Torrance, California

Torrance, California
City
Torrance Beach
Flag Seal Logo
Motto: "A Balanced City"
Location of Torrance in the County of Los Angeles
Torrance, California Location in the contiguous United States
Coordinates:33°50′05″N118°20′29″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Incorporated	May 12, 1921
Named for	Jared Sidney Torrance
Government
• Type	Council-manager
•Mayor	George Chen
•City council	Jon Kaji - District 1 Bridgett Lewis - District 2 Asam Sheikh - District 3 Sharon Kalani - District 4 Aurelio Mattucci - District 5 Mike Griffiths - District 6
•City treasurer	Tim Goodrich
•City clerk	Rebecca Poirier
Area
• Total	20.53 sq mi (53.18 km2)
• Land	20.50 sq mi (53.10 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) 0.37%
Elevation	89 ft (27 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	147,067
• Rank	8thin Los Angeles County 41stin California 187thin the United States
• Density	7,200/sq mi (2,800/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8(Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7(PDT)
ZIP Codes	90277, 90278, 90248, 90501,90503–90510
Area codes	310/424
FIPScode	06-80000
GNISfeature IDs	1652802,2412087
Website	www.torranceca.gov

Torranceis a coastal city in theLos Angeles metropolitan area,located in southwestLos Angeles County, California,United States.The city is part of what is known as theSouth Bayregion of the metropolitan area. A small section of the city, 1.5 miles (2.4 km), abuts thePacific Ocean.Torrance has a moderate year-round climate with average rainfall of 12 inches (300 mm) per year.Torrance was incorporated in 1921, and at the2020 censushad a population of 147,067 residents.Torrance has a beachfront and has 30 parks located around the city.It is also the birthplace of theAmerican Youth Soccer Organization(AYSO).

History

DonManuel Domínguez,a signer of theCalifornian Constitutionand owner ofRancho San Pedro,which included all of modern-day Torrance.

Pre-colonial era

For thousands of years, the area of Torrance was occupied by theTongvaNative Americans.The land that is now part of the City of Torrance and much of the modern South Bay was part of the extensive marshlands.

Spanish and Mexican eras

In 1784, theSpanish CrowndeededRancho San Pedro(including present-day Torrance), a tract of over 75,000 acres (300 km²) in the province ofLas CaliforniasofNew Spain,to soldier Juan José Domínguez.It was later divided in 1846, with GovernorPío PicograntingRancho de los Palos Verdesto José Loreto andJuan Capistrano Sepulvedain theAlta Californiaterritory of independentMexico.

Modern Era

In the early 1900s, real estate developerJared Sidney Torranceand other investors saw the value of creating a mixed industrial–residential community south ofLos Angeles.They purchased part of an old Spanish land grant and hired landscape architectFrederick Law Olmsted Jr.to design aplanned community.The resulting town was founded in October 1912 and named after Torrance. The city of Torrance was formally incorporated in May 1921, the townsite initially being bounded by Western Avenue on the east, Del Amo Boulevard on the north,Crenshaw Boulevardon the west, and on the south by Plaza del Amo east of where it meets Carson Street, and by Carson Street west of where it meets Plaza del Amo.

The first residential avenue created in Torrance was Gramercy and the second avenue was Andreo. Many of the houses on these avenues reached the centennial mark in 2012. Both avenues are located in the area referred to as Old Torrance. This section of Torrance is under review to be classified as ahistorical district.Some of the early civic and residential buildings were designed by the renowned and innovativeSouthern CaliforniaarchitectIrving Gill,in his distinctive combining ofMission Revivaland earlyModernist architecture.

Historic Olmstead District

Torrance was planned as a new prototype of a balanced industrial city based on the principles of theGarden City Movement.The original tract developed by theOlmstead Brothersconsists of 109 city blocks divided into three sub-districts: residential, commercial, and industrial. The plan is most notable for its axial landscaped downtown commercial neighborhood aligned to have a view of Mount San Antonio in the San Gabriel Mountains. The Olmsted Tract includes a number of buildings designed by the noted Southern California Architect Irving Gill, including the original train depot.

The footprint of the downtown neighborhood, now called Old Torrance, was designed on a diagonal to allow the trade breezes coming from the Pacific Ocean to keep the air clean from industrial pollution for the residential and commercial neighborhoods. The industrial sections of the city were placed on the eastern side of the original tract.

