La Cañada Flintridge, California

La Cañada Flintridge, often simply called La Cañada, is a city located in the beautiful foothills of the Verdugo Mountains in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It lies in the Crescenta Valley, right on the western edge of the San Gabriel Valley. This area is well-known for being home to important places like NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the lovely Descanso Gardens.

Before it became an official city on November 30, 1976, La Cañada Flintridge was made up of two separate communities: La Cañada and Flintridge. The name "La Cañada" comes from the Spanish words for "The Ravine."

According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 20,573 people. It is a place where nature and science come together, offering both scenic beauty and important research facilities.

History

The Tongva people were the first to live in the area now known as La Cañada Flintridge. They used the oak trees for food and shelter. In 1771, they were brought to live at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.

During Spanish and Mexican times, the area was called Rancho La Cañada. The name comes from the Spanish word for "canyon." In 1875, two men bought the land, and slowly, some farms grew fruit there.

Flintridge was named after a senator named Frank P. Flint. It is the southern part of the city.

On November 30, 1976, La Cañada and Flintridge joined to become one city called La Cañada Flintridge. People often just call it La Cañada.

Geography

La Cañada Flintridge is located in the Crescenta Valley, at the far western edge of the San Gabriel Valley. It lies between the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest to the north, and the San Rafael Hills to the south. Most of the city’s water flows southeast toward the Arroyo Seco area in Pasadena, while the western part flows southward toward Glendale via Verdugo Canyon. Both areas eventually join the Los Angeles River north of downtown Los Angeles.

The city’s elevation ranges from about 970 feet (300 m) near Devil's Gate Dam to about 2,400 feet (730 m) in its highest neighborhoods. The city limits even extend into the San Gabriel Mountains, reaching up to 3,440 feet (1,050 m) along Mount Lukens Road.

Climate

La Cañada Flintridge has a typical Southern California climate with mild winters and hot summers. Spring can be hazy, while fall usually has clearer skies. August is the warmest month, with temperatures in the low to mid 90s, and December and January are the coolest, with temperatures in the low to mid 60s. Most of the rain falls during winter, averaging about 21 inches each year, and it is rare to get rain in the summer.

During winter, strong storms can bring heavy rain due to the shape of the San Gabriel Mountains, sometimes causing flooding. The ocean’s influence is weak because the city is inland, so summers can be hotter and winters cooler than in coastal areas. Occasionally, strong winds from the desert can make summer temperatures even hotter. In rare winter storms, the higher parts of the city might see a little snow. Nearby ski resorts such as Mountain High, Mount Baldy, and Mount Waterman are about 30 miles away.

Demographics

La Cañada Flintridge first appeared as a community in the 1970 U.S. census and became a place for counting people in the 1980 United States census.

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

In the 2020 census, La Cañada Flintridge had 20,573 people. The middle age was 46.1 years. About 23.7% were younger than 18, and 20.5% were 65 or older. For every 100 girls and women, there were 97.2 boys and men, and for every 100 girls and women age 18 and over, there were 93.8 boys and men.

Almost all people, 99.5%, lived in towns, while a small part, 0.5%, lived in the country.

There were 6,839 homes, and 39.6% of them had children younger than 18 living in them. Most homes, 73.8%, were married couples living together. Some homes had only a man or only a woman as the main person living there.

There were 7,118 places to live, and a small part, 3.9%, were empty. Not many homes were for rent.

Income and wealth

In 2024, the middle amount of money a home made was $221,451. La Cañada Flintridge is one of the richest suburbs in America.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 20,246 people in La Cañada Flintridge. Most people, 68.9%, were White, with 64.7% being White without another race. A smaller part, 25.8%, were Asian. Some people were of Hispanic or Latino origin, making up 6.3% of all people.

Most people lived in homes with families. The middle age was 45.9 years. For every 100 girls and women, there were 94.7 boys and men, and for every 100 girls and women age 18 and over, there were 91.1 boys and men.

There were many homes, and most of them were owned by the people living in them. The middle amount of money a home made was $136,818. Only a small part, 3.2%, of people had less money than the country's help line.

2000 census

In the 2000 census, there were 20,318 people living in the city. Most people, 65.53%, were White, and 31.57% were Asian. Some people were of Hispanic or Latino origin, making up 4.80% of all people.

Most people lived in homes with families. The middle age was 42 years. For every 100 girls and women, there were 93.1 boys and men, and for every 100 girls and women age 18 and over, there were 90.5 boys and men.

In 2008, the middle amount of money a home made was $140,474, and the middle amount for a family was $157,511. About 3.6% of families and 4.3% of all people had less money than the country's help line.

Arts and culture

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is located in La Cañada Flintridge. It helps explore space using robots.

