Editing Santa Monica, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{Redirect|Santa Monica}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Santa Monica, California
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
  | total_width            = 280
  | border                 = infobox
  | perrow                 = 1/3/2
  | caption_align          = center
  | image1                 = Santa Monica Beach 01.jpg
  | alt1                   = Santa Monica State Beach
  | caption1               = [[Santa Monica State Beach]]
  | image2                 = The Georgian Hotel - Santa Mónica (cropped).jpg
  | alt2                   = Georgian Hotel
  | caption2               = [[Georgian Hotel]]
  | image3                 = Saint Monica Catholic Church (Santa Monica, California).JPG
  | alt3                   = St. Monica Church
  | caption3               = [[St. Monica Catholic Church (Santa Monica, California)|St. Monica Church]]
  | image4                 = Clock-Tower-Santa-Monica-esterna (cropped).jpg
  | alt4                   = Third Street Promenade
  | caption4               = [[Third Street Promenade]]
  | image5                 = Casa del Mar Santa Monica (cropped).jpg
  | alt5                   = Hotel Casa del Mar
  | caption5               = [[Hotel Casa del Mar]]
  | image6                 = Sovereign Hotel, Santa Monica edit1 (cropped).jpg
  | alt6                   = Sovereign Hotel
  | caption6               = [[Sovereign Hotel (California)|Sovereign Hotel]]
  }}
| image_seal         = Seal of Santa Monica, California.png
| nickname           = SaMo<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://smdp.com/report-samo-air-quality-some-of-the-best-in-socal/121552 |title=Report: SaMo air quality some of the best in SoCal |last=Archibald |first=Ashley |date=April 26, 2013 |newspaper=Daily Press |location=Santa Monica, California |access-date=January 5, 2015 |archive-date=January 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106020915/http://smdp.com/report-samo-air-quality-some-of-the-best-in-socal/121552 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| motto              = {{langnf|la|Populus felix in urbe felice|term1=Happy people in a happy city |term2=Fortunate people in a fortunate land |break=yes}}<ref>{{cite news|title=The mystery of Santa Monica's city motto|first=David Mark|last=Simpson|date=June 3, 2015|work=[[Santa Monica Daily Press]]|url=http://smdp.com/mystery-santa-monicas-city-motto/148423|access-date=September 22, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923011735/http://smdp.com/mystery-santa-monicas-city-motto/148423|url-status=live}}</ref>
| image_map          = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=280|frame-height=280|frame-coord=SWITCH:{{coord|qid=Q47164}}###{{coord|34|12|N|118|15|W}}###{{coord|qid=Q99}}###{{coord|qid=Q30}}|zoom=SWITCH:11;8;5;3|type=SWITCH:shape-inverse;shape;point;point|marker=city|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#5f5f5f|id2=SWITCH:Q47164;Q104994;Q99;Q30|type2=shape|fill2=#ffffff|fill-opacity2=SWITCH:0;0.1;0.1;0.1|stroke-width2=2|stroke-color2=#5f5f5f|stroke-opacity2=SWITCH:0;1;1;1|switch=Santa Monica;Los Angeles County;California;the United States}}
| coordinates        = {{coord|34|01|19|N|118|28|53|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[California]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
| established_title  = Spanish encampment
| established_date   = August 3, 1769
| established_title1 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date1  = November 30, 1886<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date |format=[[Microsoft Word]] |publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s |access-date=August 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221091414/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |archive-date=February 21, 2013 }}</ref>
| named_for          = [[Saint Monica]]
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qcode.us/codes/santamonica/ |publisher=Quality Code Publishing |title=Charter of the City of Santa Monica |access-date=November 4, 2014 |archive-date=February 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219000800/http://www.qcode.us/codes/santamonica/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Lana Negrete ([[Democratic Party (U.S.)|D]])<ref name=cc>{{cite web |url=https://www.smgov.net/departments/council/content.aspx?id=13705 |publisher=City of Santa Monica |title=Santa Monica City Council  }}</ref>
| leader_title1      = [[Mayor Pro Tem]]
| leader_name1       = Caroline Torosis
| leader_title3      = [[Santa Monica City Council|City Council]]
| leader_name3       = Jesse Zwick <br>Dan Hall<br /> Ellis Raskin <br /> Barry Snell <br/>Natalya Zernitskaya
| leader_title4      = [[City Manager]]
| leader_name4       = David White
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020|archive-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116044541/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_water_percent = 
| area_total_sq_mi   = 16.00
| area_land_sq_mi    = 8.41
| area_water_sq_mi   = 7.58
<!-- Elevation ------------>| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1652792|Santa Monica|access-date=October 20, 2014}}</ref>
| elevation_ft       = 105
<!-- Population ----------->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name=quif>{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santamonicacitycalifornia | title= Santa Monica (city) QuickFacts | publisher                = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = March 15, 2022 | archive-date = January 19, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220119184631/http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/santamonicacitycalifornia,US/HSD310219 | url-status = live }}</ref>
| population_total   = 93076
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| population_rank    = [[List of largest California cities by population|92nd]] in California
| population_density_sq_mi = 11067
| timezone1          = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
| utc_offset1        = &minus;8
| timezone1_DST      = PDT
| utc_offset1_DST    = &minus;7
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 90401–90411
| area_code_type     = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area codes]]
| area_code          = [[Area codes 310 and 424|310/424]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = {{FIPS|06|70000}}<ref name="GR2">{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008 | title                    = U.S. Census website | archive-date = December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/http://www.census.gov/ | url-status = live }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
| blank1_info        = {{GNIS 4|1652792}}, {{GNIS 4|2411825}}<ref name="GR3">{{cite web | url = http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008 | title = US Board on Geographic Names | publisher                = [[United States Geological Survey]] | date = October 25, 2007|archive-date=February 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212191832/http://geonames.usgs.gov/ | url-status = live }}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://santamonica.gov}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| area_total_km2     = 41.43
| area_land_km2      = 21.80
| area_water_km2     = 19.64
}}

