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Acton, California
View of Acton and the surrounding valley from Route 14, with Mt. Gleason and the San Gabriel Mountains in the background
View of Acton and the surrounding valley from Route 14, with Mt. Gleason and the San Gabriel Mountains in the background
Location of Acton in Los Angeles County, California
Location of Acton in Los Angeles County, California
Acton, California is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Acton, California
Acton, California
Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Acton, California is located in California
Acton, California
Acton, California
Location in California
Acton, California is located in the United States
Acton, California
Acton, California
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  California
County Los Angeles
Named for Acton, Massachusetts
Area
 • Total 39.28 sq mi (101.74 km2)
 • Land 39.26 sq mi (101.68 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)  0.06%
Elevation
2,710 ft (826 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,431
 • Density 189.28/sq mi (73.08/km2)
Time zone UTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
93510
Area code 661
FIPS code 06-00212
GNIS feature IDs 1660228, 2407697

Acton () is a small community in Los Angeles County, California. It is called a census-designated place because it is not officially a city, but the government counts its population. Acton is located near the Antelope Valley. In 2020, about 7,431 people lived there.

Acton is nestled between the Sierra Pelona Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains. You can find it off the Antelope Valley Freeway (California State Route 14), south of Palmdale. It's about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of the San Fernando Valley. It is also about 47 miles (76 km) north of downtown Los Angeles by highway.

The town has a cool rural western feel. You can see this in its homes and older buildings. Some buildings are from the late 1800s. Many homes in the mountains have great views of the valley. In the valley, you'll find ranch-style homes. These often have places for horses. Acton has a Metrolink train station. It looks like an "old western" station. This station has even been in movies and commercials!

Acton's Past: A Look at Its History

Acton started as a camp for railroad workers. This was from 1873 to 1876. They were building the Southern Pacific Railroad at that time.

Long ago, some people thought Acton could become the State capital of California. California Governor Henry T. Gage (who was governor from 1899 to 1903) owned a mine in Acton. He tried to move the capital here from Sacramento. But his plan did not work out.

In the late 1880s, Acton became more of a place for farms and ranches. In 1889, Acton got its first hotel. It also got its first saloon, called the "49er". This saloon is still open today!

Where is Acton? Exploring Its Geography

Acton is located at 34°28′22″N 118°11′1″W / 34.47278°N 118.18361°W / 34.47278; -118.18361. It is about 20 miles (32 km) east of Santa Clarita. It is also about 8 miles (13 km) south of Palmdale. The area of Acton is about 39.3 square miles (101.8 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.

Mount Gleason is a tall peak in the San Gabriel Mountains. It is about 7 miles (11 km) south of Acton. You can see this mountain from the town. You can also see it when you drive on Highway 14.

Acton's Weather: A Warm-Summer Climate

Acton has a type of weather called a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers. The average monthly temperatures are not extremely hot.

Summer daytime temperatures usually average around 88°F (31°C) or higher.

Who Lives in Acton? A Look at Its People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1990 1,471
2000 2,390 62.5%
2010 7,596 217.8%
2020 7,431 −2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–1870 1880-1890
1900 1910 1920
1930 1940 1950
1960 1970 1980
1990 2000 2010

In 2010, the 2010 United States census counted 7,596 people living in Acton. Most people in Acton are White. About 18% of the people are Hispanic or Latino.

All 7,596 people lived in homes. There were 2,660 households in total. About 34% of these homes had children under 18 living there. Most homes (about 67%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.86 people.

The population has people of all ages. About 22% of the people were under 18 years old. About 40% were between 45 and 64 years old. The average age in Acton was 45.5 years.

Most homes in Acton (about 90%) are owned by the people who live in them. Only about 10% of homes are rented.

Family Backgrounds in Acton

According to a project called Mapping L.A., many people in Acton have German and Irish family backgrounds. Many people born outside the U.S. came from Mexico and Canada.

Acton's Work and Money: The Economy

In 2015, the average person working in Acton earned about $75,714. This was more than the average for the whole United States. Men in Acton generally earned more than women.

About 22% of people in Acton work for themselves. This is twice the U.S. average. Only a small number of people (6.9%) in Acton live in poverty. Very few households (1%) use public assistance.

Many people in Acton travel a long time to get to work. The average commute is 46 minutes. This is much longer than the U.S. average of 26 minutes. However, about 12% of Acton workers can work from home. This is higher than the U.S. average.

Fun Things to Do: Parks and Recreation

Acton has some interesting places for animals and outdoor activities.

Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary was started in Acton in 1986. It was the first place in America to give shelter to farmed animals. These are animals like cows, pigs, and chickens.

Shambala Preserve

The Shambala Preserve is a special wild animal park. It is run by actress Tippi Hedren. It is located near Acton. This preserve is like an authentic African-style home for over 70 wild animals. You can find African lions, Royal Bengal and Siberian tigers, spotted and black leopards, cougars, and even African elephants there.

Parker Mountain

Acton is also home to Parker Mountain. This mountain is famous for a type of radio-controlled aircraft flying called "dynamic soaring". At one time, a world speed record of 302 miles per hour (486 km/h) was set here!

Learning in Acton: Education

Acton is part of the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District. There are three schools in Acton:

  • Meadowlark Elementary School
  • High Desert Middle School
  • Vasquez High School

How Acton Works: Infrastructure

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services helps people in Acton. They run the Antelope Valley Health Center in Lancaster.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Acton (California) para niños

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