Editing Cerritos, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{For|other uses of the Spanish word "Cerrito" or "Cerritos"|Cerrito (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Cerritos, California
 | settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
<!-- Images and maps ------>
 | image_skyline            = Cerritos Library 1.jpg
 | image_caption            = [[Cerritos Library]] in 2004
 | image_flag               = Flag of Cerritos, California.jpg
 | image_seal               = Cerritos City Seal (color).png
 | nickname                 = 
 | motto                    = "A City With Vision", "Progress Through Commitment", "A History In Progress", "A Prestige Address"
 | image_map                = File:Los Angeles County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Cerritos Highlighted 0612552.svg
 | map_caption              = Location of Cerritos in Los Angeles County, California.
 | pushpin_map              = Los Angeles#California#USA
 | pushpin_map_caption      = Location within [[Greater Los Angeles]]##Location in California##Location in the United States
 | pushpin_label            = Cerritos
<!-- Location ------------->
 | coordinates              = {{coord|33|52|6|N|118|4|3|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
 | subdivision_type         = Country
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = State
 | subdivision_name1        = [[California]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
<!-- History -------------->
 | established_title3       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
 | established_date3        = April 24, 1956<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc 
 |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date 
 |format=Word 
 |publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s 
 |access-date=August 25, 2014 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc 
 |archive-date=November 3, 2014  
}}</ref>
<!-- Government ----------->
 | government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]
 | governing_body           = {{Collapsible list
  | title = City council<ref name=co>{{Cite web
    | url = https://www.cerritos.gov/city-government/city-council/
    | title = City Council
    | publisher = City of Cerritos
    | access-date = May 6, 2025}}</ref>
| Frank Aurelio Yokoyama <small>(Mayor)</small>
| Lynda P. Johnson <small>(Mayor Pro-Tem)</small>
| Jennifer Hong
| Mark E. Pulido
| Sophia M. Tse
  }}
 | leader_title1            = [[City manager]]
 | leader_name1             = Robert A. Lopez<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cerritos.us/GOVERNMENT/city_organization/appointed_city_officials.php|title=Appointed City Officials|publisher=City of Cerritos|access-date=February 2, 2015}}</ref>
<!-- Area ----------------->
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 8.86
 | area_total_km2           = 22.94
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 8.73
 | area_land_km2            = 22.60
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 0.13
 | area_water_km2           = 0.34
 | area_water_percent       = 1.48
 | area_metro_sq_mi         = 
 | area_metro_km2           = 
<!-- Elevation ------------>
 | elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=GNIS>{{Cite GNIS|241229|Cerritos|access-date=October 11, 2014}}</ref>
 | elevation_ft             = 46
 | elevation_m              = 14
<!-- Population ----------->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = 
 | population_total         = 49578
 | pop_est_as_of            = 
 | pop_est_footnotes        = 
 | population_est           = 
 | population_density_sq_mi = 5680.99
 | population_density_km2   = 2193.45
 | population_metro         = 
 | population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
 | population_density_metro_km2 = 
<!-- Time zone ------------>
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
 | utc_offset               = −8
 | timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = −7
<!-- Codes ---------------->
 | postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
 | postal_code              = 90701, 90703
 | area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
 | area_code                = [[Area code 562|562]]
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS]] code
 | blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|12552}}
 | blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
 | blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|241229}}, {{GNIS 4|2409431}}
 | website                  = {{URL|www.cerritos.gov}}
}}

'''Cerritos''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ə|ˈ|r|iː|t|oʊ|z}}; Spanish for "Little hills") is a city in [[Los Angeles County, California]], United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the [[Gateway Cities]] of southeast Los Angeles County. It was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] on April 24, 1956. As of 2019, the population was 49,859. It is part of the [[Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, California Metropolitan Statistical Area]] designated by the [[Office of Management and Budget]].

== History ==
[[File:Portrait_of_Don_Juan_Temple,_an_early_owner_of_the_Ranch_Los_Cerritos_in_Long_Beach.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Don [[Juan Temple]] purchased [[Rancho Los Cerritos]], covering modern day Cerritos, in 1843.]]
Cerritos was originally inhabited by [[Indigenous peoples of California|Native Americans]] belonging to the [[Tongva]] (or "People of the Earth"). The Tongva were called the "Gabrieleños" by the Spanish settlers after the nearby [[Mission San Gabriel Arcángel]]. The Tongva were the largest group of indigenous peoples in [[Southern California]] as well as the most developed in the region.<ref name="book">
{{cite book
| last = Cenovich
| first = Marilyn
|author2=Audrey Eftychiou
| title = Cerritos At 50: Celebrating Our Past and Our Future
| publisher = The Donning Company
| year = 2006
| isbn = 978-1-57864-349-3
| pages = 11–19}}</ref>
The Tongva lived off the land, deriving food from the animals or plants that could be gathered, snared or hunted, and grinding acorns as a staple.<ref name="book"/>

Beginning in the late 15th century, Spanish explorers arrived in the New World and worked their way to the California coast in 1542. The colonization process included "civilizing" the native populations in California by establishing various [[Spanish missions in California|missions]]. Soon afterward, a town called El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula ([[Los Angeles]] today) would be founded and prosper with the aid of subjects from [[New Spain]] and Native American labor.<ref name="book"/>

One soldier, [[Manuel Nieto (soldier)|José Manuel Nieto]], was granted a large plot of land by the 
Spanish [[King Carlos III]], which he named [[Rancho Los Nietos]]. It covered {{convert|300,000|acre|abbr=off|sp=us}} of what are today the cities of Cerritos, [[Long Beach]], [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]], [[Downey, California|Downey]], [[Norwalk, California|Norwalk]], [[Santa Fe Springs]], part of [[Whittier, California|Whittier]], [[Huntington Beach]], [[Buena Park]] and [[Garden Grove, California|Garden Grove]].<ref name="book"/>

The rancho was divided five ways among Nieto's heirs during the [[nationalization]] of church property by the Mexican government, with Juan José Nieto retaining the largest plot, called [[Rancho Los Coyotes]]. Nieto called the area of Rancho Los Coyotes "''cerritos''" or "little hills".

