La Puente, California
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La Puente is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 41,063.
- Incorporated: August 1, 1956
- City motto: "Where the Past Meets the Future"
- City flower: The Golden Hibiscus
- City colors: Green and White.
History
In 1769, the Gaspar de Portolá expedition (the first European exploration party in the Los Angeles area), along with Father Junípero Serra, built a bridge over the San Jose Creek. In 1884, the area was named Puente (bridge in old Spanish). The community began in 1841 when European settlers arrived from New Mexico and obtained the 48,000 acre Rancho La Puente.
The area was known for its fruit and walnut groves during the 1930's. The city was even home to the world's largest walnut packing plant. Today, the city is heavily-urbanized, but the area still has some historical landmarks from its founding days nearby, for instance, the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum in neighboring City of Industry, California.
Geography
La Puente is located at 34°1'57" North, 117°57'19" West (34.032410, -117.955195)Template:GR. It is located approximately 20 miles east of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.0 km² (3.5 mi²). 9.0 km² (3.5 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 41,063 people, 9,461 households, and 8,183 families residing in the city. The population density is 4,542.8/km² (11,757.3/mi²). There are 9,660 housing units at an average density of 1,068.7/km² (2,765.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 39.11% White, 1.96% African American, 1.28% Native American, 7.16% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 45.14% from other races, and 5.19% from two or more races. 83.10% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 9,461 households out of which 50.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% are married couples living together, 17.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 13.5% are non-families. 10.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 4.34 and the average family size is 4.48.
In the city the population is spread out with 33.8% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $41,222, and the median income for a family is $41,079. Males have a median income of $26,381 versus $22,018 for females. The per capita income for the city is $11,336. 18.9% of the population and 16.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.6% of those under the age of 18 and 9.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- City of La Puente website (http://www.lapuente.org/)
- City Data: La Puente, California (http://www.city-data.com/city/La-Puente-California.html)