'''Santa Monica''' ({{langnf|es||[[Saint Monica]]}}; [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]], situated along [[Santa Monica Bay]] on [[California]]'s [[South Coast (California)|South Coast]]. Santa Monica's 2020 [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. census]] population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular [[resort town]], owing to its climate, beaches, and hospitality industry.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/4144194/these-were-the-most-popular-places-to-check-in-on-facebook-in-2015/ |title=The Most Popular Places to Check In on Facebook in 2015 |first=Sarah |last=Begley |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=December 10, 2015 |access-date=January 27, 2016 |archive-date=January 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114123023/http://time.com/4144194/these-were-the-most-popular-places-to-check-in-on-facebook-in-2015/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It has a diverse economy, hosting headquarters of companies such as [[Hulu]], [[Activision Blizzard]], [[Universal Music Group]], [[Starz Entertainment Corp.|Starz Entertainment]], [[Lionsgate Studios]], [[Illumination (company)|Illumination]] and [[The Recording Academy]].

Santa Monica traces its history to [[Rancho San Vicente y Santa Mónica]], granted in 1839 to the [[Sepúlveda family of California]]. The rancho was later sold to [[John Percival Jones|John P. Jones]] and [[Robert Symington Baker|Robert Baker]], who in 1875, along with his [[Californio]] heiress wife [[Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker]], founded Santa Monica, which incorporated as a city in 1886. The city developed into a [[seaside resort]] during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the creation of tourist attractions such as [[Palisades Park (Santa Monica)|Palisades Park]], the [[Santa Monica Pier]], [[Ocean Park (Santa Monica)|Ocean Park]], and the [[Hotel Casa del Mar]].

== History ==
{{Main|History of Santa Monica, California}}

=== Indigenous ===
The [[Tongva]] are indigenous to the Santa Monica area. The village of [[Comicranga]] was established in the Santa Monica area.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=City of Arcadia, CA |url=https://www.arcadiaca.gov/enrich/arcadia_public_library/gilb_museum_of_arcadia_heritage/hugo_reid.php |access-date=January 8, 2023 |website=www.arcadiaca.gov |language=en |quote=Bartolomea (her Spanish mission name), an indigenous Gabrieliño-Tongva Native American, was born around 1808 in an indigenous town called Comigranga, which was located around today's Santa Monica. She was taken away from her parents to live at the San Gabriel mission}}</ref> One of the village's notable residents was [[Victoria Reid]], who was the daughter of the chief of the village.<ref>{{Cite book |title=A passage in time: the archaeology and history of the Santa Susana Pass State Historical Park, California |date=2006 |publisher=Statistical Research |author=Richard Ciolek-Torrello |isbn=1-879442-89-2 |location=Tucson |pages=65 |oclc=70910964}}</ref> During the Spanish period, she was taken to [[Mission San Gabriel Arcángel|Mission San Gabriel]] from her parents at the age of six.<ref name=":1" />

