La Verne is one of the foothill cities of Eastern Los Angeles County that is often overlooked for its neighbor to the east, Claremont. The city of Claremont's collection of colleges gives it a distinct academic, eccentric energy, while La Verne is known for its simple suburban way of life. "There's no physical divide; it just feels different," says Realtor Joseph Porreca with Concierge Realty Group, who grew up in La Verne. "People in Claremont spend their Saturday reading at a café, whereas people in La Verne are more likely to spend it going to the desert and riding four-wheelers." The city's lack of urban influences has left its traditional suburban setting relatively unchanged. "It's got this classic all-American feel where you really know your neighbors," says Porreca. "I lived in La Verne from age 5 to 21, and I can say that it isn't the most exciting place in the world, but it's genuinely a great place to live and grow up."
South La Verne is a neighborhood of Los Angeles with a population of 31,423.
Discover an abundance of luxury homes within gated communities in the heart of North La Verne.
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Suburbs in town or up the hill
La Verne's median home price is around $1 million. Like the prices, home styles and streetscapes are pretty consistent across the city. "There really aren't individual neighborhoods in La Verne," says Porreca. "It's just one big community." Ranch-style and Spanish-inspired homes with grassy lawns are standard on any street. "The only differentiator within the city is that we'd call anything in North La Verne 'Up the hill,'" says Porreca. "Up the hill" — referring to everything north of the Foothill Freeway — is entirely residential. Homes here are slightly larger and sit on grassy lawns that are spacious by Southern California standards. As the streets climb into the San Gabriel Foothills, homes get more expensive, such as Spanish and Mediterranean Revival mansions reaching $2.5 million. The streets south of the Foothill Freeway are still primarily residential, but they share space with retail plazas on U.S. Route 66 and industrial areas. Homes on the south end are smaller and can start around $800,000.
Quadruplex homes are a common sight around Old Town, adding to its unique character.
Tilt-roofed homes paint a picturesque scene in the heart of North La Verne.
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Hiking in the San Gabriel Foothills
North of La Verne, seemingly endless peaks and canyons exist at the Los Angeles National Forest section of the San Gabriel Mountains. All this natural space is easily accessible from trailheads on the city's north side — such as the Marshall Canyon Trail and Sycamore Canyon Trail — within a short walk or drive of most homes. San Dimas Canyon Golf Course and Marshall Canyon Golf Course offer weekend rounds with mountain views in the city's foothills. La Verne also has many community recreation spaces, like La Verne Sports Park on the south end and Oak Mesa Park up the hill. La Verne has a sunny and temperate Southern California climate, although summer temperatures can get into the high 80s.
Puddingstone Lake is the best local fishing spot near South La Verne.
Lowell Brandt Park in North La Verne has a big open field for playing ball.
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A-rated public schools and the University of La Verne
The city is served by the Bonita Unified School District, which earns an overall A grade from Niche and is ranked in the top 100 public school districts in California. Many students can walk to the district's A-rated schools, such as Oak Mesa Elementary and Bonita High. The city is also home to the University of La Verne. Founded in 1891, this small private institution has about 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Bonita High School
Ramona Middle School receives an A rating from Niche.
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Dine in Old Town and shop on Historic Route 66
Old Town La Verne is the city's small dining district on its south side around the University of La Verne. Its early 1900s buildings along tree-lined sidewalks house a selection of restaurants like Roberta's Village Inn and Lordsburg Taphouse, a callback to La Verne's previous name. Shopping is located along Historic Route 66, which runs diagonally through the city's center. The proximity of these strip malls and retail plazas with big-box retailers allows shoppers to quickly hit all their stops in one trip.
University of La Verne students can study or just hang out right off campus at Nambuh Coffee.
Explore fresh produce at Trader Joe's near North La Verne.
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Short drive to local colleges and hospitals
Education is a prominent profession in the La Verne-Claremont area. Higher education professionals can work in town at the University of La Verne. They can also drive a few miles east on U.S. Route 66 to the Claremont Colleges, a collection of seven undergraduate and graduate schools that share a contiguous campus in Claremont Village. Healthcare personnel also have a short commute to Pomona Valley Hospital, just south of the city. Interstate 10 runs a few miles south of town, offering a 30-mile drive east to downtown LA. Just over 10 miles east, Ontario International Airport is the closest place to catch a flight.
High-risk area for wildfires
The north end of La Verne is at a high risk for wildfires because it butts up against the heavily wooded San Gabriel Foothills. Homes bordering this natural land are at the greatest risk of being burned. These residents should maintain a defensible space around their property by mitigating dry, overgrown brush. Even if they don't live in the ember zone, all residents should have a set evacuation plan. Crime is somewhat of a concern in La Verne. According to FBI data, the city's property crime rates have been slightly higher than state and national numbers since 2020. However, its violent crime rates have been notably lower in that time frame.
Southern California native spending entire life in the region. His background includes Bachelor of Science degrees in Real Estate and Finance. He started his career at Ameriprise as a financial planner before moving on to Real Estate Brokerage. A licensed Real Estate broker since 1996, he and his team have completed over 500 Real Estate and Mortgage loan transactions. Gregory and his team are extremely hard-working and personable, tirelessly working to keep his clients informed and the transactions moving forward to a successful conclusion.
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