Public transportation played a key role in the founding of Torrance. ThePacific Electric Red Carconnected downtown Los Angeles to the new development of downtown Torrance. Designed in 1912 by Irving Gill, the terminus depot of the Red Car line was designed in a Spanish revival style popularized during this era.In May 1913, thePacific Electric Railroad Bridgewas built. Often called the "El Prado Bridge", it further expanded the industrial heart of the South Bay. The concrete double-tracked arch bridge was the Pacific Electric Railway's first interurban line that connected north–south to San Pedro via the Gardena Line.The bridge was used for transporting freight and commuting workers to Torrance factories. The Red Car line connected under the bridge as it connected to the train depot located on Cabrillo Avenue. The bridge no longer carries any rail cars, with Pacific Electric closing the Red Car line to Torrance in the 1940s. The bridge became the city of Torrance's second entry in theNational Register of Historic Placeson July 13, 1989, and is used as a logo for the city's new wayfinding signage and city materials.

The Pacific Railroad Bridge, often called the El Prado Bridge, was designed by famed architect Irving Gill. The bridge stands as an icon for the city of Torrance.

Geography

Torrance Beach lies between thePalos VerdesPeninsula andRedondo Beachon theSanta Monica Bay.

Torrance is a coastal community in southwestern Los Angeles County sharing the climate and geographical features common to theGreater Los Angeles area.Its boundaries are: Redondo Beach Boulevard and the cities ofLawndaleandGardenato the north;Western Avenueand theHarbor Gatewayneighborhood ofLos Angelesto the east; thePalos Verdes Hillswith the cities ofLomita,Rolling Hills EstatesandPalos Verdes Estateson the south; and thePacific Oceanand the city ofRedondo Beachto the west.

The western portion of Torrance is inZIP Code90277 which is a city ofRedondo Beachpostal address.It is about 20 miles (32 km) southwest ofDowntown Los Angeles.

Torrance Beach lies between Redondo Beach andMalaga CoveonSanta Monica Bay.The southernmost stretch of Torrance Beach, on a cove at the northern end of thePalos Verdespeninsula, is known to locals asRat Beach(Right After Torrance).

An urbanwetland,theMadrona Marshis anature preserveon land once set for oil production and saved from development, withrestorationprojects enhancing the vital habitat for birds, wildlife, andnative plants.

Climate

Torrance has awarm-summer Mediterranean climate(Köppen:Csb), bordering with asemi-arid climate(Bsk). The rainy season is November through March, as shown in the adjacent table.Summers tend to be warm and humid due to Torrance's proximity to the coast.

The Los Angeles area is also subject to the phenomenon typical of amicroclimate.As such, the temperatures can vary by as much as 18 °F (10 °C) between inland areas and the coast, with a temperature gradient of over 1 °F per mile (0.3 °C/km) from the coast inland. California has also a weather phenomenon called "June Gloom"or" May Gray ", which sometimes brings overcast or foggy skies in the morning on the coast, followed by sunny skies by noon during late spring and early summer.

Climate data for Torrance, California (Torrance Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1932–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	91 (33)	92 (33)	96 (36)	104 (40)	98 (37)	102 (39)	102 (39)	101 (38)	111 (44)	106 (41)	98 (37)	94 (34)	111 (44)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	80.8 (27.1)	79.6 (26.4)	81.4 (27.4)	84.6 (29.2)	83.1 (28.4)	82.7 (28.2)	86.0 (30.0)	87.3 (30.7)	92.0 (33.3)	90.2 (32.3)	85.8 (29.9)	77.5 (25.3)	95.5 (35.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	66.8 (19.3)	66.4 (19.1)	67.7 (19.8)	70.2 (21.2)	71.8 (22.1)	73.9 (23.3)	76.9 (24.9)	78.1 (25.6)	78.1 (25.6)	75.7 (24.3)	70.7 (21.5)	66.1 (18.9)	71.9 (22.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	56.9 (13.8)	57.0 (13.9)	58.8 (14.9)	60.9 (16.1)	63.6 (17.6)	66.2 (19.0)	69.4 (20.8)	70.2 (21.2)	69.5 (20.8)	66.4 (19.1)	60.7 (15.9)	56.2 (13.4)	63.0 (17.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	47.0 (8.3)	47.6 (8.7)	49.8 (9.9)	51.6 (10.9)	55.4 (13.0)	58.5 (14.7)	61.8 (16.6)	62.4 (16.9)	60.9 (16.1)	57.1 (13.9)	50.7 (10.4)	46.3 (7.9)	54.1 (12.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	37.7 (3.2)	39.3 (4.1)	42.1 (5.6)	44.3 (6.8)	48.9 (9.4)	52.4 (11.3)	55.4 (13.0)	55.2 (12.9)	54.4 (12.4)	49.8 (9.9)	42.1 (5.6)	37.1 (2.8)	34.8 (1.6)
Record low °F (°C)	24 (−4)	27 (−3)	23 (−5)	28 (−2)	37 (3)	36 (2)	42 (6)	44 (7)	41 (5)	33 (1)	29 (−2)	27 (−3)	23 (−5)
Averageprecipitationinches (mm)	3.36 (85)	3.66 (93)	1.98 (50)	0.63 (16)	0.26 (6.6)	0.07 (1.8)	0.06 (1.5)	0.00 (0.00)	0.09 (2.3)	0.49 (12)	0.80 (20)	2.24 (57)	13.64 (346)
Average precipitation days	6.2	6.4	4.9	2.4	1.4	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.4	2.0	3.1	5.7	33.5
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	7,271		—
1940	9,950		36.8%
1950	22,241		123.5%
1960	100,991		354.1%
1970	134,968		33.6%
1980	129,881		−3.8%
1990	133,107		2.5%
2000	137,946		3.6%
2010	145,438		5.4%
2020	147,067		1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Torrance City Hall

