Chino Hills chino (for 'curly') is a city in the Greater Los Angeles area of California. It is located in the southwestern corner of San Bernardino County, and is bordered by Los Angeles County to its northwest, Orange County to its south/southwest, and Riverside County to its southeast.
Prior to the colonization of the area by the Spanish Empire in the late 18th century, the Tongva village of Wapijanga (by the building of the Prado Dam in 1941) was the major point of influence in what would later become Chino Hills. The village was an important point of connection between the Tongva and the Serrano. Another Tongva village, Pasinogna, was also located in present day Chino Hills
After the Spanish founded Mission San Gabriel in 1771, the Chino Hills area was used as spillover grazing pasture by mission cattle and horses. In 1841, the area was part of a land concession given to Antonio Maria Lugo, and became known as Rancho Santa Ana del Chino. In 1846, the Battle of Chino, a notable battle of the Mexican-American War was fought on a battlefield in Chino Hills. After Mexico ceded California to the United States in 1848, the land continued to be used for cattle ranching.[citation needed]
In 1848, the California gold rush began in Northern California. Meanwhile, in Southern California, cattle ranchers made fortunes in the beef trade, feeding the influx of migrants. In 1858, Chino Hills became one of the stagecoach stations of the Butterfield Overland Mail. In 1881, the land was sold to Richard Gird, a miner from Tombstone, Arizona, who had plans to develop the land. In 1893, after being impacted by economic depression, Gird was forced to sell the land to a group of real estate investors who developed the town of Chino, which was incorporated in 1910. Around this time, a resort was opened at La Vida Mineral Springs in Carbon Canyon, in the modern-day Sleepy Hollow region of the city. In 1925, the Los Serranos Country Club opened. The area became a destination for both tourists and bootleggers during the prohibition era because of its relative isolation. For the same reason, Sleepy Hollow became a destination for hippies and artists during the 1960s. As Southern California grew, suburban housing began replacing farmlands. Developers targeted Chino Hills for its scenic views and proximity to L.A. and Orange counties. During the late 1980s, the area experienced a surge of development, and an incorporation effort began. In 1991, the city of Chino Hills was incorporated with a population of 42,000.
Chino Hills is a part of the Chino Valley. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.8 square miles (much of which is undeveloped rolling hills, including the Chino Hills State Park. 44.7 square miles (of it is land and 0.1 square miles (of it (is water.
Due to its topography of rolling hills, Chino Hills was primarily rural prior to the mid-1970s; most land was utilized for equestrian purposes and for dairies, except for the multi-use purposes of the State of California, promoting jobs for the community through day labor from the Chino Institute for Men on Central Avenue. Rapid and extensive housing developments followed throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, only slowing down in recent years. Most neighborhoods are arranged in a village-type format with strategically placed shopping centers and parks designed to be within walking distance of nearby homes. The Vellano Country Club, a private golf course and housing development, was designed by golf champion Greg Norman, his first project in the Greater Los Angeles area. Chino Hills also includes the developed golf course development neighborhood of Los Serranos. Other large master-planned subdivisions include Woodview/Village Crossing, Gordon Ranch, LaBand Village, Butterfield Ranch, Rolling Ridge, Fairfield Ranch, and Payne Ranch.
The city of Chino Hills is bounded by the Los Angeles County cities of Pomona and Diamond Bar to the north and to the northwest, the Los Angeles County unincorporated area of South Diamond Bar to the west, the San Bernardino County city of Chino to the east, unincorporated Riverside County near Corona to the southeast, and the Orange County cities of Brea and Yorba Linda to the west and southwest, respectively, as well as an unincorporated area of Orange County between Brea and Yorba Linda and a small unincorporated area between Yorba Linda and Anaheim, to the southwest and south, respectively.
The eastern border of Chino Hills roughly follows the Chino Valley Freeway (71), which offers access to the Pomona Freeway (60) to the north and the Riverside Freeway (91) to the south. Undeveloped hills form the western border, which also serves as the San Bernardino Orange County line. Because this area is mostly undeveloped, there is only one road directly connecting Chino Hills and Orange County, Carbon Canyon Road (142), which is long, winding, and prone to landslides.
Chino Hills is situated near several significant fault lines due to its position within the complex tectonic setting of the San Andreas Fault system. The most prominent faults in the area include:
These faults contribute to the seismic activity in the region, such as the 2008 Chino Hills earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.4, attributed to pressure at the intersection of the Chino and Whittier faults. The earthquake was felt as far south as San Diego and as far north as Las Vegas.
