The Inland Empire Moves America — and Builds a Future at Home
If you watch the Inland Empire closely, you start to notice something: it's always in motion. The IE doesn't just participate in the national economy—it helps carry it.
Lainland Editorial
The IE Moves America
From regional distribution center to North America's logistics heartbeat—powered by global trade and strengthened by healthcare growth.
Create a cinematic 16:9 image showing the Inland Empire's logistics infrastructure with modern warehouses, freight corridors, mountains in the background, and healthcare facilities representing dual economic engines.
Explore More InsightsA Region That Keeps America Moving
That role has quietly turned the region into one of the most important logistics centers in North America. And it's not a recent surprise. It's a transformation that has been building for decades.
Over the last twenty years, the Inland Empire's employment base has shifted in a way that's hard to ignore. Transportation and Warehousing jobs grew from about 4.4% of total employment in 2003 to about 12.3% in 2023.
But the Inland Empire economy isn't a one-track story anymore. As distribution expanded, other sectors rose alongside it — construction, education, professional services, retail, and especially healthcare.
Two Engines Driving Growth
4.4%→12.3%
Logistics Growth
Transportation & Warehousing employment (2003-2023)
10.2%→15.3%
Healthcare Growth
Healthcare employment expansion (2003-2023)
Dual Engine
Economy
Logistics connects globally, healthcare reinvests locally
The Logistics Boom in Plain Numbers
Over the last twenty years, the Inland Empire's employment base has shifted in a way that's hard to ignore. Transportation and Warehousing jobs grew from about 4.4% of total employment in 2003 to about 12.3% in 2023.
Proximity to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach gives the IE a front-row seat to global trade. The region is the bridge between the Pacific and the rest of America.
What Logistics Growth Means for Residents
For residents, this growth translated into real work at real scale. Logistics jobs are visible across the region — from Ontario and Rialto to Moreno Valley, Perris, Redlands, and Fontana. These are jobs that supported families, fueled housing demand, and helped cities expand.
Every major distribution hub pulls in supporting businesses: trucking services, maintenance shops, packaging companies, and local food options for workers.
Healthcare as the Second Engine
One of the strongest and most promising shifts has been in healthcare. Health care employment grew from about 10.2% of the regional job base in 2003 to about 15.3% by 2023.
As the IE's population rises, demand for clinics, hospitals, specialists, and community health programs rises with it. Healthcare anchors families here.
What This Means for the Future
Logistics Scale
The IE is the West Coast's distribution heartbeat, connecting Pacific ports to the entire Southwest through freeways and rail corridors.
Job Diversification
Construction, education, professional services, and retail have all grown alongside logistics, creating a more resilient regional economy.
Healthcare Growth
Healthcare creates a whole ecosystem — nurses, doctors, lab techs, caregiving services, health IT, and educational pipelines.
Regional Balance
Logistics connects the IE to global trade. Healthcare reinvests into the people who live here. Together, they create sustainable growth.
Sustainable Growth Through Balance
A region powered by logistics and healthcare is positioned for sustained growth. Logistics connects the IE to global trade and national distribution. Healthcare reinvests into the people who live here.
Together, they create a foundation that's broader, stronger, and more stable than either one alone. The IE isn't just moving America's goods—it's moving its own future forward.
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