Descanso Gardens has many different kinds of camellia flowers. The city has many hiking trails that are good for walking and sometimes horseback riding.

La Cañada Town Center opened in 2008. It has shops and places to eat. The city also helps build floats for the Pasadena Rose Parade every year.

Government

Municipal government

La Cañada Flintridge is led by a city council with five members, each serving four-year terms. Every year, the council chooses one member to be the mayor and another to be the mayor pro-tem. Elections used to happen every odd year until 2017, but since 2020, they happen during the California Primary elections. The council has five commissions and two committees to help with different tasks. The council also picks important city roles like the city manager and attorney.

As of August 2025, the city council includes Mayor Kim Bowman Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Jeanne Kim Hobson, and council members Keith Eich, Michael T. Davitt, and Stephanie Fossan.

County, state, and federal representation

In the state senate, La Cañada Flintridge is part of the 25th senatorial district, represented by Democrat Sasha Renée Pérez.

In the California State Assembly, the city is in the 41st Assembly district, represented by Democrat John Harabedian.

For the United States House of Representatives, La Cañada Flintridge is in California's 28th congressional district, represented by Democrat Judy Chu.

In Los Angeles County, the city is in the Fifth District, represented on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors by Kathryn Barger.

Education

The La Cañada Unified School District looks after most schools in the city and is one of the best school districts in California with only one high school. In 2010, it was announced that this district had one of the highest scores in the state for school performance.

There are three public elementary schools for children in grades K-6: La Cañada Elementary, Palm Crest Elementary, and Paradise Canyon Elementary School. The public high school, La Cañada High School, serves grades 7–12 and has been honored as a Blue Ribbon School twice.

Some students in the western part of the city go to schools in the Glendale Unified School District, such as Mountain Avenue Elementary School and Crescenta Valley High School.

There are also several private schools in La Cañada, including St. Francis High School, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, and Flintridge Preparatory School, as well as elementary schools like Crestview Preparatory and The Learning Castle.

Media

La Cañada Flintridge was served by two newspapers: the La Cañada Valley Sun, which was part of the Los Angeles Times, and the La Cañada Outlook. In April 2020, the Los Angeles Times said it would close some local papers, including the La Cañada Valley Sun, because of money problems made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not long after, the Outlook Newspapers Group bought the Valley Sun and changed its name to the La Cañada Outlook Valley Sun.

Infrastructure

The city gets its water from the Foothill Municipal Water District. This district was created in 1952 when several local water groups joined together. While some water still comes from local springs, most now comes from the Colorado River and the California State Water Project.

For sewage, the city uses services from LA County. Sewage is sent to treatment plants, including one near La Cañada Country Club. In the early 1990s, plans were made to improve the sewage system, and this work continued for many years. By 2018, most homes were connected to the new system.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department provides police services, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department runs several fire stations in and around the city. These stations help keep the area safe, especially from wildfires, with regular inspections and strong building rules.

Transportation

Public transportation

The city has a free shuttle that runs on weekdays along Foothill Boulevard. It stops at JPL, La Cañada High School, and other places in Montrose.

Foothill Boulevard

Foothill Boulevard is the main road in La Cañada Flintridge, going right through the center of the city. It is where most of the shops and businesses are located. Before the city was founded, this road was called Michigan Avenue.

210 Freeway

The 210 Freeway opened in 1972 after many years of people in the area objecting to it. Building the freeway meant taking over 400 homes and moving schools, post offices, and businesses. There are three exits from the 210 Freeway into La Cañada Flintridge, making it one of the main ways to get into the city. Sound walls help reduce noise, but the freeway still brings air pollution.

Angeles Crest Highway

La Cañada Flintridge is where the Angeles Crest Highway starts. It begins at Foothill Boulevard and goes up into the San Gabriel Mountains.

In 2008, a large truck lost its brakes on the Angeles Crest Highway and crashed, but managed to avoid hitting a café. Similar accidents happened later, leading to laws to keep big trucks off parts of the highway. Even with these rules, accidents have still happened at the same spot.

Notable people

La Cañada Flintridge has been home to many famous people from different fields. Some well-known names include Frances Arnold, who won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018, and actress Angela Bassett. The city has also been home to actors like Kevin Costner, Miley Cyrus, Haley Joel Osment, and Vince Vaughn.

Other notable residents include Adam Carolla, a comedian and radio host, and Shohei Ohtani, a famous baseball player for the LA Dodgers. The area has also attracted talented writers, directors, and musicians from around the world.

Sister cities

La Cañada Flintridge has a special friendship with a city in Spain called Villanueva de la Cañada. This shows how cities in different places can become friends and work together.

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