About Palmdale

Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, in November 2009, voters approved creating a charter city. Palmdale is separated from Los Angeles by the San Gabriel Mountainrange. Palmdale's population was 152,750 at the 2010 census, up from 116,670 as of the 2000 census. Palmdale is the 32nd most populous city in California and ranks 158th nationally. According to the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance report of 2009 the Palmdale / Lancaster, CA Urbanized Area (a US Census Bureau defined term) has a population of 483,998.

Over the last 25 years this city has consistently been ranked in the top 25 fastest growing cities in the United States (based on percentage change). As of the 2010 census, the population was 152,750, sixth largest, and fastest growing city in Los Angeles County. With 106 square miles (275 km2) of land in its incorporated boundaries, the city is the second largest city in Los Angeles County, 6th largest in California, and in the top 100 largest cities in the United States in geographic area. Palmdale is also one of the largest cities in the United States that is not currently served by either an Interstate Freeway or a U.S. Highway. Sierra Highway was at one time labeled as U.S. Highway 6 until the State of California truncated it at Bishop.

While Palmdale is still a part of Los Angeles County, the urbanized centers of Palmdale and Los Angeles are separated by the San Gabriel mountain range, which is about 40 miles (64 km) wide. This range forms the southern edge of the Antelope Valley portion of theMojave Desert. Palmdale is the second largest city in the Antelope Valley, and the fifty largest city overall in the Mojave Desert by population, outstripped only by Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Lancaster.

Palmenthal, the first European settlement within the limits of Palmdale, was established as a village on April 20, 1886 by westward Lutheran travelers from the American Midwest, mostly of German and Swiss descent. According to area folklore, the travelers had been told they would know they were close to the ocean when they saw palm trees. Never actually having seen palm trees before, they mistook the local Joshua trees for palms and so named their settlement after them. (Palmenthal is German for Palms Valley.) The village was officially established upon the arrival of a post office on June 17, 1888.