===Spanish era===
[[File:Rancho San Vicente Y Santa Monica (cropped).png|thumb|left|[[Rancho San Vicente y Santa Mónica]] was granted in 1839 to the [[Sepúlveda family of California]].]]
The first non-indigenous group to set foot in the area was the party of explorer [[Gaspar de Portolá]], which camped near the present-day intersection of Barrington and Ohio Avenues on August 3, 1769.

There are two different accounts of how the city's name came to be. One says it was named in honor of the [[feast day]] of [[Monica of Hippo|Saint Monica]] (mother of [[Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine]]), but her feast day is May 4. Another version says it was named by [[Juan Crespí]] on account of a pair of springs, the [[Tongva Sacred Springs|Kuruvungna Springs]], that were reminiscent of the tears Saint Monica shed over her son's early impiety.<ref name=Scott>Paula A. Scott, ''Santa Monica: a history on the edge. Making of America series'' (Arcadia Publishing, 2004), 17–18.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gabrielinosprings.com/wpsite/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/FactSheet_KuruvungnaSprings2021.pdf|title=Gabrielino &#124; Tongva Springs Foundation Fact Sheet|access-date=October 11, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024065510/http://gabrielinosprings.com/wpsite/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/FactSheet_KuruvungnaSprings2021.pdf|archive-date=October 24, 2021}}</ref>

===Mexican era===
[[File:SantaMonica-1840house-in-1890.jpg|thumb|left|1840 [[adobe]] home in Santa Monica]]
In 1839, Governor [[Juan Bautista Alvarado]] granted [[Rancho San Vicente y Santa Mónica]] to Francisco Sepúlveda II, of the [[Sepúlveda family of California]]. As the definitions of the [[ranchos of California|rancho grant]] were not precise, the Sepúlveda family came into conflict with the neighboring [[Rancho Boca de Santa Mónica]], owned by [[Ysidro Reyes]] and Francisco Márquez. A small [[Californio]] community grew up on Rancho San Vicente y Santa Mónica, made up primarily of [[vaqueros]] working on the rancho and their families.

===Post-conquest era===
[[File:Portrait of Mrs. Arcadia de Bandini, ca.1885 (CHS-2918) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker|Arcadia Bandini de Baker]], a prominent [[Californio]] heiress, is known as the "Godmother of Santa Monica" for her role in founding the city.<ref>[https://smmirror.com/2022/06/former-home-of-the-godmother-of-santa-monica-up-for-sale/ Santa Monica Mirror - Former Home of the 'Godmother of Santa Monica' up for Sale]</ref>]]
After the [[Conquest of California|American conquest of California]], Mexico signed the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]], which gave Mexicans and Californios living in state certain unalienable rights. U.S. government sovereignty in California began on February 2, 1848.

In the 1870s, the [[Los Angeles and Independence Railroad]] connected Santa Monica with Los Angeles, and a wharf out into the bay. The first town hall was an 1873 brick building, later a beer hall, and now part of the Santa Monica [[Hostel]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Santa Monica History Spotlight: The Rapp Saloon |url=https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/santa-monica-history-spotlight-the-rapp-saloon |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=www.santamonica.gov |language=en-US}}</ref> By 1885, the town's first hotel was the Santa Monica Hotel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://waterandpower.org/museum/Early_Views_of_Santa_Monica.html|title=Water and Power Associates|website=waterandpower.org|access-date=December 8, 2017|archive-date=December 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208175032/http://waterandpower.org/museum/Early_Views_of_Santa_Monica.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Amusement piers became popular in the first decades of the 20th century and the extensive [[Pacific Electric Railway]] brought people to the city's beaches from across the [[Greater Los Angeles Area]].

