Ladera Heights, California

Ladera Heightsis a community andunincorporated areainLos Angeles County, California. The population was 6,634 at the2020 census.Culver Citylies to its west, theBaldwin Hillsneighborhood to its north, theView Park-Windsor Hillscommunity to its east, theWestchesterneighborhood to its south and southwest and the city ofInglewoodto its southeast. With an average household income of $132,824, Ladera Heights ranks third amongst the ten wealthiest majority-Black communities in the United States.
Ladera Heights originated in the late 1940s with the development of "Old Ladera". In the 1960s, custom homes were built in "New Ladera". Prominent architect builders included Valentine and Gallant. Robert Earl, who designed many of the Valentine homes, went on to build large multimillion-dollar estates throughout Southern California and in other countries.  NeighboringFox Hillscontained a golf course with rolling hills that backed up to Wooster Avenue. Valentine built Robert Earl designed homes on Wooster overlooking the Fox Hills golf course.
Baseball playerFrank Robinsonand other sports players began moving to Ladera Heights in the early 1970s.Many celebrities have lived in Ladera Heights over the years, includingPeter Vidmar,Vanessa Williams,Chris Darden,Chris Strait,Lisa Leslie,Olympia Scott,Ken Norton,Arron Afflalo,Tyler, The Creator,Michael CooperandByron Scott.Ladera Heights is known as a residence foraffluent African Americans.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km), all of it land.
Most of the area is in unincorporated Los Angeles County, with a small section in the neighborhood ofLadera, Los Angeles, within theCity of Los Angeles.
Ladera Heights is portioned into three sections, known as "Upper Ladera," "Lower Ladera" and "Old Ladera". Upper Ladera includes all houses north of Slauson in between La Cienega Boulevard and Shenandoah Avenue, while Lower Ladera (the larger of the two) consists of all houses south of Slauson in between Wooster and La Cienega. Old Ladera is the small area just east of La Cienega and south of Slauson. The Ladera Center, located in Lower Ladera just west of La Cienega Boulevard, hosts a number of local franchise stores and eateries.
According to a 2014 ranking, Ladera Heights ranks #3 among the top 10 richest majority-Black communities in the US, just underView Park-Windsor Hills, CA, and theBaldwin Hillsneighborhood of Los Angeles, and just aboveMitchellville, Maryland. Per the study, Ladera Heights has an average family income of $132,824.
The 2010 US Censusreported that Ladera Heights had a population of 6,498. The population density was 2,191.1 inhabitants per square mile (846.0/km). The racial makeup of Ladera Heights was 4,786 (73.7%) African American, 979 (15.1%) White (13.3% Non-Hispanic White),20 (0.3%) Native American, 231 (3.6%) Asian, 2 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 134 (2.1%) from other races, and 346 (5.3%) from two or more races.  Hispanic or Latino of any race were 355 people (5.5%).
The census reported that 6,486 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 8 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 2,751 households, 702 (25.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,240 (45.1%) wereopposite-sex married couplesliving together, 462 (16.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 113 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present.  There were 93 (3.4%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 20 (0.7%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 778 households (28.3%) were one person and 351 (12.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.36.  There were 1,815 families (66.0% of households); the average family size was 2.88.
The age distribution was 1,122 people (17.3%) under the age of 18, 401 people (6.2%) aged 18 to 24, 1,264 people (19.5%) aged 25 to 44, 2,183 people (33.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,528 people (23.5%) who were 65 or older.  The median age was 49.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.7 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.1 males.
There were 2,867 housing units at an average density of 966.7 per square mile, of the occupied units 2,027 (73.7%) were owner-occupied and 724 (26.3%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%.  4,891 people (75.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,595 people (24.5%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, Ladera Heights had a median household income of $99,563, with 4.7% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
At the2000 censusthere were 6,568 people, 2,691 households, and 1,883 families residing in the census-designated place (CDP).  The population density was 2,230.6 inhabitants per square mile (861.2/km).  There were 2,755 housing units at an average density of 935.7 per square mile (361.3/km).  Theracial makeupof the CDP was 70.8% African American, 7.0% White, 2.9% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4%.EnglishandGermanwere the most common ancestries.CanadaandTrinidadwere the most common foreign places of birth.
Of the 2,691 households 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.8% of households were one person and 9.1% were one person aged 65 or older.  The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution was 20.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% 65 or older.  The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median household income was $90,233 and the median family income  was $103,174. Males had a median income of $64,643 versus $52,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $47,798.  About 1.1% of families and 3.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Most of Ladera Heights is served by theInglewood Unified School District.The schools serving Ladera Heights are in theInglewoodcity limits. As of 2006 fewer than 400 Ladera Heights residents attended Inglewood USD schools.La Tijera School (K-8) and Parent School (K-8) serve Ladera Heights.La Tijera and Parent feed intoInglewood High School.
In 2006, a group of residents petitioned to move the area into theCulver City Unified School DistrictofCulver City. Both the Culver City USD and the Inglewood USD opposed the move.
As of 2014 theWiseburn School Districtallows parents in Ladera Heights to send their children to Wiseburn schools on inter-district transfers.
West Los Angeles College, a community college, is in Ladera Heights.
Ladera Heights receives fire protection from theLos Angeles County Fire Department.
TheLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department(LASD) operates the Marina del Rey Station inMarina del Rey, serving Ladera Heights.
TheLos Angeles County Department of Health ServicesSPA 5 West Area Health Office serves Ladera Heights.
In theCalifornia State Legislature, Ladera Heights is inthe  30th Senate District, represented byDemocratBob Archuleta, and inthe  54th Assembly District, represented byDemocratMark Gonzalez.
In theUnited States House of Representatives, Ladera Heights is inCalifornia's  37th congressional district, represented byDemocratSydney Kamlager-Dove.
Ladera Park is  adjacent to theView Park-Windsor Hillsand theCity of Inglewood.The park has an outdooramphitheatre, a baseball–softball diamond field, a basketball court, children's play areas, a community recreation center, water fountains, picnic areas with barbecue grills and tennis courts.
Ladera Heights Shopping Center (at the northwest side of the junction of La Tijera, La Cienega, and Centinela boulevards) hosted aHenshey'sDepartment Store from 1966 to 1990and what was popularly known as Magic Johnson Starbucks, aStarbucksowned byMagic Johnsonfrom 1998 to 2018.