Corona is located at the upper end of the Santa Ana River Canyon, the only significant pass through the Santa Ana Mountains. The rapidly growing city has a population of 144,274, representing an increase of over 20,000 people in just four years.
Once a largely agricultural community dominated by ranches, citrus orchards and dairy farms, Corona has been subject to a real estate boom that has accelerated the city into becoming a major suburb of Los Angeles. Developers were enticed by Corona's cheap land, and quickly bought it up for industrial, commercial and residential purposes. As of recent years, Corona's home resale values often reach into the millions of dollars.
One of the major employers in Corona is the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, one of the factories that produces models of the company's famed instrument lines. The factory also contains custom guitar and amplification shops. The city also houses the Fender Center for Music Education, also known as the Fender Museum. Additionally, Corona is home to one of the world's largest cheese factories, The Golden Cheese Company of California. Troy Lee Designs, specializing in custom paint jobs for racecar and motorcycle helmets, is also headquartered in Corona. West Coast Customs (formerly the site of the “Pimp My Ride” TV show), Barry's Speed Shop and many other notable automobile-related companies have set up shop in this city as well.