After the [[Mexican–American War]], the rancho would eventually wind up in the hands of the Los Angeles and San Bernardino Land Company, which encouraged development and rail lines to be built by [[Henry E. Huntington]] and his [[Pacific Electric Railway]] company. It was through rapid development, combined with improved transportation systems, that the modern-day city of [[Artesia, California|Artesia]] was formed in Rancho Los Coyotes in 1875, and from it, the city of ''Dairy Valley''.

Cranford Airport, a small general-aviation airport, was built around 1946 and consisted of two 2,300-foot runways, one oriented north–south & the other northeast–southwest. Each runway had a parallel taxiway, and a ramp along the south side of the field had two building hangars. The former airport site is on the northwest corner of the intersection of South Street & Carmenita Road. Cranford Airport closed at some point between 1953 and 1954.<ref>[https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_LongBeach.htm#cranford] [[Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields]]: California: Long Beach area</ref>

The city of Dairy Valley was incorporated on April 24, 1956, as a reaction to nearby Artesia's rapid [[urbanization]]. The city's name symbolized the more than 400 dairies, 100,000 cows and 106,300 chickens found within its limits. The cows outnumbered the 3,439 residents by a factor of 29 to 1. The chickens outnumbered the residents by over 30 to 1. The first business license in the new city was for Walter Marlowe's "Dairy Valley Egg Farms".

Two years later, Dairy Valley voted to become a chartered California city. As land values and [[property taxes]] in California rose in the early 1960s, agriculture became increasingly unprofitable, and development pressures increased. In a special election held on July 16, 1963, residents voted to permit large-scale residential development. As a reflection of its newly planned suburban orientation, the city's name was formally changed to Cerritos on January 10, 1967, after the nearby Spanish land grant [[Rancho Los Cerritos]], which figured prominently in the region, and after [[Cerritos College]] in neighboring [[Norwalk, California|Norwalk]].

Cerritos is a prime example of the "fiscalization" of California politics after the [[tax revolt]] of the 1970s and the passage of [[Proposition 13]]. The only way for California cities to raise long-term tax revenue in light of Proposition 13 was to create as many commercial zones as possible to take advantage of the percentage of county sales tax allocated back to [[municipalities]] as sales tax revenue. Cerritos was one of the first cities in [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]] to successfully develop large-scale retail zones, such as the [[Los Cerritos Center]] and [[Cerritos Auto Square]]. City leaders reinvested funds into the community with large public works projects and an increasing number of community services and programs.

The current [[progressivism|progressive]] nature of the Cerritos government and the unusually strong tax base is best reflected in its facilities. In 1978, Cerritos dedicated the nation's first solar-heated [[City Hall]] complex. In 1993, the [[Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts]] opened its doors. In 1994, the City unveiled the [[Cerritos Towne Center]] project, combining office, retail, lodging, fine arts and dining in an open-air location. In 1997, the city opened the Cerritos Sheriff's Station/Community Safety Center to provide public safety services. In 2002, the City rededicated its [[Cerritos Millennium Library|public library]]. In 2006, the City celebrated its [[golden anniversary]] with memorials and the unveiling of a sculpture garden. The assessed valuation of the city is $7,177,428,066.<ref name="cerritos.us">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cerritos.us/_pdfs/state_of_the_city_2011.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720230445/http://www.cerritos.us/_pdfs/state_of_the_city_2011.pdf |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

Between 1970 and 1972, Cerritos was the fastest-growing city in California;<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/atoz/history.html
| title = History of Cerritos
| access-date = October 20, 2006
| date = June 22, 2006
| publisher = City of Cerritos
}}</ref> the population skyrocketed from 16,000 to 38,000. Since the 1980s, Cerritos has attracted a large number of [[Filipino Americans|Filipino]], [[Korean Americans|Korean]], [[Taiwanese Americans|Taiwanese]], [[Indian Americans|Indian]] and [[Chinese Americans|Chinese]] immigrant families.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://menu.ci.cerritos.ca.us/collections/local_history/cl_lhStory9.htm
| title = Chapter 9, 1987–1996 - A Decade of Difficulties and Satisfaction
| access-date = October 21, 2006
| last = Cenovich
| first = Marilyn
| year = 1995
| work = The Story of Cerritos: A History in Progress
| publisher = City of Cerritos
| pages = Chapter 9
}}</ref>

On August 31, 1986, [[Aeroméxico Flight 498]], on approach to [[Los Angeles International Airport]] from [[Mexico City]], was struck by a small [[Piper aircraft]] that had strayed into a Terminal Control Area without clearance from Air Traffic Control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Freed |first=David |last2=Malnic |first2=Eric |date=1986-09-07 |title=Experts Piece Together Cause of Crash in Cerritos |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-07-mn-12167-story.html |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The Piper crashed into Cerritos Elementary School's unoccupied playground, but the [[Douglas DC-9]] fell inverted (upside-down) and plowed into dense residential zones, immediately flattening four houses. The resulting fire destroyed eight more houses before firefighters could bring it under control. A total of 82 people died, including 15 people on the ground.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Bob |last2=Malnic |first2=Eric |date=1987-08-30 |title=Year After Air Crash : Survivors of Cerritos: No Easy Answer |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-30-mn-4974-story.html |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> A sculpture in the [[#Cerritos Sculpture Garden|Cerritos Sculpture Garden]] memorializes the incident.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|8.9|sqmi|km2|2}}; {{convert|8.7|sqmi|km2|2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2|2}} of it (1.48%) is water.

