Facts About LA
A place for bold dreams, creative expression and limitless possibilities, Los Angeles is a city defined by its people. One of the most culturally diverse destinations in the world with Angelenos from 140 countries who speak 224 different languages, LA inspires visitors to immerse themselves in unique perspectives, unexpected moments and open-hearted community. There’s always something new to discover in the City of Angels whether you’re a frequent visitor or a first timer, with an abundance of multi-faceted neighborhoods and hidden gems to explore. From world-class museums and championship sports teams to beautiful beaches and one-of-a-kind culinary experiences, Los Angeles invites you to join our vibrant, bustling community of dreamers and doers.
Visitation & Tourism Stats (2023)
Los Angeles’ comeback story is well underway. While 2019 capped a decade of record-setting growth with 50.7 million visitors to L.A. – driving a record $37.8 billion to our local business community – LA County is estimated to have recovered to 91% of 2019 levels with 46.4 million visitors driving over $22 billion in spending in 2022.
Top International Markets: (forecasted for 2022)
Mexico 1.6M
Canada 600,000
UK 260,000
France 230,000
Australia 175,000
Germany 160,000
South Korea 160,000
China 140,000
Japan 103,000
Scandinavia 95,000
Source: Tourism Economics
In 2023, Los Angeles County is expected to reach near full recovery to 2019 visitation with a total of 50.3 million visitors (99% vs. 2019). This recovery is driven by domestic visitation forecasted at 44.1 million visitors (102% vs. 2019), with international visitation forecasted at 6.2 million visitors (84% vs. 2019).
Size
City of Los Angeles: 472 square miles
County of Los Angeles: 4,084 square miles
Los Angeles Five-County Area: 34,135 square miles
(Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino counties)
There are 88 incorporated cities in Los Angeles County ranging from Vernon (population 123) to Los Angeles city (population 4 million).
Source: LACity.org, LACounty.org, California State Association of Counties – counties.org
Population
City of Los Angeles: 3.9 Million
County of Los Angeles: 10 Million
Los Angeles Five-County Area: 18.6 Million
(Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino)
Source: California Department of Finance, Demographic Research Visit
Los Angeles County is the first in the nation to reach 10 million residents. If the Los Angeles five-county area were a state, it would surpass all states in total population size with the exception of California, Texas, New York and Florida. The County of Los Angeles alone would be the seventh most populated state.
People
The diverse, multiethnic population of Los Angeles today distinguishes the city as the cultural hub of the Pacific Rim. People from more than 140 countries, speaking 224 different identified languages, currently call Los Angeles home. Los Angeles does not have a majority population.
Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 48.1 percent
White, non-Hispanic: 28.5 percent
Asian/Pacific Islander: 12 percent
African-American: 8.8 percent
American Indian/Others: 2.6 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2020 American Community Survey
Geography
Los Angeles spans a widely diverse geographic area. Primarily a desert basin, the area is surrounded by the San Gabriel Mountain range and divided by the Santa Monica Mountains. Los Angeles County has 75 miles of coastline and altitudes ranging from 9 feet below sea level at Wilmington to 10,080 feet above sea level atop Mt. San Antonio. Area Rivers include the Los Angeles, Rio Hondo, San Gabriel, and Santa Clara rivers.
History
Sept. 4, 1781 is the city’s official birthdate, when 44 village settlers from the Mexican provinces of Sonora and Sinaloa made their home in what is now Downtown Los Angeles. Two of the 44 settlers were Spaniards, while the others were Indians, Blacks and Mestizos of mixed ancestry. The Spanish named the new settlement El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles, or The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels. After the territory changed hands from Spain to Mexico, the town was officially declared a city in 1835. Los Angeles became part of the U.S. in January 1847.
Climate
Southern California’s climate has often been described as “perfect” and with good reason. Most days are sunny and warm, with gentle ocean breezes in the summer. The humidity is low with little rain. In fact, there are no unpleasant seasons in Los Angeles.
Annual precipitation: 15 inches Average high temperature: 74° F
Avg. sunny/partly sunny days: 292 days Average low temperature: 56° F
Source: National Weather Service Forecast Office at noaa.gov
Leading Industries
Los Angeles is the world's premier center for the entertainment industry, home to a handful of the planet's most famous studios. In addition, L.A. is a tour de force in tourism and international trade, as well as having an increasing strength in digital media, technology, fashion and the arts, solidifying the diversification of the region's economy.
Aerospace is a key innovation industry in L.A., being home to headquarters or offices for SpaceX, NASA’s Jet Propulsions Lab, Boeing and more, the city employs top engineering talent and this fast-growing industry results in a tremendous amount of indirect employment. A manufacturing powerhouse, Los Angeles is also home to the largest twin-port complexes in the Western Hemisphere, processing more than 40 percent of the goods entering to and from the United States and providing directly and indirectly hundreds of thousands of middle-class jobs to the region. Jobs in health care and tourism are on a particular growth spurt, indicating the region's increasing reliance on services and as an attractive place to visit and live.
