California’s population growth has seen its ups and downs in recent years. The state’s population declined during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021-’22; then rebounded slightly in 2024. But the region known as the “Inland Empire,” about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, has steadily expanded, increasing by roughly 499,000 since 2010. Most observers say lower housing costs draw new residents. Earlier this year, Medico Healthcare Linen Service responded to this trend by opening a new plant in San Bernardino to service hospitals in the region that includes Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

“The area’s population has continued to rise,” says Greg ...