La Mirada, California | |
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 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: Dedicated to Service | |
 Location of La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California | |
  La Mirada Location in Los Angeles County Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area La Mirada Location in California Show map of California La Mirada Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:33°54′8″N118°0′35″W / 33.90222°N 118.00972°W /33.90222; -118.00972 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Los Angeles |
| Incorporated | March 23, 1960[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| • Mayor | Ed Eng |
| • Mayor Pro Tem | Anthony Otero |
| • City council[3] | Steve De Ruse John Lewis Andrew Sarega |
| • City manager | Jeff Boynton[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.84 sq mi (20.30 km2) |
| • Land | 7.82 sq mi (20.26 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) 0.22% |
| Elevation | 194 ft (59 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 48,008 |
| • Density | 6,159.93/sq mi (2,378.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 90637–90639[6] |
| Area code | 562,657/714[7] |
| FIPS code | 06-40032 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1652736,2411577 |
| Website | www |
La Mirada is a city in southeastLos Angeles County,CaliforniaUnited States, and is one of theGateway Cities, on the border withOrange County.[8][9] The population was 48,008 at the2020 census.[10] The La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and the Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center are two of its major attractions.[11] It is the home ofBiola University, anevangelical Christian institution of higher education.
La Mirada (Spanish forthe look)[12] was the creation of two men,Andrew McNally, a printer and mapmaker from Chicago (seeRand McNally) and his son-in-law Edwin Neff. In 1888, McNally purchased over 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) ofRancho Los Coyotes,[13] south ofWhittier, for $200,000. He developed 700 acres (2.8 km2) into his own home called Windermere Ranch and surrounded it with olive, orange and lemon groves. McNally built a plant to process the olive oil, which was of the best quality, as well as a railroad station on Stage Road. From here his olive oil and fruit were shipped all over the U.S.
In 1896, McNally turned his property over to his daughter and his son-in-law. McNally and Neff formed the La Mirada Land Company, which published a booklet entitled "The Country Gentleman in California", advertising parcels of land for sale including pictures, a map and descriptions of the scenic olive, alfalfa, lemon and grapefruit groves.
In 1946, "Along Your Way", a "Station by Station Description of the Santa Fe Route Through the Southwest," describes La Mirada with a population of 213, surrounded by orange, lemon, walnut and olive groves; oil wells; olive oil factory; and fruit packing houses.
The city received a lot of attention for the fact that it was going to be completely structured and planned out. Referred to as "the Nation's completely planned city" during the early 1950s,[14] the city of La Mirada received a lot of attention from theState Fair.[15] The Fair praised the city for planning for the future while still maintaining practicality for today.
In 1953, the land was sold to subdivisions for 5.2 million dollars, one of the largest real estate transactions in California. In 1954, Louis M. Halper, a prominent Southland residential and commercial builder, purchased 2,100 acres of La Mirada land for $8,000,000. Halper launched construction on what was to be a $150,000,000 community with schools, shopping centers, and 10,000 homes that he completed by the end of two years. His firm had taken over the acreage from a group of corporations and Harold L. Shaw, who launched the original La Mirada development. He said at the time the entire community would be redesigned for maximum advantages of a modern planned city. Halper had developed a new pattern for community development by wholesaling land to other builders and establishing the La Mirada Civic Council to control quality. Three and four-bedroom homes were sold in the $13,000 price range. By 1960, the year the city was incorporated, La Mirada had grown from a mere 100 homes to over 8,000.[13] The city was incorporated as "Mirada Hills" on March 23, 1960. On November 8, 1960, voters approved a change of name to the current La Mirada, which was officially certified on December 15, 1960.