Source: LAEDC
Beaches
The 75-mile Los Angeles County coastline is home to Southern California’s greatest beaches, stretching from Malibu to Long Beach. L.A.’s coastal regions boast some of the best surf spots, amazing oceanfront dining and trendy shops. Each seaside town is unique, offering distinctive landmarks such as Santa Monica’s famous pier, Venice’s iconic Muscle Beach, and Malibu’s stunning shorelines and Getty Villa. Further south is San Pedro — home to the Battleship USS Iowa, and the hip and chic beach towns that make-up South Bay-Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo.
Arts & Culture
With more museums than any city in the U.S., including New York City, Los Angeles is full of inspiring art and diverse cultural experiences. As an epicenter for arts and culture, Los Angeles is the perfect place to be immersed in art and science museums, theaters, architecturally acclaimed structures and beautiful gardens. Pre-pandemic, the city also boasted more than 1,500 theatrical productions annually. Los Angeles is home to world-class collections at institutions like the Getty, the Broad, LACMA and more, as well as the spectacular new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures immersing guests in LA moviemaking magic.
Dining
Los Angeles is home to some of the most dynamic dining experiences a destination can offer. From comfort food and homegrown cooks to upscale dishes and Michelin-star chefs, the possibilities are endless in LA Each region offers a variety of dining options that appeal to any palate and price point, with LA’s diverse neighborhoods offering a chance to experience authentic cultural cuisine without ever leaving the city.
Visitors can also participate in dineLA Restaurant Week celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2023, held every spring and fall. As the largest restaurant week in the country, dineLA showcases the city as a premier dining destination stimulating business and introducing diners to restaurants located in the many neighborhoods throughout LA County.
Shopping
Los Angeles has inspired “California-cool” fashion trends all over the world. From high fashion shops at the center of the city to chic boutiques on the coast, Los Angeles offers shopping for every style. Top shopping enclaves include the Fashion District in Downtown LA, The Grove, Ovation Hollywood, Westfield Century City and Melrose Avenue. Throughout LA, visitors will find eclectic shopping neighborhoods like Abbott Kinney, creative museum gift shops like the Academy Museum’s and several hidden gems for vintage pieces and bargain finds.
Accommodations
As the sixth largest hotel market in the U.S., Los Angeles offers over 1,000 hotels with more than 98,600 hotel rooms. Accommodations are conveniently located near prized attractions, museums and public transportation, ranging from value to luxury and simplistic to trendy. Los Angeles’ hotel community continues to grow along with the tourism industry with over 2,100 rooms added during the pandemic. The past few years have brought a new generation of boutique hotels to luxurious new properties across the city, including DTLA Proper Hotel, the Fairmont Century Plaza, the Conrad Los Angeles, the Thompson Hollywood, the Shay in Culver City and more.
Attractions
Some of the world’s best-known and most iconic landmarks and attractions call Los Angeles home including the Hollywood Sign celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023, Universal Studios Hollywood with its vibrant, immersive new themed land Super Nintendo World, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, the Walt Disney Concert Hall at the Music Center in Downtown LA, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center.
Outdoor Recreation
Southern California is famous for its near-perfect weather and Los Angeles has plenty of outdoor activities to allow visitors to enjoy the sunshine. Plus, Los Angeles is one of few cities in the world where it’s possible to ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon.
Los Angeles is home to Griffith Park, the largest city park in the country, with 400 square feet of recreational space and 50 miles of hiking trails that lead to some of the most spectacular views of the city and Hollywood Sign. Visitors can hike to the Griffith Observatory or even travel on horseback to experience the best sights. Runyon Canyon also offers great space for visitors to hike, bike and walk. The 106-acre park sits in the middle of Hollywood and offers several great hiking trails and a dog park.
With over 431 miles of bikeways, including 120 new miles created within the city of Los Angeles in recent years, and increased Metro transit options that include the new K Line and upcoming Regional Connector Transit Project, it’s easier than ever to get around and experience Los Angeles car-free. Visitors can also see LA without having to get behind the wheel with guided tour options such as Bikes and Hikes LA and Starline Tours Hop-On, Hop-Off tours.
Sports
With famous venues like the Crypto.com Arena, formerly the Staples Center, at L.A. LIVE, home to NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, NHL’s L.A. Kings, Dodger’s Stadium, where the Los Angeles Dodgers serve as a main attraction sports fans flock to in L.A., and SoFI Stadium, where the NFL’s L.A. Rams brought home the 2022 Super Bowl Championship. Los Angeles is also home to several esteemed universities that have large sports followings such as USC and UCLA. In the wake of Super Bowl 2022, Los Angeles is also hosting a number of large events, including the 2023 College Football Playoff Championship, WrestleMania 2023, and the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic games.
Meeting Space
The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), located in Downtown Los Angeles, is a world class convention and exhibition facility equipped with sun-drenched spaces and technology to meet every meeting need. As of 2020, the Downtown Los Angeles Central Business District offers 9,218 hotel rooms and additional hotel meeting space near the Convention Center. This includes the JW Marriot Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles adjacent to the LACC.
Convention Center Statistics
- More than 2 million annual visitors
- Exhibition Space: 720,000 sq. ft.
- Meeting Room Space: 147,000 sq. ft.
