Lancaster, California

Lancaster, California, is a charter city in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert. Lancaster was the 153rd largest city in the US and 30th in California in 2020, with 173,516 residents. Lancaster and Palmdale are Antelope Valley's main cities.

Lancaster, near Kern County, is 70 miles north of downtown Los Angeles via I-5 and SR 14. The San Gabriel Mountains to the south and the Tehachapi Mountains to the north separate it from the Los Angeles Basin and Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley. Lancaster has grown from 37,000 in 1977 to over 157,000 in 2019.

Geography

The city covers 94.5 square miles (245 km2), of which 94.3 square miles (244 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.29%) is water, according to the US Census Bureau. Lancaster is 2,350 feet (720 m) above sea level in a high, flat valley surrounded by pristine mountains. The area, like the rest of the Mojave Desert, is called the High Desert because it is 2,000 to 3,000 feet (600–900 m) above sea level. Lancaster trades with Palmdale, Rosamond, Lake Los Angeles, Quartz Hill, Ridgecrest, and Santa Clarita. These desert cities and unincorporated communities commute to the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles Basin via Sierra Highway, Angeles Forest Highway, Angeles Crest Highway, and the Antelope Valley Freeway.

Lancaster enclave Del Sur is unincorporated.

Climate

Lancaster is semi-arid, bordering arid. Lancaster has 80% shrublands, 8% forests, 7% grasslands, 2% lakes and rivers, and 2% croplands. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b covers Lancaster and its surroundings. Winters are cool to mild, with daily minimum temperatures below freezing from late November to late January and a mean temperature of 43.8 °F (6.6 °C) in December, the coolest month. July, the hottest month, averages 82.3 °F (27.9 °C) and is nearly rainless. Annually, 68 mornings have a minimum below freezing and 30 afternoons have a maximum above 100 °F (37.8 °C). Even in winter, with a 7.38-inch (187-millimeter) annual rainfall, clear days are common. July–September sees rare thunderstorms. March is mildly frosty, and April temperatures rise. Lupines, California Poppies, Fiddlenecks, purple owl's clover, California Goldfields, Creamcups, and Coreopsis bloom in spring. Barn owls and Pacific tree frogs can be heard on cool summer nights. Annual snowfall averages 2 inches or 0.051 metres.

Lancaster's June 30, 2013 record high was 115 °F (46.1 °C). December 24, 1984's record low was 2 °F (−16.7 °C). The wettest "rain year" was July 1992 to June 1993 with 19.57 inches (497.1 mm) of rain, and the driest was July 2012 to June 2013 with 1.26 inches (32.0 mm). January 1993 had the most precipitation at 7.46 inches (189.5 mm). On March 1, 1983, 2.93 inches (74.4 mm) fell. Lancaster had 23.9 inches of snow in December 1979.

Economy

The Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance lists five Lancaster business and industrial parks: Fox Field Industrial Corridor (adjacent to the General William J. Fox Airfield) along Avenue G, North Valley Industrial Center, Lancaster Business Park, Enterprise Business Park, Centerpoint Business Park, and Southern Amargosa Industrial Area. SYGMA, Rite Aide, Micheals, Bank of America, and others were attracted by the former Lancaster Redevelopment Agency. California eliminated local redevelopment agencies in 2012. The city's economic development department recruits large employers and brings retail and dining to Lancaster Town Center, Front Row Center, and other retail centers.

The Agency and city revitalized Downtown Lancaster. Downtown businesses formed the Lancaster Old Town Site with historic buildings and modern amenities like a library and performing arts center (LOTS). LOTS has renovated Old Town Area business facades and attracted new boutiques and restaurants.

Lancaster had 17% unemployment in 2009. Mayor R. Rex Parris prioritized Chinese manufacturing firm recruitment in 2009 due to China's resilience during the global recession. Mayor Parris led a China trade delegation in early 2010. Meeting with BYD representatives in Shenzhen, China was an important part of this trade mission. BYD was introduced to Lancaster by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and his wife, Christine, to enter the US vehicle manufacturing market.

Lancaster's partnership with BYD began with KB Home's "Home of the Future," which used BYD's energy efficiency and storage technology to build some of the first affordable near net-zero homes in the U.S. This project established a working relationship between BYD and Lancaster, which they maintained as BYD Auto prepared to enter the U.S. market. Lancaster was the company's first manufacturing location. BYD Auto announced two Lancaster factories in May 2013. These include a 120,000-square-foot BYD electric bus factory and a 44,000-square-foot energy storage system (large-scale battery) factory. BYD Lancaster produced over 300 US and Canadian electric buses by April 2019. Lancaster produces the most solar per capita in California.

Population

Lancaster is in Los Angeles County. It ranks 28th in California and 156th in the US with 178,580 residents in 2023. Lancaster is growing at 0.95% annually and has grown by 2.92% since the 2020 census, which recorded a population of 173,516. Lancaster has 1,894 people per square mile over 95 miles.

Lancaster has 25.09% poverty and an average household income of $70,646. In recent years, the median rent was and the median house value was. Lancaster's median age is 33.3, 32 for men and 34.7 for women.