Compton is a city located in theGateway Cities region of southernLos Angeles County, California, United States,[9] situated south ofdowntown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county, and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporate. As of the2020 census, the city had a total population of 95,740.[10] It is known as the "Hub City" due to its geographic centrality in Los Angeles County,[9] though it is actually near the southern end of the county. Neighborhoods in Compton include Sunny Cove, Leland, downtown Compton, and Richland Farms.
TheSpanish Empire had expanded into this area when the Viceroy ofNew Spain commissionedJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo to explore the Pacific Ocean in 1542–1543. In 1767, the area became part of theProvince of the Californias (Spanish:Provincia de las Californias), and the area was explored by thePortolá expedition in 1769–1770. In 1784, theSpanish Crown deededRancho San Pedro, a tract of over 75,000 acres (300 km2), to soldier Juan José Domínguez. Domínguez's descendants partitioned the land amongst family members, sold parcels to newly arriving settlers, and relinquished some when validating their legal claim with theMexican government at 48,000 acres (190 km2) in 1828, and with the United States government through a patent validating 43,119 acres (174.50 km2) in 1858. The Domínguez family name is still applied throughout the area, including theDominguez Rancho Adobe historical landmark, in theunincorporated community ofRancho Dominguez, located between the cities of Compton,Long Beach andCarson. The tree that marked the original northern boundary of the rancho still stands at the corner of Poppy and Short streets.[11][12]
In 1867, Griffith Dickenson Compton led a group of 30 pioneers to the area. These families had traveled by wagon train south fromStockton, California, in search of ways to earn a living other than the rapid exhaustion of gold fields. Originally named Gibsonville, after one of the tract owners, it was later called Comptonville. However, to avoid confusion with theCamptonville located inYuba County, the name was shortened to Compton.[9] Compton's earliest settlers were faced with terrible hardships as they farmed the land in bleak weather to get by with just the barest subsistence. The weather continued to be harsh, rainy and cold, and fuel was difficult to find. To gather firewood it was necessary to travel to mountains close toPasadena. The round trip took almost a week. Many in the Compton party wanted to relocate to a friendlier climate and settle down, but as there were two general stores within traveling distance—one in the pueblo ofLos Angeles, the other inWilmington—they eventually decided to stay put.[9]
By 1887, the settlers realized it was time to make improvements to the local government. A series of town meetings were held to discuss incorporation of their little town. Griffith D. Compton donated his land to incorporate and create the city of Compton in 1889, but he did stipulate that a certain acreage be zoned solely for agriculture and named Richland Farms.[13] In January 1888, a petition supporting the incorporation of Compton was forwarded to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, who in turn forwarded the petition to the State Legislature. On May 11, 1888, the city of Compton wasincorporated with a population of 5000 people. The first City Council meeting was held on May 14, 1888.[9]
In 1890, a series of votes were held by the residents of Compton, with the aim of shedding significant portions of the city. By the end of the year, Compton was down to only eighty acres of land, with five remaining voters residing within that territory. Due to the limited number of people able to fill positions within the city government, Compton effectively ceased to exist as a functioning city. By 1906, lawyers Emmett Wilson and E.T. Sherer filed suits to nullify the 1890 elections, which in turn restored Compton to a size of 600 acres.[14] Compton was reborn, with elections held to fill open positions.[15]
The ample residential lots of Richland Farms gave residents enough space to raise a family, and food to feed them, along with building a barn, and caring for livestock. The farms attracted the black families who had begun migrating from the rural South in the 1950s, and there they found their 'home away from home'. Compton could not support large-scale agricultural business, but it did give the residents the opportunity to work the land for their families.[13]
The 1920s saw the opening of the Compton Airport. Compton Junior College was founded and city officials moved to a new City Hall on Alameda Street.[9] On March 10, 1933,a destructive earthquake caused many casualties: schools were destroyed and there was major damage to the central business district.[9] While it would eventually be home to a large black population, in 1930 there was only one black resident.[16]
From the 1920s through the early 1940s, the Compton area was home to a sizable Japanese American population, a large proportion of whom were farmers. Shortly after President Roosevelt issuedExecutive Order 9066 in February 1942, Compton residents of Japanese descent were forcibly removed from their homes and interned for the duration of World War II. Most were initially detained at the Santa Anita Assembly Center; they were later transferred to and incarcerated at Manzanar and other internment centers, called "Relocation Centers."[17]
In the 1950s, middle-class black families began moving into the area, mostly on the west side. Compton grew quickly throughout the decade. This is partially due to its proximity toWatts, where there was an established black population. The eastern side of the city was predominantly white until the 1970s. Despite being located in the middle of a major metropolitan area, thanks to the legacy of Griffith D. Compton, there still remains one small pocket of agriculture from its earliest years.[13]
