Claremont is home to the sevenClaremont Colleges and several other educational institutions and is known for its tree-lined streets with numerous historic buildings.[9] Because of this, it is sometimes referred to as "The City of Trees and Ph.Ds."[1] It was named the best suburb in the West bySunset Magazine in 2016, which described it as a "small city that blends worldly sophistication with small-town appeal."[10][11] In 2018,Niche rated Claremont as the 17th best place to live in the Los Angeles area out of 658 communities it evaluated, based on crime, cost of living, job opportunities, and local amenities.[12]
The city is primarily residential, with a significant portion of its commercial activity located in "The Village," a popular collection of street-front small stores, boutiques, art galleries, offices, and restaurants adjacent to and west of the Claremont Colleges. The Village was expanded in 2007, adding a controversial[13][14] multi-use development that includesan indie cinema, a boutique hotel, retail space, offices, and a parking structure on the site of an old citrus packing plant west of Indian Hill Boulevard. Claremont also hosts several large retirement communities.[15]
Claremont has been a winner of the NationalArbor Day Association'sTree City USA award for 22 consecutive years. When the cityincorporated in 1907, local citizens started what has become the city's tree-planting tradition. Claremont is one of the few remaining places in North America withAmerican Elm trees that have not been exposed toDutch elm disease. The stately trees line Indian Hill Boulevard in the vicinity of the city's Memorial Park.
An early twentieth century map showing the city of Claremont and the site of the formerTongva village called "Indian Hill" (top right)[16]PresidentTheodore Roosevelt speaks atPomona College in 1903.
Prior to the establishment of the city of Claremont, the area was frequented by theSerrano,Cahuilla, andTongva for thousands of years.[16] The Tongva established villages in the area as early as 7000 B.C. and thrived from the freshwater of what theSpanish would call theSan Antonio Creek.[16] One well-documented Tongva village, known asTorojoatngna,[17] was located at a place called "Indian Hill" by early American settlers.[16] The village was active until the nineteenth century, housing nearly 200 residents in 1870, yet was eventually abandoned after being ravaged by asmallpox epidemic by 1883.[16]
The city of Claremont was first mapped out by developers in aland boom precipitated by thearrival of transcontinental railroads to Southern California.[18] It was likely named afterClaremont, New Hampshire.[19] The early history of the city was closely tied to that ofPomona College, which moved there in 1889.[20] In 1902, a town meeting vote established that east–west streets would be numbered and north–south streets named after colleges and universities.[21] The city was incorporated in 1907.[22]
Thecitrus groves and open space which once dominated the northern portion of the city have been replaced by residential developments of large homes.[19] Construction of Stone Canyon Preserve, one of the final residential tract developments in the north of the city, commenced in 2003 as part of a complicated agreement betweenPomona and the City of Claremont which resulted in the creation of the 1,740-acre (7.0 km2) Wilderness Park. The foothill area also includes thePadua Hills Theatre (a historic site constructed in 1930) and the Claraboya residential area.
Claremont has aMediterranean climate (Köppen climate classificationCsa). During the summer, temperatures may get very high, sometimes rising above 100 °F (38 °C). In the autumn, Claremont can experience the gusty "Santa Ana Winds", which can bring fire danger to nearby foothill areas. As winter comes along, most of the city's annual rainfall occurs, which is typical around the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Snow is rare in Claremont, but can be viewed in the nearbySan Gabriel Mountains in the winter. In the late spring, Claremont can receive many overcast days due to the strong onshore flow from the ocean. This is typically called "May Gray" or "June Gloom" in the region.
Claremont city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 83.4% of the population lived in households, 15.6% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1.1% were institutionalized.[45]
There were 12,050 households, out of which 29.4% included children under the age of 18, 53.1% were married-couple households, 4.6% werecohabiting couple households, 27.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.4% had a male householder with no partner present. 25.4% of households were one person, and 13.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58.[45] There were 8,363families (69.4% of all households).[46]
The age distribution was 16.4% under the age of 18, 21.5% aged 18 to 24, 19.1% aged 25 to 44, 23.3% aged 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 38.5years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males.[45]
There were 12,752 housing units at an average density of 956.3 units per square mile (369.2 units/km2), of which 12,050 (94.5%) were occupied. Of these, 63.6% were owner-occupied, and 36.4% were occupied by renters.[45]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $122,127, and theper capita income was $54,163. About 4.0% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line.[47]
The2010 United States census[48] reported that Claremont had a population of 34,926. The population density was 2,589.7 inhabitants per square mile (999.9/km2). The racial makeup of Claremont was 24,666 (70.6%)White (58.9% Non-Hispanic White),[49] 1,651 (4.7%)African American, 172 (0.5%)Native American, 4,564 (13.1%)Asian, 38 (0.1%)Pacific Islander, 2,015 (5.8%) fromother races, and 1,820 (5.2%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 6,919 persons (19.8%).
