View source for Lawndale, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{about|the city in Los Angeles County|the former Lawndale in San Mateo County|Colma, California}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Lawndale, California
|settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = "Heart of the South Bay"
|image_skyline            = File:Lawndale, California 1 2018-05-21.jpg
|imagesize                = 250x200px
|image_caption            = Intersection of Rosecrans Ave. and Hawthorne Blvd.
|image_flag               = Flag of Lawndale, California.gif
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = Seal of Lawndale, California.jpg
|seal_size                = 
|image_map                = File:Los Angeles County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Lawndale Highlighted 0640886.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location of Lawndale in Los Angeles County, California.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
| pushpin_map = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| pushpin_relief = 1
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{Flagu|United States|size=23px}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{Flag|California|size=23px}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Robert Pullen-Miles
|leader_title1            = [[Mayor Pro Tem]]
|leader_name1             = Pat Kearney
|leader_title2            = [[City Council]]<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.lawndale.ca.gov/government/city_council/contact_information
| title = Contact Information
| publisher = City of Lawndale
| access-date = October 4, 2025}}</ref>
|leader_name2             = Bernadette Suarez <br/> Sirley Cuevas <br/> Frank M. Talavera
|leader_title3            = [[City manager]]
|leader_name3             = Sean M. Moore
|established_title        = <!-- Founded -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title3       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date3        = December 28, 1959<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc 
|title=California Cities by Incorporation Date 
|format=Word 
|publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s 
|access-date=August 25, 2014 |url-status=dead 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc 
|archive-date=November 3, 2014 }}</ref>
<!-- Area------------------>
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.97
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.97
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|area_total_km2           = 5.11
|area_land_km2            = 5.11
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_water_percent       = 0
|area_note                = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = <!-- Population ----------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="US Census Bureau 2020 Lawndale, CA Population">{{cite web |title=US Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Lawndale%20city,%20California |website=www.census.gov |access-date=13 September 2024}}</ref>
|population_total         = 31807
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|population_density_sq_mi = auto
|population_density_km2 = 6334.58
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_metro_sq_mi   = 
|coordinates              = {{coord|33|53|12|N|118|21|13|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1652742|Lawndale|access-date=October 11, 2014}}</ref>
|elevation_ft             = 59
|elevation_m              = 18
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|PST]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 90260, 90261<ref>{{cite web | url = http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/zcl_1_results.jsp?visited=1&pagenumber=0&state=ca&city=Lawndale | title = USPS – ZIP Code Lookup – Find a ZIP+ 4 Code By City Results | access-date = January 18, 2007}}</ref>
|area_code                = [[Area code 310|310]]/[[Area code 424|424]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nanpa.com/nas/public/npa_city_query_step2.do?method=displayData&cityToNpaModel.stateAbbr=CA&cityToNpaModel.city=Lawndale | title = Number Administration System – NPA and City/Town Search Results | access-date = January 18, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929102850/http://www.nanpa.com/nas/public/npa_city_query_step2.do?method=displayData&cityToNpaModel.stateAbbr=CA&cityToNpaModel.city=Lawndale | archive-date = September 29, 2007 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref>
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|40886}}
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1652742}}. {{GNIS 4|2411637}}
|website                  = {{URL|www.lawndale.ca.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Lawndale''' is a city in [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]], [[California]], [[United States]]. The population was 31,807 at the 2020 census, down from 32,769 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0640886 |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> The city is in the [[South Bay (Los Angeles County)|South Bay]] region of the [[Greater Los Angeles Area]].

