SPA 6 Statistics -
II. Population Back to Table of Contents
Racial/Ethnic Distribution of the Population
According to 2000 population estimates, 1,058,022 persons resided in SPA 6, representing approximately 11% of the Los Angeles County's estimated population. Table 1 presents the racial/ethnic distribution of SPA 6 population by geographic area as estimated for 2000. Overall, Latinos represented about 59% of the population. African Americans were the second largest racial/ethnic group in the SPA, constituting slightly over 36% of the population. The area's population also included about 3% Whites, 2% Asians/Pacific Islanders, and less than 1% American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups.
The most populous city or community in SPA 6 was the City of Compton, which had 153,771 residents during 2000. The next most populous communities were Exposition Park with 124,432, South Central Los Angeles with 107,504, and South Vermont with 106,728 residents.
The city or community with the highest number of Latinos was South Central Los Angeles, with 88,633 persons. Next highest communities were Compton with 87,788, Exposition Park with 86,468, Florence with 60,105, and South Vermont with 51,451 Latino residents.
The highest number of African Americans lived in the City of Compton, which had 58,862 persons. The city was followed by Hyde Park with 56,700 and South Vermont with 52,783 African American residents.
Paramount had the highest number of Whites with 7,455 residents. It was followed by Exposition Park with 6,304, Compton with 3,529, and Lynwood with 2,913 White residents.
Exposition Park had the highest number of Asians/Pacific Islanders with 3,544 persons. Communities with the next highest numbers of Asian/Pacific Islander residents were Compton with 3,128, Paramount with 2,321, and the Crenshaw District with 2,285 Asian/Pacific Islander residents.
The highest number of American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups resided in Exposition Park with 473 residents. This community was followed by Compton with 464, Hyde Park with 436, and South Vermont with 410 residents reported as American Indians or persons from other racial/ethnic groups.
The cities and communities with the largest percentage of Latino residents were Florence and South Central Los Angeles, each with 82%; Lynwood with 76%, and Exposition Park with 70% of the residents reported as Latinos.
The Crenshaw District had the highest concentration of African Americans, with 73% of its population belonging to this racial/ethnic group. This community was followed by Hyde Park with about 72%, Leimert Park with 55%, and South Vermont with 50% of the residents reported as African Americans.
The highest concentration of White population resided in the City of Paramount, which had about 18% of its population belonging to this racial/ethnic group. The next highest communities were Exposition Park and Lynwood, each with around 5% of the residents reported as Whites.
The Crenshaw District had the highest concentration of Asian/Pacific Islander residents, with about 7% of its population belonging to this racial/ethnic group. It was followed by the City of Paramount with 6%, and Adams with 5% of the residents reported as Asians/Pacific Islanders.
The highest percentage of American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups resided in Jefferson Park, Crenshaw District, Leimert Park, Hyde Park, and Paramount, each had just under 1% of the residents reported as American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups.
Age Distribution of the Population
Table 2 displays the age distribution of estimated SPA 6 population by geographic area in 2000. The estimated number of children and youth aged 0 to 17 years old in the entire SPA was 373,209, representing 35% of the total population. Adults aged 18 to 64 years old (599,829 persons) constituted 57% of the population. Older adults, 65 years and over, were 84,984 representing 8% of the total population in SPA 6.
The largest number of children and youth aged 0 to 17 years was in the City of Compton, which had 57,797 children and youth less than 18 years of age. The other cities and communities with greater than 25,000 children and youth aged 0 to 17 years were South Central Los Angeles with 42,828, Exposition Park with 41,603, South Vermont with 38,680, and Florence with 29,130.
The number of adults 18 to 64 years of age was highest in Compton with 85,322 persons and followed by Exposition Park with 74,211 residents. Communities with the next highest numbers of this age group were South Central Los Angeles with 58,853, Hyde Park with 47,277, and Florence with 39,441 residents 18 to 64 years of age.
Compton had the largest number of older adults aged 65 and over, with 10,652 persons. It was followed by Hyde Park with 10,372, Exposition Park with 8,618, South Vermont with 7,630, the Crenshaw District with 5,657, and Jefferson Park with 5,625 persons age 65 years and over.
The highest percentage of the population aged 0 to 17 years existed in Florence, Willowbrook, and South Central Los Angeles, each with about 40% of the population in this age group. These communities were followed by Humphry with 39% of the population in this age group. Communities with the next highest percentages of this age group were Watts, Compton, and Lynwood, each with 38% of the population 0 to 17 years old.
