Quartz Hill, California

Quartz Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 10,912 at the 2010 census, up from 9,890 at the 2000 census. The name is also shared with the neighboring district areas of its border cities, Palmdale, and Lancaster. Quartz Hill was once home to the Quartz Hill Airport.

Geography

Quartz Hill is located at (34.652194, -118.220647).^[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), over 99% of it land.

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census^[5] reported that Quartz Hill had a population of 10,912. The population density was 2,900.1 people per square mile (1,119.7/km²). The racial makeup of Quartz Hill was 8,218 (75.3%) White, 795 (7.3%) African American, 142 (1.3%) Native American, 303 (2.8%) Asian, 28 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 947 (8.7%) from other races, and 479 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,689 persons (24.6%).

The Census reported that 10,892 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 20 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,712 households, out of which 1,521 (41.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,972 (53.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 573 (15.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 286 (7.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 254 (6.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 22 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 692 households (18.6%) were made up of individuals and 215 (5.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 2,831 families (76.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.30.

The population was spread out with 2,917 people (26.7%) under the age of 18, 1,143 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 2,525 people (23.1%) aged 25 to 44, 3,220 people (29.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,107 people (10.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.6 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

There were 4,018 housing units at an average density of 1,067.9 per square mile (412.3/km²), of which 2,584 (69.6%) were owner-occupied, and 1,128 (30.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%. 7,426 people (68.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,466 people (31.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census^[6] of 2000, there were 9,890 people, 3,450 households, and 2,639 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,591.9 inhabitants per square mile (999.6/km²). There were 3,644 housing units at an average density of 955.0 per square mile (368.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 81.47% White, 4.99% African American, 1.13% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 6.12% from other races, and 4.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.28% of the population.

There were 3,450 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $49,098, and the median income for a family was $58,125. Males had a median income of $51,136 versus $33,971 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,140. About 9.1% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

General information

Quartz Hill is located in the High Desert of California north of the Los Angeles area. As recently as the 1970s the town was largely agricultural, with cash crops of almonds, alfalfa, and turkeys. The almond orchards crippled by disease and the alfalfa growers having to contend with their water rights being diverted (to a growing Los Angeles) caused a significant shift in the local work force. Mainly the shift was toward the nearby aerospace plants of Lockheed Martin and Rockwell International. Their fields long empty Quartz Hill still celebrates the Almond Blossom Festival every year. Quartz Hill schools include Quartz Hill Elementary School, Sundown Elementary, Joe Walker Middle School Parts of the unincorparted city of Quartz Hill go to Del Sur a school in Antelope Acers, and Quartz Hill High School.

Nearby communities include

• Palmdale -- Home of Afro Man, All-4-One, the B-1 Lancer, the B-2 Bomber, the F-117 Fighter, and the Los Angeles County Raceway.
• Lancaster -- Home of Jenna Haze, Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, John Wayne.
• Rosamond -- Home of Willow Springs International Raceway, Edwards Air Force Base, and the Exotic Feline Compound.

Politics

In the state legislature Quartz Hill is located in the 17th Senate District, represented by Republican Sharon Runner, and in the 36th Assembly District, represented by Republican Steve Knight. Federally, Quartz Hill is located in California's 22nd and 25th congressional districts, which have Cook PVIs of R +16 and R +7 respectively^[7] and are represented by Republicans Kevin McCarthy and Buck McKeon respectively.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Antelope Valley Health Center in Lancaster, serving Quartz Hill.^[8]

References

1. ^ U.S. Census
2. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
3. ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (1790-2000)". U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.html. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 
4. ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL1.ST13&prodType=table US Census Bureau
5. ^ All data are derived from the United States Census Bureau reports from the 2010 United States Census, and are accessible on-line here. The data on unmarried partnerships and same-sex married couples are from the Census report DEC_10_SF1_PCT15. All other housing and population data are from Census report DEC_10_DP_DPDP1. Both reports are viewable online or downloadable in a zip file containing a comma-delimited data file. The area data, from which densities are calculated, are available on-line here. Percentage totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. The Census Bureau defines families as a household containing one or more people related to the householder by birth, opposite-sex marriage, or adoption. People living in group quarters are tabulated by the Census Bureau as neither owners nor renters. For further details, see the text files accompanying the data files containing the Census reports mentioned above.
6. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
7. ^ "Will Gerrymandered Districts Stem the Wave of Voter Unrest?". Campaign Legal Center Blog. http://www.clcblog.org/blog_item-85.html. Retrieved 2008-02-10. 
8. ^ "Antelope Valley Health Center." Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.