Cerritos lies along the [[Los Angeles County]] and [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] border. The cities bordering Cerritos on the Los Angeles County side include [[Artesia, California|Artesia]] in the center, [[Bellflower, California|Bellflower]], [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]], [[Norwalk, California|Norwalk]], [[Santa Fe Springs]] and [[La Mirada]]. [[Buena Park]] and [[La Palma, California|La Palma]] border the city on the Orange County side. Other cities in the region include [[Cypress, California|Cypress]] in Orange County, and [[Hawaiian Gardens]] and [[Long Beach]] in Los Angeles County.

The former postal ZIP code of Cerritos was 90701 and was shared with the city of [[Artesia, California|Artesia]]; however, it was later changed to the exclusive 90703 to accommodate the increasing number of new addresses in the city during the mid-1990s.

===Climate===
{{climate chart
|Cerritos, California
|46|68|2.95
|48|68|3.01
|50|69|2.43
|53|73|0.60
|58|74|0.23
|61|78|0.08
|65|83|0.02
|66|85|0.10
|64|83|0.24
|58|79|0.40
|50|73|1.12
|45|69|1.76
|source=Weather.com / NWS
|float=right
|clear=left
|units=imperial
}}

Cerritos, as well as most of coastal [[Southern California]], generally has a [[Mediterranean climate]]. Summers are warm to hot, and winters are mild, rarely falling below freezing. [[Precipitation]] occurs predominantly during the winter months.

Cerritos also has a unique "semi-marine" climate pattern within Los Angeles County. The fog that typically covers the beach cities rarely reaches Cerritos, but the breeze that comes along the [[San Gabriel River (California)|San Gabriel River]] from the Pacific Ocean has a significant cooling effect. As a result, Cerritos is rarely affected by the smog, [[Santa Ana winds]] and smothering heat of the [[Los Angeles Basin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/library/history/chapter1.html|title=City of Cerritos - Home Page|website=www.ci.cerritos.ca.us}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1880= 166
|1960= 3508
|1970= 15856
|1980= 53020
|1990= 53240
|2000= 51488
|2010= 49041
|2020= 49578
|estyear= 2022
|estimate= 47475
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br>1860–1870<ref name=1870CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name=1870CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County  |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1880-1890<ref name=1890CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1900<ref name=1900CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1920<ref name=1920CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1930<ref name=1930CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1960<ref name=1960CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name=1960CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-c.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1990<ref name=1990CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
2000<ref name=2000CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Cerritos city, California – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Cerritos city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0612552&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cerritos city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0612552&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cerritos city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0612552&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|11,040
|8,141
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6,340
|21.44%
|16.60%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12.79%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|3,386
|3,283
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,155
|6.58%
|6.69%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.36%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|75
|51
|style='background: #ffffe6; |61
|0.15%
|0.10%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|29,989
|30,163
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30,810
|58.24%
|61.51%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |62.14%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|89
|119
|style='background: #ffffe6; |191
|0.17%
|0.24%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.39%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|101
|83
|style='background: #ffffe6; |240
|0.20%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.48%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|1,459
|1,318
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,689
|2.83%
|2.69%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.41%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|5,349
|5,883
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,092
|10.39%
|12.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.30%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''51,488'''
|'''49,041'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''49,578'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010 census===
The [[2010 United States census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0612552|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715024041/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0612552|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Cerritos city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Cerritos had a population of 49,041. The population density was {{convert|5,537.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Cerritos was 11,341 (23.1%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (16.6% non-Hispanic White),<ref name=quif>{{Cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0612552.html|title=Cerritos (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318064634/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0612552.html|archive-date=March 18, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> 3,388 (6.9%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African-American]], 131 (0.3%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 30,363 (61.9%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 138 (0.3%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1,822 (3.7%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]] and 1,858 (3.8%) from two or more races. There were 5,883 [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] residents, of any race (12.0%).

The census reported 48,937 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 86 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 18 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 15,526 households, out of which 5,724 (36.9%) had children under the age of 18, 10,843 (69.8%) were married couples living together, 1,884 (12.1%) had a female householder with no husband present and 628 (4.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 278 (1.8%) [[POSSLQ|married couples]], and 64 (0.4%) gay married couples or partnerships. 1,801 households (11.6%) were made up of individuals, and 1,005 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15. There were 13,355 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (86.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.40.

The population was spread out, with 10,013 people (20.4%) under the age of 18, 4,065 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 11,134 people (22.7%) aged 25 to 44, 15,158 people (30.9%) aged 45 to 64 and 8,671 people (17.7%) 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

There were 15,859 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,790.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units}}, of which 12,711 (81.9%) were owner-occupied, and 2,815 (18.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.1%. 39,392 people (80.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,545 people (19.5%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Cerritos had a median household income of $91,487, with 5.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00,0612552|title=Census data|website=www.census.gov}}</ref> Males had a median income of $50,103, versus $37,421 for females. The [[per capita income|per-capita income]] for the city was $25,249. About 5.0% of the population and 4.0% of families were below the [[poverty line]]. Out of the total population, 5.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

According to [[Mapping L.A.]], Korean (17.1%) and Chinese (11.2%) were the most common ancestries in 2000. Korea (26.5%) and the Philippines (16.7%) were the most common foreign places of birth.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/cerritos/ | title=Cerritos }}</ref>

== Economy ==
The two major sources of revenue for Cerritos are a retail sales tax and interest income from its general fund.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cerritos.us/GOVERNMENT/_pdfs/combined_financial_program_1011_approved.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807140232/http://www.cerritos.us/GOVERNMENT/_pdfs/combined_financial_program_1011_approved.pdf |archive-date=August 7, 2011  }}</ref>

Employment within Cerritos is primarily in two districts, [[Los Cerritos Center|Los Cerritos Shopping Center]] and Cerritos Industrial Park. Businesses found in Cerritos Industrial Park provide jobs in light manufacturing and assembly of electronic and automotive parts, among other things. [[United Parcel Service]], the city's largest employer with a staff of 6,000, is in the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/atoz/statistical_profile.pdf|title=City of Cerritos - Home Page|website=www.ci.cerritos.ca.us}}</ref> In 2010, Los Cerritos Center provided for 4,450 full and part-time positions, and the Cerritos Auto Square employs 2,160 people.<ref name="cerritos.us"/> Retail and industrial trades are responsible for Cerritos' $2 billion taxable retail sales and $7.2 billion assessed property valuation.

