Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 53,733, down from 54,098 at the 2010 census. Part of the Greater Los Angeles area, Paramount is bordered by Compton and Lynwood to the west, South Gate and Downey to the north, Bellflower to the east and south, and Long Beach to the south.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Paramount has a total area of , of which is land and (2.28%) is water.
History
thumb|left|School building in Paramount (then Clearwater) c. 1899
The city today known as Paramount was originally identified in 1781 by Mexican settlers of New Spain. It was organized under two old Spanish Ranchos; on the west, Rancho San Pedro, and on the east, Rancho Los Nietos (now portions of the cities of Santa Fe Springs and Whittier). These ranchos were established under the Spanish Empire and granted by King Carlos III in 1784.
After the Mexican–American War, California was ceded to the United States. The then-unincorporated community of Paramount was created in 1948 when the United States Postmaster General ordered the merger of the post offices of Hynes and Clearwater. The name was taken from Paramount Boulevard, the main north-to-south surface street extending through the city.
2025 ICE protests
On June 7, 2025, the city was the site of protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whereupon President Donald Trump federalized the U.S. National Guard under Title 10. He praised them for a "job well done" before their deployment, while Gov. Gavin Newsom called the move "purposefully inflammatory".