Azusa, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Azusa, California

Azusa City Hall

Flag	Seal
Logo

Nickname(s):

"The Canyon City"

Location of Azusa in Los Angeles County, California

Azusa, California

Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

Azusa, California

Location in California

Azusa, California

Location in the United States

Azusa, California

Location in North America

Founded

1887

Incorporated

December 29, 1898

Incorporated

August 14, 1901

Named for

A hispanicized version of Asuksa-nga, the Tongva settlement that existed at the time of Spanish colonization

Government

• Type

Council-Manager

Area

• Total

9.67 sq mi (25.05 km²)

• Land

9.66 sq mi (25.02 km²)

• Water

0.01 sq mi (0.03 km²) 0.13%

Elevation

610 ft (186 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

50,000

• Density

5,175.45/sq mi (1,998.24/km²)

Time zone

UTC−8 (Pacific)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−7 (PDT)

ZIP Code

91702

Area code(s)

626

FIPS code

06-03386

GNIS feature IDs

1652667, 2409768

Azusa is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It's located in the San Gabriel Valley, right at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Azusa is about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The city's name comes from the Tongva word Azuksa, which means "skunk." In 2020, about 50,000 people lived there. Azusa is also famous for being along historic Route 66.

Azusa is surrounded by other cities and areas. To the north are the San Gabriel Mountains. Irwindale is to the west, and Glendora is to the east. Covina is to the south.

History of Azusa

How Azusa Got Its Name

The name "Azusa" comes from the Tongva people. They were the first people to live in this area. The word Asuksa-nga meant "skunk place."

For many years, people have used a fun saying to promote the city: "Azusa stands for everything from A to Z in the U.S.A."

Early Settlements and Land Ownership

People first settled in this area around 6000 BC. The Tongva people arrived much later, by at least 55 BC. They are considered the original people of the region.

The first Mexican settlement in Azusa was in 1841. It was called Rancho el Susa. This land was given by the Mexican Governor to Luis Arenas.

In 1844, Arenas sold the land to Henry Dalton. He was an English merchant from Pueblo of Los Angeles. Dalton renamed it Rancho Azusa de Dalton. He built a winery, a place to make vinegar, and a flour mill. He also planted a vineyard.

Dalton owned a lot of land in the area. This included Rancho San Francisquito and Rancho Santa Anita. This meant he owned land all the way from San Dimas to Pasadena.

Becoming a City

After California became part of the United States, Henry Dalton had to prove he owned his land. This led to many years of legal battles.

He borrowed money from a banker named Jonathan S. Slauson. In 1880, Dalton had to give his land to Slauson. Slauson then planned out the city in 1887. Azusa officially became a city in 1898.

The Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad came to Azusa in 1887. This brought many new people looking for homes. This railroad line is now used by the A Line light rail.

Birds Eye of Azusa, CA, 1887. Bottom insets: "A.T. & S.F. Depot, Azusa" and "Hotel Azusa."

Geography and Climate

The Canyon City

Azusa is located at the entrance to the San Gabriel Canyon. This is why the city is often called "The Canyon City." It sits on the east side of the San Gabriel River.

The city covers about 9.7 square miles (25.05 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.

Azusa's Weather

Azusa has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers. The average monthly temperatures are usually below 71.6°F (22°C).

Population and People

How Many People Live Here?

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	363	—
1870	320	−11.8%
1900	863	—
1910	1,477	71.1%
1920	2,460	66.6%
1930	4,808	95.4%
1940	5,209	8.3%
1950	11,042	112.0%
1960	20,497	85.6%
1970	25,217	23.0%
1980	29,380	16.5%
1990	41,333	40.7%
2000	44,712	8.2%
2010	46,361	3.7%
2020	50,000	7.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1860–1870 1880-1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Azusa first appeared as a city in the 1860 U.S. Census. In 2020, the population of Azusa was 50,000 people. This was an increase from 46,361 people in 2010.

Who Lives in Azusa?

Azusa is a diverse city. In 2020, about 64% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. Other groups include White (15.5%), Asian (14.37%), and Black or African American (3.18%).

In 2010, about 26.8% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 29.3 years. This means half the population was younger than 29.3 and half was older.

Most people in Azusa live in households. In 2010, there were 12,716 households. The average household had about 3.43 people.

Economy and Jobs

Top Employers

Azusa has many different businesses. Here are some of the biggest employers in the city:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Azusa Pacific University	1,433
2	Azusa Unified School District	1,250
3	Northrop Grumman	859
4	City of Azusa	383
5	Costco Wholesale Corporation	295
6	S&S Foods LLC	285
7	Hanson Distributing Company	195
8	Buena Vista Food Products	186
9	Target Corporation	142
10	Artisian Screen	140

Past Industries

Azusa was once home to a large brewery. It was first the Lucky Lager brewery, then General Brewing, and later Miller Brewery. The facility closed in 1980.

A company called Aerojet used to make rocket engines in Azusa. After they stopped operating, it was found that some chemicals had affected the groundwater (water underground). The company worked with the government to clean up the water. This is important because the groundwater provides much of the city's drinking water.

Education in Azusa

Public Schools

The Azusa Unified School District serves the city's public schools.

Seven elementary schools: Dalton, Hodge, Lee, Magnolia, Murray, Paramount, and Valleydale.
One Kindergarten-only school: Longfellow.
Gladstone Middle School.
Azusa High School.
Sierra (Continuation) High School.
Azusa Adult School.

Private Schools and Universities

St. Frances of Rome Elementary School (grades K–8).
Azusa Pacific University is a private Christian university.
Dhammakaya Open University is a private Buddhist university.

Transportation Around Azusa

Major Roads

The Foothill Freeway (I-210) runs through Azusa. Other important roads include Azusa Avenue (SR 39). This road goes from the Angeles National Forest all the way south to Orange County.

Foothill Boulevard is another main street. A part of it was once historic U.S. Route 66.

Public Transportation

Azusa is a major stop for the Los Angeles Metro Rail A line. This is a light rail train that connects Azusa to Union Station in Los Angeles. The A Line stops at Azusa Downtown station and APU/Citrus College station.

The A Line was extended to Azusa in 2016. There are plans to extend the line even further east in the future. The Metrolink train also has nearby stops in Covina and Baldwin Park.

Healthcare

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services helps provide healthcare for Azusa residents. They operate the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia.