DEMOGRAPHICS / POPULATION

• POPULATION
• EDUCATION
• AGE
• ETHNICITY

Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County with a population of 177,158 in January 2007 and the 24th largest city in the State of California. In Los Angeles County, only Los Angeles with a population of 4.0 million, Long Beach with less than 493,000, and Glendale with slightly over 207,000 were larger than Santa Clarita. Consequently, Santa Clarita plays an important role in the County based on its size.

Source: California Department of Finance, July 2007

Over the past ten years, Santa Clarita’s population size has continued to steadily increase. During this time period, the population growth was the result of new housing construction in the City as well as annexations of surrounding areas into the city limits. While other comparison cities including Burbank, Glendale, Lancaster, Palmdale, and Pasadena appear to have slowed down, Santa Clarita’s population continues on an upward trend.

Source: California Department of Finance, July 2007

In fact, Santa Clarita’s population grew by 17.9% from 2000 to 2007 and was twice the growth experience in all of Los Angeles County. Only the communities of Lancaster and Palmdale in the Antelope Valley grew more than Santa Clarita.

Source: California Department of Finance, July 2007

By the year 2010, the population of the City of Santa Clarita is forecasted to exceed 181,000. Growth is forecasted to continue over the coming decades to 226,000 by the year 2030.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2006 California Department of Finance, 2010-2030 forecasts from SCAG
 

EDUCATION

Santa Clarita’s population is well-educated with 61% of adults at least 25 years of age having some college or higher. Comparatively, people in the City of Santa Clarita are more educated than people throughout Los Angeles County in which only 43% have attained some college or higher. This indicates a greater likelihood for professionals and technical employees residing in the City.

Note: Population 25+ with at least some college
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005 American Community Survey

Located either in or near the City of Santa Clarita are four well-known colleges whose total enrollment nears 52,000 students. In Santa Clarita are College of the Canyons, the fastest growing community college within California, along with California Institute of the Arts and The Master’s College which are both renown in their areas of specialty. Located near Santa Clarita is California State University, Northridge.

Another important indicator of the quality of life in Santa Clarita is test scores or Academic Performance Index (API) averages for each of the school districts serving Santa Clarita. Each districts’ APIs increased in 2006 from 2005 and the highest is that of the Newhall School District with an API in 2006 of 866. The API for the William S. Hart Union High School District which encompasses junior and senior high schools rose to 783 in 2006 from the previous school year.

Source: California Department of Education, March 27, 2007

Each of the Santa Clarita based school districts attained higher APIs in 2006 than the Los Angeles Unified School District or other districts of cities nearby.

Source: California Department of Education, March 27, 2007
 

In Santa Clarita 37 schools comprise the elementary school districts and 16 junior high and high schools are part of the William S. Hart Union High School District. Among these five districts are 35 California Distinguished Schools and 8 National Blue Ribbon Schools. This further demonstrates the superior quality of education available to families with children under the age of 18 in Santa Clarita.

AGE

Santa Clarita’s population is relatively young in age. Approximately 29% are between the ages of 25 and 44 and 25% are school age between the ages of 5 and 19.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005 American Community Survey
 

ETHNICITY

In general, the City’s population is not as diverse as the County’s population. Close to 70% of Santa Clarita’s population describes itself as White. However, due to the large influx of immigrants from a variety of countries as well as a large increase in multi-racial families more than 20% of the population describes itself as either “Other” or more than two races.

Per the US Census Bureau, Hispanic ethnicity is included in the race categories of this chart. The Census Bureau records an individuals race and then records Hispanic ethnicity. Therefore, an individual can be White and Hispanic, Black and Hispanic, Asian and Hispanic, etc.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005 American Community Survey

More than one-fourth or 27% of Santa Clarita’s population is Hispanic compared to 47% of Los Angeles County and 36% of California’s population.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005 American Community Survey
 

Santa Clarita’s Asian population is quite diverse. In fact, 27% of the City’s Asian population is Filipino followed by 24% who are Korean. An additional 16% are Asian Indian and 11% are Chinese.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005 American Community Survey