About DOWNEY, CA
We are home to where the Apollo Space Program began its journey to the stars. Downey is where you can find the world’s oldest McDonalds restaurant and the site of the first Taco Bell eatery. This is the city where the pop recording artist "The Carpenters" were inspired with many hit records. Today, our city is admired for its strong retail base with quality housing.
Downey is a unique community in the heart of Southern California that combines the best of both large and small. We are an active city of 101,000 with a small town atmosphere. This is a place of pride, history, involvement, and community. We are highly recognized for our centralized location, top medical facilities, quality residential neighborhoods and schools, excellent golf courses, and an unmatched family lifestyle. In fact, Downey has been rated in the top 25% of "100 Best Cities To Do Business in California" by California Business Magazine. Downey's winning formula can be the key to your business success or family lifestyle. Come discover Downey, the place where America began its journey to the stars.
Location and Climate
Situated 12 miles southeast of the Los Angeles Civic Center, Downey is only five miles from Orange County, and about 10 miles from the beautiful Pacific coastline. Conveniently located near several major freeways, the city is an ideal home base from which to take advantage of the business resources and hundreds of cultural and recreational activities in Southern California.
The average annual minimum temperature is 46 degrees, and the average annual maximum is 83 degrees. Downey is 117 feet above sea level; prevailing winds are from the West at 6 mph. Average annual rainfall is 14.85 inches.
The Parks
All parks and many recreation facilities are operated by the city. Almost 100 acres are devoted to 11 area parks, including fishing lakes at Wilderness Park, the Independence Park Tennis Center, and fitness courses at Furman and Apollo parks. For golf enthusiasts, there is the 18-hole Rio Hondo Golf Course, or the Los Amigos Golf Course, the latter run by Los Angeles County.
The Arts
To find a bit of culture, you needn't look far: The 750-seat Downey Theatre, also operated by the city, presents productions by the Downey Civic Light Opera Association and the Downey Symphonic Society, as well as the annual Celebrity Concert Series and Armchair Travel Adventures. Or you can browse through the Downey History Center, the Downey Art Museum, or the Wilderness Park Nature Museum.
The Businesses
Downey is home for thousands of businesses and services. The city's largest employer, with about 2,500 employees, is Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. Rancho Los Amigos is a world renown spinal injury treatment center. Originally, Rockwell International aerospace was the major employer put Downey on the map in the 60's, earning us the name "Home of Apollo."
The People
Caring and civic-minded--those are two words that describe Downey's residents. There are more than 120 civic and service groups that work together to make Downey a better place to live.
Population and Housing
With a population of 110,000 in an area of 12.5 square miles, Downey offers a wide range of housing opportunities. City building records for 1997 show that 60 percent of the total dwelling units are single-family homes. Another 40 percent are apartments and condominiums.
Learn more about this city
City of DOWNEY official site
County of LOS ANGELES official site
City of DOWNEY chamber of commerce
City of DOWNEY general information
City of DOWNEY newspaper
State of California official site