Bonita, California
Encyclopedia
Bonita is a census-designated place
(CDP) in southern San Diego County, California
, nestled between the cities of Chula Vista
, National City
, and San Diego. The population was 12,538 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, Bonita has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13.2 km²). 5 square miles (12.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.71%) is water.
While Bonita is politically designated as an unincorporated community, bounded by the incorporated cities of Chula Vista
, San Diego
and National City
, it is closely associated with the geography of the Lower Sweetwater Valley. Thus considered, Bonita occupies about a five mile (8 km) stretch of the Sweetwater River
, its valley, and surrounding hills on either side, bounded upstream (east) by the Sweetwater Reservoir
, and downstream (west) effectively by Interstate 805. The community crosses west of I-805—an area less than 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) -- reaching as far south and west as East H Street and Hilltop Drive. Its northern boundary is State Route 54
and its southern extent reaches approximately one mile (2 km) south of the river.
Large portions of modern Bonita consist of housing tracts built throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including:
The Bonita area is populated by coyote, racoon, fox, rabbits, squirrels, opossum, and skunk, among other wildlife.
. It was the name of a ranch owned by Henry Ernest Cooper, Sr. in 1884, and was used by the nearby post office.
In 1888, the Sweetwater Dam
was built, creating the Sweetwater Reservoir
and forever changing the geography of the region. Soon after, in 1906, the dam broke as a result of extensive rains which overfilled the reservoir, and the Lower Sweetwater Valley was completely flooded.
Bonita has experienced minor flooding throughout history, generally as a result of high seasonal rains attributed to El Niño. The floods most affect the Central Avenue river crossing, as no bridge has ever been built, unlike the Bonita Road and Willow Road crossings which are bridges, the former of which was rebuilt in the late 1990s.
In the 1990s and 2000s, the development of State Route 125
(The South Bay Expressway) became a major issue to Bonita residents, much as Interstate 805 and State Route 54
did during their development. Opponents argued that Bonita's rural nature would be compromised without benefit while proponents argued that the highway would reduce the significant increase in surface-street car traffic the community had seen since the 1980s when the eastern Chula Vista communities surrounding Eastlake were developed. The tollway opened in November 2007, and sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 22, 2010 when the cost of litigation over construction of the road threatened to overwhelm its ability to operate and pay off on its loans.
On April 14, 2011, South Bay Expressway LP emerged from bankruptcy and in a closed session on July 29, 2011, the SANDAG board of directors voted to purchase the lease to operate the state Route 125 toll road for approximately $345 million.
The Bonita Historical Museum is the principal repository of historical information for the Lower Sweetwater Valley.
periods) than areas directly adjacent to San Diego Bay
or the coast, but not as hot as inland valleys such as El Cajon
, or even nearby Spring Valley. In summer, Bonita's climate is pleasant.
In the state legislature
Bonita is located in the 36th and 40th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Dennis Hollingsworth
and Democrat
Denise Moreno Ducheny
, and in the 78th and 79th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Shirley Horton
and Democrat Mary Salas
respectively. Federally, Bonita is located in California's 51st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +7 and is represented by Democrat Bob Filner
.
To visitors and residents alike, one of the most visible features of Bonita recreational life is the walking trail which loops the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course in central Bonita. Hundreds of residents walk, run, and ride this trail every day for pleasure and fitness, and the trail has become a vital component of Bonita life for many residents. During El Nino years, this golf course and surrounding walking trails have flooded, closing the golf course and preventing many residents from using the walking trails.
In the late 1990s the Sweetwater Regional Park was expanded and significantly improved, extending the walking and equestrian trails to an even greater number, and introducing a camping area at Summit Meadow Road. Now, virtually the entire valley from the reservoir to I-805 formally serve recreational purposes as either park or golf course. Sweetwater County Park, at the intersection of Briarwood Road and Sweetwater Road, is a wildlife preserve with a small pond that supports some fishing.
