Los Angeles, California

Explore Los Angeles, California and the surrounding area. Below you can find community information, including vital statistics, information on local schools as well as resources for finding real estate for sale and homes for sale in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, known also as L.A., is the most populous city in the state of California and the second-most populous in the United States. It is an alpha world city having a population of approximately 4 million people and spanning 498 square miles. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Los Angeles metropolitan area has a total area of 4,850 square miles and is home to roughly 13 million people.

The Los Angeles area, recognized by its sprawling urban terrain, is one of the world's most important centers of culture, science, technology, international trade, and higher education, and is home to numerous world-renowned institutions in a broad range of professional and cultural fields. The city and its immediate surrounding vicinity leads the world in producing popular entertainment—such as motion pictures, television, and recorded music—which forms the base of its international fame and global status.

The highest point in Los Angeles is Sister Elsie Peak (5,080 feet) at the far reaches of the northeastern San Fernando Valley, part of Mt. Lukens. The Los Angeles River is a largely seasonal river flowing through the city, with headwaters in the San Fernando Valley. Its length is almost entirely lined in concrete.

The Los Angeles area is remarkably rich in native plant species. With its beaches, dunes, wetlands, hills, mountains, and rivers, the area contains a number of important biological communities. The largest area is coastal sage scrub, which covers the hillsides in combustible chaparral. Native plants include: California poppy, matilija poppy, toyon, coast live oak, giant wild rye grass, and hundreds of others. Unfortunately, many native species are so rare as to be endangered, such as the Los Angeles sunflower.

There are many exotic flowers and flowering trees that are blooming year-round, with subtle colors, including the jacaranda, hibiscus, phlox, bougainvillea, coral tree blossoms and bird of paradise. If there were no city here, flower-growing could still flourish as an industry, as it does in Lompoc. Wisteria has been known to grow to house-lot size, and in Descanso Gardens there are forests of camellia trees. Orchids require special attention in this Mediterranean climate.

Climate

The city is situated in a Mediterranean climate or subtropical zone, experiencing mild, reasonably wet winters and warm to hot, mildly humid summers. Generally the weather is dry in all seasons, but can be relatively cold in the winter. Breezes from the Pacific Ocean tend to keep the beach communities of the Los Angeles area cooler in summer and warmer in winter than those further inland, and summer temperatures can sometimes vary by as much as 25 °F warmer in the inland communities compared to that of the coastal communities. The coastal communities of Los Angeles are commonly affected by a phenomenon known as a 'marine layer', a dense cloud cover caused by the proximity of the ocean, that helps keep the temperatures cooler throughout the year.

Economy

The economy of Los Angeles is driven by international trade, entertainment (television, motion pictures, recorded music), aerospace, agriculture, petroleum, fashion, apparel, and tourism. Los Angeles is also the largest manufacturing center in the United States. The contiguous ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together comprise the most significant port in North America and one of the most important ports in the world, and they are vital to trade within the Pacific Rim. Other significant industries include media production, finance, telecommunications, law, health and medicine, and transportation.

The median income for a household was $36,687, and for a family was $39,942. Males had a median income of $31,880, females $30,197. The per capita income was $20,671. 22.1% of the population and 18.3% of families were below the poverty line. 30.3% of those under the age of 18 and 12.6% of those aged 65 or older were below the poverty line.

Median house value: $221,600 (year 2000)

Famous landmarks

Mann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood sign, Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles City Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Chinatown, Disney Concert Hall, Kodak Theater, Griffith Observatory, Getty Museum, Colliseum, L.A. County Museum of Art. Races in Los Angeles:

• Hispanic (46.5%)
• White Non-Hispanic (29.7%)
• Other race (25.7%)
• Black (11.2%)
• Two or more races (5.2%)
• Filipino (2.7%)
• Korean (2.5%)
• Chinese (1.7%)
• American Indian (1.4%)
• Japanese (1.0%)
• Other Asian (0.9%)
• Asian Indian (0.7%)
• Vietnamese (0.5%)

• BARLOW HOSPITAL (2000 STADIUM WAY)
• CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER LA (1401 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE)
• CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER (8700 BEVERLY BLVD)
• CENTURY CITY HOSPITAL (2070 CENTURY PARK EAST)

• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES (Full-time enrollment: 35,930; Location: 405 HILGARD AVE; Public; Website: www.ucla.edu; Offers Doctor's degree)
• UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (FT enrollment: 26,718; Location: UNIVERSITY PK; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.usc.edu/; Offers Doctor's degree)
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-LOS ANGELES (FT enrollment: 14,556; Location: 5151 STATE UNIVERSITY DR; Public; Website: www.calstatela.edu; Offers Doctor's degree)
• LOS ANGELES TRADE TECHNICAL COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 8,528; Location: 400 W WASHINGTON BLVD; Public)
• LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 8,298; Location: 855 N VERMONT AVE; Public; Website: www.lacc.cc.ca.us)

• BELMONT SENIOR HIGH (Students: 5,299; Location: 1575 W. 2ND ST.; Grades: 09 - 12)
• FREMONT (JOHN C.) SENIOR HIGH (Students: 5,083; Location: 7676 S. SAN PEDRO ST.; Grades: 09 - 12)
• ROOSEVELT (THEODORE) SENIOR HIGH (Students: 4,940; Location: 456 S. MATHEWS ST.; Grades: 09 - 12)
• LOS ANGELES UNIFIED ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION (Students: 3,217; Location: 450 NORTH GRAND AVE.; Grades: 07 - 12)

• LE LYCEE FRANCAIS DE L A (Students: 1,458; Location: 3261 OVERLAND AVENUE; Grades: PK - 12)
• LOYOLA HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,173; Location: 1901 VENICE BLVD; Grades: 9 - 12; Boys only)
• BRENTWOOD SCHOOL (Students: 960; Location: 100 SO BARRINGTON PLACE; Grades: KG - 12)

• FOSHAY LEARNING CENTER (K-12) (Students: 3,581; Location: 3751 S. HARVARD BLVD.; Grades: KG - 12)
• BERENDO MIDDLE (Students: 3,323; Location: 1157 S. BERENDO ST.; Grades: 06 - 08)
• CITY OF ANGELS (INDEP. STUDY) (Students: 3,225; Location: 1449 S. SAN PEDRO; Grades: KG - 12)

• YESHIVA RAV ISAACSOHN (Students: 1,056; Location: 540 N LA BREA AVE; Grades: PK - 8)
• STEPHEN S WISE TEMPLE ELEMENTA (Students: 754; Location: 15500 STEPHEN S WISE DR; Grades: KG - 6)
• SINAI AKIBA ACADEMY (Students: 726; Location: 10400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD; Grades: PK - 8)