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}}Template:Main other

Costa Mesa (Template:IPAc-en; Spanish for "coastal tableland")<ref name="cityname">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city, one of the region's largest commercial clusters, with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light manufacturing. The city is home to the two tallest skyscrapers in Orange County.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The population was 111,918 at the 2020 census.

HistoryEdit

File:Portrait of Don Bernardo Yorba by an unknown artist.jpg
Don Bernardo Yorba, a wealthy Californio ranchero, owned Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, which included all of modern-day Costa Mesa.

Members of the Tongva and Acjachemen nations long inhabited the area. The Tongva villages of Lupukngna, at least 3,000 years old, and the shared Tongva and Acjachemen village of Genga, at least 9,500 years old, were located in the area on the bluffs along the Santa Ana River.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref>

After the 1769 expedition of Gaspar de Portolà, a Spanish expedition led by Junípero Serra named the area Vallejo de Santa Ana (Valley of Saint Anne). On November 1, 1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano became the area's first permanent European settlement in Alta California, New Spain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1801, the Spanish Empire granted Template:Convert to Jose Antonio Yorba, which he named Rancho San Antonio.

After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States, and American settlers arrived in this area and formed the town of Fairview in the 1880s near the modern intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Adams Avenue.

To the south, meanwhile, the community of Harper had arisen on a siding of the Santa Ana and Newport Railway, named after a local rancher. This town prospered on its agricultural goods. On May 11, 1920, Harper changed its name to Costa Mesa, which means "coastal tableland" in Spanish.<ref name="cityname"/> This is a reference to the city's geography as being a plateau by the coast. Fanny Bixby Spencer and her husband sponsored the contest which selected the city's new name.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Costa Mesa surged in population during and after World War II, as many thousands trained at Santa Ana Army Air Base and returned after the war with their families. Within three decades of incorporation, the city's population had nearly quintupled.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

GeographyEdit

Costa Mesa is located Template:Convert southeast of Los Angeles, Template:Convert northwest of San Diego and Template:Convert southeast of San Francisco. Costa Mesa encompasses a total of Template:Convert with its southernmost border only Template:Convert from the Pacific Ocean.

ClimateEdit

Costa Mesa has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with mild temperatures year round. Rain falls primarily in the winter months and is close to nonexistent during the summer.

Template:Weather box

DemographicsEdit

Template:US Census population

Costa Mesa was first listed as an unincorporated community in the 1950 U.S. Census as part of unincorporated Newport Beach Township;<ref name=1950CensusCA/> and listed as a city in the 1960 U.S. Census.<ref name=1960CensusCA/>

2020Edit

Costa Mesa, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

% 2000 % 2010 Template:Partial
White alone (NH) 61,778 56,993 54,169 56.82% 51.83% 48.40%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,313 1,352 1,306 1.21% 1.23% 1.17%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 329 266 232 0.30% 0.24% 0.21%
Asian alone (NH) 7,421 8,483 9,455 6.83% 7.71% 8.45%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 601 486 412 0.55% 0.44% 0.37%
Other race alone (NH) 220 243 618 0.20% 0.22% 0.55%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 2,539 2,734 4,931 2.34% 2.49% 4.41%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 34,523 39,403 40,795 31.75% 35.83% 36.45%
Total 108,724 109,960 111,918 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2010Edit

At the 2010 census Costa Mesa had a population of 109,960. The population density was Template:Convert. The racial makeup of Costa Mesa was 75,335 (68.5%) White (51.8% Non-Hispanic White),<ref name="quickfacts.census.gov">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1,640 (1.5%) African American, 686 (0.6%) Native American, 8,654 (7.9%) Asian, 527 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 17,992 (16.4%) from other races, and 5,126 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39,403 persons (35.8%).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Census reported that 106,990 people (97.3% of the population) lived in households, 2,232 (2.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 738 (0.7%) were institutionalized.Template:Citation needed

There were 39,946 households, 12,298 (30.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 16,478 (41.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,369 (10.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,392 (6.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,013 (7.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 281 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 10,963 households (27.4%) were one person and 2,775 (6.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68. There were 23,239 families (58.2% of households); the average family size was 3.30.Template:Citation needed

The age distribution was 23,682 people (21.5%) under the age of 18, 12,847 people (11.7%) aged 18 to 24, 38,211 people (34.7%) aged 25 to 44, 25,106 people (22.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,114 people (9.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 33.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.Template:Citation needed

There were 42,120 housing units at an average density of 2,682.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 15,799 (39.6%) were owner-occupied and 24,147 (60.4%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 42,517 people (38.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 64,473 people (58.6%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Costa Mesa had a median household income of $65,830, with 15.1% of the population living below the poverty line.<ref name="quickfacts.census.gov"/>

