For a taste of the country lifestyle, Carmel Valley is the ideal place to live. It stretches east of Carmel from Highway 1 through over 15 miles of beautiful rolling hills along the path of the Carmel River. As one travels further out Carmel Valley Road, the main thoroughfare serving this long stretch of residential hideaways, the living gets more rural by the mile.

Folks who like the convenience of the vast array of peninsula conveniences will choose to live within the first few miles of the valley's mouth where a high concentration of retail and commercial services are located. Those leaning toward a more laid-back lifestyle will likely prefer locating closer to Carmel Valley Village, 12-miles out and away from the hustle and bustle.

This charming valley village is a quiet little country town only three blocks long stretched out along Carmel Valley Road. It has all one needs to live a comfortable life in the country if that is the lifestyle of choice. Horses abound from about mid-valley to the far reaches of its upper end, with unlimited riding trails heading off into the Los Padres Mountains.

The greater Carmel area of influence is another matter. It includes all of Carmel outside the city limits, north to Carmel Woods, across Highway 1 to the east, and south to include the Meadows on the other side of the Carmel River. Here the average age is said to drop to around 50 years and the median income increases to over $90,000.

Homes vary in price across the board, and there are likely to be a lot to choose from due to the valley's large geographical area. One-acre zoning is predominant throughout the valley, with exceptions in subdivisions that were developed early on. It includes some of the finest golf courses in the area, including Quail Lodge and Carmel Valley Ranch, and one of the largest parks in Monterey County, Garland Ranch.