San Marino:  An Affluent Suburb of Southern California

Nestled in the sprawling San Rafael hills between Pasadena and San Gabriel, the Californian city of San Marino is characterized by lavish properties surrounded by exquisite gardens. Occupying less than four square miles, the area is uniquely residential.  Population was reported to be 13,147 in 2010 and climate is temperate with temperatures ranging from an average of 40 degrees during winter months to an average of 90 degrees in the summer.

Ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 63rd most expensive location to live in the United States in 2010, the average price of a typical family home in the area is around the $2 million mark.

History and Current Demographics

The original location of a village occupied by native Tongva Indians, the area of San Marino later played an important role in the early San Gabriel Roman Catholic Mission. The area that is now occupied by the landmark Huntington Library together with several ranchos were incorporated as the city of San Marino in 1913.

The 2010 United States Census showed that the population of San Marino was a little over 13,000 people. The racial makeup of the area was detailed as 53.5% Asian and 41.3% White, with very small percentages of Hispanic and Latino, Pacific Islander and African-American races making up the rest of the population. Of 4,330 households, approximately 42% had children under the age of 18. The average age of residents is 45 years and there is a slightly higher female to male ratio.

Main Attractions in San Marino

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens on Oxford Road is one of the most popular attractions in San Marino. Known collectively as ‘The Huntington’, this 207 acre landmark complex draws residents and tourists alike. The 18th century art collection housed here is said to be one of the most complete collections outside of London.

The Edwin Hubble House on Woodstock Road is a National Historic Landmark. It was the home of the American astronomer and “pioneer of distant stars,” Edwin Powell Hubble, between 1925 and 1953. The San Marino residence remained in the Hubble family until 1973.

Lacy Park is a vast 30-acre expanse of lush green space in the middle of San Marino. Originally known as Wilson Lake, it is considered one of the city’s best kept secrets. The park boasts six championship size tennis courts, walking loops, memorial gardens and a 60-year-old Rose Arbor.  Also, when in Lacy Park, don’t overlook The Thurnher House which is located at the front entry of the park.  This historic structure was built in 1929 and now serves as the headquarters for San Marino Historical Society.

The Crowell Public Library is a state-of-the-art building which opened in 2008.  The new library provides books, magazines, DVD’s, electronic database, reference assistance and programs for all ages.

The Old Mill is the oldest commercial building in Southern California.  Built in 1816, it served as a grist mill for Mission San Gabriel.

The Michael White Adobe is a small structure located on the campus of San Marino High School next to the athletic field, built in 1845 .  Named for the owner of the original land where it was built, many say that San Marino’s roots in early California history began here.

Additional Information

– San Marino is divided into zones depending on lot size. Lots start at 4,500 square feet and reach over 30,000 square feet. The city’s strict views on historic preservation restrict larger developments.

– The San Marino government applies restrictions to commercial operations within the city. Commercial vehicles must be granted permits to enter and work within the city.

– The city is regularly featured in motion pictures and television shows. Famous examples include Father of the Bride, Mr & Mrs Smith, Starsky & Hutch and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

– According to the Academic Performance Index for 2011, the San Marino Unified School District is California’s best performing school district.  The San Marino School District includes Carver and Valentine Elementary Schools, Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School.

– Private schools in San Marino include Southwestern Academy, a college preparatory school, and Saints Felicitas and Perpetua Grammar School, a Catholic elementary school serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

– The Crowell Public Library on Huntington Drive opened in 2008 and plays host to a range of activities and classes for residents of all ages and abilities.

See 2010 Home SOLD information for San Marino with List vs Sold Price, Date Sold and Price per Square Foot.

This community consists only of single family residences and there are no apartment buildings, condominiums or townhouses in the city.

This Pasadena adjacent has beautiful tree-lined streets and estates sitting on large lots, with many averaging over 30,000 sq. ft.  Most of the San Marino homes were built between 1920 and 1950.

San Marino is regarded as having one of the best school districts in the Greater Los Angeles Area.  In fact, San Marino School District was ranked as #1 district in California based on its API (Academic Performance Index) in 2008.  All of its public schools are honored as a California Distinguished School and a United States National Blue Ribbon School.

The city includes the estate of Henry E. Huntington, who made a fortune in the development of Southern California and opened the library and art collections in his large neo-Palladian mansion to the public in 1919, best known as the Huntington Library. At the time, San Marino was some twelve miles (19 km) from Los Angeles.

Huntington Drive and Sierra Madre Boulevard serve as the main thoroughfares, leading to Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel.

In the middle of San Marino, not too far from Huntington Library, lies Lacy Park. It is a huge 30-acre park filled with unique and hard to find trees and beautiful lush foliage. Not too many people know that back in 1875 it was a lake – Wilson Lake. The land was bought and converted to a park in 1925.

Families in San Marino have enjoyed Lacy park for years, and it remains one of San Marino’s best kept secrets. The park includes six championship tennis courts and pro shop, administered by the San Marino Tennis Foundation. At the west entrance of the park is the Rose Arbor, which is of special significance for the people of San Marino. It is 60 years old and has long been a source of beauty and tranquility to many residents.

The park recently built a memorial to General George S. Patton (a native of San Marino) and also a large memorial to Armed Forces along with a statue of a sad soldier. The memorial includes the names of all military personnel from San Marino that where killed in various wars.

San Marino Schools

Wikipedia says this about San Marino Schools: There are four public schools.  They are Valentine Elementary School, Carver Elementary School, Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School.  Stoneman Elementary School (named for the Governor who lived in San Marino) is no longer used for instruction by the School District. Southwestern Academy, a private college preparatory school, is also located in San Marino.

There is also a private Roman Catholic grammar school, SS. Felicitas and Perpetua. The city took the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Supreme Court to block the opening of this school.

The two elementary schools offer instruction for grades K-5, the middle school for grades 6-8 and the high school for grades 9-12.

In 2005 and 2006, the San Marino Unified School District ranked first among all 328 California unified school districts based on the California Academic Performance Index. San Marino High School is considered one of the best-performing public schools on Standardized Achievement Tests (as of 2004) in Southern California. It was also named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2006. Most of San Marino’s schools’ funds come from private donors and organizations.[citation needed].

In November 2007, U.S. News and World Report put San Marino High School in number 82 on its list of best high schools in the nation, giving SMHS the Gold Medal honor.

Asian-Americans are 70% of San Marino school enrollment as of December 2005. Strong support for education from the Asian community has bolstered the excellence of the school district.

The University of Southern California owns a house in San Marino which is used as the residence of the President of the University. The residence and grounds are large enough to allow events to be held there.

*Data gathered from San Marino Unified School District, California Department of Education Analysis, Measurement & Accountability Reporting Division and GreatSchools.org

San Marino Housing

On October 6, 2008, Forbes.com rated San Marino as the 47th most expensive zip codes (91108) to live in with the 2007 median home price being $1,552,500.

Even in the economic downturn, home prices have maintained their value and San Marino home sellers are still experiencing a higher demand than the surrounding cities.

San Marino Real Estate Listings by Price. These home listings are updated every few hours and feed directly from the Multiple Listing Service as real estate agents update and upload new homes for sale.

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• San Marino Homes for Sale over $3,000,000

San Marino Real Estate:

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Interesting tidbits about San Marino:

• Overnight parking is not allowed
• All homes have to have a 2-car garage
• If you are driving around San Marino, be careful!  A lot of streets do not have Stop signs.  Slow down and look both ways!

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San Marino Real Estate Agents
(626)629-VIEW (8439)