What to Know Before Moving to Compton

Demographics

Compton is a thriving multicultural and ethnically diverse city made up of 67% Hispanic, 30% African American, 1.2% White, and 0.8% Asian residents. The remaining 1% of residents are of two or more races. The ethnically diverse population is younger than the US average by nine years, and in general, they hold very liberal political views. 

Getting Around

A car-dependent city, Compton is rather short on bike lanes, walkability, and public transit. However, when it comes to commuting, five major freeways are within easy access. But getting to and from work can be tedious – the one-way commute in Compton is four minutes longer than the average U.S. one-way commute. For those who prefer going the public transit route, The Metro A-Line light rail connects Compton north to downtown Los Angeles and south to Long Beach. Compton Renaissance Transit operates a bus service with five routes.

One exception to the limited walkability and public transit is downtown. If you live in or near downtown Compton, you can enjoy leaving your car at home and getting around on foot. Walkscore.com rates downtown with an 86 walk score, a 62 transit score, and a 60 bike score. Move away from downtown and the walk score drops to 16, transit drops to 33, and the bike score falls to 14. 

Compton Economy

The top industrial sectors in Compton are manufacturing, health care, retail, transportation, and administrative positions. Because manufacturing is a major industry, Compton is becoming known as a large industrial center. Some of Hub City’s top manufacturing employers include Boston Scientific, Red Bull, Edwards Lifesciences, Nike, and Nestle USA. Other businesses that employ many Compton residents include Newport Apparel, Gourmet Foods, Dameron Alloy Foundries, Visionaire Lighting, and Bowman Plating Company.

Education

Compton has 98 public and private K-12 schools. The public schools are operated by The Compton Unified School District which oversees 24 elementary, 8 middle, and 3 high schools. The top-rated CUSD public schools, according to greatschools.org, include Compton Early College High with a rating of 9/10; Jefferson Elementary rated 8/10; Anderson, Laurel Street, McKinley, and Ronald E McNair Elementary Schools, all rated 7/10; and Clinton William Jefferson K-8 school, rated 7/10. Compton Community College offers two-year degrees in a variety of disciplines.

Things to Do in Compton

History buffs enjoy the Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum and gardens where you can take guided tours to learn about the Spanish land grant and the descendants who still operate businesses on the rancho. At the adobe, you can also enjoy battle reenactments, Dia de Los Muertos celebrations, and Christmas posada processions. Other historical landmarks and museums include the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, and Heritage House – built in 1869, it’s the oldest house in Compton. And who doesn’t like to eat out? Some of the most popular Compton restaurants include Louis Burgers, Pacific Pho Noodle House, and Coco’s Bakery for salads and sandwiches.