Today, the current population is just over 50,000 with the addition of a new subdivision on the eastern portion of the town.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20 km2). 7.8 square miles (20 km2) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2) of it (0.22%) is water. The city is on the border between Orange and Los Angeles counties. The cities that border it on theLos Angeles County side areSanta Fe Springs to the west andCerritos to the southwest; and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County such asEast Whittier, andSouth Whittier to the north. The cities bordering it inOrange County areFullerton andLa Habra to the east andBuena Park to the south.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 22,444 | — | |
| 1970 | 30,808 | 37.3% | |
| 1980 | 40,986 | 33.0% | |
| 1990 | 40,452 | −1.3% | |
| 2000 | 46,783 | 15.7% | |
| 2010 | 48,527 | 3.7% | |
| 2020 | 48,008 | −1.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 1860–1870[17][18] 1880–1890[19] 1900[20] 1910[21] 1920[22] 1930[23] 1940[24] 1950[25] 1960[26][27] 1970[28] 1980[29] 1990[30]2000[31] 2010[32] 2020[33] | |||
La Mirada first appeared as a city under the nameMirada Hills City in the1960 U.S. Census as part of the Whittier census county division;[27] and then asLa Mirada in the1970 U.S. Census.[28]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[34] | Pop 2010[35] | Pop 2020[33] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 22,058 | 18,418 | 13,508 | 47.15% | 37.95% | 28.14% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 851 | 1,010 | 1,002 | 1.82% | 2.08% | 2.09% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 138 | 138 | 126 | 0.29% | 0.28% | 0.26% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 6,900 | 8,530 | 10,820 | 14.75% | 17.58% | 22.54% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 104 | 114 | 103 | 0.22% | 0.23% | 0.21% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 120 | 102 | 241 | 0.26% | 0.21% | 0.50% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 955 | 943 | 1,556 | 2.04% | 1.94% | 3.24% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15,657 | 19,272 | 20,652 | 33.47% | 39.71% | 43.02% |
| Total | 46,783 | 48,527 | 48,008 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2010 United States census[36] reported that La Mirada had a population of 48,527. The population density was 6,175.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,384.5/km2). The racial makeup of La Mirada was 29,462 (60.7%)White (38.0% Non-Hispanic White), 1,099 (2.3%)African American, 394 (0.8%)Native American, 8,650 (17.8%)Asian, 142 (0.3%)Pacific Islander, 6,670 (13.7%) fromother races, and 2,110 (4.3%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 19,272 persons (39.7%).
The Census reported that 45,670 people (94.1% of the population) lived in households, 2,586 (5.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 271 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 14,681 households, out of which 5,368 (36.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 8,971 (61.1%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,731 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 802 (5.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 544 (3.7%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 93 (0.6%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,536 households (17.3%) were made up of individuals, and 1,578 (10.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11. There were 11,504families (78.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.48.
The population was spread out, with 10,246 people (21.1%) under the age of 18, 7,092 people (14.6%) aged 18 to 24, 11,609 people (23.9%) aged 25 to 44, 12,203 people (25.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,377 people (15.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
There were 15,092 housing units at an average density of 1,920.7 per square mile (741.6/km2), of which 11,608 (79.1%) were owner-occupied, and 3,073 (20.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 36,660 people (75.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,010 people (18.6%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, La Mirada had a median household income of $81,961, with 7.0% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
As of thecensus[37] of 2000, there were 46,783 people, 14,580 households, and 11,518 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,960.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,301.4/km2). There were 14,811 housing units at an average density of 1,887.1 per square mile (728.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 64.46%White, 1.93%Black orAfrican American, 0.75%American Indian, 14.88%Asian, 0.27%Pacific Islander, 13.64% fromother races, and 4.08% from two or more races. 33.47% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 14,580 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.1% weremarried couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $61,632, and the median income for a family was $66,598 (these figures had risen to $77,952 and $87,037 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[38]). Males had a median income of $47,364 versus $31,993 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $22,404. About 3.7% of families and 5.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Mexican (25.7%) andGerman (8.8%) are the most common ancestries. 10,626 (22.7%) of residents were foreign born, low for Southeast and low for the county.Mexico (29.7%) andKorea (16.8%) were the most common foreign places of birth.[39]
The city is governed by a five-membercouncil-manager government. Voters began electing council members by district in March 2017 in order to avoid litigation for alleged violation of the California Voting Rights Act. Each year the five members vote one of themselves to be the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
In theCalifornia State Legislature, La Mirada is inthe 30th senatorial district, represented byDemocrat Bob Archuleta, and inthe 64th Assembly district, represented byDemocrat Blanca Pacheco.[40]
In theUnited States House of Representatives, La Mirada is inCalifornia's 38th congressional district, represented byDemocrat Linda Sánchez.[41]
TheLos Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Whittier Health Center inWhittier, serving La Mirada.[42]
TheLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Norwalk Station inNorwalk, serving La Mirada.[43] In addition the department operates the La Mirada Substation.[44]
The Norwalk Station is also responsible for providing contracted police services to the city of Norwalk as well asunincorporatedSouth Whittier. The department has a substation in La Mirada located adjacent to City Hall.
Crime in La Mirada is consistently lower than in neighboring communities and fell 8.9% in 2018 after spiking close to 30% over the three previous years, mirroring the experiences of most communities across the state.[45]
Fire protection andparamedic services are provided by theLos Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD). The department maintainsStation #49 in La Mirada adjacent to City Hall, provides coverage to the central parts of the city. Station 49 also serves as the headquarters for Battalion 21.