According to the [[California State Board of Equalization]], Cerritos residents are the second-highest retail spenders in California (second to [[Beverly Hills]]), averaging $36,544 per resident. Applied Development Economics, in a presentation for the Cerritos Economic Commission on February 14, 2006, stated total annual household spending on retail is about $365 million a year with new car dealerships, grocery stores, department stores, service stations and eating places having the strongest demands.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20031212103108/http://cerritos.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2#Economic Cerritos TV3]</ref>

A business survey conducted by Applied Development Economics in February 2006 revealed the total consumer breakdown in Cerritos is: 25% from residents from other parts of [[Southern California]], about 21.9% from Cerritos residents, 18% from commuters, 16% from neighboring communities, 13% from business to business/employee transactions, 10% from residents of [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], 5% from households from outside of Southern California, mainly to purchase vehicles from the Auto Square.

=== Cerritos Auto Square ===
{{Main|Cerritos Auto Square}}

The [[Cerritos Auto Square]] is an [[automobile|auto]] mall combining all auto dealers within Cerritos into one large three-block center accessible through two freeways.

=== Los Cerritos Center ===
{{Main|Los Cerritos Center}}

Since September 1971, the Los Cerritos Center has been an integral source of retail tax revenue. The total gross lease area is {{convert|1288245|sqft|m2|0}} and is the city's largest tax revenue source, producing $800 per square foot in 2015.

=== Cerritos Towne Center ===
{{Main|Cerritos Towne Center}}

[[File:Cerritos traffic light.jpg|thumb|right|The Towne Center has a decorative paving at the intersection.]]

The Cerritos Towne Center is a [[Power center (retail)|power center]] that combines offices, retail, hotel and entertainment facilities in one master planned project. The Towne Center includes the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/atoz/cerritos_center.html|title=City of Cerritos - Home Page|website=www.ci.cerritos.ca.us}}</ref> a 203-room [[Sheraton Hotel|Sheraton hotel]] and more than one million square feet (93,000&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup>) of office space. The retail portion of the project includes several anchors and specialty shops.<ref>[http://www.vestar.com/newsite/Assets/PropertyAssets/CerritosTC/Photos/p_97-046-01%20blockbuster%20mus.jpg Cerritos Blockbuster Music] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050906105335/http://www.vestar.com/newsite/Assets/PropertyAssets/CerritosTC/Photos/p_97-046-01%20blockbuster%20mus.jpg |date=September 6, 2005 }}</ref> The project is bounded by 183rd Street to the south, Bloomfield Avenue to the west, Shoemaker Avenue to the east and the [[Artesia Freeway]] (Route 91) to the north.

=== The Magnolia Power Project ===
The uncertainty of availability of electricity in California prompted the city of Cerritos on February 13, 2003, in conjunction with the cities of [[Anaheim]], [[Burbank, California|Burbank]], [[Colton, California|Colton]], [[Glendale, California|Glendale]] and [[Pasadena]], to participate in the Magnolia Power Project, which authorized the construction of a 310-[[megawatt]] power plant in Burbank.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/comnews/faqmagnolia.html|title=City of Cerritos - Home Page|website=www.ci.cerritos.ca.us}}</ref> Cerritos receives 10 megawatts, or 4% of the total output, to power public facilities, park lighting, traffic signals and water wells. Excess power (approximately five megawatts) is sold to public and/or private agencies.

===Top employers===
According to the city's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref name="cafr2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.cerritos.us/GOVERNMENT/_pdfs/CAFR_2014.pdf|title=City of Cerritos CAFR}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Rank
! Employer
! No. of employees
|-
| 1
|[[United Parcel Service]]
|6,000
|-
| 2
|[[ABC Unified School District]]
|3,500
|-
| 3
|[[AT&T]]
|1,200
|-
| 4
|[[Southern Wine & Spirits]] of Southern California
|1,100
|-
| 5
|City of Cerritos
|552
|-
| 6
|[[Crown Bolt]]
|400
|-
| 7
|[[Nordstrom]]
|400
|-
| 8
|[[College Hospital]]
|400
|-
| 9
|PMI
|350
|-
| 10
|Norm Reeves Honda of Cerritos<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.normreeveshondacerritos.com/|title=Los Angeles Honda Dealer - (888) 756-9874 - Norm Reeves Honda Cerritos|website=www.normreeveshondacerritos.com}}</ref>
|350
|-
|}

== Arts and culture ==

The Cerritos Fine Arts and Historical Commission has an "Art in Public Places Program" whereby the city commissions artists to create sculptures and fountains to be displayed in public points of interest, commercial property and gateways into the city. ''[[Los Cerritos Community News]]'' serves the city.

=== Tournament of Roses Parade ===
Since 2002, the City of Cerritos has participated in the [[Tournament of Roses Parade]] held every New Year's Day in [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]]. Floats in the parade are awarded prizes in the Tournament of Roses Parade.<ref>[http://www.cerritos.us/RESIDENTS/recreation/events/rose_parade_floats.php#:~:text=2002%3A%20“Fun%20for%20Everyone”,complete%20with%20music%20and%20steam. Tournament of Roses® Parade Floats - City of Cerritos]</ref>

=== Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts ===
{{Main|Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts}}

The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) features live performances in music, magic, comedy, dance and drama. The 154,000-square-foot (14,300&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup>) arts center has movable seats, floors, ceilings and stage areas, with a theater that can transform into six distinctive seating configurations, ranging in capacity from 921 to 1,800 seats. The facility also houses three additional meeting and banquet areas. The CCPA was designed by architect [[Barton Myers]].

