Los Alamitos, California | |
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 City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Los Alamitos inOrange County, California | |
  Los Alamitos, California Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:33°48′8″N118°3′52″W / 33.80222°N 118.06444°W /33.80222; -118.06444 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Orange |
| Incorporated | March 1, 1960[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Shelly Hasselbrink |
| • Mayor Pro Tem | Tanya Doby |
| • City council[2] | Emily Hibard Gary Loe Jordan Nefulda |
| • City Manager | Chet Simmons |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.07 sq mi (10.55 km2) |
| • Land | 4.01 sq mi (10.39 km2) |
| • Water | 0.062 sq mi (0.16 km2) 1.60% |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 11,780 |
| • Density | 2,936/sq mi (1,134/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 90720–90721 |
| Area code | 562 |
| FIPS code | 06-43224 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1652748 |
| Website | www |
Los Alamitos (lohs al-uh-MEE-tohs; Spanish for "the little cottonwoods") is a city inOrange County, California, which was incorporated in March 1960. Its population was 11,780 in the2020 census, up from 11,449 in2010. A significant part of the city is occupied byJoint Forces Training Base – Los Alamitos,[6] and it hosts theUSA Water Polo National Aquatic Center.[7]
TheTongva inhabited the area before the city was established, andRancho Los Alamitos was known as the village ofPuvunga. The area is still sacred to the Tongva people.[8][9]
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The town of Los Alamitos was established in 1896 byLewellyn Bixby to support a new sugar-beet factory built by the Clark brothers.William Andrews Clark, a future Senator from Montana, had built his fortune in mining, banking and logging in that state. His younger brother, J. Ross Clark, managed their operations in California after he moved there for health reasons. Lewellyn Bixby, whose family owned the surrounding land onRancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos, had been trying to build asugar beet factory in that area for several years. Due to financial losses during the 1880s, he no longer had the money to build the factory complex on his own. Bixby had made a fortune in the 1850s when he and cousins Benjamin and Thomas Flint formedFlint, Bixby & Co. to deal in mutton and wool onRancho San Justo, south of San Jose. After selling wool to the government during the Civil War, the Flints and Bixby bought land in southern California; this included the futureIrvine Ranch and Rancho Los Cerritos, which is much of the western half ofLong Beach. Flint, Bixby hired Lewellyn's younger brother, Jotham, to manage the Cerritos. When the company broke up, Lewellyn assumed their southern California properties, moved toLos Angeles and became the senior partner with Jotham.
Around 1881, cousin John W. Bixby wanted to purchaseRancho Los Alamitos with a consortium which included Lewellyn and Jotham and bankerIsaias W. Hellman. When John died on May 7, 1887,[11] the ranch was divided among the three families. The northern third, adjacent to the Rancho Los Cerritos (roughly north of present-day Orangewood Avenue), went to the Lewellyn-Jotham faction and became the Bixby Land Company. By the mid-1890s, after the crash following the 1880s land boom, this group was cash-poor and land-rich. After experimenting in northern California with sugar beets, the Bixbys agreed to provide the land and contracted with William A. Clark for capital; E.A. Dyer provided the expertise to build a sugar-beet factory. The community that grew up around the factory complex, with streets of company houses for workers and surrounding farms, was called Los Alamitos. During the early 1900s,sugar beets were delivered to a factory by horse and wagon. Economics, the elimination of a protective tariff, and a 1921 insect infestation reduced the sugar-beet crop in Orange County and ended the industry there and in Los Alamitos. William Clark and his brother H. Ross, who ran the Los Alamitos operation, received 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) east of the factory and purchased 8,000 acres (32 km2) north of the factory (primarily inRancho Los Cerritos) which becameLong Beach Airport,Long Beach City College, and the city ofLakewood. Clark and Hellman were also involved withE. H. Harriman,Henry Edwards Huntington, and theSouthern Pacific Railroad in southern California; the Clarks completed a railroad fromLos Angeles toSalt Lake City, with a desert stop inLas Vegas.
On land south of the factory (and present-day Orangewood Avenue), John Bixby's son Fred had a ranch to fatten cattle for slaughter and managed Hellman's land in present-daySeal Beach). Bixby allowed European-immigrant,Mexican, andJapanese farmers to rent land and grow crops. At the beginning ofWorld War II, the Japanese farmers were rounded up by the military and relocated to internment camps inManzanar and elsewhere.