Around the start of the 20th century, a growing population of [[Asian American]]s lived in and around Santa Monica and Venice. A [[Japanese people|Japanese]] fishing village was near the Long Wharf while small numbers of [[Chinese people|Chinese]] lived or worked in Santa Monica and Venice. The two ethnic minorities were often viewed differently by White Americans, who were often well-disposed toward the Japanese but condescending to the Chinese.<ref name="Fogelson1993">{{cite book|last=Fogelson|first=Robert M.|title=The fragmented metropolis: Los Angeles, 1850–1930|url=https://archive.org/details/fragmentedmetrop0000foge_l1o1|url-access=limited|year=1993|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-08230-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/fragmentedmetrop0000foge_l1o1/page/200 200]}}</ref> The Japanese village fishermen were an integral economic part of the Santa Monica Bay community.<ref>Mark McIntire, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130803031619/http://www.virtualvenice.info/print/1914-1916pt5.htm Minorities and Racism]}}, ''Free Venice Beachhead'' #126, June 1980.</ref>
[[File:Bath house and beach, Ocean Park, California (15301642599) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|[[Ocean Park (Santa Monica)|Ocean Park]] bathhouse, {{Circa|1907}}]]
[[Donald Wills Douglas Sr.]] built a plant in 1922 at Clover Field ([[Santa Monica Airport]]) for the [[Douglas Aircraft Company]].<ref>Parker, Dana T. ''Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II,'' pp. 13–24, Cypress, CA, 2013. {{ISBN|978-0-9897906-0-4}}.</ref> In 1924, four Douglas-built planes took off from Clover Field to attempt the first aerial circumnavigation of the world. Two planes returned after covering {{convert|27553| miles|km }} in 175 days, and were greeted on their return September 23, 1924, by a crowd of 200,000. The Douglas Company (later [[McDonnell Douglas]]) kept facilities in the city until the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica Airport (SMO) History SMO: Santa Monica Municipal Airport|url=https://www.smgov.net/departments/airport/history.aspx|access-date=May 17, 2021|website=www.smgov.net|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517235906/https://www.smgov.net/departments/airport/history.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Great Depression]] hit Santa Monica deeply. One report gives citywide employment in 1933 of just 1,000. Hotels and office building owners went bankrupt. In the 1930s, corruption infected Santa Monica (along with neighboring [[Los Angeles]]). The federal [[Works Project Administration]] helped build several buildings, most notably City Hall. The main [[Post Office]] and Barnum Hall ([[Santa Monica High School]] auditorium) were also among other WPA projects.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Scott|first=Paula A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rSE_tBhPNWIC&q=The+main+Post+Office+and+Barnum+Hall+(Santa+Monica+High+School+auditorium)+were+also+among+other+WPA+projects&pg=PT167|title=Santa Monica: A History on the Edge|date=October 13, 2004|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-1-4396-3061-7|language=en|access-date=September 27, 2021|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211022110/https://books.google.com/books?id=rSE_tBhPNWIC&q=The+main+Post+Office+and+Barnum+Hall+%28Santa+Monica+High+School+auditorium%29+were+also+among+other+WPA+projects&pg=PT167|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Modern era===
[[File:California - Santa Monica - NARA - 23935313 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of Santa Monica, {{Circa|1941}}]]
Douglas's business grew with the onset of [[World War II]], employing as many as 44,000 people in 1943. To defend against air attack, [[set designer]]s from the [[Warner Bros.|Warner Brothers Studios]] prepared elaborate camouflage that disguised the factory and airfield.<ref>Herman, Arthur. ''Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II,'' pp. 202–3, Random House, New York, NY, 2012. {{ISBN|978-1-4000-6964-4}}.</ref><ref>Parker, Dana T. ''Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II,'' pp. 7–48., Cypress, CA, 2013. {{ISBN|978-0-9897906-0-4}}.</ref> The [[RAND Corporation]] began as a project of the Douglas Company in 1945, and spun off into an independent [[think tank]] on May 14, 1948. RAND acquired a {{convert|15|acre|m2|adj=on}} campus across the street from the Civic Center and is still there today.