==History==
Native Americans of the [[Tongva]] tribe lived in the area.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lawndalecity.org/community/history#:~:text=Lawndale%20was%20one%20of%20the,today%20as%20the%20Gabrielino%2FTongva | title=History }}</ref>

[[File:Antonio Ygnacio Ávila (Rancho Sausal Redondo) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Lawndale was originally part of [[Rancho Sausal Redondo]], granted in 1837 to Antonio Ygnacio Ávila, of the prominent [[Ávila family of California]].]]
From the 1780s onward, the area that is now Lawndale was part of the ''[[Rancho Sausal Redondo]]'', a [[land grant]] given by the Spanish colonial government that includes much of what is now the [[South Bay, Los Angeles|South Bayshore]] region.<ref name="History">Lawndale Official Website. “[http://www.lawndalecity.org/html/history.htm].”</ref> In 1905, Charles B. Hopper first subdivided the area and named it after the [[Chicago]] neighborhood of the same name. Lots sold slowly and different promotions were tried, such as promoting Lawndale as a chicken raising area. The first railway to run through Lawndale was the Inglewood Division of the Redondo Railway which would later become part of the [[Pacific Electric]] "Red Car" system. It ran down the middle of Railway Avenue (now Hawthorne Boulevard) until 1933. In 1927, the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe]] railroad arrived. After [[World War II]], the immense demand for housing from returning veterans and California newcomers resulted in Lawndale's formation as a [[bedroom community]]. On December 28, 1959, it was incorporated as a city.

Starting in the 1970s, Lawndale's relatively low housing prices but more desirable location relative to its neighboring cities attracted [[absentee landlord]]s and a substantial portion of its residents increasingly became renters.

For a time in the 1980s, with a new cycle of expansion of the [[defense industry]] nearby, many young people who wished to live in the Beach Cities found that they simply could not afford to do so, and settled in less glamorous inland cities such as Lawndale. But with the contraction of this industry after the [[Cold War]], Lawndale reverted to its previous pattern. It has attempted to attract more owner–residents, as well as tourists, with the 2003 completion of the "Beautify Lawndale" [[urban renewal]] project along the city's stretch of Hawthorne Boulevard ([[California State Route 107|State Route 107]]), a major [[South Bay, Los Angeles|South Bay]] thoroughfare.

A large electronic billboard was installed and began running advertising in 2004 until it was realized that the sign violated a city ordinance prohibiting advertising of out-of-town businesses on signs of that nature. For its first 18 months, the sign was sponsored by Fox and promoted upcoming television shows and movies under the Fox label. It later gained and lost a sponsorship with Acura before its current sponsorship for Los Angeles radio station 100.3 – The Sound. The billboard is said to generate Lawndale $200,000 annually.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_9858571 |title=Ad lights up Lawndale billboard, at least for now - the Daily Breeze |access-date=January 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724064615/http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_9858571 |archive-date=July 24, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> In 2012, the Lawndale community center opened its doors.

==Economy==
===Top employers===
According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Budgets & Financial Statements |url=https://www.lawndalecity.org/government/departments/finance_department/budgets_financial_statements |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=www.lawndalecity.org |language=en-US}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
|Lawndale Elementary School District
|779
|-
| 2
|Centinela Union Valley High School District
|525
|-
| 3
|Target
|78
|-
| 4
|VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center
|75
|-
| 5
|El Super Grocery Store
|72
|-
| 6
|[[McDonald's]]
|70
|-
| 7
|City of Lawndale
|65
|-
| 8
|Options for Life, Inc.
|50
|-
| 9
|Smart and Final
|42
|-
| 10
|American Drilling Co 
|40
|}

==Media==
Lawndale Community Cable Television on Channel 22 is a [[Public-access television]] [[cable TV]] station. The City of Lawndale's Cable Television Department is funded by the Lawndale Cable Usage Corporation and the City of Lawndale through Local Access Fees and [[Cable television franchise fee]] provided by the local cable company, [[Time Warner Cable]]. The Lawndale Cable Usage Corporation is the non-profit, California corporation that receives these fees, and provides for the development of Lawndale Community Cable Television.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawndalecity.org/html/depthtml/cable/cabletv.htm|title=City of Lawndale - Cable Channel 3 & 22|website=www.lawndalecity.org}}</ref>

The Lawndalian a citywide newsletter that informs the residents about programs and events happening in the City of Lawndale. The Lawndalian is now available Online at the city's website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawndalecity.org/html/lawndln.htm|title=City of Lawndale - The Lawndalian Online|website=www.lawndalecity.org}}</ref>

The Lawndale Tribune is the [[community paper]] for the City of Lawndale.

