: 1909 Schoolhouse in Coachella Valley History Museum Home

The Coachella Valley History Museum Home includes the 1909 Schoolhouse, alongside other historical buildings and exhibits.

1912: Establishment of The Indio Date Palm in 1912

The Indio Date Palm, was an early paper established in 1912 by John Winfield (J. Win) Wilson.

1920: Growth of Indio by 1920

By 1920, Indio's population consisted of about one to two thousand year-round residents, swelling to 2,500 to 5,000 during winter, promoted as a health resort for senior citizens and those with respiratory ailments.

1926: Construction of Smiley-Tyler House in 1926

The Smiley-Tyler House, now part of the Coachella Valley History Museum Home, was built in 1926.

September 6, 1930: Indio Incorporated as a City

On September 6, 1930, Indio officially incorporated as a city, with storekeeper Fred Kohler receiving the first business license.

1936: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Station Creation

In 1936, one of the eleven U.S. Customs and Border Protection stations was created in Indio as an auxiliary for the El Centro Sector station.

September 1939: Heavy Rainfall in September 1939

In September 1939, a thunderstorm from the remains of a tropical storm brought more than 6 inches of rain to Indio in less than 24 hours.

1947: Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival since 1947

Since 1947, the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival has been held each February at the Riverside County Fairgrounds, celebrating the Coachella Valley's date fruit crop.

1958: Establishment of College of the Desert in 1958

The College of the Desert, a two-year community college, has served the Coachella Valley since 1958.

1983: John F. Kennedy Hospital Opening

In 1983, the Indio hospital (renamed John F. Kennedy) opened in a new location on land donated by hospital co-founder Dr. Reynaldo J. Carreon.

1993: Pearl Jam Concert at Empire Polo Club in 1993

In 1993, Paul Tollett booked a Pearl Jam concert at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

1996: Formation of Historic Mural Project in 1996

In the fall of 1996, the Indio Chamber of Commerce formed a committee to develop a Historic Mural Project to help revitalize the local economy. By the end of 1996, local businessman Bruce Clark, who was instrumental in promoting Historic U.S. Route 99, maintained a website on Historic Route 99 and brought the mural idea forward again after seeing the success of a similar local program in 29 Palms.

2000: Tamale Festival Record in 2000

The Tamale Festival held Dec. 2-3, 2000, held one Guinness World Record as the largest tamale festival (120,000 in attendance).

2001: Annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival since 2001

Since 2001, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been an annual event, bringing notable music acts to Indio.

2002: Opening of C.O.D Campus Facility in 2002

In 2002, C.O.D opened a campus facility in the Riverside County Employment Developmental Center located on Monroe Street.

2002: JFK Memorial Hospital Expansion

In 2002, the JFK hospital expanded and opened a new maternity center as part of a hospital expansion plan for more surgical rooms, intensive care units and a new concrete emergency heliport.

2003: Average Salary in Indio in 2003

In 2003, the average salary for a job in Indio was $28,224.

2004: Opening of Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in 2004

The Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, owned by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, opened in 2004, featuring a hotel, bowling center, golf course, and special events center.

May 2007: Inauguration of Stagecoach Festival in May 2007

In May 2007, Goldenvoice, promoters of Coachella, started Stagecoach, a three-day country music festival held the weekend following Coachella.

2007: Increase in Retail Trade Jobs in Indio in 2007-2015

Between 2007 and 2015, the percentage of retail trade jobs in Indio increased by 4.4 percent.

2007: Coachella Extended to Three Days in 2007

Coachella extended the festival to three days in 2007.

2009: Median Household Income and Poverty Line in Indio in 2009-2013

From 2009 to 2013, Indio had a median household income of $50,068, with 21.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2010: Elimination of Single-Day Tickets in 2010

In 2010, Coachella organizers eliminated single-day tickets and went to three-day passes only.

2010: City-to-City Economic Exchange Programs

In 2010, Indio had city-to-city economic exchange programs with San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico, in the Sister Cities International (SCI) program. Also in 2010, officials from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games visited the 2010 National Date Festival.

2010: Population of Indio in 2010

In 2010, the United States census recorded Indio's population as 76,036.