During the 1950s and 1960s, after the Supreme Court declared all racially exclusive housing covenants (title deeds) unconstitutional in the caseShelley v. Kraemer, the first black families moved to the area.[18] Compton's growing black population was still largely ignored and neglected by the city's elected officials.Centennial High School was finally built to accommodate a burgeoning student population.[18] A black man first ran for City Council in 1958, and the first black councilman was elected in 1961.[18]
Aerial view of Compton, 1920
In 1969,Douglas Dollarhide became the mayor, the first black man elected mayor of any metropolitan city in California.[18] Two African Americans and one Mexican-American were also elected to the local school board.[18] Four years later, in 1973,Doris A. Davis defeated Dollarhide's bid for re-election to become the first female black mayor of a metropolitan American city. By the early 1970s, the city had one of the largest concentrations of African Americans in the country, at over sixty five percent.[19] In 2013,Aja Brown, age 31, became the city's youngest mayor to date; she was re-elected in 2017.[20]
For many years, Compton was a much sought-after suburb for the black middle class of Los Angeles. This past affluence is reflected in the area's appearance: Compton's streets are lined with relatively spacious and attractive single family houses.[21] However, several factors have contributed to Compton's gradual decline. One of the most significant factors was a steady erosion of its tax base, something that was already sparse due to limited commercial properties. In later years, there were middle-classwhites who fled to the newly incorporated cities ofArtesia,Bellflower,Cerritos,Paramount andNorwalk in the late 1950s. These nearby cities remained largely white early on, despiteintegration.[22] This white middle class flight accelerated following the1965 Watts Riots and the1992 Los Angeles riots.[23]
By the late 1960s, middle-class and upper-middle-class African Americans found other areas to be more attractive to them. Some were unincorporated areas ofLos Angeles County such asLadera Heights,View Park andWindsor Hills, and others were cities such asInglewood andCarson. Carson was particularly significant, because it had successfully thwarted attempts atannexation by neighboring Compton. The city opted instead for incorporation in 1968; notably, its black population was actually more affluent than its white population. As a newer city, it also offered more favorable tax rates and lower crime.[24]
Highway sign for Compton on State Route91Map of Compton, c. 2001
According to theUnited States Census Bureau's 2020 data,[25][26] the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 km2). 10.03 square miles (26.0 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (1.03%) is water.
Compton is bordered by the unincorporatedWillowbrook on the north and northwest, the unincorporatedWest Compton on the west, the city ofCarson on the southwest, the unincorporatedRancho Dominguez on the south, the city ofLong Beach on the southeast, the city ofParamount and the unincorporatedEast Compton on the east, and by the city ofLynwood on the northeast.
East Compton, also known asEast Rancho Dominguez, is a mostly industrialunincorporated community andcensus-designated place (CDP). The population was 15,135 according to the2010 Census.[27] East Rancho Dominguez is an accepted city name according to theUSPS, and shares the 90221ZIP Code with Compton.[28] Itssphere of influence is the city of Compton, which has tried to annex East Rancho Dominguez, but business and property owners in the area have opposed the annexation.[29][30]
The U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (PEP), updated annually, reported that the City of Compton has a population of 91,988 as of its 2022 estimate. The following household information is based on 5-year census estimates between 2018 and 2022:[25]
The owner-occupied housing unit rate was 57.4%
The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $489,400
The number of households and persons per household were 24,617 and 3.83, respectively
The median household income was $69,728
No Compton households reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multilingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household. 83.1% of the residents of Compton are U.S. citizens.
Compton city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The2010 United States census[54] reported that Compton had a population of 96,455. The population density was 9,534.3 inhabitants per square mile (3,681.2/km2). The racial makeup of Compton was 31,688 (32.9%)Black; 24,942 (25.9%)White, (0.8% Non-Hispanic White);[55][56] 655 (0.7%)Native American; 292 (0.3%)Asian; 718 (0.7%)Pacific Islander; 34,914 (36.2%) fromother races; and 3,246 (3.4%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 62,669 persons (65.0%).
The Census reported that 95,700 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 643 (0.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 112 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 23,062 households, out of which 13,376 (58.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,536 (45.7%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 6,373 (27.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,354 (10.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,725 (7.5%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 158 (0.7%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,979 households (12.9%) were made up of individuals, and 1,224 (5.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.15. There were 19,263families (83.5% of all households); the average family size was 4.41.