Equestrianism has long been a part of the Bonita community, and many trails exist throughout the Lower Sweetwater Valley. There are a number of connections to trails external to Bonita as well. In fact many residents still keep their own horses and can be seen riding the trails regularly. The Bonita Valley Trails organization monitors and supports the network of trails throughout the valley.
The following parks serve the Bonita community:
In 2008, Bonita did not have enough funds to pay for traffic police to redirect traffic during the parade, so no parade was held during the Bonitafest.
was 2,441.5 people per square mile (942.7/km²). The racial makeup of Bonita was 8,382 (66.9%) White, 466 (3.7%) African American, 109 (0.9%) Native American, 1,200 (9.6%) Asian, 80 (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 1,681 (13.4%) from other races
, and 620 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5,106 persons (40.7%).
The Census reported that 12,505 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 33 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,288 households, out of which 1,401 (32.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,602 (60.7%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 510 (11.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 203 (4.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 170 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 25 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 767 households (17.9%) were made up of individuals and 408 (9.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92. There were 3,315 families
(77.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.26.
The population was spread out with 2,612 people (20.8%) under the age of 18, 1,126 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 2,706 people (21.6%) aged 25 to 44, 3,753 people (29.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,341 people (18.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
There were 4,477 housing units at an average density of 871.8 per square mile (336.6/km²), of which 3,136 (73.1%) were owner-occupied, and 1,152 (26.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 9,125 people (72.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,380 people (27.0%) lived in rental housing units.
, there were 12,401 people, 4,179 households, and 3,397 families residing in Bonita. The population density
was 2,533.3 inhabitants per square mile (977.2/km²). There were 4,281 housing units at an average density of 874.5 per square mile (337.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 71.99% White, 3.11% African American, 0.56% Native American, 8.54% Asian, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 10.64% from other races
, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.47% of the population.
There were 4,179 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.4% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.7% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.22.
In Bonita the population is spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income as of 2007 for a household in the CDP was $92,046. Males had a median income of $60,495 versus $40,653 for females. The per capita income
for Bonita is $61,131. About 2.1% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
Bonita is primarily served by three elementary K-6 schools in Chula Vista Elementary School District: Ella B. Allen, Sunnyside, and Valley Vista. As of 2007-08 school year, 1291 students were enrolled in these schools; their combined demographic makeup was 54.1% Hispanic, 23.5% non-Hispanic White, 5.7% Filipino, 3.8% African American, 1.5% Asian, 1.2% Native American, 0.8% Pacific Islander. 9.4% belonged to multiple races or declined to state the race.
Like many communities in the Southwestern United States, Bonita could go through the process of hispanicization
. According to 2008 SANDAG estimates, between 2000 and 2008, the number of Whites in Bonita went down 8%, and the number of Blacks went down 17%. At the same time, Hispanic population in the community grew by 26%. Hispanics now constitute the majority of population of Bonita in all age cohorts under 40; they are far outnumbered (by a factor of 2 or more) in age cohorts over 50.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in southern San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
, nestled between the cities of Chula Vista
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
, National City
National City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
, and San Diego. The population was 12,538 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Bonita is located at 32.658420°N 117.035336°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, Bonita has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13.2 km²). 5 square miles (12.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.71%) is water.
While Bonita is politically designated as an unincorporated community, bounded by the incorporated cities of Chula Vista
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
, San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and National City
National City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
, it is closely associated with the geography of the Lower Sweetwater Valley. Thus considered, Bonita occupies about a five mile (8 km) stretch of the Sweetwater River
Sweetwater River (California)
The Sweetwater River is a long stream in southwestern California in the United States. From its headwaters high in the Cuyamaca Mountains, the river flows generally southwest, first through rugged hinterlands but then into the urban areas surrounding its mouth at San Diego Bay. Its drainage basin...
, its valley, and surrounding hills on either side, bounded upstream (east) by the Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir is a artificial lake in San Diego County, California formed by the Sweetwater Dam on the Sweetwater River. It lies near the city of Spring Valley....