The completion of the [[Santa Monica Civic Auditorium]] in 1958 eliminated Belmar, the first African American community in the city,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-tragic-history-of-las-black-family-beach-havens|title=The Tragic History of L.A.'s Black Family Beach Havens|work=Daily Beast|first=Janna A.|last=Zinzi|date=August 1, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803220221/https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-tragic-history-of-las-black-family-beach-havens|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Santa Monica Freeway]] in 1966 decimated the Pico neighborhood that had been a leading [[African American]] enclave on the [[Los Angeles Westside|Westside]].

[[Beach volleyball]] is believed to have been developed by [[Duke Kahanamoku]] in Santa Monica during the 1920s.<ref>[https://www.kingofthebeach.com/pages/history-of-beach-volleyball-king-of-the-beach-and-queen-of-the-beach History of Beach Volleyball] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409155639/https://www.kingofthebeach.com/pages/history-of-beach-volleyball-king-of-the-beach-and-queen-of-the-beach |date=April 9, 2019 }} Retrieved August 1, 2020</ref>

Santa Monica has two hospitals: [[Saint John's Health Center]] and [[Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center]]. Its cemetery is [[Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica|Woodlawn Memorial]].

Santa Monica has several local newspapers including ''[[Santa Monica Daily Press]]'', ''[[Santa Monica Mirror]]'', and ''Santa Monica Star''.

== Geography ==
Santa Monica rests on a mostly flat slope that angles down toward [[Ocean Avenue (Santa Monica)|Ocean Avenue]] and toward the south. High bluffs separate the north side of the city from the beaches. Santa Monica borders the L.A. neighborhoods of [[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles|Pacific Palisades]] to the north and [[Venice, Los Angeles|Venice]] to the south. To the west, Santa Monica has a 3-mile coastline fronting [[Santa Monica Bay]], and to the east of the city are the L.A. communities of [[West Los Angeles]] and [[Brentwood, Los Angeles|Brentwood]].

=== Climate ===
[[File:Aerial view of Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California LCCN2013632670.tif|thumb|left|View of [[Santa Monica Pier]]]]
Santa Monica has a [[Mediterranean climate|coastal Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Csb'').<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Beck | first1 = Hylke E. | last2 = Zimmermann | first2 = Niklaus E. | last3 = McVicar | first3 = Tim R. R. | last4 = Vergopolan | first4 = Noemi | last5 = Berg | first5 = Alexis | last6 = Wood | first6 = Eric F. F. | date = October 30, 2018 | title = Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution | journal = Scientific Data | volume = 5 | pages = 180214 | doi = 10.1038/sdata.2018.214 | pmid = 30375988 | pmc = 6207062 | bibcode = 2018NatSD...580214B | url = https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata2018214.pdf }}</ref> It receives an average of 310 days of sunshine a year.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=159227&refer=| title=Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Los Angeles, California, United States of America| publisher=Weatherbase.com| access-date=August 13, 2009| archive-date=January 11, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111084326/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=159227&refer=| url-status=live}}</ref> It is in [[USDA plant hardiness zone]] 11a.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-california-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php | title=Interactive USDA Gardening and Plant Hardiness Zone Map for California | publisher=Plantmaps.com | access-date=October 31, 2016 | archive-date=November 22, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122130928/http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-california-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php | url-status=live }}</ref> Because of its location, nestled on the vast and open Santa Monica Bay, morning fog is a common phenomenon in May, June, July and early August (caused by ocean temperature variations and currents). Like other inhabitants of the greater Los Angeles area, residents have a particular terminology for this phenomenon: the "May Gray", the "[[June Gloom]]" and even "Fogust". Overcast skies are common on June mornings, but usually the strong sun burns the fog off by noon. In the late winter/early summer, daily fog is a phenomenon too. It happens suddenly and it may last some hours or past sunset time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santabarbara.com/community/weather/junegloom.asp| title = Santa Barbara.com: June Gloom| publisher=SantaBarbara.com| access-date=August 13, 2009}}</ref> Nonetheless, it will sometimes stay cloudy and cool all day during June, even as other parts of the Los Angeles area experience sunny skies and warmer temperatures. At times, the sun can be shining east of 20th Street while the beach area is overcast. As a general rule, the beach temperature is from 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 6 degrees Celsius) cooler than it is inland during summer days, and 5 to 10 degrees warmer during winter nights.