Sunset at Torrance Beach

2010

The2010 United States Censusreported that Torrance had a population of 145,438. The population density was 7,076.1 inhabitants per square mile (2,732.1/km²). The racial makeup of Torrance was 74,333 (51.1%)White(42.3% Non-Hispanic White), 50,240 (34.5%)Asian,3,955 (2.7%)African American,554 (0.4%)Native American,530 (0.4%)Pacific Islander,7,808 (5.4%) fromother races,and 8,018 (5.5%) from two or more races. There were 23,440HispanicorLatinoresidents, of any race (16.1%).

The Census reported that 144,292 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 506 (0.3%) homeless who lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 640 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 56,001 households, out of which 18,558 (33.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 29,754 (53.1%) wereopposite-sex married couplesliving together, 6,148 (11.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,510 (4.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,152 (3.8%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships,and 309 (0.6%)same-sex married couples or partnerships.14,472 households (25.8%) were made up of individuals, and 5,611 (10.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58. There were 38,412families(68.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.14.

The population was spread out, with 31,831 people (21.9%) under the age of 18, 10,875 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 38,296 people (26.3%) aged 25 to 44, 42,710 people (29.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 21,726 people (14.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

There were 58,377 housing units at an average density of 2,840.3 units per square mile (1,096.6 units/km²), of which 31,621 (56.5%) were owner-occupied, and 24,380 (43.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 85,308 people (58.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 58,984 people (40.6%) lived in rental housing units.

As of March 2019, Torrance had a median household income of $85,070 and a median family income of $102,637.

It also has the second-highest percentage of residents ofJapaneseancestry in California (8.9%), after the neighboring city of Gardena.

2000

As of thecensusof 2000, there were 137,946 people, 54,542 households, and 36,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,715.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,592.9/km²). There were 55,967 housing units at an average density of 2,724.7 units per square mile (1,052.0 units/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.2%White,28.6%Asian,2.2%BlackorAfrican American,0.4%Native American,0.4%Pacific Islander,4.6% fromother races,and 4.7% from two or more races. 12.8% of the population wereHispanicorLatinoof any race.

There were 54,542 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% weremarried couplesliving together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city in 2008 was $79,312, and the median income for a family was $98,473.Males had a median income of $50,606 versus $36,334 for females. Theper capita incomefor the city was $39,118. About 4.7% of families and 5.4% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Japanese-Americans

See also:History of the Japanese in Los Angeles

The inside of the old demolished TorranceMitsuwa(relocated to theDel Amo Mall)

As of 2014, the City of Torrance has the second largest concentration of ethnic Japanese people of any U.S. city, afterHonolulu.The city has headquarters of Japanese automakers and offices of other Japanese companies.Because of this, many Japanese restaurants and other Japanese cultural offerings are in the city, and Willy Blackmore ofL.A. Weeklywrote that Torrance was "essentially Japan's 48thprefecture".AMitsuwasupermarket, Japanese schools, and Japanese banks serve the community.

In the pre-World War IIperiod, the South Bay region was one of the few areas that allowed non-U.S. citizens to acquire property, so a Japanese presence came. According to John Kaji, a Torrance resident quoted inPublic Radio Internationalwho was the son of Toyota's first American-based accountant, the Japanese corporate presence in Torrance, beginning with Toyota, attracted many ethnic Japanese. Toyota moved its operations to its Torrance campus in 1982 because of its proximity to thePort of Long BeachandLos Angeles International Airport,and many other Japanese companies followed suit. In 2014, Toyota announced it was moving its U.S. headquarters toPlano, Texas.

Korean-Americans

See also:History of the Korean Americans in Los Angeles

As of 1992,about 60% of the Korean population in theSouth Bayregion lived in Torrance andGardena.In 1990, 5,888 ethnic Koreans lived in Torrance, a 256% increase from the 1980 figure of 1,652 ethnic Koreans.