Adults aged 18 to 64 years were present in the highest percentage in the Crenshaw District constituting 61% of the population. This community was followed by Jefferson Park, Exposition Park, and Hyde Park, each with approximately 60% of the population 18 to 64 years of age.
The Crenshaw District had the highest percentage of older adults aged 65 and over, with 16% of the population belonging to this age group. It was followed by Hyde Park with 13% of the population in this age group. The cities and communities with the next highest percentages of elderly adults were Adams and Leimert Park, each with 12%; and Jefferson Park with 11% of the population 65 years and over.
Racial/Ethnic Distribution of Persons Living Below the Federal Poverty Level
Table 3 displays the racial/ethnic distribution of persons living below the federal poverty level (FPL) in SPA 6 by geographic area during 1999. In the entire SPA, there were 390,511 persons living below the FPL, 37% of the total SPA population. The Latino population included the largest number of poverty population, with 262,419 persons or 67% of SPA residents living below the FPL. African Americans constituted the second largest racial/ethnic group, with 114,966 persons or 29% of the SPA population living below the FPL. Whites and Asians/Pacific Islanders, each group constituted about 2% with 6,170 persons and 5,709 persons living below the FPL, respectively. American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups (1,247 persons) made up less than 1% of persons living below the FPL.
The city or community with the largest number of persons living below the federal poverty level in SPA 6 was the community of Exposition Park, which had 53,571 persons. This community was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 51,001, the City of Compton with 47,142, and South Vermont with 40,414 persons living below the FPL.
The largest number of Latinos living below the FPL was in South Central Los Angeles, which had 42,657 persons. It was followed by Exposition Park with 39,134, the City of Compton with 31,887, Florence with 25,254, and South Vermont with 23,506 Latinos living below the FPL.
The community of South Vermont had the highest number of African Americans living below the FPL, with 16,420 persons. This community was followed by Compton with 13,747, Hyde Park with 9,807, Willowbrook with 9,730, and Watts with 9,149 African Americans living below the FPL.
The highest number of Whites living below the FPL resided in the community of Exposition Park, which had 3,527 persons. This community was followed by the City of Paramount with 1,197 and the City of Lynwood with 580.
The largest number of Asians/Pacific Islanders living below the FPL resided in Exposition Park, which had 1,800. This community was followed by the City of Compton with 1,045, Paramount with 445, and Jefferson Park with 443 Asians/Pacific Islanders living below the FPL.
Exposition Park had the largest numbers of American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups living below the FPL with 171. The next highest communities were South Vermont with 151, Jefferson Park with 123, Compton with 115, and Hyde Park with 110 American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups living below the FPL.
The communities of Florence and South Central Los Angeles had the highest percentage of Latino residents living below the FPL during 1999, each with 84% of the poverty population belonging to this racial/ethnic group. They were followed by the City of Lynwood with 82%, the City of Paramount with 76%, and Exposition Park with 73% of persons living below the FPL reported as Latinos.
The highest percentage of African Americans living below the FPL resided in the Crenshaw District where 76% of the poverty population were African Americans. The next highest percentages existed in Hyde Park with 54%; Willowbrook and Leimert Park, each with around 51%; South Vermont with 41%; Watts and West Compton/Los Angeles County, each with about 40% of persons living below the FPL reported as African Americans.
The City of Paramount had the highest percentage of Whites living below the FPL, with about 10% of the poverty population belonging to this racial/ethnic group. The next highest percentage was in Exposition Park with about 7% of persons living below the FPL reported as Whites.
The highest percentage of Asians/Pacific Islanders living below the FPL was in the City of Paramount, which had 4%. The next highest communities were Adams, Jefferson Park, Exposition Park, and the Crenshaw District, each with about 3% of persons living below the FPL reported as Asians/Pacific Islanders.
The communities of West Compton/Los Angeles County, Jefferson Park, Crenshaw District, Leimert Park, Hyde Park, and Paramount, each had slightly under 1% of persons living below the FPL reported as American Indians and persons from other racial/ethnic groups.
Age Distribution of Persons Living Below the Federal Poverty Level
Table 4 presents the age distribution of estimated persons living below the federal poverty level in SPA 6 during 1999. Of the 390,511 SPA 6 residents living below the FPL, 170,727 (44%) were children and youth 0 to 17 years of age, 200,469 (51%) were 18 to 64 years old, and 19,315 (5%) were 65 years and over.
