Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098, down from 55,266 at the 2000 census. Paramount is portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area and 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.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Paramount has a total Place of 4.8 square miles (12 km), of which 4.7 square miles (12 km²) is estate and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km) (2.28%) is water.

The city today known as Paramount was originally identified in 1781 by Mexican settlers of New Spain. It was organized below two passй Spanish Ranchos; on the west, Rancho San Pedro, and upon 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 established by King Carlos III in 1784. In 1834, Rancho Los Nietos was partitioned into five smaller ranchos including Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos, which both encompassed parts of Paramount.

After the Mexican–American War California was ceded to the United States. The then-unincorporated community of Paramount was created in 1948 as soon as the United States Postmaster General ordered the incorporation of the pronounce offices of Hynes and Clearwater (Pitt 1997:381). The state was taken from Paramount Boulevard, the main north-to-south surface street extending through the city. The city officially incorporated January 30, 1957 in the broadcast of a successful “Save Paramount for Paramount” campaign to battle annexation by Long Beach, Bellflower, and South Gate.