La Mirada, California
Encyclopedia
La Mirada is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California
, United States
, and is one of the Gateway Cities
. The population was 48,527 at the 2010 census, up from 46,783 at the 2000 census.
It is the home of Biola University
(formerly the Bible Institute of Los Angeles), an evangelical Christian
institution of higher education. It is also the home of the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.
The city of La Mirada was listed on CNN Money Magazine
's “Best Place to Live” list. La Mirada placed 34th on the list, with the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and the Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center as two of its main attributes.
for The View) was the creation of two men, Andrew McNally
, a printer and mapmaker from Chicago (see Rand McNally
) and his son-in-law Edwin Neff.
In 1888, McNally purchased over 2200 acres (8.9 km²) of Rancho Los Coyotes
, south of Whittier
, 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, the city of La Mirada received a lot of attention from the State Fair
. 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. By 1960, the year the city was incorporated, La Mirada had grown from a mere 100 homes to over 8,000. 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.
, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²). 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.02 square mile (0.0517997622 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 the Los Angeles County side is Santa Fe Springs
to the west and Cerritos
to the southwest; and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County East La Mirada,and South Whittier to the North. Then the cities which border it on the Orange County
side are Fullerton
and La Habra
on the east; Buena Park
on the south; also a small portions of unincorporated Orange County to the northeast.
was 6,175.7 people per square mile (2,384.5/km²). The racial makeup of La Mirada was 29,462 (60.7%) 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%) from other races
, and 2,110 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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%) were opposite-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 11,504 families
(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.
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 (2,301.0/km²). There were 14,811 housing units at an average density of 1,887.1 per square mile (728.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.46% White
, 1.93% Black
or African American
, 0.75% American Indian
, 14.88% Asian
, 0.27% Pacific Islander
, 13.64% from other races
, and 4.08% from two or more races. 33.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
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% were married 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). Males had a median income of $47,364 versus $31,993 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,404. About 3.7% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
La Mirada is located in the 30th Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Ronald S. Calderon
, and in the 60th Assembly
District, represented by Republican
Curt Hagman
. Federally, La Mirada is located in California's 39th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +13 and is represented by Democrat Linda Sánchez
.
The city is governed by a five-member council-manager government
, each elected at-large
(i.e., by the entire city's voting population, not by districts) to four year terms. Each year the five members vote one of themselves to be the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier
, serving La Mirada.
(LASD) operates the Norwalk Station in Norwalk
, serving La Mirada. In addition the department operates the La Mirada Substation.
The Norwalk Station is also responsible for providing contracted police services to the city of Norwalk as well as unincorporated
South Whittier
. The department has a substation in La Mirada located adjacent to City Hall. Many deputies assigned to La Mirada drive patrol cars marked with the La Mirada logo, but wear Los Angeles County uniforms.
The city also employs a civilian Public Safety team to support the LASD. Public Safety Officers are unarmed and do not have arrest
powers. They carry out ancillary duties such as issuing animal/bicycle licenses, fingerprinting, and writing reports on non-hazardous matters (e.g., forgery, vandalism). They are also charged with enforcing parking and municipal codes.
Fire protection and paramedic
services are provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department
(LACoFD). The department maintains Station
#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 second fire station, #194 opened at 1401 S. Beach Blvd. at the east city boundary it shares with La Habra. The placement of the new station filled a gap in coverage for the newer Hillsborough neighborhoods that were built several decades after Station 49 was built.
Funding for construction of Station 194 was shared equally by the fire department and the city of La Habra, which benefits at having a fourth engine company in its city limits at no further expense after the station opened.
Land constraints necessitated a unique two-story firehouse design which will initially house one engine company and four personnel including one paramedic.
Personnel for Engine 194 were obtained without adding any budgeted firefighter positions. 12 of the 27 firefighters positions at the Los Angeles County fire station near La Mirada City Hall at the time were shifted to a temporary station 194 when La Habra disbanded it's municipal fire agency in 2005 in favor of becoming a contract city.