Homelessness

In 2022,Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted 306 homeless individuals in Torrance.

Homeless population

Year	Pop.	±%
2016	107	—
2017	145	+35.5%
2018	187	+29.0%
2019	226	+20.9%
2020	332	+46.9%
2022	306	−7.8%
Source:Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

Economy

Torrance is home to the U.S. headquarters ofJapaneseautomakerAmerican Honda Motor Companyand its luxury vehicle division,Acura.Robinson Helicoptersare designed and built in Torrance as areHoneywell'sGarrettturbochargers,used onautomobileengines worldwide.AlcoaFastening Systems (now known as Arconic) is headquartered in Torrance, producing aerospace fasteners.Pacific Sales,Pelican Products,Virco,andRapiscan Systemsare among the other companies based in Torrance.

According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,the city's top 10 employers (by number of employees) are:

No.	Employer	Number of employees
1	Torrance Memorial Health System	3,675
2	Torrance Unified School District	2,581
3	Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center	2,345
4	City of Torrance	1,450
5	YoshinoyaAmerica Inc.	1,300
6	American Honda Motor Co Inc.	1,130
7	Robinson Helicopter Company	937
8	Honeywell Aerospace	730
9	Moog Aircraft Group	710
10	Walmart	686

Del Amo Fashion Center,one of the largest malls in the United States

TheDel Amo Fashion Center,at 2.5 million square feet (230,000 m²), is one of thefive largestmallsin the United States by gross leasable area. The current mall was created when Del Amo Center, built in 1958, merged with Del Amo Fashion Square, built in 1972. Once located on opposite sides of Carson Street, an expansion of the mall spanning Carson Street joined the two centers by 1982, making it the largest mall in the world at the time. In 2005, the east end of the original mall north of Carson Street was demolished to make way for a new open-air shopping center, opened in mid-September 2006. This was followed in 2015 by the opening of an expanded northern Fashion Wing, withNordstromas the mall anchor and supplemented by luxury retailers such asKate Spade,Hugo Boss,Uniqlo,Michael Kors,andBen Bridge.TheOld Towne Mallwas an entertainment-themed mall operating in the 1970s.

As a major oil-producing region, Torrance was once dotted with thousands ofoil wellsandoil derricks.Though the oil wells are not as common as they once were, the Torrance oil refinery owned byPBF Energyin the north end of the city is responsible for much of Southern California's gasoline supply.Torrance was an important hub and shop site of thePacific Electric Railway.

Torrance has ageneral aviationairport, originally named simply "Torrance Airport" and since renamedZamperini Fieldafter local track star, World War II hero and Torrance High graduateLouis Zamperini.The airport handles approximately 175,000 annual take-offs and landings (473 per day),down from the 1974 record of 428,000 operations. Airport noise abatement is a major local issue. In 2007 theWestern Museum of Flightmoved to Zamperini Field.

Torrance is also home to the main bakery facility forKing's Hawaiian,the dominant brand ofHawaiian breadin North America.Younger Optics, Torrance's 10th-largest employer, created the first seamless or "invisible" bifocal.

The headquarters ofMitsuwa MarketplaceandNijiya Marketare both located in Torrance.

Operations of foreign companies

All Nippon Airwaysoperates its United States headquarters, a customer relations and services office, in Torrance.

The Toyota Motor Company of Japan established a U.S. headquarters on October 31, 1957, at a former Rambler dealership in Hollywood. Toyota sold 287 Toyopet Crowns and one Land Cruiser during the company's first year of U.S. operation.It movedToyota Motor Sales USAoperations to Torrance in 1982, because of easy access to port facilities and the LAX airport. In 2013, it sold 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S. In 2014, it announced it would move 3,000 of its white-collar employees toPlano, Texasto be closer to its American factories. Numerous other Japanese firms followed Toyota to Los Angeles, because of its location and its reputation as the national trend-setter.

The Los Angeles South Bay area, as of 2014, has the largest concentration of Japanese companies in the United States.

Arts and culture

The TorranceArmed Forces DayParade, with aUSMCunit

TheArmed Forces DayParade in Torrance, which was first produced in 1960, is the longest-running military parade sponsored by a city. It is held annually on Armed Forces Day, and runs down Torrance Boulevard. The parade features military vehicles, school bands, and prominent community members.

The Torrance Cultural Arts Center hosts cultural events year-round. In partnership with the City of Torrance, the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation (TOCA) provides diverse cultural, educational and entertainment experiences. Additional performances are provided by the Torrance Performing Arts Consortium, includingThe Aerospace Players,Torrance Art Museum, Los Cancioneros Master Chorale, South Bay Ballet, South Bay Conservatory, and The Torrance Symphony.

