Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga is a city in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles. The area was first inhabited by Native Americans and then surveyed by Spanish explorers in 1785, who named it Rancho San Antonio. Rancho Cucamonga was part of Mexico until 1848 when California became a state. The city was incorporated into Riverside County in 1973, but retained its original incorporation date even though it's now part of San Bernardino County. It has a population of over 150,000 people.
The city is home to several attractions including the Auto Club Speedway, Cal State San Bernardino, and the Foothill Freeway which can get you up to LA in under an hour.
Rancho Cucamonga has several popular neighborhoods including Chino Hills State Park (which offers hiking trails) and Rancho Cucamonga Historical Museum (where you can learn about the city's history).
If you're looking for somewhere affordable but still close enough to go into town every now and then then look no further than Rancho Cucamonga.