Located in Los Angeles County in the Inland Empire region, this diverse city has a population of about 160,815 citizens. Pomona was named for the Roman goddess of fruit, before a single orange tree had been planted there. In the 1880s, however, the arrival of Coachella Valley water and railroad systems made Pomona the western anchor of the citrus-growing region that is the Inland Empire.
The majority of Pomona's population consists of Latino-based ethnic backgrounds, as well as Vietnamese and Chinese Americans. There is also a fairly large concentration of college students attending California State Polytechnic University and Western University of Health Sciences; educational assets for which Pomona is well-known.
Recent years have seen a revitalization in the downtown area with the resurgence of night clubs, concert halls, and art galleries. Some higher end housing has been developed downtown and is becoming a popular place to live. Pomona is known for housing the NHRA Powerade Winternationals Drag Racing venue, as well as cereal tycoon W.K. Kellogg's massive ranch.