Chino Hills, California, has experienced several significant wildfires, including the Freeway Complex Fire and Canyon Fire, primarily due to dry conditions, strong winds, and dense vegetation. These events have led to increased awareness and preparedness efforts in Chino Hills and surrounding communities. Residents are encouraged to create defensible spaces around their properties, maintain fire-resistant landscaping, and stay informed about local fire conditions, especially during peak wildfire seasons.
The 2010 United States Census reported that Chino Hills had a population of 74,799. The population density was 1,671.5 inhabitants per square mile (The racial makeup of Chino Hills was 38,035 (White (Non-Hispanic White), 3,415 (African American, 379 (Native American, 22,676 (Asian, 115 (Pacific Islander, 6,520 (from other races, and 3,659 (from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21,802 persons (Census reported that 74,644 people (of the population) lived in households, 8 (lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 147 (were institutionalized.
There were 22,941 households, out of which 11,026 (had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,840 (were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,381 (had a female householder with no husband present, 1,101 (had a male householder with no wife present. There were 834 (unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 142 (same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,713 households (were made up of individuals, and 717 (had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25. There were 19,322 families (of all households); the average family size was 3.54.
The population was spread out, with 20,291 people (under the age of 18, 7,147 people (aged 18 to 24, 20,207 people (aged 25 to 44, 21,889 people (aged 45 to 64, and 5,265 people (who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
There were 23,617 housing units at an average density of 527.8 per square mile (of which 18,421 (were owner-occupied, and 4,520 (were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 61,152 people (of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 13,492 people (lived in rental housing units. The median household income was $106,099 and the mean household income was $122,788. For families, the median income was $109,106 and the mean was $127,755.
As of the census of 2000, there were 66,787 people, 20,039 households, and 17,073 families residing in the city. The population density was 575.5/km2 (There were 20,414 housing units at an average density of 175.9/km2 (The racial makeup of the city was 56.4% White, 5.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 22.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 10.6% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. 25.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The average house cost was $654,250.
There were 20,039 households, out of which 53.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.6% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.8% were non-families. 10.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.61. The average home price (the unincorporated area of Los Serranos) was approximately $716,900, and the median home price was $659,900.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $83,550, and the median income for a family was $81,794. Males had a median income of $55,272 versus $38,620 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,182. The average income for the city was $95,990. 4.1% of the population and 2.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
The city of Chino Hills has 44 municipal parks. One such example is Overlook Park, which spans 1.5 acres ( and features scenic views of the Pomona Valley, Chino Hills, and San Gabriel Mountains. It has picnic tables, barbecue grills, and a seating area.
Chino Hills State Park has 60 miles (km) of trails and fire roads also offer opportunities for viewing wildlife and native plants. Facilities consist of a picnic area, camping sites, equestrian staging area and corrals, a historic barn, water and restrooms.
Chino Hills follows the Council-Manager model of government. The city is governed by a city council which establishes all city ordinances, approves plans, adopts budgets, etc. The council appoints the city manager who enforces laws and, in essence, runs the city's day-to-day operations.
The city council is elected by city residents and, within the council, rotates the position of mayor. Once elected, the city council members serve a four-year term. The five city council members meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, with opportunity for residents to voice their opinion during the open forum. The meetings are broadcast via the city's television station and streaming via the city's website.
The current mayor and council members are:
The City Council selects one member to serve as Mayor for a one-year term. This is a list of Chino Hills mayors by year.
Chino Hills voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris in 2024. Flipping Republican in a presidential election for the first time since George W Bush in 2004. Chino Hills' most pro-Republican areas are in the southern and eastern regions.
In the state legislature following the 2020 elections, Chino Hills is located in the 29th Senate District, represented by Democrat Josh Newman (and in the 55th Assembly District, represented by Republican Phillip Chen.
In the United States House of Representatives, Chino Hills is split between California's 35th congressional district and California's 40th congressional district, represented by Democrat Norma Torres and Republican Young Kim respectively.
Chino Hills is served by the Chino Valley Unified School District.
Law enforcement services in Chino Hills are provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The Chief of Police is Sheriffs Captain Garth Goodell. Chino Hills has contracted with the sheriff's department for law enforcement services since its incorporation in 1991.
The city contracts with the Chino Valley Independent Fire District (for fire protection services. The CVIFD serves the Chino Valley, serving Chino Hills and the city of Chino. The CVIFD is a separate political entity from either Chino Hills or Chino and is managed by its own elected board. The department has three stations located throughout Chino Hills.