The age distribution of the population was as follows: 31,945 people (33.1%) under the age of 18, 11,901 people (12.3%) aged 18 to 24, 26,573 people (27.5%) aged 25 to 44, 18,838 people (19.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,198 people (7.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
There were 24,523 housing units at an average density of 2,424.0 units per square mile (935.9 units/km2), of which 12,726 (55.2%) were owner-occupied, and 10,336 (44.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 53,525 people (55.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 42,175 people (43.7%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, Compton has a median household income of $42,953, with 26.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[55]
Following theWatts riots in 1965, crime in Compton rose sharply. Although the city was largely exempt from the destruction of the 1965 riot, it prompted middle-class residents to flee over the next few years. By 1969, it had the highest crime rate in the state of California.[57]
InBlack, Brown, and White: Stories Straight Outta Compton,Lynne Isbell and two friends from other ethnic backgrounds have written about their lives growing up in Compton during the 1960s and early 1970s. They tell how Compton changed from a mostly white town to a mostly black one and became known as "the Murder Capital of the United States".[58]
Compton's violent reputation reached the national spotlight in the late 1980s with the rise of localgangsta rap groupsCompton's Most Wanted andN.W.A, the latter of whom released the albumStraight Outta Compton in 1989. The city became notorious forgang violence, primarily caused by theBloods andCrips.[57] After years of decline in crime, Compton's murder rate skyrocketed in 2004 with racial conflicts between Blacks and Latinos.[59]
The city's deadliest year on record was 2005 when the city murder rate reached 72 killings with a total population of 90,000 residents. The spike was the highest since 1991, when the city had more than 100,000 residents.[60] The rise in homicides frightened residents who had long lived with high levels of gang violence but had seen a downturn in violent crime in recent years.[61]
In 2013, the homicide rate was 36.8 per 100,000 residents, a decrease from the mid-2000s peak.[60] Guns are used in the vast majority of homicides in Compton. Between 2000 and 2016, 91.5% were killed with guns compared to the national average of 67.7%.[62] In 2015, there was a record low of 15 homicides while the homicide rate in the rest of the US increased.[63] In recent years, homicides have increased while remaining well below the 1980s and 90s, with 32 in 2021.[64]
AlthoughU.S. News & World Report did not list Compton in the 2011 "11 Most Dangerous Cities" for overall crime rates in the United States,[66] theCQ Press, using data from theFBI's annual report of crime statistics "Crime in the United States 2010," which ranked Compton as having the eighth highest crime rate in the country.[67]
Compton experienced a drop in homicide in the late 1990s and 2000s.[68] Crime has stabilized overall since the 2010s.[69][70] The decrease in homicides has been attributed to various factors, including changing demographics, faster response times by police (reducing shots fired) and better medical care (increasing survival rates).Aja Brown, mayor elected in 2013, helped to settle turf wars between the gangs, which has further reduced the homicide rate.[71]
Mexican and Central American immigrants have increasingly replaced African Americans who moved to safer cities.[72]
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department began the annual "Gifts for Guns" program in the year 2005,[73] where the citizens of Compton were given the option to turn in firearms and receive a $50–$100 check for various goods in an effort to combatgun violence.[74] People have turned in about 7,000 guns over the last few years,KABC-TV reported. The program's success has prompted theLASD to expand the program countywide.[75]
In June 2025, Compton was among several communities in Los Angeles County where demonstrations occurred following immigration enforcement actions byU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to reports, some protesters in Compton threw glass bottles at law enforcement officers.[77]
On June 8, the National Guard was deployed to Los Angeles County, including Compton, under orders from President Donald Trump. The deployment occurred without a formal request from the governor of California, marking a rare instance of federal activation of the state’s National Guard.[77]
In 1994, Compton was designated as an "Entrepreneurial Hot Spot" by Cognetics, Inc., an independent economic research firm.[79] Compton made the national list for best places to start and grow a business, and ranked #2 inLos Angeles County out of a field of 88 cities.[80] The city's Planning and Economic Development department provides a business assistance program consisting of a comprehensive mix of resources to small business owners and entrepreneurs. The grocery chainsRalphs andFood 4 Less, subsidiaries ofKroger, are headquartered in Compton.[81] Gelson's Market, a subsidiary of Arden Group, Inc., a holding company, is also based there.[82]
Compton is surrounded by freeways that provide access to destinations throughout the region.[83] TheLong Beach andLos Angeles Ports are less than 20 minutes from downtown Compton, providing access to international destinations for customers and suppliers. TheAlameda Corridor, a passageway for 25% of all U.S. waterborne international trade, runs directly through Compton from north to south.[84]
