Torrance is a city located in Los Angeles County California. Torrance has a 2024 population of 136,818. Torrance is currently declining at a rate of -1.73% annually and its population has decreased by -6.57% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 146,442 in 2020.
The average household income in Torrance is $140,133 with a poverty rate of 6.65%. The median age in Torrance is 42.9 years: 41.1 years for males, and 44.8 years for females.
Torrance is located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, California along the Pacific Ocean. Torrance is located about 20 miles south of Los Angeles and 15 miles northwest of Long Beach. It's part of the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area which has an estimated population of 18.7 million. Torrance is noted as one of the safest cities in the county.
About 30% of people in Torrance were born outside of the United States. Torrance has the second-largest population of ethnic Japanese in the United States after Honolulu as it was one of the few places in the region that allowed non-U.S. citizens to buy property before WWII and it's close to the Toyota American headquarters. About 15% of the population of Torrance has Japanese heritage. The South Bay region is also home to a large Korean population largely concentrated in Torrance and Gardena.
Torrance is expected to enjoy 34% job growth over the next decade (https://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/california/torrance) and already enjoys a robust and diverse economy. While Torrance's population will continue to grow, its growth rate is expected to be modest over the next ten years.
While California was under Spanish control, present-day Torrance was granted to Juan Jose Dominguez in 1784 as part of a land grant for Rancho San Pedro. It was the divided when Rancho de los Palos Verdes was granted in the Alta California area of independent Mexico.
A real estate developer named Jared Torrance purchased part of the Spanish land grant in the early 1900s and hired a landscape architect to design a planned city. Torrance was founded and named in honor of the developer in 1912. The city was incorporated in 1921. Today, many of the original buildings from 1912 remain.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Torrance was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 56,586 | 38.9% |
| Asian | 55,048 | 37.85% |
| Two or more races | 16,777 | 11.53% |
| Other race | 11,095 | 7.63% |
| Black or African American | 4,879 | 3.35% |
| Native American | 841 | 0.58% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 228 | 0.16% |
White
Asian
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 55,719 | 2.58 | 54.8 | 45.2 |
| Married | 29,132 | 3.32 | 66.9 | 33.1 |
| Non Family | 18,774 | 1.23 | 40.5 | 59.5 |
| Female | 5,709 | 3.02 | 42.4 | 57.6 |
| Male | 2,104 | 3.04 | 49.2 | 50.8 |
3.2
Average Family Size
2.58
Average Household Size
54.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 2,733 | 2.58% |
| Associates Degree | 8,772 | 8.27% |
| Bachelors Degree | 36,520 | 34.45% |
| Graduate Degree | 19,323 | 18.23% |
| High School Graduate | 17,584 | 16.59% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 2,556 | 2.41% |
| Some College | 18,521 | 17.47% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 40,242 | 39,034 | 20,704 |
| Asian | 40,186 | 38,418 | 26,115 |
| Hispanic | 17,169 | 15,329 | 5,288 |
| 2+ Races | 8,737 | 8,248 | 3,648 |
| Other Race | 7,582 | 6,493 | 2,310 |
| Black | 3,751 | 3,538 | 1,350 |
| Native American | 578 | 468 | 130 |
| Islander | 182 | 182 | 64 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 64.99%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $81,285 | $93,408 | $65,982 |
| Graduate Degree | $104,560 | $127,079 | $85,563 |
| High School Graduate | $41,882 | $47,454 | $29,897 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $27,956 | $27,005 | $28,428 |
| Overall | $68,274 | $77,113 | $58,028 |
| Some College | $53,885 | $58,244 | $48,258 |
$68,274
Average Earnings
$77,113
Average Male
$58,028
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
58.81% of Torrance residents speak only English, while 41.19% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 23% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 54,926 | 3,537 | 6.44% |
| White | 48,173 | 2,897 | 6.01% |
| Hispanic | 27,632 | 2,054 | 7.43% |
| Multiple | 16,573 | 1,358 | 8.19% |
| Other | 10,919 | 926 | 8.48% |
| Black | 4,710 | 536 | 11.38% |
| Native | 841 | 9 | 1.07% |
| Islander | 228 | 6 | 2.63% |
6.65%
Overall Poverty Rate
5.39%
Male Poverty Rate
7.88%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Torrance is Black, with 11.38% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Torrance is Native, with 1.07% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.38%. Among those working part-time, it was 6.21%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 14.11%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 21.67% |
| High School | 9.28% |
| Some College | 5.91% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.88% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 12.79% |
| Female Unemployed | 9.73% |
| Female Employed | 3.4% |
| Male Employed | 2.23% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $133,064 | $160,975 |
| Households | $109,554 | $140,133 |
| Married Families | $151,146 | $177,158 |
| Non Families | $68,485 | $95,221 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
52.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
54.5%
Male Marriage Rate
50.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
4,878
Number of Veterans
4,568
Male Veterans
310
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,742 |
| Second Gulf War | 900 |
| First Gulf War | 681 |
| Korea | 472 |
| World War II | 174 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 2,012 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,071 |
| 35 to 54 | 977 |
| 55 to 64 | 663 |
| 18 to 34 | 155 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,866 | 5.94% |
| Asian | 1,176 | 2.75% |
| Hispanic | 502 | 2.51% |
| 2+ Races | 350 | 3.39% |
| Black | 225 | 5.34% |
| Other Race | 186 | 2.15% |
| Islander | 75 | 35.21% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
4.63%
Veteran Poverty Rate
26.86%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.5%
Labor Force Participation
60.9%
Employment Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
51.63%
Born in Torrance
69.58%
Native Born
30.42%
Foreign Born
12.73%
Non Citizen
17.69%
Naturalized
69.58% of Torrance residents were born in the United States, with 51.63% having been born in California. 12.73% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 124,788 | -2,406 | -1.89% |
| 2028 | 127,194 | -2,406 | -1.86% |
| 2027 | 129,600 | -2,406 | -1.82% |
| 2026 | 132,006 | -2,406 | -1.79% |
| 2025 | 134,412 | -2,406 | -1.76% |
| 2024 | 136,818 | -2,406 | -1.73% |
| 2023 | 139,224 | -1,677 | -1.19% |
| 2022 | 140,901 | -2,421 | -1.69% |
| 2021 | 143,322 | -3,120 | -2.13% |
| 2020 | 146,442 | 3,272 | 2.29% |
| 2019 | 143,170 | -1,496 | -1.03% |
| 2018 | 144,666 | -1,249 | -0.86% |
| 2017 | 145,915 | -866 | -0.59% |
| 2016 | 146,781 | -449 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 147,230 | 106 | 0.07% |
| 2014 | 147,124 | 223 | 0.15% |
| 2013 | 146,901 | 413 | 0.28% |
| 2012 | 146,488 | 556 | 0.38% |
| 2011 | 145,932 | 617 | 0.42% |
| 2010 | 145,315 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 137,946 | 4,839 | 3.64% |
| 1990 | 133,107 | 3,226 | 2.48% |
| 1980 | 129,881 | -5,087 | -3.77% |
| 1970 | 134,968 | 33,977 | 33.64% |
| 1960 | 100,991 | 78,750 | 354.08% |
| 1950 | 22,241 | 12,291 | 123.53% |
| 1940 | 9,950 | 2,679 | 36.85% |
| 1930 | 7,271 | -117,517 | -94.17% |