West Carson, California

West Carson, California
unincorporated community
Location of West Carson in Los Angeles County.
West Carson, California Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°49′35″N118°17′33″W / 33.82639°N 118.29250°W / 33.82639; -118.29250
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Area [1]
• Total	2.279 sq mi (5.902 km2)
• Land	2.266 sq mi (5.869 km2)
• Water	0.013 sq mi (0.033 km2)  0.56%
Elevation	43 ft (13 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	22,870
• Density	10,000/sq mi (3,900/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	90502 90710 (Harbor City P.O.)
FIPS code	06-84144
GNIS feature ID	1867069

West Carson is an unincorporated community in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 22,870 at the 2020 census. ^[2] For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined West Carson as a census-designated place (CDP).

Geography

The area is bounded on the east by the city of Carson along the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110). The area is bounded on the other three sides by the city of Los Angeles. Del Amo Boulevard is the north boundary with the neighborhood of Harbor Gateway. Lomita Boulevard is the south boundary with the neighborhood of Harbor City. The west boundary along Normandie Avenue is shared by both Los Angeles neighborhoods.

The ZIP code encompassing most of the area is 90502 which the United States Postal Service designates as a Torrance mailing address after the city that lies to the west over the Los Angeles strip. The southern portion shares the 90710 ZIP Code with the Harbor City neighborhood. ^{[3] [4]}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²), over 99% of it land.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	15,918		—
1980	17,997		13.1%
1990	20,143		11.9%
2000	21,138		4.9%
2010	21,699		2.7%
2020	22,870		5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [5] 1860–1870 [6] [7] 1880-1890 [8] 1900 [9] 1910 [10] 1920 [11] 1930 [12] 1940 [13] 1950 [14] 1960 [15] [16] 1970 [17] 1980 [18] 1990 [19] 2000 [20] 2010 [21] 2020 [22]

West Carson first appeared as an unincorporated place in the 1970 U.S. Census as part of the Compton census county division; ^[17] and as a census designated place in the 1980 U.S. Census. ^[18]

West Carson CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
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.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000 [23]	Pop 2010 [24]	Pop 2020 [22]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	6,193	4,637	3,761	29.30%	21.37%	16.45%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,439	2,263	2,176	11.54%	10.43%	9.51%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	75	79	63	0.35%	0.36%	0.28%
Asian alone (NH)	5,253	6,629	7,886	24.85%	30.55%	34.48%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	238	288	253	1.13%	1.33%	1.11%
Other race alone (NH)	46	89	124	0.22%	0.41%	0.54%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	671	614	824	3.17%	2.83%	3.60%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6,223	7,100	7,783	29.44%	32.72%	34.03%
Total	21,138	21,699	22,870	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that West Carson had a population of 22,870. The population density was 10,092.7 inhabitants per square mile (3,896.8/km²). The racial makeup was 21.2% White, 9.9% African American, 1.0% Native American, 35.0% Asian, 1.2% Pacific Islander, 19.0% from other races, and 12.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.0% of the population. ^[25]

The census reported that 95.4% of the population lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4.1% were institutionalized. ^[25]

There were 7,873 households, out of which 25.4% included children under the age of 18, 47.7% were married-couple households, 5.5% were cohabiting couple households, 28.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 18.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 22.7% of households were one person, and 10.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77. ^[25] There were 5,615 families (71.3% of all households). ^[26]

The age distribution was 15.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% aged 18 to 24, 26.0% aged 25 to 44, 29.1% aged 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. ^[25]

There were 8,139 housing units at an average density of 3,591.8 units per square mile (1,386.8 units/km²), of which 7,873 (96.7%) were occupied. Of these, 69.4% were owner-occupied, and 30.6% were occupied by renters. ^[25]

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $95,385, and the per capita income was $42,723. About 4.4% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line. ^[27]

2010

At the 2010 census West Carson had a population of 21,699. The population density was 9,522.0 inhabitants per square mile (3,676.5/km²). The racial makeup of West Carson was 7,630 (35.2%) White (21.4% Non-Hispanic White), ^[28] 2,330 (10.7%) African American, 185 (0.9%) Native American, 6,730 (31.0%) Asian, 301 (1.4%) Pacific Islander, 3,411 (15.7%) from other races, and 1,112 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7,100 persons (32.7%). ^[29]

The census reported that 20,493 people (94.4% of the population) lived in households, 176 (0.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,030 (4.7%) were institutionalized.

There were 7,166 households, 2,236 (31.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,634 (50.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 978 (13.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 450 (6.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 311 (4.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 46 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,687 households (23.5%) were one person and 712 (9.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.86. There were 5,062 families (70.6% of households); the average family size was 3.40.

The age distribution was 4,066 people (18.7%) under the age of 18, 1,816 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 5,805 people (26.8%) aged 25 to 44, 6,109 people (28.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,903 people (18.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

There were 7,426 housing units at an average density of 3,258.7 per square mile, of the occupied units 5,459 (76.2%) were owner-occupied and 1,707 (23.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%. 15,074 people (69.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,419 people (25.0%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, West Carson had a median household income of $62,100, with 8.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line. ^[28]

Mapping L.A.

Mapping L.A. reported that at the 2000 census, Mexican (22.3%) and Filipino (7.6%) were the most common ancestries. Mexico (28.4%) and the Philippines (24.5%) were the most common foreign places of birth. ^[30]

Education

Residents are zoned to the Los Angeles Unified School District. ^[31] Meyler Street Elementary School and Van Deene Elementary School are in West Carson. ^{[32] [33] [34]}

Government and infrastructure

The Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, has a Torrance postal address, but it is located in West Carson. ^{[35] [32]}

Politics

In the state legislature West Carson is located in the 35th Senate District, represented by Democrat Laura Richardson, and in the 65th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Mike Gipson. Federally, West Carson is located in California's California's 44th congressional district and is represented by Democrat Nanette Barragán

See also

Greater Los Angelesportal

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
2. "2020 Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
3. Zip Codes for West Carson, Los Angeles County, California. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
4. List of the Cities, Towns or CDPs with addresses in a given ZIP Code
5. "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau .
6. "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
7. "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
8. "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
9. "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
10. "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau . Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
11. "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
12. "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
13. "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
14. "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
15. "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
16. "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
17. "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
18. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
19. "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
20. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
21. "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
22. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – West Carson CDP, California". United States Census Bureau .
23. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – West Carson CDP, California". United States Census Bureau .
24. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – West Carson CDP, California". United States Census Bureau .
25. "West Carson CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
26. "West Carson CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
27. "West Carson CDP, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
28. "West Carson CDP, California". quickfacts.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
29. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - West Carson CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
30. "West Carson". Mapping L.A. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
31. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Los Angeles County, CA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 12 (PDF p. 13/19). Retrieved November 23, 2023.
32. "West Carson CDP, California." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 18, 2019. Compare to the Zoning map of and Land use map of (which indicates hospitals) Torrance, California. Harbor-UCLA is not in the Torrance city limits.
33. Home. Meyler Street Elementary School. Retrieved on April 13, 2019. "333 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90017"
34. Home. Van Deene Avenue Elementary School. Retrieved on April 13, 2019. "826 W. Javelin Street Torrance, California 90502"
35. "Contact Us". Harbor–UCLA Medical Center . Los Angeles County Department of Health Services . Retrieved May 18, 2018. 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, California 90509