Recently released data from the California Department of Finance shows that San Bernardino County is continuing its upward trend in terms of population growth. Overall, the county, which boasted a population of 2,035,210 in the 2010 U.S. Census, had increased its numbers to 2,104,291 as of January 1, 2015, according to California Department of Finance’s Demographic Research Unit.
Only one of the county’s cities, Big Bear Lake, has seen a population decrease since 2010, having dropped to 5,165 from 5,438 nearly five years ago. Nevertheless, in the last year Big Bear has actually grown slightly, as its population as of January 1, 2014 had slipped to 5,115.
Only one city in the county, Twentynine Palms, suffered a population loss in 2014. Its head count dropped from 26,550 as of January 1, 2014 to 25,846 as of the first of this year. Twentynine Palms’ figures reflect modest growth overall since 2010, when its population was 25,048.
During the 12 months of 2014, the fastest growing area of the county was its extreme southwest corner, where Chino, Montclair and Chino Hills grew, respectively, by 3.4 percent, 3 percent, and 2 percent. Chino as of January 1, 2014 stood at 81,670 people and reached 84,465 one year later. Montclair saw its numbers escalate from 37,332 as of January 1, 2014 to 38,458 on New Years Day this year. During the same period, Chino Hills went from a population of 76,055 to 77,596.
The release of the Department of Finance’s figures, which came on May 1, shot down a false report that was making the rounds several months ago to the effect that Fontana had overtaken San Bernardino as the county’s most populous city. In fact, San Bernardino, the county seat and the oldest of San Bernardino County’s municipalities, remains in the number one position, with a 213,933 residents counted. Fontana is the second largest city in the county population-wise, with 204,312, well ahead of third place Rancho Cucamonga, which numbers 174,064.
The accompanying table shows the populations of the county’s cities and incorporated towns as of January 1 this year and gives their ranking population-wise among the state’s 482 cities. The population of the unincorporated portions of San Bernardino County, that is, those areas lying outside all 24 cities’ or towns’ municipal limits, as of January 1 was 299,110.
San Bernardino County City Populations As Of January 1, 2015
State Rank City Population
17 San Bernardino 213,933
21 Fontana 204,312
26 Rancho Cucamonga 174,064
29 Ontario 168,777
48 Victorville 121,168
68 Rialto 102,092
80 Hesperia 92,177
95 Chino 84,465
108 Chino Hills 77,596
111 Upland 75,787
118 Apple Valley 71,396
121 Redlands 70,398
64 Highland 54,332
166 Colton 53,384
168 Yucaipa 52,942
210 Montclair 38,458
230 Adelanto 33,084
264 Twentynine Palms 25,846
279 Loma Linda 23,751
282 Barstow 23,407
290 Yucca Valley 21,355
350 Grand Terrace 12,352
426 Big Bear Lake 5,165
428 Needles 4,940
Contrasted with all these numbers are the 2010 U.S. Census population figures, as follows: Adelanto, 31,765; Apple Valley, 69,135; Barstow, 22,639; Big Bear Lake, 5,019; Chino, 77,983; Chino Hills, 74,799; Colton, 52,154; Fontana, 196,069; Grand Terrace, 12,040; Hesperia, 90,173; Highland, 53,104; Loma Linda, 23,261; Montclair, 36,664; Needles, 4,844; Ontario, 163,924; Rancho Cucamonga, 165,269; Redlands, 68,747; Rialto, 99,171; San Bernardino, 209,924; Twentynine Palms, 25,048; Upland, 73,732; Victorville, 115,903; Yucaipa, 51,367; Yucca Valley, 20,700; and the remainder of the county, 291,776.