city buildings under the blue sky

L.A. County’s Population Still Towers Over 80% of the U.S.

J.T.1 Comment
StatePopulation
Alaska578,803
Vermont623,989
Wyoming645,570
D.C.670,050
South Dakota732,673
Rhode Island774,948
North Dakota895,376
West Virginia1,003,084
Maine1,095,610
New Hampshire1,104,271
Delaware1,372,447
Mississippi1,388,992
Montana1,441,553
Hawaii1,782,959
Idaho1,900,923
Nebraska1,963,692
Kansas2,934,582
New Mexico2,949,965
Arkansas3,025,891
Nevada3,143,991
Iowa3,193,079
Utah3,337,975
Connecticut3,605,597
Oklahoma3,986,639
Oregon4,246,155
Kentucky4,509,394
Louisiana4,624,047
Alabama5,039,877
South Carolina5,100,000
Minnesota5,707,390
Colorado5,812,069
Wisconsin5,895,908
Maryland6,165,129
Missouri6,168,187
Indiana6,805,985
Tennessee6,975,218
Massachusetts6,984,723
Arizona7,276,316
Washington7,738,692
Virginia8,642,274
New Jersey9,267,130
L.A. County9,934,710
Michigan10,050,811
North Carolina10,551,162
Georgia10,799,566
Ohio11,780,017
Illinois12,671,469
Pennsylvania12,964,056
New York19,835,913
Florida21,781,128
Texas29,527,941
California39,237,836

Although L.A. County and California recently lost a Congressional seat (and electoral college vote) due to the rising cost of living here over the last decade, it remains the case that both supply the U.S. with unmatched people power and economic activity.

If both were suddenly removed from the union, the U.S. would instantly lose 14% of its total economy and also go from a nation of 330 million people to 291 million. The 40 states behind in terms of population and D.C.’s combined area also amount to 2.8 million of the 3.8 million square miles (land and water areas included) that comprise the United States.

In other words, if one of those 1950s Martian men suddenly crashed their ship in the contiguous U.S.–including Alaska– it’d need to scour through at least 74% of the nation’s land and water before finding a region as populous as L.A. County. Moreover, while the state of Michigan–which voted for Trump in 2016–holds a population just slightly higher than that of L.A. County at 10 million, it takes 96,700 square miles of that state’s area to situate its residents, while L.A. County places its 9.9 million people with only 4,700 square miles.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, June 2021

J.T.

aerial view of a bridge

L.A. County’s GDP is ahead of 43 U.S. States

J.T.4 Comments

As of Quarter 4 of 2020, while accounting for only three percent (4,753 square miles) of California’s land mass (155,959 square miles), L.A. County’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or value of economic output was at least $659 billion, larger than that of 43 different U.S. States and Washington D.C. in the same year.

StateGDP
Vermont$34 billion
Wyoming$37 billion
Alaska$51 billion
Montana$53 billion
North Dakota$55 billion
South Dakota$57 billion
Rhode Island$63 billion
Maine$72 billion
Delaware$77 billion
West Virginia$80 billion
Hawaii$83 billion
Idaho$88 billion
New Hampshire$92 billion
New Mexico$101 billion
Mississippi$118 billion
Arkansas$135 billion
Nebraska$140 billion
Washington, D.C.$147 billion
Nevada$176 billion
Kansas$181 billion
Oklahoma$192 billion
Iowa$202 billion
Utah$207 billion
Kentucky$220 billion
Alabama$234 billion
Louisiana$238 billion
Oregon$250 billion
South Carolina$254 billion
Connecticut$283 billion
Missouri$340 billion
Wisconsin$348 billion
Minnesota$383 billion
Tennessee$384 billion
Arizona$389 billion
Indiana$389 billion
Colorado$391 billion
Maryland$417 billion
Michigan$532 billion
Virginia$565 billion
Massachusetts$599 billion
North Carolina$608 billion
Washington$620 billion
New Jersey$632 billion
Georgia$637 billion
Los Angeles County$659 billion
Ohio$698 billion
Pennsylvania$793 billion
Illinois$877 billion
Florida$1.1 trillion
New York$1.7 trillion
Texas$1.8 trillion
California$3.1 trillion