The City of Compton's Parks and Recreation Department operates and maintains a total of 16 playgrounds for a combined 118 acres (48 ha) of active park space. Facilities include six community centers, seven neighborhood parks, two walking parks, two competition-size swimming pools, three regulation size gymnasiums, a skate park, Jackie Robinson Baseball Stadium, Nine-Hole Par 3 Golf Course, and the two-story 29,641 square feet (2,800 m2) Douglas F. Dollarhide Community Center.[85]
Compton has been referred to on numerous occasions ingang affiliation,gangsta rap andg-funk songs, especially in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, and so has attained an association not only with gang violence and crime, but withhip hop music as well. The city is known as the home of many famous rappers. TheCompton Swap Meet is featured prominently in the remix version of the 1995 song "California Love".[87]
Championed by the Compton Entertainment Chamber of Commerce, the city of Compton honored Musical Entertainer rapper Eazy-E, with a symbolic street in his stage name. On November 22, 2023, the 100 block of Auto Drive South, which runs off Alameda Street and into the Gateway Towne Center shopping plaza was renamed to Eazy Street. It is also a reference to a song of the same name.[88]
Eazy-E grew into the music industry as part the N.W.A group that spawned hip hop icons, such as Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Mc Ren, DJ Yella and many others. In 1989, N.W.A released the colossal hit song Straight Outta Compton, which is the incontestable communicable global catchphrase for the City of Compton. [Eric Lynn Wright, was born September 7, 1964, in Compton, and died March 26, 1995.]
Although aninner suburb of Los Angeles, Compton has seen an increase of middle-class residents in the last few years, due to its affordable housing. With the influx of immigrants and the demographic shift in ethnic population, it was after the2000 U.S. census that Latinos were recognized as the majority.[90]
Compton has evolved into a younger population; the median age of people living in Compton was 25 at the time of the census survey in 2010; the United States average at the time was 35.3.[91][92]
Compton is home to theCompton Cricket Club, the only all American-born exhibition cricket team. Its founder, Ted Hayes, said, "The aim of playing cricket is to teach people how to respect themselves and respect authority so they stop killing each other."[93]Tam's Burgers has been seen as a symbol of the city.
Compton Airport opened on May 10, 1924.[83] Located onAlondra Boulevard, the airport offers flight training, has accommodations for more than 200 planes, and is home to several aviation clubs.[94]
TheMartin Luther King, Jr. Memorial sits in a plaza surrounded by the Civic Center, Compton Court House, Compton City Hall, and Compton Public Library.[95]
The 'Heritage House' was built in 1869 and is aCalifornia Historical Landmark, and a Los Angeles County Historic Landmark.[94] The oldest house in Compton, it was restored as a tribute to early settlers. It is an important landmark of Compton's rich history. At the corner of Myrrh and Willowbrook near the Civic Center Plaza, the Heritage House is a rustic-looking home that will eventually have a museum detailing early life in Compton. For now it shows the stark difference between the simple life of the 19th century and the fast-paced urban environment of the 21st.[94] The oldest tree in Compton was theEagle Tree, which marked the boundary ofRancho San Pedro. It fell in 2022.
AfterLionel Cade, an accountant, assumed the mayor's office in 1977, one of the first orders of business was to conduct an audit of the city's finances. It was discovered that the city was $2 million in debt. The administration was able to eliminate the huge deficit in one year by making cuts in every department. It also aggressively sought federal funding to help pay for essential services, which was at least partially effective. However, with the passage of the property tax cutting initiativeProposition 13 by California voters, Compton was one of the cities hardest hit, since it had already eliminated most of the excess from its budget.[98]
Civiccorruption has also been a widespread problem in Compton.[99]
In 2000, theCompton Police Department was disbanded amidst controversy and charges of corruption. The police department claims it was disbanded after investigations of gang activity led to then-Compton MayorOmar Bradley. Once this became public, the mayor charged it was the police who were themselves corrupt, and he disbanded the police department. Omar Bradley has since faced serious corruption charges.[100]
Eric J. Perrodin, the city's former mayor, was investigated in 2007 by the California State Bar for threatening to violate a local newspaper's First Amendment rights after the paper printed an investigative report relative to a contract granted to one of Perrodin's associates. Following the report, Perrodin threatened to yank the city's advertising contract with the paper.[101] A Times review of city records shows Perrodin was absent from city board and commission meetings nearly two-thirds of the time between July 2009 and July 2010.[102]
Current recall efforts are a direct response from residents of the accusations of corruption of the city's mayor and council. Some of the accusations involve the issuing of city contracts to personal donors and friends. One particular accusation involved the trash and recycling contract of the city toPacific Coast Waste and Recycling LLC in 2007.[103]
