Walnut, California
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Walnut is a city in the eastern part of
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...
in the U.S. state of
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 28,430. The greater Walnut Valley is located between the steep San Jose Hills to the north and the gently sloping Puente Hills to the south. Quality housing consists of master-planned single family homes ranging in size from . The city hosts a highly ranked public school system: the Walnut Valley Unified School District, which has been ranked by numerous sources as one of the top public school districts in Southern California, as well as Mt. San Antonio College. The city covers nearly and is home to hundreds of businesses. According to the 2023 census bureau estimate, Walnut has a median household income at one of the top-earning percentiles in the country at $133,762. The city's name is derived from the Rancho Los Nogales Mexican land grant, ''nogales'' being the Spanish word for "walnut trees"; the native California black walnut is a common tree, native to the San Jose Hills. The City of Walnut is a general law city incorporated on January 19, 1959. It is governed by a city council/city manager form of government. A five-member city council is elected by the residents, and a mayor is elected annually by the council to serve a twelve-month term. A city manager is appointed by the council to oversee the daily activities of the city.


Geography

Walnut is located on the southern slopes of the San Jose Hills, with West Covina to the northwest,
Covina Covina (Help:IPA/English, /koviːnə/) is a city in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles The population was 51,268 according to the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...
to the north, San Dimas to the northeast, Pomona to the east, Diamond Bar, Rowland Heights, and the City of Industry to the south, and La Puente to the west. Several small creeks (i.e. Snow Creek, Lemon Creek) run mostly to the south toward the valley of San Jose Creek, which runs west to the San Gabriel River.


Climate


History

The area are the traditional lands of the Tongva people. Spanish missionaries who arrived in the 18th century called the indigenes ''Gabrieleño'', because the area where they lived was controlled by the San Gabriel Mission. The Walnut area was part of the network of outlying ranches used for the grazing of cattle and sheep by the Mission. Following
secularization In sociology, secularization () is a multilayered concept that generally denotes "a transition from a religious to a more worldly level." There are many types of secularization and most do not lead to atheism or irreligion, nor are they automatica ...
of the missions in the 1830s, former mission lands were divided into '' ranchos'', and given away as land grants by the Mexican government of
Alta California Alta California (, ), also known as Nueva California () among other names, was a province of New Spain formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but was made a separat ...
. In the Walnut area, the first grants were Rancho San Jose (granted to Ricardo Vejar and Ygnacio Palomares in 1837); Rancho Los Nogales (granted to Jose De La Cruz Linares in 1840); and Rancho La Puente (granted to John Rowland and William Workman in 1842). In 1868, John Rowland and William Workman divided Rancho La Puente, leaving Rowland the eastern half and Workman the western half. Rowland's land included the western portion of Walnut and the adjacent community now called Rowland Heights. The land was used mainly for raising cattle and growing wheat, grapes, and fruit trees (mostly citrus). In 1895, the first U.S. post office was established and given the name "Lemon". In 1908, the post office name was changed to Walnut. As a reminder of those early days, the U.S. Post Office is on Lemon Avenue, one of the town's main streets. The City of Walnut's Bicentennial Commission selected the construction of Lemon Creek Park and the restoration of the William R. Rowland Adobe Redwood Ranch House as Walnut's bicentennial project. In 1872, the Lemon Creek Park area became the property of Sheriff William Rowland, who inherited the ranch from his father, John Rowland. The modest structure built in 1883 served as the home of Mr. Meridith, ranch foreman for William Rowland. The adobe redwood ranch house is one of the few remaining original ranch style redwood and adobe structures in the area. On October 1, 1975, the State Landmark Committee placed the W.R. Rowland ranch house in the National Registry of Historical Places.


Demographics

Walnut first appeared as a city in the 1960 U.S. Census as part of the East San Gabriel Valley census county division.


2020 census


2010 census

According to the 2010 United States census, Walnut had a median household income of $101,250, with 6.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line. The 2010 United States census reported that Walnut had a population of 29,172. The population density was . The racial makeup of Walnut was 18,567 (63.6%) Asian, 6,913 (23.7%)
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
(12.5% Non-Hispanic White), 824 (2.8%)
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 69 (0.2%) Native American, 28 (0.1%)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1,750 (6.0%) from other races, and 1,021 (3.5%) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 5,575 persons (19.1%). The Census reported that 29,138 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 22 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12 (0%) were institutionalized. There were 8,533 households, out of which 3,492 (40.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,298 (73.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 985 (11.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 394 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 163 (1.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 26 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 627 households (7.3%) were made up of individuals, and 237 (2.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.41. There were 7,677 families (90.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.55. The population was spread out, with 6,088 people (20.9%) under the age of 18, 3,092 people (10.6%) aged 18 to 24, 6,089 people (20.9%) aged 25 to 44, 10,339 people (35.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,564 people (12.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males. There were 8,753 housing units at an average density of , of which 7,536 (88.3%) were owner-occupied, and 997 (11.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.4%. 25,504 people (87.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,634 people (12.5%) lived in rental housing units.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 8,260 households, out of which 50.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.1% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 8.2% were non-families. 5.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.63 and the average family size was 3.74. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males. Males had a median income of $51,944 versus $36,197 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $31,196. About 5.8% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. The city was recognized in 1999 by CNN as a model of diversity. As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 30,004 people, 8,260 households, and 7,582 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 8,395 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 55.75% Asian, 28.37%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 4.20%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.24% Native American, 0.08%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 7.65% from other races, and 3.71% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 19.34% of the population. Chinese (21.0%) and Mexican (14.6%) were the most common ancestries in the 2000 census. Taiwan (20.7%) and Philippines (17.3%) were the most common foreign places of birth in 2000.


