LA County covers 4,000 square miles and is home to almost 10 million people. Within LA County, there are 88 incorporated cities, each with its own city council. The areas that are not part of these cities are unincorporated County. More than 65 percent of Los Angeles County is unincorporated. For the 1 million people living in these areas, the Board of Supervisors is their “city council” and the Supervisor representing the area is their “mayor.” LA County Departments provide the municipal services to these areas.

The unincorporated areas include more than 2,600 square miles. They represent two-thirds of the County’s  area and one-tenth of its population. There are approximately 120 to 125 unincorporated areas, depending on how you define them. Some of the unincorporated areas are as small as a few blocks, and some are urban centers with more than 150,000 residents. And some areas with sparse populations cover hundreds of square miles in the high desert. If grouped into a single city, the unincorporated areas would be the third most populous in the State, after City of Los Angeles and City of San Diego. LA County’s unincorporated communities are both socially and economically diverse.

ARE WE YOUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT?

Residents of unincorporated areas can be unsure which jurisdiction they belong to due to their mailing address listing an adjacent city. Use the LA County Jurisdiction Lookup tool to find out if you are in an unincorporated area and if LA County Planning is your planning department.