It is also in September that the highest temperatures tend to be reached. It is winter, however, when the hot, dry winds of the [[Santa Ana wind|Santa Anas]] are most common. In contrast, temperatures exceeding 10 degrees below average are rare.
[[File:Ocean Avenue.jpg|thumb|right|Ocean Avenue at sunset]]
The rainy season is from late October through late March. Winter storms usually approach from the northwest and pass quickly through the Southland. There is very little rain during the rest of the year. Yearly rainfall totals are unpredictable as rainy years are occasionally followed by droughts. There has never been any snow or frost, but there has been hail.

Santa Monica usually enjoys cool breezes blowing in from the ocean, which tend to keep the air fresh and clean. Therefore, smog is less of a problem for Santa Monica than elsewhere around Los Angeles. However, from September through November, the Santa Ana winds sometimes blow from the east, bringing smoggy and hot inland air to the beaches.

The hottest temperature ever reported in Santa Monica was {{convert|100|F|C}} on November 1, 1966, while the lowest is {{convert|33|F|C}} on March 1, 1945, and again on March 21, 1952. The highest minimum temperature is {{convert|72|F|C}} on October 24, 2007, and the lowest maximum temperature is {{convert|51|F|C}} on 4 dates in February 2001 and again March 10, 2006. The snowiest months on record are January 1954 and March 1955, both with trace amounts. They are the only months to ever report snowfall. Many months have reported no rainfall at all. Conversely, the wettest month on record is January 1995 with a total of {{convert|17.82|in}} of rainfall. The wettest year on record is 1998, with a total of {{convert|25.4|in}} of rainfall; the driest is 1989, with a total of {{convert|4.04|in}} of rainfall.<ref name = NOWData/>

{{Weather box
|location = Santa Monica, California ([[Stearns Wharf|Santa Monica Pier]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–2013
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 85
|Feb record high F = 89
|Mar record high F = 90
|Apr record high F = 91
|May record high F = 93
|Jun record high F = 92
|Jul record high F = 91
|Aug record high F = 95
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F = 99
|Nov record high F = 100
|Dec record high F = 89

|Jan avg record high F = 77.0
|Feb avg record high F = 76.8
|Mar avg record high F = 73.3
|Apr avg record high F = 77.1
|May avg record high F = 72.0
|Jun avg record high F = 73.2
|Jul avg record high F = 76.2
|Aug avg record high F = 76.8
|Sep avg record high F = 79.8
|Oct avg record high F = 83.9
|Nov avg record high F = 79.9
|Dec avg record high F = 75.4
|year avg record high F = 88.2

|Jan high F = 62.0
|Feb high F = 62.2
|Mar high F = 61.8
|Apr high F = 63.4
|May high F = 63.4
|Jun high F = 66.3
|Jul high F = 69.4
|Aug high F = 69.7
|Sep high F = 70.0
|Oct high F = 67.5
|Nov high F = 66.9
|Dec high F = 63.4
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 55.8
|Feb mean F = 56.0
|Mar mean F = 56.8
|Apr mean F = 58.3
|May mean F = 59.6
|Jun mean F = 62.7
|Jul mean F = 65.4
|Aug mean F = 66.0
|Sep mean F = 65.5
|Oct mean F = 63.0
|Nov mean F = 60.3
|Dec mean F = 56.5
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 49.6
|Feb low F = 49.7
|Mar low F = 51.8
|Apr low F = 53.2
|May low F = 55.8
|Jun low F = 59.2
|Jul low F = 61.5
|Aug low F = 62.3
|Sep low F = 60.9
|Oct low F = 58.5
|Nov low F = 53.6
|Dec low F = 49.5
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 43.6
|Feb avg record low F = 44.8
|Mar avg record low F = 46.0
|Apr avg record low F = 48.2
|May avg record low F = 51.9
|Jun avg record low F = 55.8
|Jul avg record low F = 58.9
|Aug avg record low F = 59.3
|Sep avg record low F = 57.9
|Oct avg record low F = 53.9
|Nov avg record low F = 47.7
|Dec avg record low F = 44.0
|year avg record low F = 41.6