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 times can be reached in three minutes or less today.
Crews from two nearby stations also include parts of La Mirada as their first-in district. Engine 35 stationed in Cerritos on Artesia Blvd covers most of the industrail areas of the city that are south of Interstate 5
.
Station 15 located in East La Mirada on Santa Gertrudes Avenue handles the north and northeast sections of town. The four person crew assigned to Quint
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 Blvd station there was a truck staffed as well as the engine and paramedic squad currently staffed.
in a majority of La Mirada is governed by the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
, headquartered in neighboring Norwalk
. 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 the East Whittier City School District
K - 8th grade, the Whittier Union High School District
, and Rio Hondo College
District all with campuses in nearby Whittier..
Several private school
s are located in La Mirada:
The city is home to one private higher education
institution, Biola University
.
. Valley View Avenue, La Mirada Boulevard, and Santa Gertrudes Avenue are other important arterials. Interstate 5
passes through the southwest corner of the city, while Beach Boulevard (CA-39)
passes through the east end of the city.
Freight railroad traffic through the city is handled by BNSF Railway
on its right-of-way in the southwest portion of the city. Metrolink
operates commuter rail service on this right-of-way; the nearest stations to La Mirada are Buena Park
and Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs
.
Public transportation is provided by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(Metro), Norwalk Transit
, and Montebello Bus Lines
.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is one of the Gateway Cities
Gateway Cities
The Gateway Cities of Southern California are those located in southeastern Los Angeles County. There is some cross-over between these cities and those composing South Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, the South Bay, and the San Gabriel Valley...
. The population was 48,527 at the 2010 census, up from 46,783 at the 2000 census.
It is the home of Biola University
Biola University
Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-...
(formerly the Bible Institute of Los Angeles), an evangelical Christian
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
institution of higher education. It is also the home of the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.
The city of La Mirada was listed on CNN Money Magazine
Money Magazine
Money Magazine is a business news and financial programme that is broadcast on Sundays at 7:00pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl.-Producers and reporters:...
's “Best Place to Live” list. La Mirada placed 34th on the list, with the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and the Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center as two of its main attributes.
History
La Mirada (SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for The View) was the creation of two men, Andrew McNally
Andrew McNally
Andrew McNally was born in Armagh, Northern Ireland, and immigrated to New York City in 1857. A printer by trade, he moved to Chicago in 1858 and got a job in a print shop owned by William Rand at a wage of $9 per week. Rand and McNally became business partners and incorporated Rand, McNally & Co...
, a printer and mapmaker from Chicago (see Rand McNally
Rand McNally
Rand McNally is an American publisher of maps, atlases, textbooks, and globes for travel, reference, commercial, and educational uses. It also provides online consumer street maps and directions, as well as commercial transportation routing software and mileage data...
) and his son-in-law Edwin Neff.
In 1888, McNally purchased over 2200 acres (8.9 km²) of Rancho Los Coyotes
Rancho Los Coyotes
Rancho Los Coyotes was a 1834 Mexican land grant resulting from the partition of the Rancho Los Nietos grant, in present day southeastern Los Angeles County and northwestern Orange County, California...
, south of Whittier
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, 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, the city of La Mirada received a lot of attention from the State Fair
California State Fair
The California State Fair is the annual state fair for the state of California. The fair is held at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California.- Schedule Change :...
. 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. By 1960, the year the city was incorporated, La Mirada had grown from a mere 100 homes to over 8,000. 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.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²). 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.02 square mile (0.0517997622 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 the Los Angeles County side is Santa Fe Springs
Santa Fe Springs, California
Santa Fe Springs is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. The population was 16,223 at the 2010 census, down from 17,438 at the 2000 census....
to the west and Cerritos
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
to the southwest; and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County East La Mirada,and South Whittier to the North. Then the cities which border it on the Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
side are Fullerton
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
and La Habra
La Habra, California
La Habra is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. Its related city, La Habra Heights is located to the north of La Habra, and is in Los Angeles County.-Origin of name:...