In May 2010, a ribbon cutting was held to celebrate the opening of a second fire station operating in the city. Station 194 moved from its temporary home at 1401 South Beach Boulevard into the new quarters at 13540 Beach Boulevard. The site was chosen as it provides first-in coverage to the city ofLa Habra, which funded half of the cost of the construction project.
In return for investment towards the construction of Station 194,La Habra now enjoys the benefits of having a fourth Paramedic Assessment Fire Engine serving the city at no cost toLa Habra taxpayers for a 20-year period (La Habra signed a ten-year fire service agreement extension in 2015). The entire cost of the four-person crew is funded by the County Fire District in whichLa Mirada belongs.
The construction of the new fire station, which was a key component of this agreement, was completed in just over four years after a series of design and construction delays. Neighborhoods in eastern La Mirada that once experienced six-minute response (travel) times can now be reached in three minutes or less.
Crews from two nearby stations also include parts ofLa Mirada as their first-in district. Engine 35, stationed inCerritos on Artesia Boulevard, covers most of the industrial areas of the city that are south ofInterstate 5.
Station 15 located inEast La Mirada on Santa Gertrudes Avenue handles the north and northeast sections of town. The four-person crew assigned toQuint 15 now staff the only truck company in the area. In addition to ladder truck duties a Quint also has the ability to pump water at a fire. Prior to the 2005 reduction of staff at the La Mirada Boulevard station, there was a truck staffed as well as the engine and paramedic squad currently staffed.
La Mirada both receives and provides assistance to neighboring fire agencies called for in agreements called automatic aid.
In the southern part of the city, resources based in Buena Park and South Santa Fe Springs respond to fires instead of County Fire resources further away and the favor is returned in designated areas outside of La Mirada.
The La Mirada-based Paramedic-Unit, Squad 49 also responds to medical emergencies in Satna Fe Springs when that city's medics are unavailable.
An expanded agreement went into effect in 2018 with the City of Fullerton that has seen a sharp increase in the response by La Mirada fire resources to both medical and fire calls there by both Squad 49, and Engine 194 Beach and Hillsborough Station.
Public education in a majority of La Mirada is governed by theNorwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, headquartered in neighboringNorwalk. La Mirada has one public secondary school,La Mirada High School.
The Creek Park and Granada Heights neighborhoods in northern La Mirada are within the boundaries of theEast Whittier City School District K - 8th grade, theWhittier Union High School District, andRio Hondo College District all with campuses in nearby Whittier.
Severalprivate schools are located in La Mirada:
The city is home to one privatehigher education institution,Biola University.
According city's 2017 Demographic Overview[46] (which is collected from sources deemed reliable, including US Census, ESRI, GCR Marketing Network, Claritas, HDL and city, state & county data), approximately 26.23% of the population have some college education, 9.8% have an associate degree, 20.08% have aBachelor's degree, 8.05% have aMaster's Degree, and 1.05% have aDoctorate Degree.
Metrolink operatescommuter rail service on this right-of-way; the nearest stations to La Mirada areBuena Park andNorwalk/Santa Fe Springs.Public transportation is provided by theLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro),Norwalk Transit, andMontebello Bus Lines. TheLA Metro route 460 bus connects to downtown Los Angeles andCrypto.com Arena.[47]
The main arterial streets running west-to-east areRosecrans Avenue,Alondra Boulevard, andImperial Highway. The main arterial streets running south-to-north are Valley View Avenue,La Mirada Boulevard, and Santa Gertrudes Avenue. Leffingwell Road runs along the north end of the city, andArtesia Boulevard runs along the south end of the city.Interstate 5 passes briefly through the southwest corner of the city, whileBeach Boulevard (SR 39) passes briefly through the east end of the city.
Freightrailroad traffic through the city is handled byBNSF Railway on itsright-of-way in the southwest portion of the city.[48] Union Pacific Railroad operates a rail line along Interstate 5 and serves the southern industrial areas south of I-5.
An construction Iwatani station planned forhydrogen highway.[49]
Los Cerritos Community News is based in the city.
According to the city's 2017 Demographic Overview,[50] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biola University | 1,365 |
| 2 | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District | 843 |
| 3 | US Food Service | 650 |
| 4 | Kindred Hospital La Mirada | 266 |
| 5 | City of La Mirada | 306 |
La Mirada travel guide from Wikivoyage
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