The cost of the CCPA had reached over $60 million by the end of construction and scheduling. It was designed to serve as a cultural icon for people in the community and formally opened its doors on January 9, 1993, with a four-day performance by [[Frank Sinatra]].

The CCPA collected four awards for design shortly after its opening and has been named one of the top grossing theaters in its category in the United States.

=== Cerritos Millennium Library ===
{{Main|Cerritos Millennium Library}}
[[File:Cerritos_Library_exterior_(2175178271).jpg|alt=Library building with a tall Christmas decorated with snowflakes and a bow at the top|thumb|A decorated Christmas tree in front of the Cerritos Library]]
The Cerritos Library originally opened to the public on September 17, 1973, with a "First Ladies" theme (in recognition of former [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Pat Nixon]]'s home in the community). Eight years later, the city made its first renovation to the library for $6.6 million. {{convert|21,000|sqft|sqm|abbr=on}} were added for $5.4 million, and the remaining $1.2 million was spent on furniture and equipment.

In the late 1990s, Cerritos recognized the ever-changing innovation in [[information technology]] and the internet, and plans for a second renovation were approved.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/library/libhistory.html#The+Library+Today|title=City of Cerritos - Home Page|website=www.ci.cerritos.ca.us}}</ref> During the reconstruction, all materials were moved off site to temporary trailers in the parking lot of the Cerritos Towne Center for two years. The second renovation and expansion was completed on March 16, 2002.

At the time of its rededication, the newly renamed Cerritos Millennium Library was the first building in North America to be coated in [[titanium]] panels. This $40 million library features an elaborate interior design with themed reading rooms in a variety of old world and ultramodern styles. A third floor was added to include several conference rooms and an outdoor terrace.

The Cerritos Library holds a [[Smithsonian Affiliations|Smithsonian Affiliation]]. It was awarded the [[American Library Association]]/[[American Institute of Architects]] "[[National Blue Ribbon Schools Program|Award of Excellence]]" in 1989. It was also honored with ''Reader's Digest's'' 2004 Best Library Award.

===Cerritos Sculpture Garden===<!-- This section is linked from [[Aeroméxico Flight 498]] -->
[[File:Cerritos Air Disaster Memorial.JPG|thumb|right|150px|The Cerritos Air Disaster Memorial in the Cerritos Sculpture Garden. The sculpture is a memorial for [[Aeroméxico Flight 498]].]]
The Cerritos Sculpture Garden was dedicated on March 11, 2006, and included a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by representatives from Cerritos' [[Sister City|sister city]], [[Loreto, Baja California Sur]], Mexico. It is in the Civic Center and is designed to house approximately 20 sculptures to be phased in over the coming years. At the time of the dedication ceremony, three sculptures were already in place:

* The Air Disaster Memorial, by sculptor Kathleen Caricof, honors by name all the victims of the [[Aeroméxico Flight 498]] disaster on August 31, 1986.
* A replica of the [[Statue of Freedom]] that sits atop of the [[United States Capitol dome]].
* Elements Fountain, by artist Jane DeDecker, depicts female embodiments of the four elements [[allegory|allegories]] (earth, water, wind and fire) over a reflecting pool.
The garden was made to be able to accommodate future sculpture installations in a lush [[landscape]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cerritos.us/VISITORS/art_in_public_places/cerritos_sculpture_garden.php|title=City of Cerritos - Cerritos Sculpture Garden|website=www.cerritos.us}}</ref>

== Parks and recreation ==

=== Cerritos Olympic Swim & Fitness Center ===
The Cerritos Olympic Swim & Fitness Center provides year-round, indoor recreational, instructional and competitive swimming and gym.

The Swim Center was used by Olympians for swimming practices during the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles.

=== Pat Nixon Park ===
{{Main|Pat Nixon Park}}

The [[Pat Nixon Park]] is a recreational park that pays tribute to the late First Lady [[Pat Nixon]] on the site of her childhood home, which was destroyed by fire in 1978. The city of Cerritos undertook the project of building a senior center in 1993 to create a state-of-the-art public facility dedicated to its seniors with social events, services, life-enriching programs and clubs.

=== Community and neighborhood parks ===
[[File:Heritage Park, Cerritos, California.jpg|thumb|right|Heritage Park]]
[[Heritage Park (Cerritos, California)|Heritage Park]], a community park in the center of the city, pays tribute to [[American Revolutionary War|revolutionary America]] and the founding of the country. It re-opened to the public in 2002 with a refurbished colonial-themed play island and [[moat]].

Liberty Park, another community park in the western end of town, underwent massive renovation and re-opened to the public in February 2005. It features an updated community center, fitness center, rubberized jogging track and children's playground. Camp Liberty, a children's [[amphitheater]] within Liberty Park, has also been updated.

[[Don Knabe Community Regional Park]] houses the Cerritos Sports Complex, the skate park and outdoor swimming pools. The unique characteristic is an artificial lake complete with sporting fish. [[Los Angeles County]] maintains 75% of Regional Park and Cerritos oversees the remaining 25%.

The city also has 18 neighborhood parks near residential tracts, an executive golf course and two community [[gym]]nasiums on the [[Cerritos High School|Cerritos]] and [[Whitney High School (Cerritos, California)]] campuses.

== Government ==
Cerritos operates under a [[council–manager government|council–manager]] form of government, established by the charter of the city of Cerritos in 1958. The five-member city council acts as the city's chief policy-making body and as members of the Cerritos Redevelopment Agency.