on the east; Buena Park
Buena Park, California
Buena Park is a city in northwestern Orange County, California. As of Census 2010 the population was 80,530. The city is adjacent to the city of Anaheim and is 12 miles northwest of downtown Santa Ana. The Current OMB metropolitan designation for Buena Park and the Orange County Area is "Santa...
on the south; also a small portions of unincorporated Orange County to the northeast.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that La Mirada had a population of 48,527. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,175.7 people per square mile (2,384.5/km²). The racial makeup of La Mirada was 29,462 (60.7%) 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%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2,110 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, 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 11,504 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(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.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 46,783 people, 14,580 households, and 11,518 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,960.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,301.0/km²). There were 14,811 housing units at an average density of 1,887.1 per square mile (728.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.46% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.93% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.75% American Indian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 14.88% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.27% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 13.64% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.08% from two or more races. 33.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
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% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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). Males had a median income of $47,364 versus $31,993 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $22,404. About 3.7% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
La Mirada is located in the 30th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald Steven Calderon is the California State Senator from the 30th Senate District. He was elected to the Senate in 2006....
, and in the 60th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Curt Hagman
Curt Hagman
Curt Hagman is a Republican assemblyman from California's 60th State Assembly District The district includes all, or portions of Anaheim, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Industry, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Orange, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, Villa Park, Walnut, Whittier, and Yorba...
. Federally, La Mirada is located in California's 39th congressional district
California's 39th congressional district
California's 39th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County. The district covers part of southeastern Los Angeles County and includes Lynwood, Cerritos, Lakewood, La Mirada, and Whittier....
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +13 and is represented by Democrat Linda Sánchez
Linda Sánchez
Linda T. Sánchez is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
The city is governed by a five-member council-manager government
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
, each elected at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
(i.e., by the entire city's voting population, not by districts) to four year terms. Each year the five members vote one of themselves to be the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, serving La Mirada.
Emergency services
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's DepartmentLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
(LASD) operates the Norwalk Station in Norwalk
Norwalk, California
Norwalk is a suburban city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 105,549 at the 2010 census, up from 103,298 at the 2000 census, making it the 58th most populous city in California and the 255th nationally....
, serving La Mirada. In addition the department operates the La Mirada Substation.
The Norwalk Station is also responsible for providing contracted police services to the city of Norwalk as well as unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
South Whittier
South Whittier, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that South Whittier had a population of 57,156. The population density was 10,691.8 people per square mile...
. The department has a substation in La Mirada located adjacent to City Hall. Many deputies assigned to La Mirada drive patrol cars marked with the La Mirada logo, but wear Los Angeles County uniforms.
The city also employs a civilian Public Safety team to support the LASD. Public Safety Officers are unarmed and do not have arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
powers. They carry out ancillary duties such as issuing animal/bicycle licenses, fingerprinting, and writing reports on non-hazardous matters (e.g., forgery, vandalism). They are also charged with enforcing parking and municipal codes.
Fire protection and paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
services are provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...
(LACoFD). The department maintains Station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
#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 second fire station, #194 opened at 1401 S. Beach Blvd. at the east city boundary it shares with La Habra. The placement of the new station filled a gap in coverage for the newer Hillsborough neighborhoods that were built several decades after Station 49 was built.
Funding for construction of Station 194 was shared equally by the fire department and the city of La Habra, which benefits at having a fourth engine company in its city limits at no further expense after the station opened.
Land constraints necessitated a unique two-story firehouse design which will initially house one engine company and four personnel including one paramedic.
Personnel for Engine 194 were obtained without adding any budgeted firefighter positions. 12 of the 27 firefighters positions at the Los Angeles County fire station near La Mirada City Hall at the time were shifted to a temporary station 194 when La Habra disbanded it's municipal fire agency in 2005 in favor of becoming a contract city.
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 times can be reached in three minutes or less today.