In the 2010Rose Parade,City of Torrance's entry won the top Lathrop K. Leishman trophy for itsGarden of Dreamsfloat, judged as the "Most Beautiful Non-Commercial" float. In 2011, Torrance won the Tournament Volunteers' Trophy for best floral design of parade theme under 35 feet in length. In 2012, the city's entry won the Governor's Trophy for best depiction of life in California. In 2015, an entry honoring Rose Parade Grand Marshal Louis Zamperini won the Theme trophy for excellence in presenting parade theme. In 2016, the City of Torrance float won the Princess trophy for most beautiful float 35 feet and under.

Historic landmarks

These Torrance landmarks are on theNational Register of Historic Places:

• Main Building (Torrance High School)–Mediterranean Revival architecture,1917 and 1921
• Original Science Building – Current Home Economics Building (Torrance High School)
• Auditorium (Torrance High School)–Streamline Moderne,1938
• Torrance Elementary School – Current High School Annex– Mediterranean Revival
• Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge–designed byIrving Gill,1913

Parks and recreation

City parks

Wilson Park at sunset

Madrona MarshPark during springtime

The Torrance City Parks Department directs and maintains the thirtyTorrance City Parks.They include:

• Wilson Park – the 44 acres (0.18 km²) park has picnic and sports facilities, including a gymnasium, skatepark,and roller-hockey rink. Wilson Park also hosts theTorrance Farmers Market.
  • TheSouthern California Live Steamers Miniature Railroadis located at the Southeast corner of Charles H. Wilson Park. Free train rides on actual miniature live steam trains are given on the first Sunday and third Saturday of each month and the 4th of July. SCLS was one of the first live steam clubs in California started in 1946 with original members like Walt Disney, Olie Johnston and Ward Kimball all of Disney fame. The club moved to Torrance in 1986 after leaving the Lomita Railway Museum property.
• Madrona Marsh Wildlife Preserve & Nature Center– a rare Southern Californiawetlandshabitatwith higherCoastal sagecommunitynative plantsareas, wildlife andbirdwatching,and aNature centerwith natural gardens classes.
• Columbia Park– the large recreationalurbanregional parkhas picnic areas, field sports facilities,walking paths,joggingtrails, and a competitivecross country runningracecourse.Thecherry blossomtree grove, part of Living Tree Dedication program, is in Columbia Park.
• Torrance Smart Gardening Center – Columbia Park features aCommunity Gardenproviding planting beds and "community" for residents. It is one of twelve county-operatedSmart Gardening Centersaround the region.Columbia Park additionally serves as home to the Home Garden Learning Center, and is a backyardcompostingdemonstration center provided byLos Angeles County.
• Living Tribute Trees park program – The Torrance ParksLiving Dedication Tree Programis coordinated and by the city, so that families, individuals, and groups can sponsor the planting of a new tree in the park to honor a person or commemorate an event with a living tribute Tree Dedication.
• Torrance Beach Park, and the beach along the Pacific Coast of Torrance, known as "RAT Beach".
• Marvin Braude Bike Trail(The Strand), a paved bicycle path that runs mostly along thePacific Oceanshoreline inLos Angeles County,ends there.

Government

Local government

The City of Torrance is acharter city.The original city charter was voted on and ratified by the qualified electors at an election held August 20, 1946, and filed with the Secretary of State January 7, 1947. The elective officers of the city are the mayor, six members of the City Council, five members of the Board of Education, the City Clerk and the City Treasurer.

Using the council-manager form of government, the City Council, as the elected body, adopts legislation, sets policy, adjudicates issues, and establishes the budget of the city. The City Council appoints the City Manager and the City Attorney. The city has 13 appointed boards and commissions which advise the council on matters of concern to local residents, such as the city airport, arts, parks, and libraries.

State and federal representation

In theCalifornia State Senate,Torrance is split betweenthe 26th Senate District,represented byDemocratMaría Elena Durazo,andthe 35th Senate District,represented byDemocratSteven Bradford.In theCalifornia State Assembly,it is inthe 66th Assembly District,represented byDemocratAl Muratsuchi.

In theUnited States House of Representatives,Torrance is split betweenCalifornia's 33rd congressional district,represented byDemocratPete Aguilar,andCalifornia's 43rd congressional district,represented byDemocratMaxine Waters.

Postal service

TheUnited States Postal Serviceoperates the Torrance Post Office at 2510 Monterey Street,the Marcelina Post Office at 1433 Marcelina Avenue,the Walteria Post Office at 4216 Pacific Coast Highway,the North Torrance Post Office at 18080 Crenshaw Boulevard,and the Del Amo Post Office at 291 Del Amo Fashion Square.Zip codes 90277, 90501, 90503, 90504, 90505.

