Acton, California

Acton (pronunciation^ⓘ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2020 census, Acton had a population of 7,431.

Acton, California
Unincorporated community Census designated place
View of Acton and the surrounding valley from Route 14, with Mt. Gleason and the San Gabriel Mountains in the background
Location of Acton in Los Angeles County, California
Acton Location of Acton in Los Angeles County, California Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Acton Location of Acton in California Show map of California Acton Location of Acton in the USA Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 34.48°N 118.19°W / 34.48; -118.19
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Named after	Acton, Massachusetts
Area [1]
• Total	39.28 sq mi (101.74 km2)
• Land	39.26 sq mi (101.68 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)  0.06%
Elevation [2]	2,710 ft (826 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,431
• Density	189.28/sq mi (73.08/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code	93510
Area code	661
FIPS code	06-00212
GNIS feature IDs	1660228, 2407697

Acton is a small residential community located between the Sierra Pelona Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains, near the Antelope Valley. It is off the Antelope Valley Freeway (California State Route 14) south of Palmdale. Acton is roughly 20 miles (32 km) northeast of the San Fernando Valley, and 47 miles (76 km) north of downtown Los Angeles by highway. The town has a rural western theme which can be seen in its homes, commercial buildings and historical buildings, some of which date back to the late 1800s. The homes in the mountains around Acton have views of the valley below. In the valley are ranch style homes, often with equestrian facilities. While Acton is not a part of the Antelope Valley, it is grouped together with the Valley in the General Plan. Acton has a Metrolink commuter rail station on its border with Palmdale that is themed in an "old western" style and has been seen in various movies and commercials.

History

The town originally had served as a railroad camp from 1873 to 1876 when the Saugus-Mojave section of the Southern Pacific Railroad was under construction.^[3]

Acton was once considered for the State capital of California. California Governor Henry T. Gage (1899–1903) owned the Governor Mine, hence the name, and sought to relocate the capital to Acton. This effort ultimately failed and the capital was not moved from Sacramento. In the late 1880s, Acton started to become more of a ranching and farming community. In 1889 Acton's first hotel and its first saloon, the "49er" (formerly Sutter's Mill), was opened and is still in business today.

Geography

Acton is located at 34°28′22″N 118°11′1″W (34.472777, -118.183696),^[4] 20 miles (32 km) east of Santa Clarita and 8 miles (13 km) south of Palmdale. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 39.3 square miles (102 km²), over 99% of it land. Mount Gleason, one of the peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains, is located 7 miles (11 km) south of Acton and can be seen in the town or by passersby on the 14.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not very hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Acton has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated Csb on climate maps.^[5] Summer daytime temperatures average 88 °F (31 °C) and above.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1990	1,471		—
2000	2,390		62.5%
2010	7,596		217.8%
2020	7,431		−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–1870[7][8] 1880-1890[9] 1900[10] 1910[11] 1920[12] 1930[13] 1940[14] 1950[15] 1960[16] 1970[17] 1980[18] 1990[19] 2000[20] 2010[21]

Acton first appeared as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. Census.^[19]

Acton CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[22]	Pop 2010[23]	Pop 2020[24]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	2,015	5,782	4,736	84.31%	76.12%	63.73%
Black or African American alone (NH)	14	54	72	0.59%	0.71%	0.97%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	6	38	33	0.25%	0.50%	0.44%
Asian alone (NH)	35	151	153	1.46%	1.99%	2.06%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	2	11	0.04%	0.03%	0.15%
Other race alone (NH)	11	16	67	0.46%	0.21%	0.90%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	45	180	283	1.88%	2.37%	3.81%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	263	1,373	2,076	11.00%	18.08%	27.94%
Total	2,390	7,596	7,431	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2020 census

The 2020 United States census reported that Acton had a population of 7,431. The population density was 189.3 inhabitants per square mile (73.1/km²). The racial makeup of Acton was 68.9% White, 1.1% African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 12.9% from other races, and 13.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.9% of the population.^[25]

The whole population lived in households. There were 2,682 households, out of which 24.2% included children under the age of 18, 58.4% were married-couple households, 6.3% were cohabiting couple households, 18.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 16.9% had a male householder with no partner present. 19.4% of households were one person, and 9.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77.^[25] There were 1,998 families (74.5% of all households).^[26]

The age distribution was 17.5% under the age of 18, 7.8% aged 18 to 24, 20.8% aged 25 to 44, 35.3% aged 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.4 males.^[25]

There were 2,821 housing units at an average density of 71.9 units per square mile (27.8 units/km²), of which 2,682 (95.1%) were occupied. Of these, 88.0% were owner-occupied, and 12.0% were occupied by renters.^[25]

Mapping L.A.

According to Mapping L.A., German and Irish were the most common ancestries in 2000. Mexico and Canada were the most common foreign places of birth.^[27]

Economy

Median earnings per worker in Acton in 2015 were $75,714 compared to the United States average of $44,178. Acton has $84,375 median earnings for men, 55% greater than the $54,384 median for women. 22% of the people in Acton report self-employment income, twice the U.S. average of 11%.

6.9% of the population of Acton lives in poverty. Of those, 17% are employed. Just 1% of Acton households use some form of public assistance, compared to the United States average of 14%.

7% of Acton workers carpool to work, less than the U.S. average of 10%. Acton has a large number of people who are able to work from home at 12% versus 4% for the U.S. The average commute to work in Acton is 46 minutes, much longer than the U.S. average of 26 minutes.^[28]

Parks and recreation

Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary, founded here in 1986, was America's first shelter for farmed animals.

Shambala Preserve

The Shambala Preserve, a wild animal nature park run by actress Tippi Hedren, is located near Acton.^[29] Ventures on Hedren's 80-acre (320,000 m²) wild animal compound include a Safari at the authentic African-style haven for more than 70 African lions, Royal Bengal and Siberian tigers, spotted and black leopards, cougars, and African elephants.

Parker Mountain

Acton is home to Parker Mountain, the mecca for a style of radio-controlled aircraft flying called "dynamic soaring" and where at one time the world speed record of 302 mph (486 km/h) was achieved.^[30]

Bloom Ranch

Established in 1891 by Swiss immigrants George Blum and Magdalena Greutman, Bloom Ranch is one of Acton's oldest homesteads. The ranch has a rich history of agricultural production, including pears, apples, lilacs, and renowned peaches. A notable feature is the stone house constructed in 1916, symbolizing the family's enduring commitment to the land. In 2023, Dr. Bill Releford acquired Bloom Ranch and expanded the property to 250 acres, making it the largest Black-owned ranch in Los Angeles County. Under his leadership, the ranch emphasizes sustainable farming practices and community engagement, hosting events like the annual "Bloom's Giving Fall Festival" to foster local connections.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Acton is in the 23rd senatorial district, represented by Republican Suzette Martinez Valladares, and in the 34th Assembly district, represented by Republican Tom Lackey.^[31]

In the United States House of Representatives, Acton is in California's 27th congressional district, represented by Democrat George T. Whitesides.^[32]

Acton is part of the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County and is in the 5th Supervisorial District. At the local level, the community is represented by the Acton Town Council, an advisory group of citizens made up of 7 members.

Education

Acton is within the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District.^[33] There are three schools in Acton: Meadowlark Elementary School,^[34] High Desert Middle School,^[35] and Vasquez High School.

Infrastructure

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Antelope Valley Health Center in Lancaster, serving Acton.^[36]