Crews from two nearby stations also include parts of La Mirada as their first-in district. Engine 35 stationed in Cerritos on Artesia Blvd covers most of the industrail areas of the city that are south of Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
.
Station 15 located in East La Mirada on Santa Gertrudes Avenue handles the north and northeast sections of town. The four person crew assigned to Quint
Quint
Quint may refer to:In literature:* Quintinius Verginix, a character from The Edge Chronicles book series* Quint, a shipmaker in the series of novels Spider Riders*quint magazine, a Dubai based arts & culture magazine...
15 now staff the only truck company in the area. In addition to ladder truck duties a Quint
Quint
Quint may refer to:In literature:* Quintinius Verginix, a character from The Edge Chronicles book series* Quint, a shipmaker in the series of novels Spider Riders*quint magazine, a Dubai based arts & culture magazine...
also has the ability to pump water at a fire. Prior to the 2005 reduction of staff at the La Mirada Blvd station there was a truck staffed as well as the engine and paramedic squad currently staffed.
Education
Public educationPublic education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
in a majority of La Mirada is governed by the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District is a school district in Los Angeles County, with headquarters in Norwalk. It has schools in Norwalk and La Mirada.-High schools:* El Camino High School* John Glenn High School* La Mirada High School...
, headquartered in neighboring Norwalk
Norwalk, California
Norwalk is a suburban city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 105,549 at the 2010 census, up from 103,298 at the 2000 census, making it the 58th most populous city in California and the 255th nationally....
. La Mirada has one public secondary school, La Mirada High School
La Mirada High School
La Mirada High School is a high school in La Mirada, California. It is a member school of the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District. Built in 1960 as one of three high schools in the district...
The Creek Park and Granada Heights neighborhoods in northern La Mirada are within the boundaries of the East Whittier City School District
East Whittier City School District
East Whittier City School District is a school district based in Whittier, California, United States.EWCSD serves a large portion of the city of Whittier, and operates Elementary and Middle schools...
K - 8th grade, the Whittier Union High School District
Whittier Union High School District
Whittier Union High School District is a California high school district serving most of the City of Whittier and parts of Santa Fe Springs. The union high school district was formed in 1900 and is currently composed of five comprehensive high schools, two alternative high schools, and an adult...
, and Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College is a community college located in the city of Whittier, California, United States, named after the Rio Hondo. It was founded in 1960 and mainly serves the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, El Monte, and South El Monte...
District all with campuses in nearby Whittier..
Several private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s are located in La Mirada:
- St. Paul of the Cross School in the Foster Park neighborhood
- Beatitudes of Our Lord School
The city is home to one private higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institution, Biola University
Biola University
Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-...
.
Transportation
La Mirada's main arterial streets are Rosecrans Avenue and Imperial HighwayImperial Highway
Imperial Highway is a road in Orange and Los Angeles counties in California. It begins at the Anaheim-Orange boundary and runs through several cities until it stops at Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles near the Los Angeles International Airport. For much of the way, Imperial Highway is signed...
. Valley View Avenue, La Mirada Boulevard, and Santa Gertrudes Avenue are other important arterials. Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in California
Interstate 5 is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of California. It begins at the Mexico – United States border at the San Ysidro crossing, goes north across the length of California and crosses into Oregon south of the Medford-Ashland metropolitan...
passes through the southwest corner of the city, while Beach Boulevard (CA-39)
California State Route 39
State Route 39 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels through Orange and Los Angeles counties. Its southern terminus is at Pacific Coast Highway , in Huntington Beach, and its northern terminus is at Islip Saddle on Angeles Crest Highway in the Angeles National...
passes through the east end of the city.