Healthcare

There are two major hospitals in Torrance:Torrance Memorial Medical CenterandLittle Company of Mary Hospital.A third hospital,Los Angeles County Department of Health ServicesHarbor-UCLA Medical Center,lies just outside the city limits (in unincorporatedWest Carson).

TheLos Angeles County Department of Health Servicesoperates the Torrance Health Center inHarbor Gateway,Los Angeles.

Fire

• Torrance Fire Department staffs seven Engine Companies, five Paramedic Rescue Squads, and two Truck Companies. The department operates out of six Fire Stations providing Fire and EMS coverage for the City and Mutual Aid to the surrounding communities. Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Little Company of Mary Hospital, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Kaiser Hospital-South Bay, and Memorial Hospital of Gardena are receiving hospitals for residents in Torrance who call 911 for medical assistance. The department is a Class 1 rated Fire Department, the Fire Chief is Martin Serna. Ambulance transportation is provided through McCormick Ambulance.

Police

• Torrance Police Departmentprovides 24-hour law enforcement coverage to the city. The department is broken down into four major divisions, each with its own subdivisions. The department has one main station located at the Civic Center near City Hall. It houses the administrative offices, the city jail, and the public safety dispatch center. The department works closely with other local law enforcement agencies for training and SWAT operations. The police chief is Jeremiah Hart.
• Torrance operates its own 911 dispatch center located at the police station, and is responsible for all 911 calls originating in Torrance. The communications center answers emergency and non-emergency calls and requests for assistance in addition to dispatching for both the Fire and Police Departments.

Public library

The City of Torrance operates a main library facility (named after former mayorKaty Geissert) in the city Civic Center, plus five branches at locations throughout the city.

Transportation

Zamperini Field(IATA:TOAICAO:KTOA) is a general aviation airport. Commercial airlines service is within 15 minutes atLos Angeles International AirportandLong Beach Airport.

Highways and freeways in the region includeI-110,I-405,SR 91,SR 107,andSR 1.The city is served byTorrance Transit,LACMTAMetro bus,andLADOTservices.

Rail

Union Pacific currently operates what is left of thePacific Electric'sSan Pedro via Gardena LineandTorrance LoopLine both built in 1911 (passenger service was provided until 1940, afterwards only the Torrance shop train was operated for employees). ThePacific Electric Torrance Shopswere completed in 1918 and closed in 1955 two years after all passenger service was taken over byLos Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority.Freight operations were taken over by PE's parent company,Southern Pacific,in 1965. SP was merged into UP in 1996.

TheLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority(LA Metro) plans to complete theC Line Extensionof theirMetro Railsystem fromRedondo Beachsometime between 2030 and 2033, though there are plans to accelerate the project as part of theTwenty-eight by '28initiative so it can be done by the2028 Olympics.

Freight to Torrance is served byBNSFandUnion Pacific.BNSF operates on the formerAtchison, Topeka & Santa Fe RailwayHarbor Subdivisionline originally built in the 1920s. AT&SF was merged withBurlington Northernin 1996 to form BNSF.

Proposed metro expansion

There have been proposals to expand theLA Metroto Torrance, but these proposals have faced opposition by Torrance politicians. In 2023, members of the Torrance City Council, Aurelio Mattucci and Jon Kaji, sought to block the expansion, arguing that the Metro would bring crime and homelessness to Torrance.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Torrance Unified School District(TUSD) was established in 1947 and unified in 1948. The district comprises the City of Torrance, bordered by the Palos Verdes Peninsula on the south, the cities of Redondo Beach and Gardena on the north, the City of Los Angeles (Harbor Gateway) on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The district's jurisdiction covers approximately 21 square miles (54 km²), and it operates 17 elementary schools, eight middle schools, five high schools (one of which is a continuation school), three adult education centers, and a child development center.

Fern Elementary School

Torrance High Schoolis one of the oldest high schools in California, having opened in 1917. The school is a popular filming location.