, and downstream (west) effectively by Interstate 805. The community crosses west of I-805—an area less than 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) -- reaching as far south and west as East H Street and Hilltop Drive. Its northern boundary is State Route 54
California State Route 54
State Route 54 is a California State Highway in San Diego that connects Interstate 5 to the city of El Cajon. The first section was built circa 1961, and the final section of freeway opened in 2007....
and its southern extent reaches approximately one mile (2 km) south of the river.
Large portions of modern Bonita consist of housing tracts built throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including:
- Bonita Verde Estates
- Bonita Downs
- Bonita Fairways
- Bonita Glen
- Bonita Highlands
- Bonita Long Canyon
- Bonita Woods
- Bonita Woods Park
- Emerald Ranch
- Lynwood Hills
- Ames Ranch
- Villas de Bonita
The Bonita area is populated by coyote, racoon, fox, rabbits, squirrels, opossum, and skunk, among other wildlife.
History
The word Bonita is a feminine word for "beautiful" in the Spanish languageSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. It was the name of a ranch owned by Henry Ernest Cooper, Sr. in 1884, and was used by the nearby post office.
In 1888, the Sweetwater Dam
Sweetwater Dam
The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. As the crow flies, it sits about east of San Diego and northeast of Chula Vista; and just south of the city of La Presa...
was built, creating the Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir is a artificial lake in San Diego County, California formed by the Sweetwater Dam on the Sweetwater River. It lies near the city of Spring Valley....
and forever changing the geography of the region. Soon after, in 1906, the dam broke as a result of extensive rains which overfilled the reservoir, and the Lower Sweetwater Valley was completely flooded.
Bonita has experienced minor flooding throughout history, generally as a result of high seasonal rains attributed to El Niño. The floods most affect the Central Avenue river crossing, as no bridge has ever been built, unlike the Bonita Road and Willow Road crossings which are bridges, the former of which was rebuilt in the late 1990s.
In the 1990s and 2000s, the development of State Route 125
California State Route 125
State Route 125 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that currently runs from State Route 905 in Otay Mesa near the U.S.–Mexico border to State Route 52 in Santee....
(The South Bay Expressway) became a major issue to Bonita residents, much as Interstate 805 and State Route 54
California State Route 54
State Route 54 is a California State Highway in San Diego that connects Interstate 5 to the city of El Cajon. The first section was built circa 1961, and the final section of freeway opened in 2007....
did during their development. Opponents argued that Bonita's rural nature would be compromised without benefit while proponents argued that the highway would reduce the significant increase in surface-street car traffic the community had seen since the 1980s when the eastern Chula Vista communities surrounding Eastlake were developed. The tollway opened in November 2007, and sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 22, 2010 when the cost of litigation over construction of the road threatened to overwhelm its ability to operate and pay off on its loans.
On April 14, 2011, South Bay Expressway LP emerged from bankruptcy and in a closed session on July 29, 2011, the SANDAG board of directors voted to purchase the lease to operate the state Route 125 toll road for approximately $345 million.
The Bonita Historical Museum is the principal repository of historical information for the Lower Sweetwater Valley.
Climate
The climate in Bonita is a combination of the coastal and inland valley climates of San Diego County. Warmer (and sunnier during the May Gray and June GloomJune Gloom
June Gloom is a southern California term for a weather pattern that results in cloudy, overcast skies with cool temperatures during the late spring and early summer. June Gloom in southern California is caused by the marine layer effect common to the West Coast, and is enhanced by the Catalina eddy...
periods) than areas directly adjacent to San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
or the coast, but not as hot as inland valleys such as El Cajon
El Cajon, California
-History:El Cajon is located on the Rancho El Cajon Mexican land grant made in 1845 to María Antonia Estudillo, wife of Miguel Pedrorena. In 1876 Amaziah Lord Knox , a New Englander who had recently moved to California, established a hotel there to serve the growing number of people traveling...
