The city of Palmdale sits in the north of Los Angeles County, California, separated from the city of Los Angeles to the south by the San Gabriel Mountains. It's the second largest city in Los Angeles County by land area and the 33rd most populous city in California. The Palmdale-Lancaster urban area has a population estimated at 520,000. In 2019, Palmdale has a population of about 156,667.
About one-quarter of people in Palmdale were born outside the country. The city of Palmdale has a predominantly Hispanic/Latino demographic. Due to it being one of the last affordable areas for new single-family homes in Los Angeles County, many people of color on the lower end of the economic scale were able to purchase property, shifting the racial demographic.
Due to racial tensions in the area, minorities were redlined into the Sun Village commune, Antelope Valley’s first African-American commune, which was founded in 1938. Today, however, African-Americans are no longer the majority of Sun Village’s roughly 12,000 residents.
Europeans, mainly of German and Swiss descent, first descended upon the area in 1886, naming the village “Palmenthal.” A trade route in the Antelope Valley had already existed for an estimated 11,000 years for Native Americans traveling from New Mexico and Arizona to California’s coast. The village of Palmenthal was officially established in June of 1888.
After the settlers decided to relocate slightly due to the difficult desert climate and drought, the name Palmdale was adopted.
Until the start of WWII, agriculture was the predominant industry for Palmdale. In 1953, Lockheed opened a facility in the city. The aerospace industry became the city's top employment source and has remained as such ever since.
The township of Palmdale officially became the city of Palmdale in August of 1962, becoming the first in the Antelope Valley to incorporate. In 2009, Palmdale became a charter city.
For the last 25 years, Palmdale has been rated as one of the top 25 fastest growing U.S. cities. Affordable housing developments in the 1980s and 1990s caused dramatic spikes in the population, jumping from 12,227 in 1980 to 68,842 in 1990 (a rise of 18.82%) and then to 116,670 in 2000. This has stayed relatively level since 2010.
Palmdale, California's estimated population is 156,667 according to the most recent United States census estimates. Palmdale, California is the 34th largest city in California based on official 2017 estimates from the US Census Bureau.
The population density is 1476.92 people/mi² (570.24 people/km²).
The overall median age is 31.9 years, 30.1 years for males, and 33.5 years for females. For every 100 females there are 97.6 males.
The median income for households in Palmdale, California is $, while the mean household income is $.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Palmdale Ca was:
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 156,667 | -141 | -0.09% |
| 2017 | 156,808 | -184 | -0.12% |
| 2016 | 156,992 | -204 | -0.13% |
| 2015 | 157,196 | 267 | 0.17% |
| 2014 | 156,929 | 315 | 0.20% |
| 2013 | 156,614 | 1,672 | 1.08% |
| 2012 | 154,942 | 907 | 0.59% |
| 2011 | 154,035 | 1,073 | 0.70% |
| 2010 | 152,962 | 36,292 | 2.75% |
| 2000 | 116,670 | 47,828 | 5.42% |
| 1990 | 68,842 | 56,565 | 18.82% |
| 1980 | 12,277 | 3,766 | 3.73% |
| 1970 | 8,511 | -3,011 | -2.98% |
| 1960 | 11,522 | 10,622 | 13.60% |
| 1940 | 900 | 0.00% |
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 65,234 | 41.58% |
| Some Other Race | 54,076 | 34.46% |
| Black or African American | 19,602 | 12.49% |
| Two or More Races | 8,748 | 5.58% |
| Asian | 7,438 | 4.74% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,361 | 0.87% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 445 | 0.28% |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 43,890 | 3.57 | 64.9 |
| Married | 23,528 | 4.18 | 75.8 |
| Non Family | 8,933 | 1.3 | 57.1 |
| Female | 8,348 | 4.08 | 44.1 |
| Male | 3,081 | 4.1 | 60.1 |
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 11,756 | 12.67% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 12,481 | 13.45% |
| High School Graduate | 23,516 | 25.34% |
| Some College | 24,191 | 26.06% |
| Associates Degree | 6,885 | 7.42% |
| Bachelors Degree | 9,416 | 10.15% |
| Graduate Degree | 4,568 | 4.92% |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 90.33%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 40.50%.
$35,843
Average Earnings
$42,820
Average Male
$27,936
Average Female
56.73% of Palmdale Ca residents speak only English, while 43.27% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 38.17% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 93,801 | 16,519 | 17.61% |
| Other | 53,854 | 10,158 | 18.86% |
| Black | 19,389 | 5,162 | 26.62% |
| White | 31,395 | 3,291 | 10.48% |
| Multiple | 8,674 | 1,601 | 18.46% |
| Asian | 7,437 | 889 | 11.95% |
| Native | 1,323 | 498 | 37.64% |
| Islander | 445 | 166 | 37.30% |
17.30%
Overall Poverty Rate
14.79%
Male Poverty Rate
19.76%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Palmdale Ca is Native, with 37.64% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Palmdale Ca is White, with 10.48% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.15%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.58%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.08%.
45.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
48.0%
Male Marriage Rate
43.9%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,711 | 7.64% |
| Hispanic | 1,515 | 2.46% |
| Black | 1,373 | 10.02% |
| Other | 528 | 1.46% |
| 2 or More | 275 | 7.20% |
| Asian | 142 | 2.36% |
| Indian | 33 | 3.75% |
7.89%
Veteran Poverty Rate
25.97%
Veteran Disability Rate
59.6%
Labor Force Participation
54.3%
Employment Rate
8.7%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
73.70%
Native Born
26.30%
Foreign Born
11.75%
Non Citizen
73.70% of Palmdale Ca residents were born in the United States, with 61.63% having been born in California. 11.75% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.