==Government==

===Municipal government===
Harold Hofmann served as mayor for 23 years, due to there not being city [[Term limits in the United States|term limits]] and running unopposed in most elections.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 13, 2010 |title=Being a problem-solver has stood Lawndale's mayor in good stead over 11 terms |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-13-la-me-0513-outthere-20100513-story.html |access-date=February 26, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-news/20120423/lawndales-mayor-hofmann-begins-his-12th-term|title=Lawndale's Mayor Hofmann begins his 12th term|date=April 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/11/16/40414/22-year-lawndale-mayor-harold-hofmann-dies-at-81/|title=Lawndale says farewell to its mayor of 22 years|first=Southern California Public|last=Radio|date=November 16, 2013}}</ref>

===State and federal representation===
In the [[California State Legislature]], Lawndale is in {{Representative|casd|35|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|61|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Final Maps {{!}} California Citizens Redistricting Commission |url=https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/final-maps/ |access-date=October 4, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Lawndale is in [[California's 43rd congressional district]], which has a [[Cook Partisan Voting Index|Cook PVI]] of D +26<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://cookpolitical.com/file/2013-04-49.pdf
| title = Partisan Voting Index: Districts of the 113th Congress
| publisher = Cook Political Report
| access-date = October 20, 2014}}</ref> and is represented by {{Representative|cacd|43|fmt=pfl}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|43}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
The [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] (LASD) operates the Lennox Station in [[Lennox, California|Lennox]], serving Lawndale.<ref>"[http://www.lasd.org/stations/for2/lennox/index.html Lennox Station] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414045739/http://www.lasd.org/stations/for2/lennox/index.html |date=April 14, 2010 }}." [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]]. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US0641180&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on Lenox CDP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606005908/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US0641180&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on |date=June 6, 2011 }}." [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.</ref> In addition the agency operates the City of Lawndale
Sheriff's Department Service Center.<ref>"[http://www.lasd.org/stations/for2/lennox/lawndale.html City of Lawndale Sheriff's Department Service Center] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128174243/http://www.lasd.org/stations/for2/lennox/lawndale.html |date=January 28, 2010 }}." [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]]. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.</ref>

The [[United States Postal Service]] Lawndale Post Office is located at 4320 Marine Avenue.<ref>"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/28054?p=3&s=CA&service_name=post_office&z=Lawndale Post Office Location – LAWNDALE] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120718041303/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/28054?p=3&s=CA&service_name=post_office&z=Lawndale |date=July 18, 2012 }}." ''[[United States Postal Service]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref>

The [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]] operates the Curtis Tucker Health Center in [[Inglewood, California|Inglewood]], serving Lawndale.<ref>"[http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phn/docs/HealthCenter/inglewood.pdf Curtis Tucker Health Center]." [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]]. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.</ref>

The [[County of Los Angeles Public Library]] Lawndale Library is located 14615 Burin Ave.<ref>"[http://www.colapublib.org/libs/lawndale/]." [[County of Los Angeles Public Library]]. Retrieved on March 5, 2010.</ref>

==Education==
[[Lawndale Elementary School District]]
*[[Will Rogers]] Middle School serving 6th, 7th and 8th grades
*[[Jane Addams]] Middle School serving 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
*[[Franklin Delano Roosevelt|F.D.R.]] Elementary School
*William Anderson Elementary School
*William Green Elementary School
*[[Mark Twain]] Elementary School
*Billy Mitchell Elementary School
*Lucille J. Smith Elementary School
**The elementary school was nominated for National Blue Ribbon School award for reducing the achievement gap on state standardized test scores. This is one of the highest recognition a school can earn from the federal government. It is the first school in the Lawndale elementary School District to be nominated for the award. In August, 2025, the second Trump administration terminated this award program, and no winners were announced. The elementary school hosted a local celebration anyway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=explores |first=Mariana Dale |last2=How |first2=Explains the Forces That Shape |last3=School |first3=What Kids Learn from Kindergarten to High |date=2025-11-05 |title=The Trump administration canceled a top education award. This LA school is celebrating anyway |url=https://laist.com/news/education/national-blue-ribbon-school-canceled-lucille-smith-elementary-lawndale-2025 |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=LAist |language=en}}</ref>

[[Centinela Valley Union High School District]]
*[[Lawndale High School]]
*[[Leuzinger High School]]
*[[Hawthorne High School (Hawthorne, California)|Hawthorne High School]]
*[[Lloyde High School]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lloyde.centinela.k12.ca.us/ |title=Blank |access-date=August 28, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619072935/http://lloyde.centinela.k12.ca.us/ |archive-date=June 19, 2006  }}</ref>

[[Environmental Charter High School]] is a [[charter school]] in Lawndale serving grades 9 through 12.