Before and early in the war, the area around Los Alamitos became a center of the aircraft industry. The Clark heirs arranged for Donald Douglas to begin construction of theDouglas Aircraft Company plant north of the Long Beach airport, and theNavy needed an auxiliary airfield for its reserve training facility at the airport. A touch-and-go field was built on level ground east of Los Alamitos in August 1940, Orange County's first military post. In February 1941, the Navy moved its reserve aviation training from Long Beach and purchased 1,300 acres (5.3 km2). Trainees and other troops began using the new facilities in November of that year, and Naval Reserve Air Base Long Beach moved its operations to NRAB Los Alamitos in May 1942. NRAB Los Alamitos was the nation's busiest reserve air base during theKorean War, but suburban residential development began to curtail its activity by the late 1950s. The Navy moved out in 1972, and the California National Guard took over management of the base as an Armed Forces Reserve Center the following year. It is a reserve support center for units of the Army, Navy, National Guard and Marines and home to other government agencies, including Homeland Security, FEMA and the State of California Office of Emergency Services.[12]
Former military personnel remained in Los Alamitos after the war, living in neighborhoods such as Carrier Row (whose streets are named for World War IIaircraft carriers,. Carrier Row was three small subdivisions, built in 1947–48, 1950, and 1955 by different builders. The first subdivision was Alamos Ranchos, first occupied in April 1948. The homes had sewage problems, and the builder stopped after completing the two blocks east of Lexington and south of Katella. In 1950, two more blocks were constructed as Plainview Homes. In 1955, the tract was completed with the construction of Los Alamitos Park. Los Alamitos Terrace, a 193-unit subdivision, was built north of Old Town West on a Bixby-operated dairy farm whose headquarters was present-day Los Alamitos High School.[12]
In 1956,Ross Cortese purchased land to build thewalled community ofRossmoor southwest of Los Alamitos. Rossmoor, Orange County's largest single development, was the first walled community in the United States and home to over 10,000 upper-middle-class professionals. Rossmoor's homes were initially designed by Earle G. Kaltenbach, and two later phases were designed by Chris Choate. Ranch-style homes dominated 1950s suburban architecture. Before Rossmoor, Choate and May worked with Cortese on the nearbyLakewood Rancho Estates in Long Beach.[12]
Although Rossmoor is not part of Los Alamitos, they have become linked. When Los Alamitos was incorporated, its population was about 3,400; Rossmoor's population was almost 10,000. Los Alamitos is slightly larger, with a population of over 11,000. Rossmoor's success led to the Los Alamitos subdivisions of Dutch Haven (1960), Rossmoor Highlands (1961), and Suburbia, New Dutch Haven, Greenbrook and College Park North (1967). Los Alamitos has been the hometown for a number of noted athletes, including baseball Hall of FamerBob Lemon (although he spent more time in Long Beach), and Olympic gymnastCathy Rigby. The Los Alamitos youth baseball leagues, which began in 1958 as the Rossmoor Little League and (after moving its fields to the Navy base) changing its name to Los Alamitos Youth baseball), developedAndy Messersmith. During the late 1980s, six former league players were playing major-league baseball:Robb Nen,J. T. Snow,Greg Harris,Dennis Lamp,Greg Pirkl, andMike Kelly. The area has been home to long-distance swimmerLynne Cox, California Supreme Court Chief JusticeMalcolm M. Lucas, and mystery writerJan Burke.
Los Alamitos is bordered byCypress on the north and east,West Garden Grove on the east, andSeal Beach on the south. Thecensus-designated place ofRossmoor is bordered by Los Alamitos on the north, east, and west.[13] The city shares a northwestern border withLong Beach'sEl Dorado Park neighborhood.Coyote Creek separates Los Alamitos from Long Beach.
The most common native plant species are hairysand verbena,red sand verbena, andpink sand verbena.