, or even nearby Spring Valley. In summer, Bonita's climate is pleasant.
Government
- San Diego County District 1 (Greg Cox)
In the state legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Bonita is located in the 36th and 40th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Dennis Hollingsworth
Dennis Hollingsworth
Dennis Clark Hollingsworth is an American politician who represented California's 36th State Senate district, which includes portions of San Diego and Riverside County, from 2002 to 2010. In 2000, Hollingsworth was elected to the Legislature as a member of the Assembly, and in 2002, Hollingsworth...
and Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Denise Moreno Ducheny
Denise Moreno Ducheny
Denise Moreno Ducheny is a California State Senator who represents Senate District 40, which includes southern San Diego County, part of Riverside County, and all of Imperial County. Ducheny is a Democrat. She lives with her husband, Al, in San Diego, California.-Background:Ducheny was born in...
, and in the 78th and 79th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Shirley Horton
Shirley Horton
Shirley Horton is a U.S. politician, having served as a Republican Member of the California State Assembly. Horton represented the 78th Assembly District, which includes southern San Diego, Chula Vista, Lemon Grove and...
and Democrat Mary Salas
Mary Salas
Mary Salas is a California politician. She is a former California Assembly member who represented the 79th Assembly District, which includes the communities of National City, Coronado, Imperial Beach and parts of Chula Vista and San Diego. Salas was elected to her office in November 2006 on the...
respectively. Federally, Bonita is located in California's 51st congressional district
California's 51st congressional district
California's 51st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district includes all of Imperial County and the extreme southern portions of San Diego County that run across the U.S.-Mexico border...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +7 and is represented by Democrat Bob Filner
Bob Filner
Robert Earl Filner is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 50th, serving since 1993, and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
.
Educational institutions
The following schools serve (or served) the local Bonita community:- Chula Vista Elementary School District
- *Ella B. Allen Elementary School
- *Southwestern Satellite School (closed)
- *Sunnyside Elementary SchoolSunnyside Elementary SchoolSunnyside Elementary is a public elementary school in Bonita, California part of Chula Vista Elementary School District....
- *Tiffany Elementary School (Chula Vista)
- *Valley Vista Elementary School
- Sweetwater Union High School District
- *Bonita Vista Middle SchoolBonita Vista Middle SchoolBonita Vista Middle School , in Chula Vista, California is a middle school for grades 7 and 8. It is part of the Sweetwater Union High School District.-External links:*...
(Chula Vista) - *Bonita Vista High SchoolBonita Vista High SchoolBonita Vista High School is a public, four year high school located in the city of Chula Vista, California. Bonita Vista High School is one of the few schools that has both the IB and AP programs. It is part of the Sweetwater Union High School District, and currently has about 2,800 students....
(Chula Vista) - Southwestern CollegeSouthwestern College (California)Southwestern College is a public, two-year community college located in the city of Chula Vista, California. Southwestern College's football stadium hosts Bonita Vista High School's football games...
(Chula Vista)
Parks and recreation
Bonita is considered a rural and equestrian enclave in the middle of suburbia.To visitors and residents alike, one of the most visible features of Bonita recreational life is the walking trail which loops the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course in central Bonita. Hundreds of residents walk, run, and ride this trail every day for pleasure and fitness, and the trail has become a vital component of Bonita life for many residents. During El Nino years, this golf course and surrounding walking trails have flooded, closing the golf course and preventing many residents from using the walking trails.
In the late 1990s the Sweetwater Regional Park was expanded and significantly improved, extending the walking and equestrian trails to an even greater number, and introducing a camping area at Summit Meadow Road. Now, virtually the entire valley from the reservoir to I-805 formally serve recreational purposes as either park or golf course. Sweetwater County Park, at the intersection of Briarwood Road and Sweetwater Road, is a wildlife preserve with a small pond that supports some fishing.
