Palmdale, California

Palmdale is a suburban city located in northern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is part of the Antelope Valley in Southern California, with the San Gabriel Mountains separating it from the Los Angeles Basin to the south.

On August 24, 1962, Palmdale became the first city in the Antelope Valley. In November 2009, voters approved making it a charter city. The city's population grew from 152,750 in the 2010 census to 169,450 in the 2020 census, making it the 33rd most populous city in California.

Together with its nearby neighbor, the city of Lancaster, the Palmdale–Lancaster urban area had a population of 359,559 in 2020.

History

Palmdale was first home to many groups of native people for thousands of years. They used the Antelope Valley as a path for travel between places such as Arizona and New Mexico, and the coast of California.

In 1772, a Spanish soldier named Pedro Fages explored the area. Later, in 1773, an expedition led by Juan Bautista de Anza and a Spanish priest named Father Francisco Garces traveled through the desert from Mexico to Monterey.

In 1886, a group of travelers from the American Midwest, mostly from Germany and Switzerland, settled in a place they called Palmenthal. They saw Joshua trees and thought they were palm trees, hence the name. The village grew, but many left when farming was hard. By 1899, only one family stayed.

In 1913, a big water system was finished, bringing water from far away. This helped Palmdale grow. In the 1920s and 1930s, farms produced lots of fruits and vegetables.

During World War II, an air base was built nearby, which brought many jobs. After the war, the area became known for airplane building.

In 1962, Palmdale officially became a city. Roads were built to connect it to Los Angeles, and more people moved there looking for homes.

The 1980s and 1990s saw many new homes built, and Palmdale became a place where people lived but worked in Los Angeles. In 1980, about 12,000 people lived there.

Geography

Palmdale is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is part of the Antelope Valley in the Mojave Desert. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles area to the south.

The city shares close ties with its northern neighbor, Lancaster, and together they form the main cities of the Antelope Valley and California's High Desert. Palmdale sits at an elevation of 2,655 feet (809 m) above sea level. The city covers a total area of 106.2 square miles (275 km²), most of which is land, with a small amount of water.

Climate

Palmdale has a desert climate, typical of the High Desert. Winters are cool, and summers are hot and dry. The city receives about 5.90 inches (150 mm) of rain each year, usually spread over just 27 days.

Flora and fauna

Native plants in Palmdale include big berry manzanita, fremont cottonwood, and California poppies. Animals such as golden mantled ground squirrel, red-tailed hawk, and coyotes can be found in the area. The rare California condor also lives near Palmdale.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census counted 169,450 people in Palmdale. The city had 1,597.6 people living in each square mile (616.8/km²). The racial makeup included 26.6% White, 13.6% African American, 2.1% Native American, 4.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 35.8% from other races, and 17.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people made up 61.8% of the population.

Most people lived in homes, with 99.88% in households, 0.12% in group homes, and a tiny fraction in other places.

There were 48,355 homes, with 46% having children under 18. Over half (51.3%) were married couples living together. About 11.9% of families and 14.6% of all people lived below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 United States census counted 152,750 people in Palmdale. The population density was 1,438.1 people per square mile (555.3/km²). The racial makeup was 49% White, 14.8% African American, 0.9% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 25.4% from other races, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people made up 54.4% of the population.

Most people lived in homes, with 99.9% in households.

There were 42,952 homes, with over half (56.3%) being married couples. About 15.8% of people lived below the poverty line.

Religion

About 37% of people in Palmdale are Catholic, and 53.4% follow some kind of religion.

Homelessness

In 2022, a count found 309 people without homes in Palmdale.

Economy

Palmdale's most important industry is aerospace. Many manufacturing companies have moved to Palmdale because of its affordable land, closeness to Palmdale Airport, and special tax breaks.

These tax breaks come from special zones in Palmdale called the Antelope Valley Enterprise Zone and the Palmdale Federal Foreign Trade Zone. These zones offer tax benefits and grants to help bring more jobs to the area. This helps Palmdale and nearby Lancaster not rely only on the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley for work. It also helps reduce traffic and pollution and supports the local economy with many different industries.

Palmdale calls itself the "aerospace capital of the United States." It has been important for researching, building, testing, and fixing many famous aircraft used by the United States Air Force, NASA, and others around the world. Major aerospace companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman have major operations here.

Other big companies in Palmdale include Delta Scientific, which makes strong barriers for vehicles, and US Pole, which makes street lighting poles. There are also places like the Palmdale Trade and Commerce Center and the Palmdale Auto Mall. New medical offices are opening to support the Palmdale Regional Medical Center.

Onions are an important crop in Palmdale, with some being sent to Japan, Taiwan, Dubai, and Australia. Other crops include alfalfa, wheat, fruit, oats, and barley.

Government

Palmdale is a Charter City with a council and manager style of local government. The mayor is chosen by all voters every two years. The city council has four members, each from a different area of the city, and they serve four-year terms.

The city offers many services to its residents, such as planning, building safety, parks and recreation, and a library. There is also a special center for transportation with trains and buses, and plans for a high-speed rail line. The city works with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to keep the community safe and has programs to involve residents in improving the quality of life.

Education

Kindergarten – grade 12 schools

Palmdale has three different elementary school districts and one high school district. The Palmdale School District is one of the largest, with about 31 schools and 18,000 students. It covers most of the city's students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The schools are named after desert plants and animals, like Tumbleweed and Yucca.