Economy

Shea Homes, and the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
divisions of the Filipino
home video Home video is recorded media sold or Video rental shop, rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD and Blu-ray. ...
company Viva Video, Inc. and the Japanese card game company Bushiroad are based in Walnut. According to the 2010 United States census, Walnut had a median household income of $101,250, with 6.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line. According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are:


Arts and culture

Walnut holds an annual Walnut Family Festival. On the day of festival, several streets in the area (such as portions of Lemon and La Puente) are closed in the morning and a parade is held in which many local clubs and groups participate. Later in the afternoon, a fair with booths, games, food, and activities is held in Suzanne Park, adjacent to Suzanne Middle School. The Walnut Family Festival usually occurs in early or mid-October.


Sports


Mt. SAC Relays

Started in 1959, the Mt. SAC Relays are an annual
track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
festival held primarily at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mt. San Antonio College campus. The April festival attracts many elite athletes from around the world to the city of Walnut. This meet and other elite track meets held at the stadium, including the 1968 Olympic Trials and two editions of the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships have emblazoned the identification of "Walnut, California" in numerous national records in athletics around the world. At various points in time, many world records were set at the Mt. SAC Relays. The October Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational, run in the hills surrounding the stadium, proclaims itself to be the largest Cross Country meeting in the world. Much of the same course is used as the annual CIF Southern Section championships and the western qualifier for the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships.


Proposed NFL stadium

In April 2008, billionaire land developer and co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings Edward P. Roski unveiled plans for the construction of an $800 million NFL stadium in the neighboring City of Industry. In March 2009, Walnut filed a lawsuit opposing construction of the stadium, but dropped those charges in September. On October 23, 2009, California governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
signed a bill allowing the 75,000-seat stadium to be built in neighboring Industry in hopes of attracting an NFL team there. This bill would also nullify a lawsuit filed by local residents over the project's environmental impact report.


Government


Municipal

The five-member Walnut City Council is the elected legislative body governing the City.


State and federal

In the
California State Legislature The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
, Walnut is in , and in . In the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Walnut is in . While the Congressional, State Senate, and State Assembly districts that Walnut is located in may have tendencies to vote for Republican candidates, since the 2000 election Walnut has voted only for Democratic presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial candidates, with the exceptions of
2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...
and 2006 when they voted for
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
. Walnut voters break down by party affiliation 63.102% Democratic and 35.598% Republican.


Education

Primary education in Walnut is generally served by the prestigious Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD), which has been ranked by numerous sources to be one of the top public school districts in all of Southern California; it also serves parts of the city of Diamond Bar. Schools located in and around Walnut include: *C.J. Morris Elementary School *Collegewood Elementary School * Oswalt Academy (Formerly known as Oswalt Elementary School)
Rowland Unified School District
*Vejar Elementary School *Walnut Elementary School *Westhoff Elementary School * Suzanne Middle School *Southlands Christian Schools *South Pointe Middle School *Chaparral Middle School *Ronald Hockwalt Academies (Formerly known as Del Paso High School) * Walnut High School * Diamond Bar High School Portions of the western side of Walnut are also served by the Rowland Unified School District. In addition, Mt. San Antonio College, one of the California Community Colleges, is also located in Walnut near its border with Pomona.


Infrastructure

The
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...
(LASD) operates the Walnut/Diamond Bar Station in Walnut. The
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Health Services Los Angeles County, officially the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, operates the public hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and is the United States' second largest municip ...
operates the Pomona Health Center in Pomona, serving Walnut. Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 61 is located in the City of Walnut.


Surrounding suburban cities

* Diamond Bar, California (which shares the same school district with Walnut) * City of Industry, California *
Pomona, California Pomona ( ) is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population was ...
* La Puente, California *
West Covina, California West Covina is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located east of downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, it is part of Greater Los Angeles Area, Greater Los Angeles. The population for the city was 109,501 ...


Notable people

* David Ji (born 1952), Chinese-American electronics entrepreneur who co-founded Apex Digital. * Aja Naomi King, actress, '' How to Get Away with Murder'' * Kyle MacKinnon, ice hockey center who played for the San Diego Gulls * Darius McCrary, actor, singer, and producer; known most for playing Eddie Winslow on the television show '' Family Matters'' * Lance Parrish, MLB baseball catcher


References


External links

*
Regional Chamber of Commerce - San Gabriel Valley
{{authority control
Walnut A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...
Walnut A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...
Walnut A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...
1959 establishments in California Populated places established in 1959