Palmdale, CA

With approximately 139,000 residents according to a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, Palmdale is the largest desert city in California. Located high in the Mojave Desert on the edge of Los Angeles County, Palmdale is known for its sparse rainfall and broiling hot summers, when temperatures often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The city is close to the San Andreas Fault, making it especially prone to earthquakes. But residents of Palmdale take pride in their community, an attitude embodied in the city's motto, "A Place to Call Home."

Lured by relatively cheap home and rental prices, former Los Angeles residents have made Palmdale the site of an exurban exodus. Palmdale is also a particularly diverse community, both economically and culturally.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Palmdale's downtown, near Sierra Highway and E. Palmdale Blvd. is the place to go for municipal buildings and the library, as well as the Metrolink Station on Sierra. Retailing centers around the Antelope Valley Mall on W. Rancho Vista Blvd. near the Antelope Valley Freeway. Neighborhoods in the Palmdale area range from 1950s and 1960s tract homes to newer master-planned communities. Some of the main housing developments in the area include Quartz Hill toward Lancaster, and Desert View Highlands, near 10th St. W. and W. Palmdale Blvd.

GETTING AROUND

Average commuting times for Palmdale residents are among the highest in the country. In 2005, as a means of mitigating road congestion and travel delays, the city completed construction on a commuter rail Metrolink train, which runs from Palmdale to Los Angeles and other communities in the metropolitan area. There is also a commuter bus service, and the city is developing a system of bicycle lanes to promote non-motorized travel. The Antelope Valley Freeway is the main route in and out; it connects with the 5 south of Newhall for the ride into Los Angeles.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Palmdale residents work a range of skilled labor and white-collar jobs. Many of the city's residents work in Los Angeles or other nearby cities, and thousands work in the Antelope Valley's many aerospace businesses, including:

• Lockheed Martin, among the world's largest defense contractors
• Northrop Grumman Corporation, another major military contractor, known for manufacturing both aerospace and naval vessels

Both companies have researched and tested space shuttles, stealth planes, and fighter aircrafts in the Palmdale area. They have chosen to call the area home because of its proximity of Edwards Air Force Base, which sits on the border of Los Angeles County and Kern County.

EDUCATION

Palmdale residents have several local choices for higher education, including:

• Antelope Valley Community College: This community college's Palmdale branch serves a relatively small student body.
• Chapman University: Chapman is a liberal arts college based in nearby Orange, California. It maintains a satellite campus in Palmdale, where the focus is on extended education in areas such as computers information systems, social science, and nutrition.
• The AERO Institute: A project of NASA and the City of Palmdale, the Aero Institute offers undergraduate and graduate courses in aerospace engineering through a distance-learning program. The Institute collaborates with universities like Purdue, USC, and Caltech.

BEST BETS

• Devil's Punchbowl: The Devil's Punchbowl is a natural canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains. It is popular for its rock formations.
• Palmdale Amphitheater: Regularly voted a main attraction in Antelope Valley, the Palmdale Amphitheater seats 10,000, and is home to the city's popular Starlight Concert Series.

EVENTS

• Palmdale Jazz and Wine Festival: This September festival features jazz musicians, gourmet food, and wine from the region and from Northern California.
• Palmdale Fall Festival: The city hosts this family-oriented festival in Marie Kerr Park each October. Attendees enjoy arts and crafts vendors, an aerospace expo, and children's entertainment.
• Thursday Night on the Square: Each summer, the city hosts this weekly festival in Poncitlan Square. The event is always kid-friendly.

LOCAL MEDIA

Newspapers serving Palmdale include:

• Antelope Valley Press
• Los Angeles Times

More than a dozen radio stations serve Palmdale, including:

• KAVL 610 AM (sports)
• KTPI 1340 AM (adult standards)
• KWJL 1380 AM (news/talk)
• KUTY 1470 AM (Spanish oldies)
• KTLW 88.9 FM (religious/Christian)
• KTPI-FM 97.7 FM (country)
• KKZQ 100.1 FM (modern rock)
• KRAJ 100.9 FM (hip hop)
• KCEL 106.9 FM (regional Spanish)

Television stations serving Palmdale include:

• TW Cable 3 (local events/news)
• K67AO 12 (simulcast of KABC-TV-Los Angeles)
• Palmdale 27 (Palmdale cable information channel)
• KPAL-LP 38 (home shopping/local events)