The Westside Union School District covers the far west side of Palmdale and its suburbs, with 11 schools and over 8,250 students for grades K–8. The Keppel Union School District covers the far east side and has six schools with nearly 3,000 students for K–8. The Antelope Valley Union High School District serves almost all high school students in the area, with 12 schools and over 25,000 students.

There is also The Palmdale Aerospace Academy, a special charter school that opened in 2012, and Paraclete High School, a private high school serving the whole Antelope Valley.

Colleges and universities

The Antelope Valley Community College District has a small campus in Palmdale with about 470 students, while its main campus is in nearby Lancaster. The California State University system has a campus in Lancaster as well. Other colleges with campuses in or near Palmdale include DeVry University, Brandman University, University of La Verne, and the University of Phoenix. The AERO Institute at the Palmdale Institute of Technology offers special classes in aerospace science and engineering through many different universities, including Purdue, USC, and Caltech.

Media

Newspapers

Palmdale has several newspapers, including:

• Antelope Valley Press
• The Antelope Valley Times
• Aerotech News and Review
• AV Political Observer
• El Sol Del Desierto

Online newszine

There is an online news site called Antelope Valley New Press at www.thepalmdalejournal.com.

Radio stations

AM

You can listen to these AM radio stations in Palmdale:

• KAVL 610 AM Sports
• KTPI 1340 AM Adult Standards
• KOSS 1380 AM News/Talk
• KUTY 1470 AM Spanish Oldies

FM

And these FM radio stations:

• KCRY 88.1 FM NPR (KCRW Santa Monica)
• KTLW 88.9 FM Religious/Christian
• KLXP 89.7 FM Religious/Christian (simulcast of Hollister KHRI 90.7)
• K211EY 90.1 FM Religious/Christian (simulcast of Victorville KHMS 88.5)
• K216FA 91.1 FM Religious/Christian (simulcast of Twin Falls KAWZ 89.9)
• KWTD 91.9 FM Religious/Christian (simulcast of Bishop KWTW 88.5)
• KQAV 93.5 FM Classic Rock
• KTPI-FM 97.7 FM Country
• KKZQ 100.1 FM Modern Rock
• KSRY 103.1 FM Modern Rock (simulcast of Los Angeles KYSR 98.7)
• KGBB 103.9 FM Adult Hits
• KEPD 104.9 FM Country
• KVVS 105.5 FM Top 40 (simulcast of Los Angeles KIIS 102.7)
• KGMX 106.3 FM Adult Contemporary
• KMVE 106.9 FM Regional Spanish

Television stations

Palmdale also has these television stations:

• TW Cable 3 Local Events / News
• Palmdale 27 City's cable information channel
• KPAL-LP 38 Home Shopping / Local Events

Transportation

Palmdale has one of the longest average travel times in the United States, with people usually heading to Santa Clarita or Los Angeles for work.

The LA/Palmdale Regional Airport/Air Force Plant 42 has two very long runways, but it does not have regular airline flights. NASA uses part of the airport for research airplanes and telescopes.

The main highways are the Antelope Valley Freeway, State Route 138, and State Route 18, connecting Palmdale to many places including Las Vegas.

The streets in Palmdale follow a grid pattern, with avenues running east-west and streets running north-south. Addresses are numbered based on their distance from specific streets.

The Palmdale Transportation Center is the main place for buses, trains, and other travel services. Plans are underway to build a high-speed rail line between Palmdale and Victorville.

Sites of interest

Palmdale has many fun places to visit. You can enjoy the Dry Town Water Park on Avenue S each summer from May to September. The Palmdale Amphitheater hosts the Starlight Concert Series with famous performers in the summer evenings.

You can also visit the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42 and see aircraft displays. Other interesting spots include the Palmdale Playhouse and Art Gallery, Barrel Springs Equestrian Center, and Rancho Vista Golf Course, Palmdale's only PGA class golf course. On summer Thursday nights, "Thursday Night on the Square" offers an outside market, live entertainment, arts and crafts, refreshments, and activities for children. Mershops Antelope Valley provides more than a million square feet of shopping space with chain stores.

ZIP Codes

Palmdale has ten ZIP Codes that cover different parts of the city and nearby areas. Some of these ZIP Codes are shared with other small towns. For example, ZIP Code 93536 covers most of Quartz Hill and parts of Lancaster, Neenach, Del Sur, and Antelope Acres. Other ZIP Codes include areas like the Palmdale Civic Center, the Palmdale Regional Airport, and Lake Los Angeles.

In popular culture

Many Western films were filmed in Palmdale.

Movies and TV

• In Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, the character Allison (on which Cameron is based) is from Palmdale.
• In Volcano, Palmdale is the epicenter of a moderate earthquake that occurs at the beginning of the movie.

Music

• Britney Spears filmed a video in Palmdale for "Perfume".
• Avril Lavigne filmed a music video in Palmdale for her song Rock n Roll.
• Afroman wrote the song "Palmdale" about his experiences growing up there after moving out of South Central, Los Angeles.

Notable people

Palmdale has been home to many famous people. Some well-known names include Carlos Aguilar, a soccer player and coach, and Eric Calvillo, another soccer player. Paul George is a professional basketball player who has played for several teams, including the Los Angeles Clippers.

Other notable individuals from Palmdale are Afroman, a musician who sang about the city in his song "Palmdale," and William (Pete) Knight, a test pilot, astronaut, and the city’s first mayor. Additionally, Niecy Nash is an actress known for her work in TV and film.

Sister cities

Palmdale has one sister city, which is a friendly connection with another place far away. The sister city of Palmdale is Poncitlán in Jalisco, Mexico.