Notices of intent to circulate recall petitions against four Compton city officials are expected to be filed in August 2010, by a group of citizens who claim corruption in Compton is being ignored by the same authorities who were shocked by the recent salary controversy in the city ofBell.[104]
Compton had discharged its city manager, in 2010, the second time in three years.The Los Angeles Times says the City Council voted in a closed meeting, September 9, 2010, to fire Charles Evans.The Times says council members refused to discuss the reasons for their decision. Evans took office in 2007, after the dismissal of previous City Manager Barbara Kilroy. City Controller Willie Norfleet will take over until a permanent manager can be named.[102]
The city is served byCompton Unified School District.[108] All of Compton is in CUSD, except for a small sliver of land in theParamount Unified School District.[109] The CUSD district is a participant of the FOCUS program conducted by theUniversity of California, Irvine. The goals of the program are to improve mathematics and science achievement by uniting the efforts of mathematics, science, education and research library faculty and staff with educators of the school district.[110]
The CUSD provides public education for grades K–12. The district operates 24 elementary schools, eight middle schools, three high schools, and one adult school, which also serves as an alternative school. The district maintains five alternative learning schools.[108]
The city is also served byCompton College, which offers community college courses for those planning to enter a four-year degree program, as well as those seeking further education in specific trade fields.[108]
The Compton Library offers adult, children's and Spanish language materials; reference services; a Literacy Center and a Homework Center; public computers with Internet access and word processing capabilities; public typewriters; and a bilingual story time every Saturday at 12:00 noon.[108]
Occidental's Center for Food and Justice and its Compton Farm-to-School project were featured in a segment ofLife and Times, a half-hour news program onPBS member television stationKCET in Los Angeles.[112]
Barack Obama Charter School is a kindergarten through sixth grade public charter school.[83]
TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Compton Post Office at 701 South Santa Fe Avenue,[114] the Hub City Post Office at 101 South Willowbrook Avenue,[115] and the Fashion Square Post Office at 2100 North Long Beach Boulevard.[116]
TheLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department operates the Compton Station in Compton.[117] When the LASD replaced theCompton Police Department in 2000,[118][102] they increased patrol service hours from 127,410 to 141,692. Compton Station is centrally located in the Los Angeles area. The station is easily accessible from the Century Freeway (I-105) to the north, the Gardena Freeway (SR-91) to the south, the Harbor Freeway (I-110) to the west, and the Long Beach Freeway (I-710) to the east. Diane Walker, a 30-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, was promoted to the rank of captain by SheriffLee Baca, and is now commander of Compton Station.[119] There is also a LASD substation located in the Gateway Town Center.[75]
Compton station of theLA MetroCompton/Woodley Airport
Four freeways are within or near the city's boundaries and provide access to destinations throughout the region.Interstate 710 runs through the eastern boundary,State Route 91 runs through the southern boundary.Interstate 105 runs slightly along the north of the city, andInterstate 110 along to the west.
TheMetro A Line (formerly the Blue Line)light rail runs north–south through Compton.Compton station is in the heart of the city, adjacent to the Renaissance Shopping Center.Artesia station serves the southern part of the city. The A Line connects Compton todowntown Los Angeles and downtown Long Beach.
On January 19, 2010, the Compton City Council passed a resolution creating asister cities program,[120] to be managed as a chapter of the Compton Chamber of Commerce. The city has established partnerships:
^Compton City Council (March 5, 2013)."City Council Agenda"(PDF). p. 17. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on February 16, 2015. RetrievedFebruary 16, 2015.
^Scott, Allen John and Edward Soja (1996).The City: Los Angeles and Urban Theory at the End of the Twentieth Century Berkeley: University of California Press. 10.
^abcSewell, Abby (September 9, 2010)."Compton council fires city manager".Los Angeles Times.Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. RetrievedFebruary 29, 2016.Charles Evans is the second top administrator to be fired in three years. Mayor Eric Perrodin says the top priority for a new city manager will be to reestablish a local police department in Compton.
^"Archived copy".www.thecomptonbulletin.com. Archived fromthe original on January 13, 2020. RetrievedJanuary 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Miller, Gary J.,Cities by Contract: The Politics of Municipal Incorporation, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, England, 1981
Gould, Lewis L. (editor),American First Ladies: Their Lives and Their Legacy, Garland Publishing, New York and London, 1996. See pages 612–613 regarding the Bush family's "nomadic" existence in the cities ofHuntington Park,Bakersfield,Whittier,Ventura and Compton,California.
Straus, Emily E.,Death of a Suburban Dream: Race and Schools in Compton, California. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014.
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