Hawthorne is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. It is part of a seventeen-city subregion of the Los Angeles metropolitan area commonly known as the South Bay. As of the 2020 US census, Hawthorne had a population of 88,083.
Hawthorne was once part of the Rancho Sausal Redondo (Willow-grove Ranch) of the 22,458-acre (Mexican land grant in present-day Los Angeles County, California given in 1837 to Antonio Ygnacio vila by Juan Alvarado the Mexican Governments Governor of Alta California. Rancho Sausal Redondo covered the area that now includes Playa Del Rey, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Hawthorne, and Redondo Beach.
Hawthorne was founded in 1905 as the "Hawthorne Improvement Company" by real estate developers B.L. Harding and H.D. Lombard. Harding's daughter shared her birthdayJuly 4, American Independence Daywith New England author Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a decision was made to name the small village after him.
Hawthorne was once a "whites only" settlement, commonly called a sundown town. During the 1930s, signs warned African-Americans to be out of Hawthorne by sundown.
To the north of Hawthorne is the unincorporated community of Lennox and the city of Inglewood. To the east is the unincorporated community of Athens and the city of Gardena. To the south is the unincorporated community of El Camino Village, and the cities of Lawndale and Redondo Beach. Manhattan Beach is at the southwest corner of Hawthorne. To the west is the city of El Segundo, and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westchester is to the northwest of Hawthorne. Hawthorne surrounds the unincorporated community of Del Aire on three sides. It also shares a small border on the northeast along Imperial Highway with the unincorporated community of Westmont.
The Century Freeway (Anderson Freeway, I-105) runs along the northern boundary of Hawthorne, with the C Line light rail line running down the center of the Century Freeway. The San Diego Freeway (runs along the western boundary of Hawthorne. Major eastwest streets in Hawthorne include Rosecrans Avenue, El Segundo Boulevard, and Imperial Highway. Major northsouth streets include Aviation Boulevard, Inglewood Avenue, Hawthorne Boulevard, Prairie Avenue, Crenshaw Boulevard, and Van Ness Avenue.
Hawthorne is five miles (from the Los Angeles International Airport.
Hawthorne comprises ZIP codes 90250 and 90251. It is in the 310 area code, except for a small portion of northeastern Hawthorne, which is located in the 323 area code.
Hawthorne, like the rest of the Los Angeles basin, has a Mediterranean climate:
Hawthorne has a Mediterranean climate or dry-summer subtropical (climate classification Csb on the coast, Csa inland), enjoying plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of 263 sunshine days and only 35 days with measurable precipitation annually.
Hawthorne first appeared as a city in the 1930 U.S. Census.
The 2020 United States census reported that Hawthorne had a population of 88,083. The population density was 14,470.7 inhabitants per square mile (The racial makeup of Hawthorne was 16.1% White, 24.2% African American, 2.0% Native American, 7.7% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 33.8% from other races, and 15.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 53.7% of the population.
The census reported that 99.3% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.5% were institutionalized.
There were 30,541 households, out of which 37.6% included children under the age of 18, 36.8% were married-couple households, 8.3% were cohabiting couple households, 33.3% had a female householder with no partner present, and 21.7% had a male householder with no partner present. 24.9% of households were one person, and 6.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.86. There were 20,718 families (of all households).
The age distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 9.4% aged 18 to 24, 32.1% aged 25 to 44, 24.4% aged 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 34.8years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males.
There were 31,578 housing units at an average density of 5,187.8 unitsper square mile (units/km2), of which 30,541 (were occupied. Of these, 27.4% were owner-occupied, and 72.6% were occupied by renters.
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $72,719, and the per capita income was $33,651. About 13.3% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line.
At the 2010 census Hawthorne had a population of 84,293. The population density was 13,835.7 inhabitants per square mile (The racial makeup of Hawthorne was 27,678 (White (Non-Hispanic White), 23,385 (African American, 565 (Native American, 5,642 (Asian, 974 (Pacific Islander, 22,127 (from other races, and 3,922 (from two or more races. There were 44,572 people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (census reported that 83,754 people (of the population) lived in households, 208 (lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 331 (were institutionalized.
There were 28,486 households, 12,330 (had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,833 (were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,369 (had a female householder with no husband present, 2,357 (had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,309 (unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 191 (same-sex married couples or partnerships. Of the households, 7,125 (were one person and 1,430 (had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.94. There were 19,559 families (of households); the average family size was 3.54.
The age distribution was 23,157 people (under the age of 18, 9,487 people (aged 18 to 24, 27,035 people (aged 25 to 44, 18,395 people (aged 45 to 64, and 6,219 people (who were 65 or older. The median age was 31.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
There were 29,869 housing units at an average density of 4,902.7 per square mile, of the occupied units 7,623 (were owner-occupied and 20,863 (were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 25,869 people (of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 57,885 people (lived in rental housing units.
During 20092013, Hawthorne had a median household income of $44,649, with 19.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
According to Mapping L.A. in 2000, Mexican (and Filipino (were the most common ancestries in the city. Mexico (and Guatemala (were the most common foreign places of birth in the city.
In 2022, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted 173 homeless individuals in Hawthorne.
As of 2022 the city is known as a center for the space industry and hosts numerous space related private companies, industries and startups. The relatively large number of aerospace engineers and technicians, history of established aerospace companies, and the presence of SpaceX has facilitated the development of space engineering industry cluster in the city. According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Besides the current top employers, the following businesses are currently located in Hawthorne:
Previously in Hawthorne:
Hawthorne has an elected city council composed of a mayor elected every four years and four city council members elected on four year terms.
According to the city's most recent[when?] "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report," its various funds had $126.1million in revenues, $113.2million in expenditures, $220.2million in total assets, $152.7million in total liabilities, and $29.6million in cash and investments. The city manager is Vontray Norris.
In the California State Legislature, Hawthorne is in the 35th senatorial district, represented by Democrat Laura Richardson, and in the 62nd Assembly district, represented by Democrat Jose Solache.
In the United States House of Representatives, Hawthorne is in California's 43rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Maxine Waters.
Hawthorne is served by multiple school districts. Schools that include portions of Hawthorne include:
In addition Los Angeles County Office of Education operates Southwest Day (grade).
Hawthorne Math and Science Academy is a charter high school in Hawthorne associated with the Hawthorne School District.
The Hawthorne Press Tribune is the community newspaper for the City of Hawthorne.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Curtis Tucker Health Center in Inglewood, serving Hawthorne.