The community of South Central Los Angeles had the highest number of children and youth 0 to 17 years old living below the FPL, with 22,715 in 1999. It was followed by the City of Compton with 22,443, Exposition Park with 20,375, and South Vermont with 18,356 children and youth 0 to 17 years old living below the FPL.
The number of adults 18 to 64 years of age living below the FPL was highest in Exposition Park, which had 30,948 person. It was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 26,101, the City of Compton with 22,625, and South Vermont with 20,439 persons 18 to 64 years of age living below the FPL.
The community of Exposition Park had the highest number of elderly adults aged 65 years and over living below the FPL, with 2,248 persons in 1999. It was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 2,185, Compton with 2,074, South Vermont with 1,619, and Hyde Park with 1,606 older adults living below the FPL.
The Cities of Compton, Lynwood, and Paramount had the highest percentages of children and youth 0 to 17 years old living below the FPL, each with about 48% of the poverty population in this age group. Communities with the next highest percentage of indigent children and youth 0 to 17 years of age living below the FPL were Florence and Willowbrook, each with 47%; South Central Los Angeles with 45%; and Watts as well as Humphry, each with 44% of the indigent population 0 to 17 years of age.
The community of Exposition Park had the highest percentage of the indigent population in the age group of 18 to 64 years old (58%). It was followed by Jefferson Park with 55%; the Crenshaw District with 53%; Leimert Park, Hyde Park, and South Vermont, each with 51% of the indigent population 18 to 64 years of age.
The Crenshaw District had the highest percentage of older adults aged 65 years and over living below the FPL, with 11% of its poverty population in this age group. It was followed by the communities of Adams, Leimert Park and Hyde Park, each with 9% of the indigent population aged 65 years and over.
Watts had the highest percentage of the total population living below the FPL with 49%. It was followed by South Central Los Angeles and Humphry, each with 45%; Willowbrook with 44%; Exposition Park with 43%; West Compton/Los Angeles County with 42%; and South Vermont with 41% of the total population living below the FPL.
Persons Receiving Public Assistance
Table 5 reports persons receiving public assistance in SPA 6 as of February 2001. In the entire SPA, there were 338,086 persons receiving public assistance, 32% of the SPA population. Thirty-five percent of persons receiving public assistance in the SPA were obtaining assistance through CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) One Parent program, while 6% received assistance through CalWORKs Two Parent program. About six percent were on General Relief, and over 44% were on Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program). Around 5% received Food Stamps only, and about 5% received In-Home Support Services. These programs are coordinated and administered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).
Fifty-eight percent of public assistance recipients were less than 18 years of age, 36% were 18 to 59 years old, and 6% were 60 years and over. With regards to children and youth on public assistance, 44% were receiving assistance through the Cal WORKs One Parent program and 44% were on Medi-Cal. Slightly over 45% of persons 18 to 59 years of age were on Medi-Cal, while 25% received assistance through the CalWORKs One Parent program. For seniors 60 years and over, 44% were on Medi-Cal and 42% received In-Home Support Services.
The primary languages of public assistance recipients are reported in Table 6. Approximately 55% of public assistance recipients were English speaking, while Spanish was the primary language for about 45%. Less than 1% of public assistance recipients spoke other primary languages. Approximately 45% of the English speaking persons were receiving assistance through CalWORKs One Parent, 31% were on Medi-Cal, and over 9% were on General Relief. Sixty-one percent of the persons whose primary language was Spanish were on Medi-Cal, 23% received assistance through CalWORKs One Parent program, and 10% received assistance through CalWORKs Two Parent program.
The Homeless Population
It was estimated that during 2001 there were 15,879 homeless persons in SPA 6. Of these, 12,703 (80%) were individuals and 3,176 (20%) were persons living with family members (Table 7). It was also estimated that of all homeless persons in the SPA, 7,368 (46%) were substance abusers, 762 (5%) were mentally ill, 2,065 (13%) were dually-diagnosed persons with alcohol/drug problems as well as mental illness, 476 (3%) were infected with HIV/AIDS, and 2,223 (14%) were victims of domestic violence. It should be noted that persons might be in more than one category. The categories do not add up to 100%.
Substance abusers constituted 50% of homeless persons living individually and 32% of those living with family members. Approximately 5% of homeless persons living individually and 4% of those living with families were mentally ill. In addition, dually diagnosed persons with alcohol/drug problems as well as mental illness made up 16% of homeless persons living individually and 1% of those living with family members. Persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS constituted 3% of homeless individuals and also of those living with families. Nine percent of homeless persons living individually were victims of domestic violence, while 34% of those living with families were victims of domestic violence.