Los Alamitos'USDA hardiness zone is 9,[14] and its Sunset climate zone is 22.[15]
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| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4,312 | — | |
| 1970 | 11,346 | 163.1% | |
| 1980 | 11,529 | 1.6% | |
| 1990 | 11,676 | 1.3% | |
| 2000 | 11,536 | −1.2% | |
| 2010 | 11,449 | −0.8% | |
| 2020 | 11,780 | 2.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 11,846 | [16] | 0.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] 1860–1870[18][19] 1880-1890[20] 1900[21] 1910[22] 1920[23] 1930[24] 1940[25] 1950[26] 1960[27] 1970[28] 1980[29] 1990[30]2000[31] 2010[32] 2020[33] | |||
Los Alamitos was first listed as a city in the1960 U.S. census.[27] Before then, the area was part of Seal Beach Township (1950 population 6,824).[26]
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop. 2000[34] | Pop. 2010[35] | Pop. 2020[33] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NH white | 9,530 | 9,040 | 7,836 | 6,721 | 5,449 | 82.66% | 77.42% | 67.93% | 58.70% | 46.26% |
| NHBlack or African American | 56 | 337 | 358 | 300 | 347 | 0.49% | 2.89% | 3.10% | 2.62% | 2.95% |
| NHNative American orAlaska Native | 91 | 45 | 31 | 22 | 34 | 0.79% | 0.39% | 0.27% | 0.19% | 0.29% |
| NHAsian | 423 | 781 | 1,090 | 1,447 | 2,060 | 3.67% | 6.69% | 9.45% | 12.64% | 17.49% |
| NHNative Hawaiian orPacific Islander | 35 | 47 | 69 | 0.30% | 0.41% | 0.59% | ||||
| NHother | 35 | 13 | 18 | 46 | 68 | 0.30% | 0.11% | 0.16% | 0.40% | 0.58% |
| NHmultiracial | x | x | 320 | 448 | 727 | x | x | 2.77% | 3.91% | 6.17% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,394 | 1,460 | 1,848 | 2,418 | 3,026 | 12.09% | 12.50% | 16.02% | 21.12% | 25.69% |
| Total | 11,529 | 11,676 | 11,536 | 11,449 | 11,780 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Los Alamitos had a population of 11,780 in the2020 United States census, and its population density was 2,938.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,134.5/km2). The city's racial makeup was 53.3 percentwhite, 3.3 percentAfrican-American, 0.9 percentNative American, 17.8 percentAsian, 0.6 percentPacific Islander, 8.5 percent fromother races, and 15.6 percent from two or more races.Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 25.7 percent of the population.[36] The census indicated that 98.8 percent of the population lived in households, 0.1 percent lived in non-institutional group quarters, and 1.1 percent were institutionalized.[36]
Of its 4,266 households, 39.2 percent included children under age 18, 48.2 percent were married households, 5.7 percent werecohabiting households, 30.2 percent had a female householder with no partner, and 15.9 percent had a male householder with no partner present. One-person households were 21 percent, and 10.2 percent were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.73.[36] There were 3,104families (72.8 percent of all households).[37]
The city's age distribution was 23.5 percent under age 18, 8.9 percent ages 18 to 24, 25.4 percent ages 25 to 44, 26.1 percent ages 45 to 64, and 16.1 percent aged 65 or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males.[36]
There were 4,376 housing units, with an average density of 1,091.5 units per square mile (421.4 units/km2), of which 4,266 (97.5 percent) were occupied. Of these, 44.4 percent were owner-occupied and 55.6 percent were rented.[36]
In 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $98,539 and theper capita income was $51,404. About 7.2 percent of families and 9.3 percent of the population were living below thepoverty line.[38]
The city had a2010 population of 11,449,[39] with a population density of 2,781.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,074.1/km2). Los Alamitos' racial makeup was 8,131 (71 percent) white (58.7 percent non-Hispanic white),[40] 324 (2.8 percent) African American, 51 (0.4 percent) native American, 1,471 (12.8 percent) Asian, 50 (0.4 percent) Pacific islander, 726 (6.3 percent) from other races, and 696 (6.1 percent) from two or more races. The Hispanic or Latino population (any race) was 2,418 (21.1 percent). According to the census, 11,206 people (97.9 percent) lived in households; 40 (0.3 percent) lived in non-institutional group quarters, and 203 (1.8 percent) were institutionalized.
There were 4,212 households, of which 1,610 (38.2 percent) included children under age 18; 2,025 (48.1 percent) were opposite-sex married couples, 731 (17.4 percent) had a female householder with no husband, 282 (6.7 percent) had a male householder with no wife. There were 209 (five percent) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 19 (0.5 percent) same-sex married couples or partnerships. Individuals made up 885 households (21 percent), and 355 (8.4 percent) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. Average household size was 2.66. There were 3,038 families (72.1 percent of all households); the average family size was 3.10.
