San Clemente, California | |
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.jpg) .jpg) .jpg)  .jpg) Top: view of San Clemente Pier; middle:Historic City Hall (left),Casa Romantica (right); bottom:San Clemente State Beach (left) and Hotel San Clemente (right). | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of San Clemente withinOrange County, California | |
  San Clemente Location in theLos Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area San Clemente Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:33°26′16″N117°37′13″W / 33.43778°N 117.62028°W /33.43778; -117.62028 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Orange |
| Incorporated | February 28, 1928[1] |
| Named after | Saint Clement |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Steve Knoblock[2] |
| • City Manager | Andy Hall |
| Area | |
• Total | 19.10 sq mi (49.48 km2) |
| • Land | 18.36 sq mi (47.54 km2) |
| • Water | 0.75 sq mi (1.94 km2) 3.92% |
| Elevation | 233 ft (71 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 64,293 |
| • Density | 3,503/sq mi (1,352/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 92672–92674 |
| Area code | 949 |
| FIPS code | 06-65084 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1661376,2411781 |
| Website | www |
San Clemente (/ˌsænkləˈmɛnti/san kleh-MEN-tee;Spanish for 'St. Clement'[6]Spanish:[saŋkleˈmente][7]) is a coastal city in southernOrange County, California, United States. It was named in 1925 after the Spanish colonial island (which was named after a Pope from the first century).[8] Located in theOrange Coast region of theSouth Coast ofCalifornia, San Clemente's population was 64,293 in the 2020 census.[5] Situated roughly midway betweenLos Angeles andSan Diego, San Clemente is a popular tourist destination inSouthern California, known for its beaches,Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and hospitality industry. San Clemente's city slogan is "Spanish Village by the Sea."[9]
TheAcjachemen are the Indigenous people of San Clemente.[10]
In 1776, FatherJunípero Serra foundedMission San Juan Capistrano, and afterward the local indigenous people were dubbed "Juaneños" in Spanish. Both Native Americans and Spanish settlers established villages near the mission, and local indigenous people were conscripted to work for the mission.
San Clemente was included as part ofRancho Boca de la Playa, granted in 1846 by GovernorPío Pico to Emigdio Véjar. Following the Americanconquest of California, California came under United States sovereignty in 1848. In 1860, Véjar sold the rancho to Juan Ávila, grantee ofRancho Niguel, who later conveyed it to his son-in-law, Pablo Pryor.[11]
Property rights to the land exchanged hands several times, but few ventured to build on it until 1925, when formerSeattle MayorOle Hanson, an out-of-town major land developer, purchased and designed a 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) community with the financial help of a syndicate headed by Henry Hamilton Cotton. Hanson anticipated that Californians weary of "the big city" would find refuge in the region's agreeable climate, stunning beaches, and rich land. He named the city afterSan Clemente Island, which in turn was named by the explorerSebastián Vizcaino in 1602 afterSaint Clement. Hanson envisioned it as a Mediterranean-style coastal resort town, his "San Clemente by the Sea". The city is one of the country's first master planned communities.[12] He had a clause added to the deeds requiring all building plans to be submitted to an architectural review board in an effort to ensure future development would retain red tile roofs and white exteriors. This proved to be short-lived; an eclectic mix of building styles is found in the oldest parts of town.
Hanson succeeded in promoting the new area and selling property. He built public structures such as the Beach Club, the community center, the pier and San Clemente Plaza, now known as Max Berg Plaza Park. The area was officially incorporated as a city on February 27, 1928, with acouncil-manager government. Referring to the way he would develop the city, Hanson proclaimed, "I have a clean canvas and I am determined to paint a clean picture. Think of it – a canvas five miles long and one and one-half miles wide!... My San Clemente by the Sea." Soon after San Clemente was incorporated, the need for afire station was realized. The headlines in San Clemente's first newspaper,El Heraldo de San Clemente June 1928 read: "Building to house local fire department will be constructed by popular subscription and turned over to the city when completed!" Individual subscriptions were received in the amounts from $6.00 to $1,500.00 from the citizenry.