In 2009, the renovated Lawndale Public Library of the [[County of Los Angeles Public Library]], which is located adjacent to the Lawndale City Hall,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colapublib.org/libs/lawndale/|title=LA County Library|website=LA County Library}}</ref> re-opened.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.1|km2|sqmi|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020"/>

Lawndale is bordered by [[Redondo Beach, California|Redondo Beach]] on the west and southwest, [[Hawthorne, California|Hawthorne]] on the north, [[Torrance, California|Torrance]] on the southeast, and the [[unincorporated area]] of [[El Camino Village, California|El Camino Village]] (also known as Alondra Park) on the east.

Lawndale is serviced by [[Interstate 405 (California)|Interstate 405]], Hawthorne Boulevard (State Route 107), and by Artesia Boulevard ([[California State Route 91|State Route 91]]), which becomes a freeway farther east. Lawndale is 5.7 miles southeast of [[Los Angeles International Airport]].

Lawndale is serviced by following public transit: the Lawndale Beat, the Gardena Bus 1, [[C Line (Los Angeles Metro)|Metro Green Line]] and by [[Los Angeles Metro Bus|Metro]] buses 211, 40 and 740, the latter two of which are operated by the [[Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lawndale Beat Information & Schedule |url=https://www.lawndalecity.org/government/departments/community_services/lawndale_beat_information___schedule_ |access-date=April 22, 2022 |website=www.lawndalecity.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

The weather is warm all year long. In the winter, there are moderate rains. Because of the formation of the [[Palos Verdes Peninsula]] and its proximity to the beach, the city gets effects of the [[marine layer]] on almost identical, if not slightly lower, levels of nearby beach cities such as [[Manhattan Beach, California|Manhattan Beach]] and [[El Segundo, California|El Segundo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://maps.ask.com/maps?qsrc=265 |title=Maps &#124; Ask.com |access-date=August 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812075122/http://maps.ask.com/maps?qsrc=265 |archive-date=August 12, 2014  }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 21740
|1970= 24825
|1980= 23460
|1990= 27331
|2000= 31711
|2010= 32769
|2020= 31807
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br>1860–1870<ref name=1870CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name=1870CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County  |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1880-1890<ref name=1890CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1900<ref name=1900CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 29, 2025|archive-date=August 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823050629/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1920<ref name=1920CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1930<ref name=1930CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1960<ref name=1960CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name=1960CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-c.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1990<ref name=1990CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
2000<ref name=2000CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

Lawndale first appeared as a city in the [[1960 U.S. census]] as part of the Inglewood census county division.<ref name=1960CensusCA2/>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Lawndale city, California – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lawndale city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0640886&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lawndale city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0640886&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lawndale city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0640886&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|6,946
|5,311
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,549
|21.90%
|16.21%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.30%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|3,852
|3,054
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,538
|12.15%
|9.32%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.98%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|111
|95
|style='background: #ffffe6; |75
|0.35%
|0.29%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|2,991
|3,142
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,208
|9.43%
|9.59%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.09%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|256
|343
|style='background: #ffffe6; |185
|0.81%
|1.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.58%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|84
|139
|style='background: #ffffe6; |248
|0.26%
|0.42%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.78%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|956
|683
|style='background: #ffffe6; |986
|3.01%
|2.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.10%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|16,515
|20,002
|style='background: #ffffe6; |20,018
|52.08%
|61.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |62.94%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''31,711'''
|'''32,769'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''31,807'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2020===
The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Lawndale had a population of 31,807. The population density was {{convert|16,129.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Lawndale was 21.2% [[White Americans|White]], 8.5% [[African Americans|African American]], 2.5% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 10.4% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.6% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 39.3% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 17.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 62.9% of the population.<ref name=DP1>{{cite web |title=Lawndale city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0640886 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 23, 2025}}</ref>

