Rancho Cucamonga ( ) is a city located just south of the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest in the Inland Empire region of San Bernardino County, California, United States. About east of Downtown Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga is the 28th most populous city in California. The city's seal, which centers on a cluster of grapes, alludes to the city's agricultural history including wine-making. The city's proximity to major transportation hubs, airports, and highways has attracted the business of several large corporations, including Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, Big Lots, Mercury Insurance Group, Southern California Edison, and Amphastar Pharmaceuticals.
The city had a population of 174,453 according to the 2020 United States census.
The Jack Benny Program popularized the city's name, in particular the word Cucamonga.
History
By 1200 AD, Kukamongan Native Americans had established a village settlement in the area around present-day Red Hill, near the city's western border, where Red Hill Country Club stands today. Kukamonga derives its name from a Tongva word meaning "sandy place." Anthropologists have determined that this cluster of settlers likely belonged to the Tongva people or Kich people, at one time one of the largest concentrations of Native American peoples on the North American continent. In the 18th century, following an expedition led by Gaspar de Portola, the land was incorporated into the Mission System established by Father Junipero Serra and his group of soldiers and Franciscan friars.
After a half century of political jockeying in the region, the land finally came under the control of Juan Bautista Alvarado, governor of Mexico. On March 3, 1839, Alvarado granted of land in the area called "Cucamonga" to Tubercio Tapia, a first-generation Spanish native of Los Angeles, successful merchant, and notorious smuggler. Tapia went on to establish the first winery in California on his newly deeded land. Rancho Cucamonga was purchased by John Rains and his wife in 1858. The Rains family's home, Casa de Rancho Cucamonga, was completed in 1860 and now appears on the National Register of Historic Places.
During the ensuing years the town prospered and grew. In 1887, irrigation tunnels were dug into Cucamonga Canyon by Chinese laborers and the Santa Fe Railroad was extended through the area. Among the town's economic mainstays was agriculture, including olives, peaches, citrus, and, most notably, vineyards. In 1913, the Pacific Electric Railway was extended through Rancho Cucamonga in an effort to improve crop transportation. Several landmarks in existence today pay tribute to the city's multicultural founding. In particular, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel remains as a relic of the area's Mexican agriculture laborers while the Chinatown House stands as a reminder of the Chinese immigrants who labored in constructing the area's infrastructure.
In 1977, the unincorporated communities of Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda voted to incorporate, forming the city of Rancho Cucamonga.
Grapeland The former community of Grapeland, first settled in 1869, lay roughly between today's Victoria Groves Park and Central Park. There was a schoolhouse which also doubled as a church. In 1890 an irrigation district was formed and $200,000 in bonds were sold to pay for improvements. The Sierra Vista reservoir was built in 1886–87 by J.L. Scofield as the focal point of a network of irrigation pipes. The system was unused, however, because the bond issue was declared illegal. "Orchards and vineyards began to die," The Daily Report newspaper reported in a retrospective. "Residents moved out. The post office closed in 1905. Homes, buildings were destroyed or abandoned." The reservoir remained unused until 1956, when the Fontana Union Water Company filled it with of water. The local school district was merged with the Etiwanda district in 1901. In 1957 the settlement was practically deserted, but there were still rabbit-proof stone walls marking boundaries of previous citrus orchards."Rubble Remains of a Community That Was — Grapeland," The Daily Report, July 13, 1957, page 3 / FONTANA–
Between Fontana and Etiwanda lie the dry, dusty remains of a community that died for lack of water. The name of the town was Grapeland. A few people still live in the original tpwnsite, but the brilliant future that was predicted for it in the 1880s never came to pass. Unpaved dirt roads, still graded by San Bernardino County, run spasmodically through the area. Grapevines still cover much of the parched land; but gone are the citrus groves, the fruit trees, the early pioneer settlers.... The first settlers came to Grapeland in 1869. Later, more and more arrived, until in 1890 the need for adequate water became imperative. An irrigation district was formed and $200,000 in bonds were sold. With this money, the Sierra Vista Reservoir was built as the focal point of a network of irrigation pipes. It was to remain unused for 66 years, for the entire bond issue was declared illegal. Orchards and vineyards began to die. Residents moved out. The post office was closed in 1905. Homes, buildings were destroyed or abandoned. Today, the hot sun parches the empty fields of Grapeland—the community that died of thirst. / Still in fairly good shape along Grapeland's ghost roads are rabbit-proof stone walls around long-gone ciitrus orchards. / CONSTRUCTED 1886–1887, J.L. Scofield, Engineer and Builder is the legend proclaimed by this plaque in the Sierra Vista Reservoir, which proved a delusion to settlers. It remained dry until 1956, when the Fontana Union Water Co. plastered its colorful pebbly exterior and filled it with 5,000,000 gallons of water.
