Located almost an hour away from both the metropolises of Los Angeles and San Diego, San Clemente is a picturesque coastal city in Orange County, California. The southernmost city of Orange County, San Clemente is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views; pleasant climate; and Spanish colonial-style architecture. In fact, because of the abundance of Spanish Colonial-style buildings, the city has earned the nickname “Spanish Village by the Sea.” 

What is the community of San Clemente like?  

The community of San Clemente has long been an ideal getaway from Los Angeles and San Diego. Home to around 64,500 residents, San Clemente is known for various things: gorgeous beaches, unparalleled surfing culture, top-notch surfing locations, pleasant weather, and breathtaking scenery. 
Yet, the city’s offerings certainly go beyond just exceptional beaches and enviable surfing opportunities. It is home to Avenida Del Mar, which is located in downtown San Clemente and is a shopper’s paradise - home to an array of specialty boutiques, designer and brand stores, exciting art galleries, alfresco cafés, immersive restaurants, and classy wine bars. Walking through the downtown, you would find yourself imbued by a sense of animation and excitement while experiencing the lively surroundings, eateries, and shopping options that the downtown has to offer.  
Close to the bustling downtown lies the serene San Clemente Pier, which is one of the most popular gathering spots in the city, surrounded by gorgeous sandy beaches and unimpeded vistas of the Pacific Ocean. Sitting here, by one of the benches, you might find yourself lost in the breathtaking views of the infinite ocean, amidst an atmosphere that is ever so lively. 
San Clemente is known for its many surfing locations, which include Trestles, Lowers, Middles & Uppers, Cotton's Point, Calafia Beach Park, Riviera, Lasuens, among many others. Should you wish to take a break from sandy beaches, you may want to head to the Talega Golf Club, which is an 18-hole, par-72 championship course that’s said to be among the best in the state. Or, visit the iconic Casa Romantica, a historic cultural center in San Clemente that celebrates the history, culture, and ecology of California. 

What is Real Estate like in San Clemente?     

Real estate in San Clemente has shown an average growth of 4.72% per year since the year 2000. Since 2000, the prices of homes in San Clemente have appreciated by a strong 163.47%. National real estate firm, EXP, categorizes San Clemente’s housing market as ‘somewhat competitive’. The sale prices of homes in San Clemente have experienced strong growth of more than 32% since April last year.   
The median home price in San Clemente is $1,295,000. Currently, there are 214 active homes for sale in San Clemente, and normally it takes just 47 days for a listed home to get off the market. The average cost to rent a house in San Clemente is $3,276 per month. At present, there are 24,384 homes and apartments in the city, 67.6% of which are owned, and the remaining 32.4% are rented.      

How is the economic landscape of San Clemente?    

Over the last year, San Clemente’s job market has grown by 0.6%, while its unemployment rate stands at a decent 6%. The US average is also 6%. Also, the city’s job market is expected to grow by 32.1% over the next ten years.  
On average, a San Clemente resident earns around $48,000 per annum, substantially higher than the US average of $28500. The city’s median household income of almost $91,700 per resident is also much greater than the US average of approximately $53000. Most of the residents of San Clemente work in construction, manufacturing, retail, education, accommodation, finance, professional and technical services, and healthcare.    

How are the schools in San Clemente?     

San Clemente is covered by 3 school districts, with Capistrano Unified School District being the city’s major school district encompassing 63 schools and 53,833 enrolled students. San Clemente also lies in proximity to 76 colleges within 50 miles including, among others, Saddleback College, Laguna College of Art and Design, and Coastline Community College. 
When it comes to higher education, San Clemente lies just 18 miles from one of California's most iconic universities - the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Established in 1965, UCI is regarded as one of the Public Ivies, meaning that it is considered to be one of the few public universities in the U.S. whose quality of education parallels that of the Ivy League. The university offers 87 undergraduate degrees and 129 graduate and professional degrees, and roughly 30,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students were enrolled at UCI as of Fall 2019. To put UCI in true perspective, it is pertinent to mention that the university has produced seven Nobel Prize laureates and seven Pulitzer Prize winners – a staggering feat for any educational institution in the world.          

San Clemente in a nutshell        

To sum up, San Clemente is a paradise for beachgoers, surfers, and nature lovers in general. The city offers a perfect blend of pristine natural beauty and modern urban amenities such as opulent golf courses, immersive shopping centers, and a plethora of premium specialty stores. If you are mulling over moving to California, San Clemente is poised to offer you the highest quality of life just a skip away from two of the state’s foremost metropolises – Los Angeles and San Diego.