Largest valley-area cities and communities: ranked by population.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As Los Angeles pushed past 4 million residents this year, the San Fernando Valley so saw its share of growth. The Los Angeles County portion of the Valley is now populated by more than 1.8 million people, and other cities within the San Fernando Valley Business Journal's coverage area add more than half a million people to that number. The city hopes to lessen the drive time for the growing number of Valley commuters by opening the Orange Line rapid bus later this fall.

Representatives to Los Angeles City Council remained unchanged since the list was last published in 2004, although the mayor's office is now occupied by Antonio Villaraigosa after James Hahn was defeated in May, in part by Valley residents who still carry some resentment over Hahn's campaign against secession.

Prospective home buyers throughout the Valley will notice that the median housing value has skyrocketed in most Valley communities. Some areas have been spared huge price increases, but would-be homeowners in areas like Woodland Hills, Burbank, San Fernando and most every other community can expect to pay more than $100,000 more than their neighbors who bought last year.

--Jonathan D. Colburn 

THE PACESETTER

NORTH HOLLYWOOD 

NORTH Hollywood retains its spot as the largest community within the city of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley boundaries with a total of 153,406 residents. While its spot is unchanged, it's hard to say the same about the community in general.

Developer J.H. Snyder is currently building the $190 million 16.7 acre "NoHo Commons" mixed use project at Chandler and Lankershim boulevards. Upon completion, the project will include 738 residential units and 172,000 square feet of commercial and public space.

J.H. Snyder is also slated to redevelop the adjoining Valley Plaza and Laurel Plaza shopping centers a few miles to the north once the Community Redevelopment Agency has accumulated all of the property. The Los Angeles Unified School District is currently building a middle school nearby.

The CRA's North Hollywood Project Area was established in 1979. It has overseen the development of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences complex in 1991, a community shopping center in 1993 and more than 750 units of housing.

--Jonathan D. Colburn

LARGEST VALLEY-AREA CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Ranked by population

Rank   City                        Profile       Median Housing
                                 * population        Value
                                * year founded

 1     Los Angeles                4,021,611        $465,000
                                     1850
 2     Glendale                    203,905          582,000
                                     1906
 3     Santa Clarita               164,009          559,000
                                     1987
 4     North Hollywood             153,406          499,000
                                     1888
 5     Palmdale                    136,734          325,000
                                     1962
 6     Lancaster                   130,000          291,000
                                     1977
 7     Van Nuys                    128,078          520,000
                                     1911
 8     Thousand Oaks               126,081          669,000
                                     1964
 9     Simi Valley                 119,987          565,000
                                     1969
10     Burbank                     105,127          610,000
                                     1887
11     Northridge                   84,334          700,000
                                     1908
12     Panorama City                77,908          445,000
                                     1948
13     Woodland Hills               70,541          682,500
                                     1923
14     Pacoima                      69,032          450,000
                                     1887
15     Granada Hills                68,748          568,000
                                     1927
16     Sylmar                       64,079          450,000
                                     1915
17     Reseda                       64,020          475,000
                                     1922
18     North Hills                  62,900          515,000
                                     1915
19     Camarillo                    62,412          600,000
                                     1964
20     Sherman Oaks                 56,280          658,000
                                     1910
21     Sun Valley                   54,539          473,000
                                     1882
22     Winnetka                     50,594          520,000
                                     1922
23     Valley Glen                  49,839             NA
                                     1997
24     Encino                       48,605          594,500
                                     1915
25     Canoga Park                  44,254          537,000
                                     1892
26     West Hills                   42,405          619,500
                                      NA
27     Studio City                  41,400          850,000
                                     1928
28     Chatsworth                   41,379          581,000
                                     1888
29     Tarzana                      34,714          672,000
                                     1927
30     Arleta                       29,452             NA
                                     1966
31     Tujunga                      25,767          500,000
                                     1913
32     Calabasas/Hidden Hills       24,920         1,295,000
                                     1991
33     San Fernando                 24,804          450,000
                                     1874
34     Sunland                      23,321          545,000
                                     1894
35     Agoura Hills (1)             21,005          368,338
                                     1982
36     Valley Village               20,705          720,000
                                     1991
37     Mission Hills                18,764          500,000
                                     1956
38     Westlake Village (1)         8,368           669,000
                                     1981

Rank          Representative(s)
                * phone number

 1        Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
                [phone]
 2           Mayor Rafi Manoukian
                [phone]
 3           Mayor Cameron Smyth
                [phone]
 4        Tony Cardenas, Tom LaBonge
        [phone], [phone]
 5        Mayor James C. Ledford Jr.
                [phone]
 6          Mayor Frank C. Roberts
                [phone]
 7              Tony Cardenas
                [phone]
 8      Mayor Claudia Bill-de la Pena
                [phone]
 9            Mayor Paul Miller
                [phone]
10         Mayor Jef Vander Borght
                [phone]
11               Greig Smith
                [phone]
12       Tony Cardenas, Alex Padilla
        [phone], [phone]
13              Dennis P. Zine
                [phone]
14       Tony Cardenas, Alex Padilla
        [phone], [phone]
15               Greig Smith
                [phone]
16               Alex Padilla
                [phone]
17              Dennis P. Zine
                [phone]
18        Alex Padilla, Greig Smith
        [phone], [phone]
19            Mayor Kevin Kildee
                [phone]
20         Wendy Greuel, Jack Weiss
        [phone], [phone]
21       Tony Cardenas, Wendy Greuel
        [phone], [phone]
22              Dennis P. Zine
                [phone]
23               Wendy Greuel
                [phone]
24         Wendy Greuel, Jack Weiss
        [phone], [phone]
25              Dennis P. Zine
                [phone]
26        Greig Smith, Dennis P. Zine
        [phone], [phone]
27        Wendy Greuel, Tom LaBonge
         [phone],[phone]
28               Greig Smith
                [phone]
29       Wendy Greuel, Dennis P. Zine
         [phone],[phone]
30              Tony Cardenas
                [phone]
31               Wendy Greuel
                [phone]
32           Mayor Barry Groveman
                [phone]
33            Mayor Julie Ruelas
                [phone]
34               Wendy Greuel
                [phone]
35            Mayor Ed Corridori
                [phone]
36         Wendy Greuel, Jack Weiss
        [phone], [phone]
37               Alex Padilla
                [phone]
38          Mayor Mark Rutherford
                [phone]

Information was provided by the San Fernando Valley Economic Research
Center at California State University, Northridge.
Some housing prices were provided by DataQuick in San Diego.

NA--Not available.

(1) Data for Agoura Hills and Westlake Village came from the cities'
respective Web Sites and chambers of commerce. Home prices for Agoura
Hills came from 2000 census data.

To the best of our knowledge, this information is accurate as of press
time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and
thoroughness of the list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes
occur. Please send corrections or additions on company letterhead to
the Research Department, San Fernando Business Journal, 21600 Oxnard
St., Suite 250, Woodland Hills 91367. [c] 2005 San Fernando Valley
Business Journal. This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part
without prior written permission from the editor. Reprints are
available from Wright's Reprints, [phone] ext. 104 or
e-mail [e-mail].

Researched by Jonathan O. Colbum