One of the most iconic landmarks in San Clemente is the San Clemente Pier, first constructed in 1928 and rebuilt in 1939 and 1983.
When Ole Hanson came to San Clemente and decided to develop the city he moved into his epitome of the perfect house which was calledCasa Romantica. Hanson owned Casa Romantica up until the Great Depression hit and the Bank of America foreclosed on the property.
In 1969, PresidentRichard Nixon bought part of the H. H. Cotton estate, one of the original homes built by one of Hanson's partners. Nixon called it "La Casa Pacifica" and it was nicknamed the "Western White House," a term for a President's vacation home. It sits above one of the West Coast's premier surfing spots,Trestles, and just north of historic surfing beachSan Onofre. Many world leaders visited the home during Nixon's tenure, includingSovietgeneral secretaryLeonid Brezhnev, Mexican PresidentGustavo Díaz Ordaz, Prime Minister of JapanEisaku Satō,Henry Kissinger, and businessmanBebe Rebozo. After his resignation, Nixon retired to San Clemente to write his memoirs. He sold the home in 1980 and moved to New York City. The property also has historical ties to the Democratic side of the aisle; prior to Nixon's tenure at the estate, H. H. Cotton was known to hostFranklin D. Roosevelt, who would visit to play cards in a small outbuilding overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
In 1994, the Clarence Lobo Elementary School, named afterClarence H. Lobo, chief of theAcjachemen people from 1946 to 1985, was opened in San Clemente as part of theCapistrano Unified School District. The opening of the school was notable as the first school in California to be named after an Indigenous leader.[13]
The historic "North Beach" area is home to theMiramar Theatre, the Casino Building, and Ole Hanson Beach Club, the latter two of which were renovated in 2010 and 2016.
In 2020, the city, along withDana Point andSan Juan Capistrano, was sued bySanta Ana who argued the cities were participating in a practice in conjunction with local police departments and OC's Sheriff Department to detain homeless people and dump them in older neighboring cities.[14]
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San Clemente is bordered byCamp Pendleton andTrestles surf beach in neighboringSan Diego County to the south, theCleveland National Forest to the east, the city ofDana Point to the northwest, the city ofSan Juan Capistrano to the north, and theCDPRancho Mission Viejo to the northeast.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 19.1 square miles (49 km2). 18.4 square miles (48 km2) of it is land and 0.75 square miles (1.9 km2) of it (3.92%) is water.[3]
San Clemente has aMediterranean climate where temperatures tend to average in the 70s °F (20s °C). The warmest month of the year is August, with an average high temperature of 79 °F (26 °C). The coldest month is December with an average high temperature of 64 °F (18 °C). The annual rainfall in 2010 was 10.5 inches (270 mm) and the annual days of sunshine 310.