The only states with a larger GDP than L.A. County’s in 2020 were Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, New York state, Texas, and California itself. If L.A. County were its own nation-state, California’s Quarter 4 GDP would shrink from $3.1 trillion to $2.3 trillion, retaining its number one position in the U.S. economy, but lying just $500 billion dollars away in output from second-place Texas instead of its current lead against the lone-star state of $1.3 trillion. Also, as of 2020, L.A. County contained at least 10 million residents; the 43 states behind in terms of GDP, and Washington D.C., by contrast, contained under 183 million people, or 55% of the U.S. population.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, March 2022

J.T.

city near mountain during golden hour

L.A.’s 88 Cities, Smallest to Largest by Population

J.T.3 Comments

For your reference, Los Angeles.

CityPopulation
Vernon96
Industry803
Bradbury963
Irwindale1,717
Rolling Hills1,974
Hidden Hills2,025
Avalon3,559
La Habra Heights6,161
Rolling Hills Estates8,157
Westlake Village8,872
Sierra Madre11,099
Signal Hill11,465
San Marino13,415
Commerce13,581
Malibu13,765
Palos Verdes Estates14,085
Hawaiian Gardens15,884
El Segundo17,049
Artesia17,608
Santa Fe Springs17,929
Hermosa Beach19,599
Lomita21,015
La Canada Flint21,261
South El Monte22,627
Duarte23,124
Agoura Hills23,387
Calabasas23,788
San Fernando25,366
South Pasadena25,881
Cudahy26,029
Maywood30,034
Walnut32,659
Lawndale33,641
La Verne34,051
Temple City35,892
Beverly Hills36,224
Manhattan Beach36,773
San Dimas36,946
Claremont37,608
West Hollywood37,805
Bell38,867
Monrovia39,984
Culver City40,722
Rancho Palos Verdes42,893
San Gabriel42,984
La Puente43,355
Bell Gardens47,002
Azusa49,207
Covina49,662
La Mirada50,015
Glendora52,830
Cerritos54,946
Arcadia56,719
Rosemead57,756
Paramount57,989
Diamond Bar61,019
Gardena61,927
Huntington Park64,219
Monterey Park65,027
Montebello65,781
Pico Rivera66,967
Redondo Beach68,105
Lynwood73,295
Bellflower77,312
Baldwin Park81,604
Lakewood83,636
Whittier87,128
Alhambra89,501
Hawthorne90,145
Santa Monica92,703
Carson98,047
Compton99,769
South Gate101,914
Burbank108,469
Norwalk109,817
West Covina112,890
Downey113,715
Inglewood119,053
El Monte126,424
Lancaster145,875
Torrance149,717
Pasadena151,576
Palmdale152,622
Pomona163,683
Santa Clarita177,641
Glendale207,902
Long Beach494,709
Unincorporated Areas1,095,276
Los Angeles4,094,764
Los Angeles County10,441,080

With over 10.4 million residents, Los Angeles County holds a larger population than 42 different U.S. states and the District of Columbia; our residents also make up 25% of California, whose annual GDP amounted to some $3 trillion as recently as 2020; this means that L.A. County made at least $750 billion in gross domestic product or economic output in 2020.

Source: California Department of Finance, January 2010

J.T.

That Time 50,000 Pupils Enrolled in L.A. Schools, Taxing Buildings’ Capacity

J.T.1 Comment

“More than 50,000 pupils enrolled in the city schools this morning. By the end of the week the superintendents estimate that a maximum enrollment of 70,000 will be made—50,000 in the elementary, the rest in the intermediate and high schools…

Principal Housh of Los Angeles high school hopes to limit the enrollment of his school to 1900, but may be forced to take in 2000. There were 250 registrations for the senior class, a record-breaking number. About 850 pupils can be accommodated at Hollywood high school, but no estimate could be made this morning whether any would have to be turned away…”

“Miss Maria de Lopez, Teacher of Spanish, Who Has Been Instrumental in Opening the Second School in the City for the Education of the Poor, Addressing a Group of Mexicans in the Plaza,” Los Angeles Herald, September 16, 1912

Source: “50,000 Pupils Enroll in L.A. Schools; Tax Buildings’ Capacity,” Los Angeles Herald, September 16, 1912. California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, http://cdnc.ucr.edu

J.T.