The Torrance Unified School District's fivehigh schoolsare:

• Torrance High School
• North High School
• South High School
• West High School
• Kurt Shery High School (continuation)

The Torrance Unified School District's eightmiddle schoolsare:

• Calle Mayor Middle School
• Casimir Middle School
• Bert Lynn Middle School
• J.H. Hull Middle School
• Jefferson Middle School
• Madrona Middle School
• Philip Magruder Middle School
• Richardson Middle School

The Torrance Unified School District's 17elementary schoolsare:

• Hickory Elementary School
• John Adams Elementary School
• Torrance Elementary School
• Howard Wood Elementary School
• Anza Elementary School
• Arlington Elementary School
• Arnold Elementary School
• Carr Elementary School
• Yukon Elementary School
• Walteria Elementary School
• Riviera Elementary School
• Towers Elementary School
• Fern Elementary School
• Edison Elementary School
• Lincoln Elementary School
• Seaside Elementary School
• Victor Elementary School

Area districts have created theSouthern California Regional Occupational Center(SCROC) to teach technical classes to their students and to local adults. TUSD is a participant feeder district of theCalifornia Academy of Mathematics and Scienceor CAMS, a mathematics and science magnet high school, administered by theLong Beach Unified School District.

Private schools

Torrance also has several private schools. Catholic schools under theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Los AngelesincludeBishop Montgomery High School,Nativity Catholic School, St James Catholic School and St Catherine Laboure Catholic School. Protestant private schools include Ascension Lutheran School and First Lutheran School.Pacific Lutheran High Schoolis inGardena.Other area schools include: Riviera Hall Lutheran School, Riviera Methodist School, and South Bay Junior Academy.

In 1980 theLycée Français de Los Angelesbought the 6.2-acre (2.5 ha) former Parkway School property, located in the Hollywood Riviera section of Torrance, from TUSD.This property became the Lycee's Torrance campus, and as of February 1990 the campus had 100 students. In November 1989 the Lycee sold the property for $2.65 million to Manhattan Holding Co. and scheduled to transfer the students to its West Los Angeles campuses. As of February 1990 neighbors of the campus site were asking the City of Torrance to not modify the zoning of this property. The Lycee stated that the campus closed due to low enrollment.

At one time, Coast Christian Schools (nowValor Christian Academy) maintained a high school campus in Torrance.

Colleges and universities

Torrance is in theEl Camino Community College District,although the campus ofEl Camino Collegeis just outside the city limits in unincorporatedEl Camino Village.El Camino College was founded in 1947, and the campus covers 126 acres (0.51 km²). As of 2011, the college enrolls over 25,000 students each semester.

Miscellaneous education

In 1980,Asahi Gakuen,aweekend Japanese-language education institution,began renting space inSouth Torrance High School.The school continues to use the school for its Torrance Campus (トーランス giáoTōransu-kō).

Media

TheLos Angeles Timesis the metropolitan area's newspaper.

TheDaily Breeze,a 70,000-circulation daily newspaper, is published in Torrance. It serves theSouth Baycities ofLos Angeles County.Its slogan is "LAX to LA Harbor". Herald Publications, media group started theTorrance Tribune,a community newspaper, which was started November 2010, it has a distribution of 15,000 newspapers to single-family homes and businesses in the City of Torrance.

Torrance CitiCABLE, shown on KNET 25.2, Spectrum 3, Frontier FiOS 31 is the government access channel. Programming includes news, sports, entertainment, information, public affairs, and city council meetings.