The census reported that 99.4% of the population lived in households, 0.6% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 9,973 households, out of which 40.0% included children under the age of 18, 42.5% were married-couple households, 8.2% were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 28.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 20.8% had a male householder with no partner present. 18.8% of households were one person, and 5.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.17.<ref name=DP1/> There were 7,242 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (72.6% of all households).<ref>{{cite web |title=Lawndale city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0640886 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 23, 2025}}</ref>

The age distribution was 22.3% under the age of 18, 10.1% aged 18 to 24, 31.3% aged 25 to 44, 26.0% aged 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 35.5{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 10,286 housing units at an average density of {{convert|5,216.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 9,973 (97.0%) were occupied. Of these, 33.4% were owner-occupied, and 66.6% were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $83,538, and the [[per capita income]] was $32,199. About 8.7% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lawndale city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0640886 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 23, 2025}}</ref>

===2010===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] Lawndale had a population of 32,769. The population density was {{convert|16,599.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Lawndale was 14,274 (43.6%) White (16.2% Non-Hispanic White),<ref name=quif>{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0640886.html|title=Lawndale (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416020224/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0640886.html|archive-date=April 16, 2015}}</ref> 3,320 (10.1%) African American, 301 (0.9%) Native American, 3,269 (10.0%) Asian, 367 (1.1%) Pacific Islander, 9,374 (28.6%) from other races, and 1,864 (5.7%) from two or more races.  Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20,002 persons (61.0%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0640886|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715030613/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0640886|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Lawndale city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>

The census reported that 32,594 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 158 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 17 (0.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 9,681 households, 4,516 (46.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,467 (46.1%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 1,813 (18.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 881 (9.1%) had a male householder with no wife present.  There were 722 (7.5%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 64 (0.7%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 1,758 households (18.2%) were one person and 442 (4.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.37.  There were 7,161 families (74.0% of households); the average family size was 3.84.

The age distribution was 8,927 people (27.2%) under the age of 18, 3,744 people (11.4%) aged 18 to 24, 10,541 people (32.2%) aged 25 to 44, 7,301 people (22.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,256 people (6.9%) who were 65 or older.  The median age was 31.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.

There were 10,151 housing units at an average density of 5,141.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 3,326 (34.4%) were owner-occupied and 6,355 (65.6%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%.  11,606 people (35.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 20,988 people (64.0%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Lawndale had a median household income of $47,769, with 16.7% of the population living below the federal poverty line.<ref name=quif/>

===2000===
[[Mapping L.A.]] reported that in 2000, Mexican (34.7%) and Vietnamese (4.2%) were the most common ancestries. Mexico (47.6%) and Vietnam (9.1%) were the most common foreign places of birth.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/lawndale/ | title=Lawndale }}</ref>

Since Lawndale has a large amount of elderly residents, the city provides free trips for seniors on its city bus: The Lawndale Beat.  The city also provides a meals on wheels program as well as a seniors travel club.

==Notable people==
*[[Fred Dryer]], [[NFL]] player and actor, raised in Lawndale in the 1950s, Lawndale High School alumnus.
*[[Russell Westbrook]], [[NBA]] player, attended high school in Lawndale [[Leuzinger High School]].
*[[Traci Lords]], actress.
*[[Roy Rogers]], famed actor and singer in Western-themed movies, radio programs and television shows.
*[[Tiran Porter]], bass player for the [[Doobie Brothers]] and [[Moby Grape]] was raised in Lawndale and attended [[Leuzinger High School]].

==International relations==
===Sister cities===
{{Flagicon|PHI}} [[Cagayan de Oro]], Philippines (1986)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Greater Los Angeles}}
*[https://www.lawndale.ca.gov Lawndale official website]

{{Cities of Los Angeles County, California}}
{{Greater Los Angeles Area}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lawndale, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:South Bay, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1959]]