Neighborhood Guides
Neighborhoods in San Clemente
Homes for sale, market trends and a local guide for each neighborhood.
At a Glance
San Clemente Facts
- Location
- Orange County, California
- Founded
- 1925, by Ole Hanson
- Incorporated
- 1928
- Population
- 64,293 (2020 census)
- School district
- Capistrano Unified
About San Clemente
San Clemente is the southernmost city in Orange County. Former Seattle mayor Ole Hanson bought the land in 1925 and planned a Spanish-style resort town, and the city incorporated in 1928. It still calls itself the Spanish Village by the Sea, and President Nixon's La Casa Pacifica, the Western White House, sits on its southern bluff above Trestles.
Housing Stock
The oldest homes, many in the original Spanish Colonial Revival style, are in Southwest San Clemente near the beach, and the most expensive are at the south end of the city in guard-gated Cotton Point Estates and Cyprus Shores, on the bluff above the surf. Guard-gated Sea Pointe Estates and other view communities fill the hills, while Talega, Forster Ranch and Rancho San Clemente offer newer homes inland at lower prices.
Lifestyle & Amenities
The San Clemente Pier connects to a 2.6-mile beach trail, Avenida Del Mar is the downtown main street, and Trestles, one of the best-known surf breaks in the country, is at the city's southern edge. Metrolink and Amtrak stop at two stations in the city. San Clemente is served by the Capistrano Unified School District.
Neighborhoods & Enclaves
Cotton Point Estates
Sixteen estate lots around La Casa Pacifica, on the bluff above Trestles.
Cyprus Shores
Guard-gated bluff and beach homes at the south end of the city, with neighboring Cyprus Cove; both have private beach access.
Southwest San Clemente
The city's oldest beach neighborhood, south of downtown.
Sea Pointe Estates
Guard-gated view homes in the hills, with a clubhouse, pool and tennis.
Talega
A master-planned inland community with gated enclaves, trails and a golf course.
Forster Ranch
Family neighborhoods inland, at a lower price point than the coast.
What Sets the Market Apart
- The coastal rail line runs along the beach for much of the city, so how close a home is to the tracks matters.
- Bluff-top homes need careful geology and erosion review; the beaches below have lost sand in recent years.
- Inland master-planned neighborhoods may carry Mello-Roos taxes that older coastal neighborhoods do not.
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