Notable people

See also:Category:People from Torrance, California

• Albert Isen,first directly elected mayor
• Jason "Wee-Man" Acuña,TV host and actor
• Guillermo "Memo" Arzate,former professional soccer player
• Bela Bajaria,Netflix Chief Content Officer, Time 100 Most Influential People (2022); attended Torrance High
• Brian Bonsall,actor inBlank Check(1994 Disney film)
• Jonathan Bornstein(born 1984), soccer left back/midfielder (Chicago Fire FCand national team)
• John Butler,leader of theJohn Butler Trio
• Brandon Call,actor onStep by Step
• Larry Carlton,guitarist
• John Chiang,California State Controller
• Kraig Chiles,professional soccer player for theSan Diego Sockers
• Roger Clinton,half-brother of PresidentBill Clinton
• Chase d'Arnaud,former Major League Baseball player
• Peter Daut,news anchor,KCBS-TV
• Rosemary Decamp,actress
• Chris Demaria,former MLB pitcher for theRoyalsandBrewers
• Bo Derek,actress
• Michael Dudikoff,actor
• Bobby East,NASCARdriver
• Ryan Ellis,NASCAR driver
• Whitney Engen,player for theUnited States women's national soccer team
• Carla Esparza,mixed martial artist; formerUFCstrawweight champion
• Kellen Goff,voice actor
• Ben Going,YouTubecelebrity
• Tony Gonzalez,retiredtight endfor theAtlanta Falcons;11-timePro Bowlselection
• Rorion Gracie&Royce Gracie,mixed martial artspractitioners andUFCfighters
• Bart Johnson,retiredMLBpitcher
• Parnelli Jones,USACdriver and his son,P. J. Jones,IRLdriver
• Spike Jonze,director, producer, screenwriter and actor; part owner of skateboard companyGirl Skateboards
• Fred Kendall,former MLB catcher and manager
• Jason Kendall,former MLB catcher
• Dave Kerman,drummer
• Chloe Kim,professional snowboarder,2018 Winter Olympicsgold medalist
• Kevin Kim,professional tennis player
• Jennifer Kita,Angel/Lil Angel of theHarajuku Girls
• Alix Klineman(born 1989), volleyball player
• Scott Kolden,actor
• Michelle Kwan,5-time world figure skating champion and Olympian
• Dave LaRoche,former MLB pitcher; father of MLB playersAdam LaRocheandAndy LaRoche
• Jennifer Lee (TOKiMONSTA),electronic music producer and DJ
• Ted Lieu,Democratic Party,U.S. RepresentativeforCalifornia's 33rd congressional district
• Ted Lilly,retired MLB starting pitcher
• Jeremy Lin,professional basketball player
• Nancy Lopez,Hall of Fame professional golfer
• Joyce Manor,emo/punk band
• Brandon Manumaleuna,NFL tight end for the Chicago Bears
• Rami Malek,actor
• Antonio Margarito,Mexican-American professional boxer
• Francisco Mendoza,MLSplayer
• AlysonandAmanda Michalka(Aly & AJ), singers and actresses
• Justin Miller,MLB pitcher
• Ethan Moreau,formerLos Angeles Kingshockey player
• Lisa Moretti,WWE's "Ivory"
• Chad Morton,NFLplayer
• Johnnie Morton,former NFL player
• Paul Moyer,television news broadcaster
• George Nakano,California politician
• Don Newcombe,formerLos Angeles Dodgerspitcher; first winner ofRookie of the Year,MVP,andCy Youngawards
• Steve Nguyen,director, producer, and screenwriter
• Chuck Norris,karate expert and actor; raised in Torrance; opened his firstdojoin Torrance
• Amy Okuda,actress
• Brian Ortega,mixed martial artist
• the Pedregon family, professional drag racers Frank Sr.,Cruz,Frank Jr., andTony
• Greg Popovich,founder and owner of Castle Rock Winery
• Jolene Purdy,actress, best known for role inUnder the Domeas Dodee
• Daryl Sabara& Evan Sabara, actors (Spy KidsandKeeping Up with the Steins)
• Adán Sánchez,Mexican-American corrido singer
• Steve Sarkisian,Current head football coach at the University of Texas at Austin
• Sigi Schmid,LA Galaxyhead coach
• Skip Schumaker,MLB outfielder
• Justin Shenkarow,actor
• Bud Smith,retired MLB player; threwno-hitterin his rookie season (2001)
• Snoop Dogg,rapper, actor; owns mansion in Hollywood Riviera neighborhood
• Joe Stevenson,mixed martial artspractitioner andUFCfighter
• Jack Stewart,soccer player,Carolina RailHawksinUSL-1
• Royle Stillman,MLB outfielder
• William Suff,serial killer
• Quentin Tarantino,filmmaker
• Ron Taylor,film and television actor, pro basketball player (ABA and Austrian League)
• Tyrone Taylor,center fielder for theMilwaukee Brewers
• Deon Thompson,North Carolina Tar Heelsbasketball player
• Connor Tingley,artist
• Billy Traber,Major League Baseballpitcher
• Tiffany van Soest,kickboxer
• Janeene Vickers,1992 Barcelona Olympicsmedalist
• Chauncey Washington,former NFL running back
• Glen Walker,NFL player
• J. Warner Wallace,homicide detective and Christian apologist
• David Wells,former MLB pitcher
• Paul Westphal,NBAplayer and former head coach
• Ryan Wheeler,MLB third baseman
• Denzel Whitaker,actor
• John White,CFLplayer
• Steven Wright,starting pitcher for Boston Red Sox
• Louis Zamperini,1936 Olympic track star, World War II veteran, author, speaker; subject ofUnbroken
• Latrice Royale,drag queen; best known for competing on thefourth seasonofRuPaul's Drag Raceand thefourth seasonofRuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

Sister cities

In 1973, Torrance established a sister-city relationship withKashiwa, Chiba,Japan,as part of theSister Cities Internationalprogram. Since then, citizens of Torrance have regularly engaged in cultural exchange with Kashiwa through the guidance of the Torrance Sister City Association, which facilitates a Japanese cultural festival, a yearly student exchange program, and contact between officials of the two cities.North Highis the official sister high school of Kashiwa Municipal High. Torrance has also a sister-city relationship with Konya, Türkiye since 1958.

External links

• Official website
• Discover Torrance the Official Visitors Bureau for Torrance, California
• City-Data.com: Torrance information page