Valley Center was the site of the capture of the largest California Grizzly Bear in history. In 1866, the largest bear weighing over 2,200 pounds was brought into the town. Before that incident, the town had no official name. The notoriety surrounding the event gave Valley Center its original name of "Bear Valley." The town name was changed in 1874 to Valley; in 1878, to Valley Centre; and, in 1887, to Valley Center.
Today, Valley Center is an unincorporated community located approximately 5 miles outside of Escondido and 20 miles from Oceanside, and 35 miles from San Diego. The community is spread out over 29.5 square miles with rolling hills and views of Rodriguez Peak and the Palomar Mountain Range. Most homes enjoy a view, as much of the topography of the area ranges from 1,000 feet above sea level to over 2,000 feet. Valley Center enjoys a mild climate year round. Much of the land is acricultural, and the area is home to numerous avacado and citrus groves. The area has grown more than 300% in population in the last decade. This area now has a population of about 22,000 people.
Excellent schools are available to students, served by the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District. The school district enjoys a 19:1 student teacher ratio, and more than 80% of high school seniors graduate from high school and 85% of graduating seniors go on to seek higher education.
The majority of homes in Valley Center are owner-occupied, and the typical home has three or more bedrooms. More than 90% of the available homes are located on lots of more than one acre, and there are no condos available. Home prices start above $400K and quickly escalate into the millions. The average home sales price for Valley center in March 2006 was $1.61 million.
Recreation activities abound in the area. Residents and visitors can enjoy the Palomar Mountain Obeservatory, Bates Brothers' Nut Farm, Lakes Wohlford, Hodges and Henshaw, Sengme Oaks Water Park, Pala Mission and Hellhole Canyon hiking and horse riding trails. The area is also home to Bell Gardens, a not-for-profit agriculture education farm. Bell Gardens is a wonderful place for the whole family, offering wonderful fruits and vegetables. They have hayrides and train rides on the weekends. Valley Center also has two casinos nearby, Harrah's Rincon Casino and Valley View Casino (located on the San Pasqual Indian Reservation).
Find out how much Valley Center Real Estate is Worth:
Before your house is put on the market,
your real estate agent meets you to review your comparative
market analysis to help you accurately price your house.
In the meantime, use our online tools to get general information about
sales activity in your neighborhood.
Valley Center was the site of the capture of the largest California Grizzly Bear in history. In 1866, the largest bear weighing over 2,200 pounds was brought into the town. Before that incident, the town had no official name. The notoriety surrounding the event gave Valley Center its original name of "Bear Valley." The town name was changed in 1874 to Valley; in 1878, to Valley Centre; and, in 1887, to Valley Center.
What's the Weather in 