2000Edit

At the 2000 census there were 108,724 people in 39,206 households, including 22,778 families, in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 40,406 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 69.48% White, 1.40% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 6.90% Asian, 0.60% Pacific Islander, 16.57% from other races, and 4.27% from two or more races. 31.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name="GR2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Of the 39,206 households 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 28.1% of households were one person and 6.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.34.Template:Citation needed

The age distribution was 23.2% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 39.0% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.9 males.Template:Citation needed

The median household income was $50,732 and the median family income was $55,456. Males had a median income of $38,670 versus $32,365 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,342. About 8.2% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.Template:Citation needed

HousingEdit

Template:Further Measure Y is a ballot initiative approved by voters in 2016. It requires public approval of projects that have a general plan amendment or zoning change and would add 40 or more dwelling units or 10,000 or more square feet of commercial space.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The median housing price is $807,000 ($505 per sq ft) and $3,500 for the median rent per month.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Measure Y was amended in 2022 by Measure K.

EconomyEdit

The city's economy relies heavily on retail and services. The largest center of commercial activity is South Coast Plaza, a shopping center noted for its architecture and size. The volume of sales generated by South Coast Plaza, on the strength of its more than 270 stores, places it among the highest volume regional shopping centers in the nation. It generates more than $1 billion per year in revenue.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> South Coast Metro is a commercial, cultural, and residential district surrounding South Coast Plaza in northern Costa Mesa and southern Santa Ana, itself part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city.

Some manufacturing activity also takes place in the city, mostly in the industrial, southwestern quarter, which is home to a number of electronics, pharmaceuticals and plastics firms. Business services company Experian has its North American headquarters in Costa Mesa.

Anduril Industries, Ceradyne, El Pollo Loco, Emulex, Hurley, RVCA, Toyota Racing Development, Vans, and Volcom are among the businesses headquartered in Costa Mesa. A local newspaper, the Daily Pilot, is published by the Los Angeles Times.

The Trinity Broadcasting Network was headquartered in Costa Mesa (and had its main production studio there) until it relocated most of its operations to Texas but still maintains a presence in the city.

Wahoo's Fish Taco was founded in Costa Mesa in 1988 by Chinese-Brazilian brothers Eduardo "Ed" Lee, Renato "Mingo" Lee and Wing Lam.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Costa Mesa offers 26 parks, a municipal golf course, 26 public schools and two libraries.Template:Citation needed

Top employersEdit

According to the city's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of employees
1 EPL Intermediate, Inc. 3,998
2 Experian 3,700
3 Coast Community College District 2,900
4 Orange Coast College 1,900
5 Automobile Club of Southern California<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 1,773
6 Anduril Industries 1,100
7 Deloitte & Touche LLP 700
8 FileNet 600
9 Vans 550
10 Vanguard University 319

Arts and cultureEdit

Annual cultural eventsEdit

The Orange County Fair takes place at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa each July. The Fair receives more than one million visitors each year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Annual Scarecrow & Pumpkin Festival was first held in 1938, went on hiatus for seven decades, and then was restarted in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

FacilitiesEdit

File:Costa-mesa-ca.jpg
Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, in 2020

Adjacent to the Fairgrounds is the Pacific Amphitheatre, which has hosted acts such as Madonna, Jessica Simpson, Steppenwolf, and Kelly Clarkson.

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts and South Coast Repertory Theater are based in the city.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

National Football LeagueEdit

Costa Mesa has been home to the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders training camp since 2024. Previously it was home to the training center, training camp and corporate headquarters of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017 to 2024. The team agreed to a lease of the facility they moved into prior to their relocation from San Diego.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The building, called the Jack Hammett Sports Complex is a former office space, but Chargers players and coaches said it was an upgrade from what the team had in San Diego.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Chargers occupied the facility until 2024 when they left for a purpose-built practice facility in El Segundo. The team gutted the first floor of the building to make room for team rooms. Construction cost more than $3.8 million. After the Chargers departed for El Segundo, the facility became the training camp home of the Las Vegas Raiders.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Decades prior, the facility was a lima bean farm owned by a Swedish immigrant family who became prominent developers in Orange County.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

GovernmentEdit

LocalEdit

A general law city, Costa Mesa has a council-manager form of government. In November 2016, voters approved changing the City Council seats from five at-large seats to six voting districts and a directly elected mayor, who acts as the chairperson for the council and head of the government.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The mayor serves two-year terms and councilmembers serve four year terms, with each office having a two-term limit. Municipal elections are held every two years, during which the mayor and three councilmembers are up for election.