Freight railroad traffic through the city is handled by BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
on its right-of-way in the southwest portion of the city. Metrolink
Metrolink (Southern California)
Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
operates commuter rail service on this right-of-way; the nearest stations to La Mirada are Buena Park
Buena Park (Metrolink station)
Buena Park station is a passenger railroad station at 8400 Lakeknoll Drive in northeastern Buena Park, California. It is at the center of a transit-oriented development including townhomes and a housing complex owned by the California State University, Fullerton, near the corner of Dale Street and...
and Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs
Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs (Metrolink station)
The Norwalk/Sante Fe Springs Metrolink Station is a Metrolink rail station in the city of Norwalk, California. It is served by Metrolink's 91 Line from Los Angeles Union Station to Riverside and Metrolink's Orange County Line running from Los Angeles Union Station to Oceanside. On weekdays, this...
.
Public transportation is provided by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
(Metro), Norwalk Transit
Norwalk Transit (California)
Norwalk Transit is a municipal transit company providing fixed-route and paratransit bus transit services in Norwalk, California, United States, and also operates in portions of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, La Mirada and Whittier in Southeast Los Angeles County.Norwalk Transit receives its...
, and Montebello Bus Lines
Montebello Bus Lines
Montebello Bus Lines is a municipal bus operator in Montebello, USA, mainly serving East Los Angeles, Commerce, and Montebello.- History of Montebello Bus Lines :...
.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biola University Biola University Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-... |
1,248 |
| 2 | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District is a school district in Los Angeles County, with headquarters in Norwalk. It has schools in Norwalk and La Mirada.-High schools:* El Camino High School* John Glenn High School* La Mirada High School... |
900 |
| 3 | U.S. Foodservice | 625 |
| 4 | Staples Advantage Corporate Express Corporate Express N.V. is a Dutch company that supplies office products to businesses and institutions. The firm was known as Buhrmann prior to April 20, 2007, when it changed its trading name to that of its best known brand, taken from the United States-based corporation it acquired in 1999. The... |
367 |
| 5 | Living Spaces | 308 |
| 6 | Estes Estes Express Lines -Background:Estes Express Lines is a full-service freight transportation provider based in Richmond, Virginia, in the United States. Founded in 1931 by W.W. Estes, the company is still owned and operated by the Estes family. Robey W... |
292 |
| 7 | Frito-Lay Frito-Lay Frito-Lay North America is the division of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets and sells corn chips, potato chips and other snack foods. The primary snack food brands produced under the Frito-Lay name include Fritos corn chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips,... |
266 |
| 8 | Architectural Area Lighting | 146 |
| 9 | Spartech Plastics | 142 |
| 10 | Coyle Reproductions | 135 |
Notable residents
- Gary AllanGary AllanGary Allan Herzberg is an American country music artist, known professionally as Gary Allan.Signed to Decca Records in 1996, Allan made his debut on the United States country music scene with the release of his single "Her Man", the lead-off to his gold-certified debut album Used Heart for Sale,...
, country singer - Tony Corrente, NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
referee - Jennie FinchJennie FinchJennie Lynn Finch , who occasionally uses her husband's surname Daigle, is a former American softball player who pitched for the USA national softball team and the Chicago Bandits. Finch helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
, Olympic softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
player - Janine LindemulderJanine LindemulderJanine Marie Lindemulder , also known as Janine Marie James, is an American exotic dancer and adult film actress, best known for her work in American pornographic films during the mid-1990s and a 2004–2005 comeback...
, exotic dancerExotic dancerThe terms exotic dancer and exotic dance can have different meanings in different parts of the world and depending on context. In the erotic sense, "exotic dance" is a often used to refer to practitioners of striptease...
and adult film actress - Amber RileyAmber RileyAmber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
, actor and singer best known for her role in GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues... - Derrick WilliamsDerrick Williams (basketball)Derrick LeRon Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was considered one of the top prospects for the 2011 NBA Draft and was selected as the second overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
, basketball player for the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor... - Eric WinterEric WinterEric Barrett Winter is an American actor and former fashion model. He is also ambassador for Operation Smile.-Career:Before his acting roles, Winter was a male model and had some high profile campaigns, such as one print campaign for Tommy Hilfiger...
, actor best known for his role in Days of our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...