Equestrianism has long been a part of the Bonita community, and many trails exist throughout the Lower Sweetwater Valley. There are a number of connections to trails external to Bonita as well. In fact many residents still keep their own horses and can be seen riding the trails regularly. The Bonita Valley Trails organization monitors and supports the network of trails throughout the valley.
The following parks serve the Bonita community:
- Fred H. Rohr Park
- Sweetwater Regional Park
- Sweetwater County Park
- Sweetwater Reservoir Riding and Hiking Trail
- Bonita Golf Course
- Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course
Clubs and organizations
- Bonita Agua Dulce 4-H Club
- Bonita Business & Professional Association
- Kiwanis Club of Bonita
- Bonita Optimist Club
- Bonita Road Runners
- Bonita Valley Garden Club
- Bonita Valley Trails
- Las Primeras
- Sweetwater Valley Civic Association
- Sweetwater Valley Little League
- Sweetwater Woman's Club http://www.sweetwaterwomansclub.org
- Sunnyside Saddle Club
Events
Bonitafest is an annual community event, held in early autumn, highlighted by a parade and street fair along Bonita Road which includes crafts, music, entertainment, and food. The Kiwanis Club hosts a Bonitafest Golf Tournament in conjunction with this event. At this time, there is also an annual community play called the Bonitafest Melodrama, co founded by Max Branscomb in the 1970s.In 2008, Bonita did not have enough funds to pay for traffic police to redirect traffic during the parade, so no parade was held during the Bonitafest.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Bonita had a population of 12,538. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,441.5 people per square mile (942.7/km²). The racial makeup of Bonita was 8,382 (66.9%) White, 466 (3.7%) African American, 109 (0.9%) Native American, 1,200 (9.6%) Asian, 80 (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 1,681 (13.4%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 620 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5,106 persons (40.7%).
The Census reported that 12,505 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 33 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,288 households, out of which 1,401 (32.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,602 (60.7%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 510 (11.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 203 (4.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 170 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 25 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 767 households (17.9%) were made up of individuals and 408 (9.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92. There were 3,315 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(77.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.26.
The population was spread out with 2,612 people (20.8%) under the age of 18, 1,126 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 2,706 people (21.6%) aged 25 to 44, 3,753 people (29.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,341 people (18.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
There were 4,477 housing units at an average density of 871.8 per square mile (336.6/km²), of which 3,136 (73.1%) were owner-occupied, and 1,152 (26.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 9,125 people (72.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,380 people (27.0%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 12,401 people, 4,179 households, and 3,397 families residing in Bonita. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,533.3 inhabitants per square mile (977.2/km²). There were 4,281 housing units at an average density of 874.5 per square mile (337.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 71.99% White, 3.11% African American, 0.56% Native American, 8.54% Asian, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 10.64% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.47% of the population.
There were 4,179 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.7% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.22.
In Bonita the population is spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income as of 2007 for a household in the CDP was $92,046. Males had a median income of $60,495 versus $40,653 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for Bonita is $61,131. About 2.1% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
Bonita is primarily served by three elementary K-6 schools in Chula Vista Elementary School District: Ella B. Allen, Sunnyside, and Valley Vista. As of 2007-08 school year, 1291 students were enrolled in these schools; their combined demographic makeup was 54.1% Hispanic, 23.5% non-Hispanic White, 5.7% Filipino, 3.8% African American, 1.5% Asian, 1.2% Native American, 0.8% Pacific Islander. 9.4% belonged to multiple races or declined to state the race.
Like many communities in the Southwestern United States, Bonita could go through the process of hispanicization
Hispanicization
Hispanicisation or Hispanisation refers to the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by Hispanic culture or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-Hispanic becomes Hispanic...
. According to 2008 SANDAG estimates, between 2000 and 2008, the number of Whites in Bonita went down 8%, and the number of Blacks went down 17%. At the same time, Hispanic population in the community grew by 26%. Hispanics now constitute the majority of population of Bonita in all age cohorts under 40; they are far outnumbered (by a factor of 2 or more) in age cohorts over 50.