Day to day, the city is run by a professional city manager and staff of approximately 460 full-time employees.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Management of the city and coordination of city services are provided by:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Office Officeholder
City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison
Assistant City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly
City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow
City Clerk Brenda Green
Economic & Development Services Director Carrie Tai
Finance Director Carol Molina
I.T. Director Steve Ely
Public Works Director Raja Sethuraman
Parks and Community Services Director Brian Gruner
Fire Chief Dan Stefano
Police Chief Ronald Lawrence

Residents of the city are also governed by various special districts, including the Mesa Water District, the Orange County Water District, the Municipal Water District of Orange County, the Irvine Ranch Water District, and the Costa Mesa Sanitary District.

State and federalEdit

In the California State Legislature, Costa Mesa is in Template:Representative, and in Template:Representative.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the United States House of Representatives, Costa Mesa is in Template:Representative.<ref>Template:Cite GovTrack</ref>

Costa Mesa city vote
by party in presidential elections
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|56.00% 29,804 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|41.44% 22,056 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|2.55% 1,358
align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|50.95% 21,528 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|40.75% 17,219 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|8.30% 3,507
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|2012<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|47.66% 18,414 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|48.60% 18,778 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|3.74% 1,443
align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|51.88% 20,542 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|45.32% 17,945 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|2.80% 1,107
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|42.91% 16,442 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|55.55% 21,284 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|1.54% 590
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|2000<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|40.06% 13,733 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|54.13% 18,556 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|5.81% 1,990
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|1996<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|36.97% 11,949 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|50.16% 16,213 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|12.87% 4,161
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|1992<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|32.46% 12,702 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|40.02% 15,659 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|27.52% 10,769
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|1988<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|33.90% 11,849 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|64.47% 22,534 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|1.63% 571
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|1984<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|26.16% 8,908 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|72.39% 24,652 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|1.45% 493
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|1980<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|24.67% 7,796 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|63.38% 20,028 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|11.95% 3,775
align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|1976<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|35.51% 9,805 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|62.16% 17,161 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|2.33% 643

PoliticsEdit

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 20, 2024, Costa Mesa has 60,789 registered voters. Of those, 22,661 (37.3%) are registered Democrats, 19,888 (32.7%) are registered Republicans, 15,204 (25%) have declined to state a political party/are independents, 2,717 (4.5%) are registered American Independents, and 319 (0.5%) are registered to the Green Party.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Until 2008, Costa Mesa was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. Since 2008, Costa Mesa has mostly voted Democratic in presidential elections, owing to the GOP's shift towards cultural conservatism. In 2008, Barack Obama was the first Democrat to carry Costa Mesa in decades, while Republican nominee Mitt Romney carried the city by only 364 votes in the 2012 presidential election. Costa Mesa flipped back to Democratic in 2016, voting for Hillary Clinton by a 10.2% margin, and for Joe Biden by a 14.6% margin in 2020. Template:Citation needed

In 2008, Costa Mesa was one of four cities in Orange County to vote against Proposition 8 (along with Aliso Viejo, Irvine, and Laguna Beach), a statewide ballot measure that banned same-sex marriages.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

EducationEdit

Institutions of higher learning located in Costa Mesa include Orange Coast College, and Vanguard University (affiliated with the Assemblies of God). Whittier Law School was a former school.

Costa Mesa has two public high schools, Costa Mesa High School and Estancia High School. There are also two public middle schools; TeWinkle Middle School, which was named after Costa Mesa's first mayor, and Costa Mesa Middle School which shares the same campus as Costa Mesa High School. Costa Mesa also has two alternative high schools that share the same campus, Back Bay High School and Monte Vista High School and another, Coastline Early College High School which is on its own facility. These are located in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

TransportationEdit

File:OCTA Unit 5509.jpg
OC Bus in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa is served by several bus lines of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), but most transportation is by automobile. Two state highways, State Route 55 (Costa Mesa Freeway) and State Route 73 (Corona del Mar Freeway), have their respective southern and northern terminus points within Costa Mesa. The San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) also runs through the city.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

InfrastructureEdit

Civic CenterEdit

The Template:Convert Costa Mesa Civic Center is located at 77 Fair Drive. City hall is a five-story building where the primary administrative functions of the city are conducted. Also contained in the Civic Center complex are Council Chambers, the Police facility, Communications building and Fire Station No. 5.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Emergency servicesEdit

Fire protection is provided by the Costa Mesa Fire Department.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Law enforcement is the responsibility of the Costa Mesa Police Department. Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Costa Mesa Fire Department and Care Ambulance Service.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Notable peopleEdit

Sister cityEdit

  • Wyndham, Australia<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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