=== Local government ===

==== City Council ====

The mayor, selected by the council, is its presiding officer and serves a one-year term. In the mayor's absence, the mayor [[pro tempore]] assumes his or her responsibilities. City Council elections were held on a Tuesday after the first Monday in April until the 2017 election. Effective with the 2020 California Primary election, the elections will be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in March of even-numbered years. Council members are elected to a four-year term and at-large. The mayor is [[Naresh Solanki]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/citygov/officials.html| title = Appointed City Officials| access-date = October 22, 2006| date = April 28, 2005| publisher = City of Cerritos}}</ref>

==== Emergency services ====
The Cerritos Sheriff's Station/Community Safety Center provides 24-hour safety services to Cerritos residents. Located in the Civic Center, the station houses the city's Community Safety Division and [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] personnel. The station was constructed by a [[referendum]] in 1996 and inaugurated in 1997. In 2006, the city council approved the construction of a {{convert|5000|sqft|m2|-2|adj=on}} expansion to the sheriff's station, at a cost of $400,000.

Fire protection is provided by [[Los Angeles County Fire Department]] Station 30, the headquarters for Battalion 9, with ambulance transport by [[Care Ambulance Service]].

===Public services===
The [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] operates the Cerritos Sheriff's Station and Community Safety Center, which was built into the Cerritos Civic Center. The {{convert|28000|sqft|sqm}} facility, built by the city, has a complaint/dispatch area, an 18-bed jail, administrative and detective personnel offices and a community meeting room.<ref>"[http://www.lasd.org/stations/for3/cerritos/index.html Cerritos Sheriff's Station and Community Safety Center] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127074338/http://www.lasd.org/stations/for3/cerritos/index.html |date=January 27, 2010 }}." [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]]. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.</ref> The sheriff's department operates the Lakewood Station in [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]], serving Cerritos.<ref>"[http://www.lasd.org/stations/for3/lakewood/index.html Lakewood Station] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230224813/http://www.lasd.org/stations/for3/lakewood/index.html |date=December 30, 2009 }}." [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]]. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.</ref>

The [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]] operates the Whittier Health Center in [[Whittier, California|Whittier]], serving Cerritos.<ref>"[http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phn/docs/HealthCenter/whittier.pdf Whittier Health Center] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527190101/http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phn/docs/HealthCenter/whittier.pdf |date=May 27, 2010 }}." [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]]. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.</ref>

The [[United States Postal Service]] operates the Cerritos post office at 18122 Carmenita Road.<ref>"[https://archive.today/20120723215829/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/24398?p=1&s=CA&service_name=post_office&z=Cerritos Post Office Location - CERRITOS]." ''[[United States Postal Service]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref>

===State and federal representation===
In the [[California State Legislature]], Cerritos is in {{Representative|casd|36|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|67|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 | url = https://statewidedatabase.org/gis/districtscomp.html
 | title = California Districts
 | publisher = UC Regents
 | access-date = January 5, 2023
}}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Cerritos is in {{Representative|cacd|45|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|45}}</ref>

== Education ==

=== Primary and secondary schools ===

==== Public schools ====
The majority of Cerritos is under the jurisdiction of the [[ABC Unified School District]]. A small portion on the west side of the city bounded by Palo Verde Avenue on the west, the San Gabriel River on the east, Artesia Boulevard on the north and South Street on the south is under the jurisdiction of the [[Bellflower Unified School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06037_los_angeles/DC20SD_C06037.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Los Angeles County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|pages=10-12 (PDF pp. 11-13/19)|access-date=November 22, 2023}}</ref>

Children in the ABCUSD portion of Cerritos attend a neighborhood elementary school (kindergarten to 6th grade) before going to a middle school (7th and 8th grade) and then a high school (9th to 12th grade) unless admitted to [[Whitney High School (Cerritos, California)|Whitney High School]], which covers 7th to 12th grade. Whitney High School is ranked as the best school in California, ahead of neighboring Oxford Academy, and 27th nationwide according to a 2012 [[U.S. News & World Report]] study.
[[File:Cerritos_College_Cerritos_CA.jpg|alt=Sign for college with Cerritos College logo of a C within a C. Sign is in a pedestrian plaza with buildings in background.|thumb|Cerritos College, Cerritos CA]]

==== Private schools ====
[[Valley Christian High School (Cerritos, California)|Valley Christian High School]] is one of the largest private Protestant schools in Los Angeles County.

=== Colleges and universities ===
Cerritos is also serviced by [[Cerritos College]] and [[Fremont College]].

=== Education of citizens ===
Eighty-five percent of high school graduates go on to higher education. Ten percent of the total population have an [[associates degree]], 26% have a [[bachelor's degree]] and 11% have an advanced degree.

== Transportation ==
The city of Cerritos owns a fleet of federally funded buses known as the '''Cerritos On Wheels''' (or COW),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cerritos.us/RESIDENTS/transportation/cow.php|title=City of Cerritos - Cerritos on Wheels (COW)|website=www.cerritos.us}}</ref> which has stops throughout town. The acronym "COW" is a tribute to the city's origins as Dairy Valley, when cows outnumbered residents. The propane-fueled COW also connects to the [[Long Beach Transit]], [[Orange County Transportation Authority]], [[Norwalk Transit (California)|Norwalk Transit]] and [[Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority|Los Angeles MTA]] buses at overlapping stops on the borders of the city. [[Wi-Fi]] internet access is also accessible on the buses.

In conjunction with the COW, the city also provides a [[Dial-A-Ride]] service for its disabled and elderly commuters.

Cerritos is directly served by three major California freeways:
* [[California State Route 91|SR 91]] (the Artesia Freeway) cuts through the center of the city.
* [[Interstate 605]] (the San Gabriel River Freeway) runs along the west side between the Los Cerritos Center and Auto Square.
* [[Interstate 5 in California|Interstate 5]] (the [[Santa Ana Freeway]]) grazes Cerritos at the northeast border.

The major thoroughfares in Cerritos are Alondra Boulevard, Artesia Boulevard, Bloomfield Avenue, Carmenita Road, Del Amo Boulevard, Norwalk Boulevard, Pioneer Boulevard, Shoemaker Avenue, South Street, Studebaker Road and Valley View Avenue.

