Lawndale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, located in the South Bay region of the Greater Los Angeles Area. Its population was 31,807 at the 2020 census, slightly down from 32,769 in 2010. The area was originally inhabited by the Tongva tribe and later became part of Rancho Sausal Redondo, a land grant given in 1837.
The city was first subdivided in 1905 by Charles B. Hopper and named after a Chicago neighborhood. Early development was slow, with attempts to promote chicken farming and new railways. After World War II, housing demand for returning veterans led to the growth of Lawndale as a bedroom community. It incorporated as a city on December 28, 1959.In the 1970s and 1980s, low housing prices attracted renters and young people unable to afford nearby Beach Cities. Following the decline of the defense industry after the Cold War, the city focused on attracting homeowners and tourists, including through the 2003 “Beautify Lawndale” project. Lawndale also generates revenue from a large electronic billboard installed in 2004. The Lawndale community center opened in 2012.