- Number of Meeting Rooms: 64 rooms
- On-site parking: 5,600 vehicles
- Adjacent Hotel Meeting Space: 100,000+ sq. ft.
- 299-seat theatre
Transportation
LA Metro & Bus System: Los Angeles is home to one of the country’s best public transportation networks, including subways, light-rail, buses and shuttles to nearly every corner of the Greater Los Angeles area. The Metro Rail System offers Six fast, easy-to-use and environmentally friendly rail lines for visitors to get from one destination to the next. All rail stations are served by Metro bus lines, which offers Local, Rapid, Express and BRT (bus rapid transit) services throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. With nearly 200 different lines, buses travel all over the region to every major destination including state parks, area attractions and shopping districts. In 2021, there was an estimated ridership of 227,726,057.
Source: isotp.metro.net
Amtrack Traffic: Los Angeles Union Station is the 5th busiest station in the national Amtrak system. In 2021, there were 1,521,145 Amtrak passenger boardings in all LA country stations.
Source: Amtrak.com
Cruise Traffic: In 2019 the total cruise passengers for the Port of Los Angeles was 650,010
Source: Portoflosangeles.org
Regional Airport Traffic: Bob Hope Airport (Burbank): 3.7 million in 2021 Long Beach Airport: 2.1 million in 2021
Source: Burbankairport.com, Lgb.org
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is a unique system of airports owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. Each of the airports – Los Angeles International (LAX) and Van Nuys (VNY) – plays an integral role in helping to meet the regional demand for passenger, cargo and general aviation service.
Underscoring its status as the gateway to the West Coast and to Asia/Pacific, LAX offers direct flights from more than 100 domestic cities and 46 countries. LAX is now the fifth busiest commercial airport in the world with over 48 million passengers traveling through LAX in 2021, an increase of 67% compared to 29 million passengers in 2020.
As predicted, LAX had an incredible year for cargo operations in 2021, shattering prior records as their role in the global supply chain gained new importance. LAX cargo totaled 2,974,073 tons last year representing a 20.64% increase in calendar year 2021 as compared to calendar year 2020, which was already their busiest year on record.
As international visitors are welcomed back to Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has prepared accordingly with several new or improved services prioritizing safety and efficiency, including on-site COVID-19 testing options. The airport also continues with its USD$15 billion capital improvement program, welcoming travelers to the new tech-forward facilities and transportation options including:
- The West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal
- Opened in May 2021, the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal welcome both international and domestic guests to the five-level, 15-gate facility with a modern experience, cutting-edge technology and stunning architecture. The new gates were designed around a digitally-based travel experience with biometric boarding gates, a checked-bag storage system, next-generation wireless internet, touchscreen kiosks and other advancements. The project also includes over 1.5 million sq. feet of new aircraft apron and taxiways, as well as underground utility improvements as part of the USD$15 billion capital improvement program.
- Automated People Mover (2024)
- The Automated People Mover (APM) is the centerpiece of LAX’s $5.5 Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) which will enhance the traveler experience, giving guests an easier, faster and time-certain access to terminals. The APM system will connect to the terminals via elevated pedestrian bridges as well as a new Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility, the LAX Economy Parking facility and provide the long-awaited connection to the regional transportation system. The APM system is a 2.25-mile elevated, electric train system with six stations total –three inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA) and three outside the CTA. LAX broke ground on the APM project in March of 2019 and anticipates that the system will be operational in 2024. During peak hours (9 a.m. to 11 p.m.), APM trains will pull into a station every two minutes and have the capacity to move 10,000 passengers per hour and 85 million per year. The APM will be free for all users and operate 24/7.
Imports/Exports
The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach combine to make our sea ports complex the largest in the Western Hemisphere, handling over 40% of all inbound containers for the entire United States. Over time, a sophisticated and mature logistics economy has developed around these ports, including high-capacity rail networks, endless warehousing and distribution options, and businesses that have located in LA County to leverage this infrastructure. Over 160,000 workers in LA County alone support the international trade sector.
Source: LAEDC
The Economy
LA County is an entertainment, manufacturing and international trade behemoth, with a fast growing high-tech and digital media industry cluster largely centered in West LA and, increasingly, in the Hollywood area and beyond. With $807 billion in annual output, Los Angeles County ranks among the world’s largest economies. Its GDP, which would rank No. 19 in the world if it were a standalone nation, is larger than Switzerland and Saudi Arabia, and right behind Netherlands and Turkey, underscoring the magnitude of the region's economy.
Source: LAEDC
Higher Education
Los Angeles is home to 107 accredited colleges and universities such as Pepperdine University, Occidental College and Loyola Marymount University, including some of the most famous academically distinguished universities in the world such as the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); University of Southern California (USC); California Institute of Technology (Caltech); and the Art Center College of Design.
Source: LAEDC
About the LA Tourism Board
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is a private, nonprofit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for leisure travel, meetings and conventions. Los Angeles Tourism is recognized as the City's official tourism marketing organization. For more information about the endless entertainment experiences offered in Los Angeles, go to discoverLosAngeles.com, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @discoverLA.