Geography Rancho Cucamonga is part of the Inland Empire and San Bernardino County, a region that lies inland from the Pacific coast and directly east of Los Angeles County. Rancho Cucamonga is located about east of Los Angeles, bordered by Upland to its west, Ontario to its south, the San Gabriel Mountains to its north and I-15 and Fontana to its east. Situated on an alluvial plain with a wildland–urban interface, bears occasionally wander through. Views of Cucamonga Peak, one of the tallest peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains, are available. The city has a total area of , of which 99.98% is land and 0.02% is water.
Climate The city's climate is classified as hot-summer Mediterranean, or Csa, under the Köppen climate classification system. Summers are long and hot, and winters are generally comfortable with occasionally chilly days. Yearly precipitation is and the city experiences an average of 287 sunny days per year, compared to a national average of 205 days.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Rancho Cucamonga city, California – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop.2000Pop.2010Pop.2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)70,02870,57259,93154.82%42.70%34.35%Black or African American alone (NH)9,78914,48615,2377.66%8.77%8.73%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)4054093570.32%0.25%0.20%Asian alone (NH)7,46916,74125,1865.85%10.13%14.44%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)2923833870.23%0.23%0.22%Other Race alone (NH)2944009870.23%0.24%0.57%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)3,9754,5907,1073.11%2.78%4.07%Hispanic or Latino (any race)35,49157,68865,26127.78%34.91%37.41%Total127,743165,269174,453100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 The 2020 United States census counted 174,453 people, 58,277 households, and 44,440 families in Rancho Cucamonga. The population density was 4,349.4 per square mile (1,679.3/km). There were 60,129 housing units at an average density of 1,499.1 per square mile (578.8/km). The racial makeup was 42.6% (74,323) white or European American (34.35% non-Hispanic white), 9.22% (16,089) black or African-American, 1.12% (1,954) Native American or Alaska Native, 14.79% (25,809) Asian, 0.28% (486) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 15.09% (26,326) from other races, and 16.89% (29,466) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 37.41% (65,261) of the population.
Of the 58,277 households, 37.4% had children under the age of 18; 53.8% were married couples living together; 25.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 18.5% of households consisted of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.0 and the average family size was 3.5. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 26.0% of the population.
22.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 108.0 males.
The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $92,290 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,367). The median family income was $103,094 (+/- $3,474). Males had a median income of $50,894 (+/- $1,437) versus $37,094 (+/- $2,655) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $43,129 (+/- $1,515). Approximately, 5.6% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under the age of 18 and 6.5% of those ages 65 or over.
German, Irish and English were the most common ancestries. Spanish was the second most common language.
2010 The 2010 United States census reported that Rancho Cucamonga had a population of 165,269. The population density was . The racial makeup of Rancho Cucamonga was 102,401 (62.0%) White (42.7% Non-Hispanic White), 15,246 (9.2%) African American, 1,134 (0.7%) Native American, 17,208 (10.4%) Asian, 443 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 19,878 (12.0%) from other races, and 8,959 (5.4%) from two or more races. There were 57,688 residents of Hispanic or Latino ancestry, of any race (34.9%).
The census reported that 162,145 people (98.1% of the population) lived in households, 136 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2,988 (1.8%) were institutionalized.
Out of a total of 54,383 households, 23,055 (42.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 30,533 (56.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 7,514 (13.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 3,257 (6.0%) had a male householder with no wife present, as well as 2,995 (5.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships and 425 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 9,956 households (18.3%) were made up of individuals, and 2,679 (4.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. Over the 41,304 families (76.0% of all households), the average family size was 2.90.
During 20092013, Rancho Cucamonga had a median household income of $77,835, with 6.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
Economy
While most of the city's land area is devoted to residential areas, Rancho Cucamonga, like its neighbors Ontario and Fontana, is a major center for the logistics industry in Southern California. This is due to its proximity to two interstate highways and Ontario International Airport, and the space afforded by the large tracts of former agricultural land in the southern section of the city.
In the area around Milliken Avenue, between Archibald and Etiwanda Avenues, Foothill Boulevard, and Fourth Street, about seven square miles of land are primarily occupied by numerous massive distribution centers, and even more, smaller manufacturing companies. This area is ringed by office parks, mostly along Haven Avenue, and shopping strips, such as the Terra Vista Town Center (part of a nearly two-square-mile master-planned community in the center of the city), and malls, such as Victoria Gardens, and the Ontario Mills, across Fourth Street in Ontario.