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| Climate data for San Clemente, California | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 90 (32) | 90 (32) | 92 (33) | 98 (37) | 99 (37) | 102 (39) | 106 (41) | 103 (39) | 108 (42) | 105 (41) | 100 (38) | 90 (32) | 108 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 66 (19) | 66 (19) | 67 (19) | 69 (21) | 70 (21) | 73 (23) | 77 (25) | 78 (26) | 78 (26) | 75 (24) | 70 (21) | 67 (19) | 71 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 45 (7) | 46 (8) | 48 (9) | 50 (10) | 55 (13) | 58 (14) | 62 (17) | 62 (17) | 61 (16) | 56 (13) | 48 (9) | 44 (7) | 53 (12) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 22 (−6) | 28 (−2) | 33 (1) | 33 (1) | 38 (3) | 43 (6) | 44 (7) | 47 (8) | 43 (6) | 37 (3) | 29 (−2) | 27 (−3) | 22 (−6) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.73 (69) | 2.70 (69) | 2.36 (60) | 0.80 (20) | 0.24 (6.1) | 0.10 (2.5) | 0.03 (0.76) | 0.12 (3.0) | 0.31 (7.9) | 0.39 (9.9) | 1.11 (28) | 1.65 (42) | 12.54 (318.16) |
| Source:[15] | |||||||||||||
The most common native species: Common Yarrow, Red Sand Verbena, and Pink Sand Verbena.[16]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 667 | — | |
| 1940 | 479 | −28.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,008 | 319.2% | |
| 1960 | 8,527 | 324.7% | |
| 1970 | 17,063 | 100.1% | |
| 1980 | 27,325 | 60.1% | |
| 1990 | 41,100 | 50.4% | |
| 2000 | 49,936 | 21.5% | |
| 2010 | 63,522 | 27.2% | |
| 2020 | 64,293 | 1.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] 1860–1870[18][19] 1880-1890[20] 1900[21] 1910[22] 1920[23] 1930[24] 1940[25] 1950[26] 1960[27] 1970[28] 1980[29] 1990[30]2000[31] 2010[32] 2020[33] | |||
After incorporation in 1928, San Clemente appeared as a city in the1930 U.S. Census.[24] Prior to that, the area was part of unincorporated San Juan Township (pop 1,064 in 1920).[23]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[34] | Pop 2010[35] | Pop 2020[33] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 39,155 | 48,254 | 45,889 | 78.41% | 75.96% | 71.37% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 320 | 349 | 382 | 0.64% | 0.55% | 0.59% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 167 | 193 | 180 | 0.33% | 0.30% | 0.28% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,293 | 2,269 | 2,513 | 2.59% | 3.57% | 3.91% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 62 | 78 | 88 | 0.12% | 0.12% | 0.14% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 58 | 89 | 353 | 0.12% | 0.14% | 0.55% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 948 | 1,588 | 3,209 | 1.90% | 2.50% | 4.99% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,933 | 10,702 | 11,679 | 15.89% | 16.85% | 18.17% |
| Total | 49,936 | 63,522 | 64,293 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
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The2020 United States census reported a population of 64,293. The population density was 3,502.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,352.4/km2). The racial makeup was 71.4%non-Hispanic white, 0.6% non-HispanicAfrican American, 3.9% non-HispanicAsian, 5.0% non-HispanicMultiracial and 18.2%Hispanic orLatino of any race.[36] The city is one ofsix coastal cities in Orange County (San Clemente,Dana Point,Laguna Beach,Newport Beach,Huntington Beach,Seal Beach) all of which have non-Hispanic white majority populations despitebelonging to a county that has been majority-minority since the 2010 census.
The census reported that 99.3% of the population lived in households, 0.7% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.[36]
There were 24,490 households, out of which 29.6% included children under the age of 18, 57.5% were married-couple households, 5.6% werecohabiting couple households, 21.6% had a female householder with no partner present, and 15.4% had a male householder with no partner present. 21.7% of households were one person, and 9.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.61.[36] There were 17,422families (71.1% of all households).[37]
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The age distribution was 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% aged 18 to 24, 21.8% aged 25 to 44, 29.7% aged 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males.[36]
There were 26,647 housing units at an average density of 1,451.7 units per square mile (560.5 units/km2), of which 24,490 (91.9%) were occupied. Of these, 64.0% were owner-occupied, and 36.0% were occupied by renters.[36]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $134,735, and theper capita income was $73,051. About 2.9% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line.[38]
The2010 United States census[39] reported San Clemente had a population of 63,522. The population density was 3,262.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,259.8/km2). The racial makeup of San Clemente was 54,605 (86.0%)White (76.0% Non-Hispanic White),[40] 411 (0.6%)African American, 363 (0.6%)Native American, 2,333 (3.7%)Asian, 90 (0.1%)Pacific Islander, 3,433 (5.4%) fromother races, and 2,287 (3.6%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 10,702 persons (16.8%).
The Census reported 63,249 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 245 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 28 (0.04%) were institutionalized.
There were 23,906 households, out of which 8,210 (34.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,873 (58.0%) weremarriage living together, 1,898 (7.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 986 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,207 (5.0%)unmarried partnerships, 5,184 households (21.7%) were made up of individuals, and 1,972 (8.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 16,757families (70.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.