Ages were diverse, with 2,741 people (23.9 percent) under age 18, 1,077 people (9.4 percent) aged 18 to 24, 2,938 people (25.7 percent) aged 25 to 44, 3,099 people (27.1 percent) aged 45 to 64, and 1,594 people (13.9 percent) age 65 or older. The city's median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
There were 4,355 housing units, with an average density of 1,058.2 per square mile (408.6/km2), of which 1,967 (46.7 percent) were owner-occupied and 2,245 (53.3 percent) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8 percent, and the rental vacancy rate was 3.1 percent. Owner-occupied units housed 5,274 people (46.1 percent), and 5,932 (51.8 percent) lived in rental housing. Median household income was $80,449, and 7.2 percent of the population lived below the federal poverty line.[40]
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020[41] | 51.63% (3,192) | 45.74% (2,828) | 2.64% (163) |
| 2016[42] | 47.08% (2,372) | 45.06% (2,270) | 7.86% (396) |
| 2012[43] | 45.11% (2,212) | 51.86% (2,543) | 3.04% (149) |
| 2008[44] | 47.62% (2,436) | 49.98% (2,557) | 2.40% (123) |
| 2004[45] | 42.63% (2,076) | 55.50% (2,703) | 1.87% (91) |
| 2000[46] | 42.97% (1,919) | 52.33% (2,337) | 4.70% (210) |
| 1996[47] | 41.23% (1,733) | 46.75% (1,965) | 12.02% (505) |
| 1992[48] | 36.65% (1,875) | 37.65% (1,926) | 25.70% (1,315) |
| 1988[49] | 36.59% (1,721) | 62.28% (2,929) | 1.13% (53) |
| 1984[50] | 28.65% (1,249) | 70.38% (3,068) | 0.96% (42) |
| 1980[51] | 29.00% (1,246) | 61.38% (2,637) | 9.61% (413) |
The five-member, elected City Council represents the city's five districts. The council's first meeting of the year appoints one of its members to be mayor for the year. After the selection of a mayor, the mayor holds a city-council election to appoint a council member as mayorpro tempore.[52] Shelley Hasselbrink is the mayor of Los Alamitos.[53]
In theCalifornia State Legislature, Los Alamitos is inthe 36th senatorial district, represented byRepublican Tony Strickland, and inthe 70th Assembly district, represented byRepublican Tri Ta[54] In theUnited States House of Representatives, Los Alamitos is inCalifornia's 45th congressional district, represented byDemocrat Derek Tran.[55] The city, in theOrange County Board of Supervisors' first district, has been represented byJanet Nguyen since 2024. According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters,[56] Los Alamitos had 7,526 registered voters on May 17, 2025.[57] Of those, 2,676 were registered Republicans; 2,725 were registered Democrats, and 1,577 (26.72 percent) declined to state a political party.[58]
The firstClaim Jumper restaurant opened in Los Alamitos in 1977; in 2025, the location was aHof's Hut.Neverland Studios, often used byChristian rock bands, was in Los Alamitos.Tillys had its original location in the city.
According to the Los Alamitos 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[59] the city's top employers are:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCI Health – Los Alamitos | 1,100 |
| 2 | Arrowhead Products | 780 |
| 3 | Trend Offset Printing | 700 |
| 4 | Epson America | 693 |
| 5 | Mittera California | 238 |
| 6 | Discovery Practice Management | 205 |
| 7 | Bar Bakers | 200 |
| 8 | Resare Marketing | 191 |
| 9 | Alamitos West Health & Rehabilitation | 145 |
| 9 | Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California | 145 |
| 9 | Katella Delicatessen-Restaurant-Bakery | 145 |
Orange County Transportation Authority operates bus service in the city.[60][61]
Water in Los Alamitos is supplied by the Golden State Water Company,[62] which obtains its water from theMetropolitan Water District of Southern California by importing water from the Colorado River Aqueduct and theCalifornia State Water Project. Groundwater is also pumped from the Orange County Groundwater Basin.[63]
TheLos Alamitos Unified School District began in 1898 as the Laurel Elementary School District and changed its name in 1953 to the Los Alamitos Elementary School District, providing education through the sixth grade. Students in grades 7-12 attended schools in the Anaheim School District until 1979, when local voters withdrew from the Anaheim High School District and unified their local grades as the Los Alamitos Unified School District.
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