Lomita, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lomita, California
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| Nickname(s):
"The Friendly City"
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Location of Lomita in Los Angeles County, California
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 Lomita, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  California |
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| County | Los Angeles | ||
| Incorporated | June 30, 1964 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council-Manager | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1.91 sq mi (4.95 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1.91 sq mi (4.95 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% | ||
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,921 | ||
| • Density | 10,953/sq mi (4,226/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
90717
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| Area code(s) | 310/424 | ||
| FIPS code | 06-42468 | ||
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660937, 2410859 | ||
Lomita is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its name means "Little hill." In 2020, about 20,921 people lived there. This was a small increase from 20,256 people in 2010.
Contents
History of Lomita
The very first people to live in this area were the Gabrielino tribe.
Later, the Spanish Empire explored this region. In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo explored the Pacific Ocean for Spain. By 1767, this land became part of the Spanish province called "The Californias."
In 1784, the King of Spain gave a huge piece of land, over 75,000 acres, to a soldier named Juan José Domínguez. This land was called Rancho San Pedro. Over many years, the Domínguez family divided and sold parts of this land. The family name is still important in the area. You can find the Dominguez Rancho Adobe historical landmark nearby.
Lomita officially became a city on June 30, 1964. This was done to stop nearby cities from taking over more land. It also helped control the building of tall apartment buildings.
In October 1981, Lomita became a sister city with Takaishi, Osaka, Japan. This means they share a special friendship and cultural exchange.
Geography and Climate
Where is Lomita Located?
Lomita is a small city. It covers about 1.9 square miles (4.9 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.
Lomita used to be much larger, about 7 square miles. But over time, many parts of it were taken over by neighboring cities. For example, "Lomita Fields" is now Zamperini Field, which is the Torrance Municipal Airport.
Lomita's Weather
Lomita has a semi-arid climate. This means it's generally dry, but not a desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot.
| Climate data for Lomita, California | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 91 (33) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
104 (40) |
100 (38) |
102 (39) |
109 (43) |
101 (38) |
111 (44) |
106 (41) |
98 (37) |
94 (34) |
111 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 66.0 (18.9) |
66.0 (18.9) |
67.0 (19.4) |
70.0 (21.1) |
71.0 (21.7) |
74.0 (23.3) |
77.0 (25.0) |
78.0 (25.6) |
78.0 (25.6) |
75.0 (23.9) |
70.0 (21.1) |
65.0 (18.3) |
71.4 (21.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 46.0 (7.8) |
48.0 (8.9) |
49.0 (9.4) |
51.0 (10.6) |
55.0 (12.8) |
59.0 (15.0) |
62.0 (16.7) |
62.0 (16.7) |
61.0 (16.1) |
57.0 (13.9) |
50.0 (10.0) |
46.0 (7.8) |
53.8 (12.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 25 (−4) |
27 (−3) |
23 (−5) |
25 (−4) |
38 (3) |
36 (2) |
34 (1) |
44 (7) |
36 (2) |
28 (−2) |
29 (−2) |
27 (−3) |
23 (−5) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.26 (83) |
3.91 (99) |
2.22 (56) |
0.76 (19) |
0.22 (5.6) |
0.07 (1.8) |
0.05 (1.3) |
0.02 (0.51) |
0.16 (4.1) |
0.62 (16) |
1.19 (30) |
2.09 (53) |
14.57 (369.31) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
People and Population (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 14,983 | — | |
| 1970 | 19,784 | 32.0% | |
| 1980 | 18,807 | −4.9% | |
| 1990 | 19,382 | 3.1% | |
| 2000 | 20,046 | 3.4% | |
| 2010 | 20,256 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 20,921 | 3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Lomita's Population in 2010
In 2010, Lomita had a population of 20,256 people. This means there were about 10,601 people living in each square mile. The city is home to people from many different backgrounds. About 59.2% of the people were White, 5.3% African American, 14.4% Asian, and 0.7% Pacific Islander. About 32.8% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Most people (99.2%) lived in regular homes. There were 8,068 households in total. About 30.7% of these households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.49 people. The average family had about 3.12 people.
The median age in Lomita was 39.6 years. This means half the people were younger than 39.6, and half were older. For every 100 females, there were about 93.3 males.
About 46.3% of homes were owned by the people living in them, and 53.7% were rented. The median household income in Lomita was $60,398. About 12.2% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Lomita's Population in 2000
In 2000, Lomita had 20,046 people living in 8,015 households. The population density was about 10,572 people per square mile. The city was made up of people from various racial backgrounds. About 66.16% were White, 4.18% African American, and 11.41% Asian. About 26.20% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 32.9% of households had children under 18. The average household size was 2.48 people, and the average family size was 3.13 people.
The median age was 36 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 92.2 males.
The median household income was $51,360. About 11.1% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Fun Places to Visit (Landmarks)
Lomita Railroad Museum
The Lomita Railroad Museum is a special place in Lomita. It opened in 1966 and focuses on the history of steam-engine trains. A woman named Irene Lewis started the museum. She and her husband, Martin, used to sell kits for model steam engines. Their model engines even appeared in movies like "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952).
Irene Lewis later earned a mechanical engineering degree. She built the museum to show off her work. When it was built, it was the first museum of its kind west of Denver. The museum looks like the old Greenwood Station in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Mrs. Lewis gave the museum to the City of Lomita in 1967 to honor her husband.
At the museum, you can see a 1901 Baldwin Locomotive, a 1910 Union Pacific caboose, and a 1949 Santa Fe caboose. There's also a full-size copy of a 1920s water tower built in 2000. The museum has a small public park with a 1913 Union Pacific boxcar and a 1923 Union Oil tank car. You can visit the museum Friday through Sunday, from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Schools in Lomita
Students in Lomita attend schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
Elementary Schools
Some of the elementary schools that serve Lomita include:
- Eshelman Avenue Elementary School
- Lomita Math/Science Magnet (Kindergarten only, grades 1-5 are for magnet students)
- President Avenue Elementary School (grades 1–5), which is located in Los Angeles
For a couple of years before 1991, Lomita tried to create its own school district. However, they stopped these efforts by that year.
Nishiyamato Academy of California
Nishiyamato Academy of California is a Japanese elementary and junior high school located in Lomita. It opened in April 1993. The school was founded by Ryotaro Tanose as a sister school to the Nishiyamato Gakuen Junior and Senior High School in Japan.
Famous People from Lomita
Many interesting people have connections to Lomita, including:
- Ted Lilly, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Nikki Hornsby, a musician
- Deane McMinn, a figure skating judge and team manager
- Erv Palica, a Major League Baseball pitcher
- Chad Qualls, a pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
- Jim Thorpe, a famous Native American athlete
- Edward O. Thorp, a mathematics professor and author
- Milo Aukerman, a punk rock musician
See also
In Spanish: Lomita para niños