The population was spread out, with 15,506 people (24.4%) under the age of 18, 5,006 people (7.9%) aged 18 to 24, 16,474 people (25.9%) aged 25 to 44, 18,122 people (28.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,414 people (13.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.
There were 25,966 housing units at an average density of 1,333.8 per square mile (515.0/km2), of which 15,309 (64.0%) were owner-occupied, and 8,597 (36.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%. 41,164 people (64.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 22,085 people (34.8%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 United States census, San Clemente had a median household income of $87,184, with 7.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[40]
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The following companies have their corporate headquarters in San Clemente:
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San Clemente is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches, historic architecture, and attractions. San Clemente Pier is a popular attraction which connects to the San Clemente Beach trail which extends 2.6 miles (4.2 km) along the coast between North Beach and Calafia State Beach.[41] The San Clemente Beach trail is a popular place for locals to walk or run.
Casa Romantica is one of the most historic places in San Clemente. Casa Romantica is owned by the city and is used as a cultural center. It is also open to rent for private events such as weddings. Casa Romantica is located above theSan Clemente Pier station and overlooks the San Clemente coastline. Other listed historic sites in San Clemente include the Hotel San Clemente, the Goldschmidt House, the Oscar Easley Block, and the San Clemente Beach Club.[42]
Known as the “Spanish Village by the Sea”, San Clemente has long been known for itsSpanish Colonial Revival style architecture. Downtown San Clemente restaurants and shops are adorned with red tile roofs, cream stucco walls, and dark wood doors and windows. The homes in the area range in style, but stick to the Spanish theme for the most part. The area's oldest homes are in Southwest San Clemente, directly south of downtown and "North Beach" area, directly north of downtown. The homes in the Southwest Riviera neighborhood include several new constructions in the Cape Cod style, as well as new modern residences. More traditional, older homes sit in the Lasuen "boot" district; the neighborhood surrounding Lasuens or "Lost Winds" beach is characterized by a variety of styles in both single and double story fashion, with Hanson's traditional Spanish style sprinkled throughout, crafting an eclectic atmosphere. The renovations to historic buildings in North Beach have sparked a revival in the area, attracting new residents and business owners.
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Many people work as civilian employees at theUSMC BaseCamp Pendleton, which is just over theSan Diego County line.
According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[43] the largest employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capistrano Unified School District | 635 |
| 2 | Ralphs | 239 |
| 3 | Target | 226 |
| 4 | ICU Medical | 224 |
| 5 | Albertsons | 209 |
| 6 | Walmart | 195 |
| 7 | City of San Clemente | 192 |
| 8 | Glaukos Corp. | 181 |
| 9 | Fisherman's Restaurants | 172 |
| 10 | Lowe's | 160 |
San Clemente is known for its many surfing locations, which includeTrestles, Lowers, Middles & Uppers, Cotton's Point, Calafia Beach Park, Riviera, Lasuens (most often called Lost Winds), The Hole,T-Street, The Pier, Linda Lane, 204, North Beach and Poche Beach. It is also home toSurfing Magazine,The Surfer's Journal, andLongboard Magazine.
The city has a large concentration of surfboard shapers and manufacturers. Additionally, numerous world-renowned surfers were raised in San Clemente or took up long-term residence in town, includingKolohe Andino,Shane Beschen,Mike Parsons (originally from Laguna Beach).
San Clemente High School has won 6 out of 7 most recent NSSA national surfing titles.
San Clemente is a designated venue city for theLos Angeles 2028 summer Olympics. Trestles will host surfing.[44]
The city is served byCapistrano Unified School District.
Within the city, there are six elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school. There is also one virtual public K-12 school: Capistrano Connections Academy with flexible hours for students. The elementary schools are: Truman Benedict, Concordia Elementary, Vista Del Mar, Las Palmas, Marblehead Elementary, and Lobo Elementary. The middle schools are Bernice Ayer,Shorecliffs, and Vista Del Mar.
Las Palmas Elementary is well known for itsdual immersion program.
San Clemente High School has an IB (International Baccalaureate) Program and a large number of AP (advanced placement) courses. Students at San Clemente High School have received academic accolades and hosted groups ranging from national title winning dance teams to award-winning orchestras, bands, voice groups and one of the nation's most skilled athletic programs; these groups have also received opportunities to perform at various venues including Carnegie Hall (madrigals and orchestra), various venues in Hawaii (marching band), and many others. After the extension of Avenida La Pata opened in 2016, some students have attended the neighboringSan Juan Hills High School.
The nearest public college isSaddleback College inMission Viejo.
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In theCalifornia State Legislature, San Clemente is inthe 36th senatorial district, represented byRepublican Tony Strickland, and inthe 74th Assembly district, represented byRepublican Laurie Davies.[45]
In theUnited States House of Representatives, San Clemente is inCalifornia's 49th congressional district, represented byDemocrat Mike Levin.[46]
Additionally, in theOrange County Board of Supervisors, San Clemente is in the fifth district represented byKatrina Foley since 2023.
According to theCalifornia Secretary of State, as of May 14, 2025, San Clemente has 45,890 registered voters. Of those, 17,791 (44.4%) are registeredRepublicans, 9,926 (24.8%) are registeredDemocrats, and 10,309 (25.7%) havedeclined to state a political party.[47][48]
San Clemente is a stalwart Republican stronghold in presidential elections with no Democratic nominee winning the city in over four decades. San Clemente voted in favor ofProposition 8 by 55.5% and forProposition 4 by 52.2%.[49]
Gene James, elected by to the City Council in 2019, was appointed Mayor in 2021.[50] James introduced a resolution to declare San Clemente a Second Amendment Freedom City in June 2021.[51] In 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision inDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, councilmember Steve Knoblock introduced a resolution to declare San Clemente a "sanctuary for life," which would have outlawed abortion within city limits.[52] Following public pushback, the City Council voted 4–1 to table the measure, with only Knoblock voting to bring the resolution to a vote.
The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), collected annually by the FBI, compiles police statistics from local and state law enforcement agencies across the nation. The UCR records Part I and Part II crimes. Part I crimes become known to law enforcement and are considered the most serious crimes including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part II crimes only include arrest data.[53] The 2023 UCR Data is listed below:
| Aggravated Assault | Homicide | Rape | Robbery | Burglary | Larceny Theft | Motor Vehicle Theft | Arson | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente | 71 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 103 | 643 | 147 | 3 |
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San Clemente was the setting of theMTV reality showLife of Ryan.
It was also the setting of the 2005 filmBrick. The town was chosen because it was particularly close to the directorRian Johnson who lived there and went toSan Clemente High School, which was the school depicted in the film. Many of the locations in the film are still identical to the real ones, with the exception of the Pin's house, which was flattened a week after exteriorshooting; the interior was constructed in a local warehouse. The football field has also since been replaced with artificial turf and track. The phone booths used all through the film are mostly props that were placed on location. The movieOne of Her Own is based on incidents in and around San Clemente.[55]
San Clemente is served byThe San Clemente Times, which prints once weekly on Thursdays.
Water in San Clemente is supplied by the City of San Clemente Utilities Division, which sources its water from local groundwater and theMetropolitan Water District of Southern California. This water is imported by the State Water Project, which draws water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Colorado River. Additional water is supplied from the Irvine Ranch Water District’s Baker Water Treatment Plant.[56]
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Highways includeInterstate 5.
Orange County Transportation Authority operates bus service in San Clemente.[57][58] In 2016, San Clemente began offering residents free trolley service.[59]
Amtrak'sPacific Surfliner andMetrolink'sOrange County Line andInland Empire–Orange County Line provide rail service. The city has two stations:San Clemente station andSan Clemente Pier station.
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San Clemente istwinned with:
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San Clemente travel guide from Wikivoyage
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