The Census reported that 29,802 people (85.3% of the population) lived in households, 4,926 (14.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 198 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 11,608 households, out of which 3,576 (30.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,305 (54.3%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,223 (10.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 397 (3.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 429 (3.7%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 138 (1.2%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,957 households (25.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,556 (13.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57. There were 7,925families (68.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.1.
The population was spread out, with 6,459 people (18.5%) under the age of 18, 6,778 people (19.4%) aged 18 to 24, 6,940 people (19.9%) aged 25 to 44, 8,979 people (25.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,770 people (16.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
There were 12,156 housing units at an average density of 901.3 units per square mile (348.0 units/km2), of which 7,700 (66.3%) were owner-occupied, and 3,908 (33.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 21,209 people (60.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,593 people (24.6%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–13, Claremont had a median household income of $87,324, with 7.2% of the population living below thefederal poverty line.[49]
German (12.0%) and English (11.6%) were the most common ancestries according to the 2000 census.[citation needed] Mexico (12.7%) and Taiwan (11%) were the most common foreign places of birth.[50]
The Verbal Building in the Claremont Village, used today as a restaurantThe Claremont Packing House, a former citrus packing facility now filled with shops
Claremont has been praised for its vibrant arts and culture scene.[52]
Each year, Claremont holds a springtime folk music festival, hosted by the Folk Music Center Store and Museum.[citation needed] The 35th event took place in May 2018.[needs update][citation needed]
Each July, Ophelia's Jump Productions presents their annual Midsummer Shakespeare Festival at The Sontag Outdoor Theatre in Pomona College.[citation needed] Productions are performed in repertory with local community and civic events and festivities.[citation needed]
Guitars at the Claremont Folk Music Center
The Claremont Village hosts a Pie Day Festival every March 14.[citation needed] In past years, attendees could collect pie recipes as they walked around downtown Claremont and checked out different stores.[54]
In 2019, Claremont made national news after the Claremont United Methodist Church unveiled a nativity scene depicting Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus separated and locked up in individual chain-link pens.[citation needed] This was done to reflect the plight of immigrants and asylum seekers on the U.S. Southern Border in 2019.[citation needed] The church had constructed similarly non-traditional nativity scenes in prior years.[55]
TheCalifornia Botanic Garden (formerly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden) contains a very large and diverse collection of California native plants, and is open daily for self-guided walking tours.
The other high school in Claremont isThe Webb Schools, a collective name for twoprivatecollege preparatory schools for grades 9–12, founded byThompson Webb in 1922.[citation needed] The two schools, officially the Webb School of California (boys' school) and the Vivian Webb School (girls' school), share the same campus in northwest Claremont.[citation needed] Within the campus is the Vivian Webb Chapel, which began initial construction in 1939.[citation needed] It was built by the founder for his wife, Vivian.[citation needed] The Kimberly Bell Tower was added to the chapel in 1955.[68]The Webb Schools is also home to theRaymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, America's only accredited museum located on a high school campus.[citation needed]
TheClaremont Courier is widely regarded as Claremont'snewspaper of record.[69] In 2018, theCourier was named the top community newspaper in California by the California News Publisher's Association.[70] In addition, Claremont High School's students produce the student newspaperThe Wolfpacket, with support and printing services from theCourier.[71]
There are also several media outlets based at the Claremont Colleges, includingThe Student Life, the oldest college newspaper in Southern California,[72] and the radio stationKSPC.[73]
Claremont is also planned to eventually connect with theMetro A Line on theFoothill Extension Project, funded in 2024 and planned for completion in 2030. This extension will also provide service to L.A. Union Station viaPasadena.[citation needed]
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