The nearby [[Port of Los Angeles]] and [[Port of Long Beach]] are major ports of entry from the Pacific Ocean for importing and exporting goods.

Airports that serve Cerritos include [[Los Angeles International Airport]] (LAX), [[John Wayne Airport]] in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], [[Bob Hope Airport]] in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]], [[Ontario International Airport]] and the [[Long Beach Municipal Airport]].

== Notable people ==
* [[Troy Aikman]], [[American football]] [[quarterback]] for the [[Dallas Cowboys]] and member of the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hollandsworth |first1=Skip |title=The Real Troy Aikman |journal=Texas Monthly |date=December 1998 |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/the-real-troy-aikman/}}</ref>
* [[Chad Allen (actor)|Chad Allen]], actor.
* [[Marcelo Balboa]], [[Major League Soccer|MLS]] [[Colorado Rapids]] and [[United States men's national soccer team|US national soccer team]] member.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McLeod|first1=Paul|title=U.S. Soccer Team's Marcelo Balboa Would Be Famous Anywhere Else|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-04-sp-2645-story.html|access-date=May 5, 2017|newspaper=LA Times|date=July 4, 1991}}</ref>
* [[Bret Barberie]], former second baseman for the [[Florida Marlins]], once married to TV news star [[Jillian Barberie]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Jillian Barberie Gets Married|year=2006|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1212600,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930230126/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1212600,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 30, 2007|author=Marla Lehner|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=December 2, 2008}}</ref>
* [[Johnny Chan]], professional poker player.<ref>{{cite web|title=WSOP Player Profile|url=https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=262|website=WSOP|access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Morris Chestnut]], actor.
* [[Robby Gordon]], a [[NASCAR]] [[Sprint Cup Series|Sprint Cup]] driver, was born and raised in Cerritos. He lives in [[Orange, California]].
* [[Rickey Cradle]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] baseball player for the Seattle Mariners.<ref name="Keisser 2013">{{cite book | last=Keisser | first=B. | title=Baseball in Long Beach | publisher=Arcadia Publishing Incorporated | series=Sports | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-62584-066-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ua52CQAAQBAJ | access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Ben Howland]], [[UCLA]] men's basketball head coach.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/ben_howland_230817.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412011700/http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/ben_howland_230817.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2013|title=Ben Howland Bio - UCLA Official Athletic Site|date=April 12, 2013|work=archive.is|access-date=June 11, 2018}}</ref>
*[[Jimmy Kim]], [[taekwondo]] practitioner and instructor who won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the [[Taekwondo at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Summer Olympics]] in Seoul, South Korea.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-12-sp-327-story.html|title=On an Olympic Kick : Taekwondo Expert Hopes for the Gold in Martial Art|last=BOXALL|first=BETTINA|date=August 12, 1988|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 11, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref>
* [[Eddie Lewis (American soccer)|Eddie Lewis]], professional soccer player.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2010/10/20/la-galaxy-midfielder-eddie-lewis-retire-following-2010-mls-season|title=LA Galaxy Midfielder Eddie Lewis to Retire Following 2010 MLS Season|date=October 20, 2010|website=L.A. Galaxy}}</ref>
* [[Roger Lodge]], host of the reality show ''[[Blind Date (U.S. TV series)|Blind Date]]'' and radio sports announcer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jeffpearlman.com/roger-lodge/|title=Roger Lodge {{!}} Jeff Pearlman|website=www.jeffpearlman.com|date=October 6, 2015 |language=en-US|access-date=June 11, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Shane Mack (baseball)|Shane Mack]], former MLB baseball player.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wagner|first1=Dick|title=Gahr High's Bergeron Puts Emphasis on Fundamentals : Baseball: Even with a successful record, the coach has never lost sight of the basics.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-04-hl-2821-story.html|access-date=May 5, 2017|newspaper=LA Times|date=April 4, 1991}}</ref>
* [[Justin H. Min]], actor.
* [[Nakoula Basseley Nakoula]], filmmaker of ''[[Innocence of Muslims]].''<ref>{{cite news|title=Journalists at the Cerritos, Calif., house of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who officials said helped create a controversial video.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2012/09/14/world/director.html|access-date=September 14, 2012|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 14, 2012}}</ref> 
* [[Pat Nixon]], [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] and wife of President [[Richard Nixon]]. Her family owned a [[Market garden|truck farm]] formerly in Artesia, but now in Cerritos. [[Cerritos Senior Center at Pat Nixon Park|Pat Nixon Park]] is on the site of her childhood home.<ref name="Hendricks 2015 p. 316">{{cite book | last=Hendricks | first=N. | title=America's First Ladies: A Historical Encyclopedia and Primary Document Collection of the Remarkable Women of the White House: A Historical Encyclopedia and Primary Document Collection of the Remarkable Women of the White House | publisher=ABC-CLIO | year=2015 | isbn=978-1-61069-883-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KqeXCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA316 | access-date=May 5, 2017 | page=316}}</ref>
* [[Max Park]], an expert [[Rubik's Cube]] solver<ref>{{Cite news|last=McDuff|first=Tammye|date=June 16, 2016|title=Cerritos Resident is North America's #1 Rubik's Cube Champion|url=http://www.loscerritosnews.net/2016/06/16/cerritos-resident-is-north-americas-1-rubiks-cube-champion/|access-date=August 9, 2020|work=[[Cerritos Community News]]|publisher=Hews Media Group}}</ref>
* [[Lela Rochon]], actress.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTsDAAAAMBAJ|title=Jet|date=October 27, 1997|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Jorge Salcedo (soccer)|Jorge Salcedo]], NCAA soccer coach at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Jorge Salcedo Named UCLA Men's Soccer Head Coach |url=https://pac-12.com/article/2004/02/06/jorge-salcedo-named-ucla-mens-soccer-head-coach |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831175025/https://pac-12.com/article/2004/02/06/jorge-salcedo-named-ucla-mens-soccer-head-coach |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 31, 2018 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |work=Pac-12 News}}</ref> and [[LA Galaxy|L.A. Galaxy]] team member.<ref>{{cite web |title=LA Galaxy Profile |url=https://www.lagalaxy.com/starmap/jorge-salcedo |website=LA Galaxy |publisher=lagalaxy.com |access-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref>
*[[Jae Park]], former lead guitarist and vocalist of Korean rock band DAY6; now a solo artist who goes by eaJ.
* [[Kirsten Vangsness]], actress and writer.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://recorderonline.com/news/vangsness-ready-to-make-a-mess/article_ad2bba82-6d02-11e7-96db-bbb4bcb93653.html?mode=jqm|title=Vangsness ready to make a 'Mess'|work=Porterville Recorder|access-date=June 11, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Jim Zorn]], former NFL coach and quarterback.