2013: Median Household Income and Poverty Line in Indio in 2009-2013

From 2009 to 2013, Indio had a median household income of $50,068, with 21.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2013: Arts Scene in Indio in 2013

In 2013, OC Weekly's Dave Barton described the arts scene in Indio with "seems to consist of Johnny Cash tributes, chalk art, camel and ostrich races, and Neil Simon revivals."

2015: Increase in Retail Trade Jobs in Indio in 2007-2015

Between 2007 and 2015, the percentage of retail trade jobs in Indio increased by 4.4 percent and the percentage of education jobs increased from 15.2 to 20.5 percent.

2015: Average Salary in Indio in 2015

In 2015, the average salary for a job in Indio increased to $35,532.

2016: Desert Trip Mega Concert in 2016

In 2016, Goldenvoice organized Desert Trip, a 3-day mega concert featuring The Rolling Stones, The Who, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Roger Waters, and Neil Young, held on October 7–9 and 14–16 at the same venue as the Coachella Music Festival.

2016: Indio Police Department Chosen for Task Force

In 2016, the Indio Police Department was one of 15 law enforcement agencies chosen to participate in President Barack Obama's 21st Century Policing Task Force. The Indio Police Department was recognized for its achievements in community engagement.

2017: Desert Care Network Formation

In 2017, JFK Memorial Hospital, Desert Regional Medical Center, and Hi-Desert Medical Center, along with several affiliated outpatient clinics and centers, came together to form the Desert Care Network.

2017: The Desert Sun Circulation

In 2017, The Desert Sun, a daily newspaper and part of the USA Today Network, had a circulation of 14,685 in Indio. The Desert Sun also had the largest newspaper circulation in the desert in 2017.

2018: Loma Linda University Children's Health Opening

In 2018, Loma Linda University Children's Health – Indio opened and began serving approximately 150 children per week.

2018: Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine Visits

In 2018, the Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine clinic had a total of 3,154 visits.

January 1, 2019: Population Estimate for Indio on January 1, 2019

According to the Demographic Research Unit (DRU) of the California Department of Finance, the provisional population estimate for the City of Indio as of January 1, 2019, was 89,406.

February 2019: Opening of Fairfield Inn and Suites in February 2019

In February 2019, the city opened a 120-room Fairfield Inn and Suites.

2019: Top Employment Industries in Indio in 2019

A 2019 study revealed that the top five employment industries in Indio are educational services, entertainment services, wholesale/retail, agriculture/mining/construction, and waste services.

2019: California Care Force Free Clinic

In 2019, California Care Force served 1,818 Coachella Valley uninsured and underinsured residents at its seventh annual free clinic in Indio.

January 2020: Breaking Ground on Hampton Inn and Suites

In January 2020, Indio broke ground on a 93-room Hampton Inn and Suites.

2020: Passenger Rail Service Planning

As of 2020, the city of Indio and the Riverside County Transportation Commission are planning a passenger rail service that will run to Los Angeles from Indio.

2020: Indio Urban Area Population in 2020

In 2020, the Indio–Palm Desert–Palm Springs CA urban area, with Indio as its principal city, had a population of 361,075, making it the 114th-most populous urban area in the United States.

2020: Population of Indio in 2020

In 2020, the United States census recorded Indio's population as 89,137, marking a 17% increase from the 2010 census.

April 2021: Amtrak Rail Station Reactivation

The Amtrak rail station in Indio is expected to be reactivated in April 2021 for that year's Coachella Valley Music Festival.

2023: Foreign-Born Population and Language Spoken in Indio in 2023

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 25.3% of the population in Indio were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 46.3% spoke only English at home, 50.0% spoke Spanish, 1.1% spoke other Indo-European languages, 1.9% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.7% spoke other languages.

2023: Median Household Income and Poverty Rate in Indio in 2023

In 2023, the median household income in Indio was $78,709, and the per capita income was $35,231. About 9.1% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line.

2024: 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

According to the city's 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are listed.

2025: Indio Population in 2025

By 2025, Indio's population had more than doubled twice, reaching over 100,000 residents, following a significant population boom in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.