== In popular culture ==
According to the [[Internet Movie Database]] (IMDb), the following productions have either been partially or entirely filmed in Cerritos:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/List?locations=Cerritos,+California,+USA&&tv=on|title=IMDB Filming Location|website=[[IMDb]] }}{{Dead link|date=June 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
{{Div col}}
* ''Almost There!'' (TV series, 1988)
* [[I'm Ready (Sam Smith and Demi Lovato song)|I'm Ready]] (music video, 2020)
* ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne's World]]'' (1992)
* ''Imminent Contact'' (1992)
* ''Until Tomorrow Comes'' (1992)
* ''McAllister Affair'' (TV series, 1992)
* ''[[Coneheads (film)|Coneheads]]'' (1993)
* ''[[She's All That]]'' (1999)
* ''The Flip Side'' (2001)
* ''[[Anokha]]'' (2004)
* ''A Modest Proposal'' (2006)
* ''Illegal'' (2007)
* ''Eli's Liquor Store'' (2007)
* ''The First Time'' (2007)
* ''[[Thunder (Boys Like Girls song)|Thunder]]'' (music video, 2008)
{{div col end}}The main setting of ''[[Star Trek: Lower Decks]]'', the ''California''-class [[starship]] ''USS Cerritos'', is named for the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-lower-decks-cerritos-name-meaning-explained/|title='Star Trek: Lower Decks Cerritos name meaning explained|website=[[Screen Rant]] |date=July 15, 2020 |access-date=August 6, 2020}}</ref>

In the [[Apple TV+]] show ''[[Mythic Quest]]'', the character David Brittlesbee lives in and commutes to Los Angeles from Cerritos in Season 3<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCune |first=Melody |date=November 24, 2022 |title=MYTHIC QUEST Recap: (S03E04) The Two Joes |url=https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/mythic-quest-recap-season-3-episode-4-the-two-joes/ |website=Geek Girl Authority}}</ref>

== Sister cities ==
* {{Flagicon|Brazil}} [[Itapetinga]], [[Bahia]], Brazil<ref>[http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/usa/CA Sister Cities International] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116164532/http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/usa/CA |date=January 16, 2008 }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Greater Los Angeles}}

* [[Cerritos Auto Square]]
* [[Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts]]
* [[Cerritos College]]
* [[Cerritos Library]]
* [[Cerritos Senior Center at Pat Nixon Park]]
* [[Cerritos Towne Center]]
* [[Cerritos Veterans Memorial]]
* [[Los Cerritos Center]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/library/history/contents.html The Story of Cerritos: A History in Progress] by Marilyn Cenovich
* [http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/atoz/history.html History of Cerritos]
* [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cerritos3sep03,1,4110493.story?ctrack=1&cset=true A Los Angeles Times article on Cerritos]
* [http://www.vestar.com Images from Vestar's website: The Cerritos Towne Center development company]
* [http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/citygov/budget/budget05.pdf The Cerritos 2005–2006 budget]
* [http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/citygov/budget/letter.html The City Manager's Letter to the City Council 2005]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040408010450/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/12/11/sprj.ws.wifi.city.ap/ CNN Article On Wireless Network]
* [https://archive.today/20130131200810/http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E21474%257E2866777,00.html Press Telegram Article On 2006 Capital Projects]
* [http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/comnews/PressReleases/2006/sculpture.html Cerritos Sculpture Garden press release]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050129010045/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_47_24/ai_97616281 Los Angeles Business Journal article on Cerritos]
* Eftychiou, Audrey. <u>Cerritos At 50: Celebrating Our Past and Our Future</u>. Virginia Beach, VA: The Donning Company, 2006.
* [http://www.cerritos.us/_pdfs/state_of_the_city_2010.pdf 2010 State of the City Presentation]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9655054&CFID=15729487&CFTOKEN=39271809 August 16, 2007 Edition of The Economist feature on Cerritos]

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Cerritos}}
{{Commons category|Cerritos, California}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.cerritos.org/ Cerritos Chamber of Commerce]
*[https://map.chronicle.rip/Artesia_Cemetery Artesia Cemetery deceased records and online map] at Chronicle Cemetery Map

{{Geographic location
|title = '''Destinations from Cerritos'''
|Centre = Cerritos
|North = [[Norwalk, California|Norwalk]]<br />[[Artesia, California|Artesia]]<br />[[Norwalk, California|Norwalk]]<br />[[Santa Fe Springs, California|Santa Fe Springs]]
|Northeast = [[La Mirada]]<br />[[Santa Fe Springs]]
|East = [[Santa Fe Springs]]<br />[[La Mirada]]<br />[[Buena Park]]<br />[[La Palma, California|La Palma]]
|Southeast = [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]]
|South = [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]]
|Southwest = [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]]
|West = [[Bellflower, California|Bellflower]]
|Northwest = [[Bellflower, California|Bellflower]]
}}
{{Cerritos, California}}
{{Los Angeles County, California}}
{{Greater Los Angeles Area}}
{{Gateway Cities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cerritos, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Gateway Cities]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]