|Jan record low F = 34
|Feb record low F = 35
|Mar record low F = 33
|Apr record low F = 39
|May record low F = 43
|Jun record low F = 45
|Jul record low F = 49
|Aug record low F = 51
|Sep record low F = 44
|Oct record low F = 42
|Nov record low F = 37
|Dec record low F = 34

|precipitation colour = 
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.08
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.10
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.74
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.57
|May precipitation inch = 0.23
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.05
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.03
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.01
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.03
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.49
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.81
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.03
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 6.8
|Feb precipitation days = 6.9
|Mar precipitation days = 4.9
|Apr precipitation days = 2.1
|May precipitation days = 1.4
|Jun precipitation days = 0.9
|Jul precipitation days = 0.5
|Aug precipitation days = 0.4
|Sep precipitation days = 0.4
|Oct precipitation days = 1.9
|Nov precipitation days = 2.4
|Dec precipitation days = 5.0

|Jan snow inch = 
|Feb snow inch = 
|Mar snow inch = 
|Apr snow inch = 
|May snow inch = 
|Jun snow inch = 
|Jul snow inch = 
|Aug snow inch = 
|Sep snow inch = 
|Oct snow inch = 
|Nov snow inch = 
|Dec snow inch = 
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 
|Feb snow days = 
|Mar snow days = 
|Apr snow days = 
|May snow days = 
|Jun snow days = 
|Jul snow days = 
|Aug snow days = 
|Sep snow days = 
|Oct snow days = 
|Nov snow days = 
|Dec snow days =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00047953&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Santa Monica Pier, CA
|access-date = May 7, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=lox
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Los Angeles
|access-date = May 7, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

=== Environment ===
[[File:Santa Monica (35285634420).jpg|thumb|left|View of the city's beaches from [[Santa Monica Bay]]]]
The city first proposed its Sustainable City Plan in 1992 and in 1994, was one of the first cities in the nation to formally adopt a comprehensive sustainability plan, setting waste reduction and water conservation policies for both public and private sector through its Office of Sustainability and the Environment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coolcalifornia.org/case-study/sustainable-santa-monica|title=Sustainable Santa Monica|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313031525/http://coolcalifornia.org/case-study/sustainable-santa-monica|url-status=live}}</ref> Eighty-two percent of the city's public works vehicles run on alternative fuels, including most of the municipal bus system, making it among the largest of such fleets in the country. Santa Monica fleet vehicles and buses source their natural gas from Redeem, a Southern California-based supplier of renewable and sustainable natural gas obtained from non-fracked methane biogas generated from organic landfill waste.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/press-room/big-blue-bus-fueling-renewable-future-one-bus-time|title=Big Blue Bus, Fueling a Renewable Future One Bus at a Time – Clean Energy Fuels|work=Clean Energy Fuels|access-date=May 24, 2016|date=July 16, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923025212/https://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/press-room/big-blue-bus-fueling-renewable-future-one-bus-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Santa Monica adopted a Community Energy Independence Initiative, with a goal of achieving complete energy independence by 2020 (vs. [[Energy in California|California's already ambitious 33% renewables goal]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OSE/Categories/Sustainability/Sustainable-City-Plan.pdf |title=Sustainability |website=www.smgov.net |access-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217065216/http://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OSE/Categories/Sustainability/Sustainable-City-Plan.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/solar.aspx|title=Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment: Solar Santa Monica|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=April 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408054240/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/solar.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The city exceeded that aspiration when, in February 2019, it switched over to electricity from the Clean Power Alliance,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cleanpoweralliance.org/|title=Clean Power Alliance|website=Clean Power Alliance|access-date=August 9, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806005000/https://cleanpoweralliance.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> with a citywide default of [[100% renewable energy|100% renewably sourced energy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Energy/Clean_Power_Alliance_FAQs.aspx|title=Santa Monica OSE - Clean Power Alliance FAQs|website=www.smgov.net|access-date=April 4, 2020|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807065020/https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Energy/Clean_Power_Alliance_FAQs.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>  That same year, the Santa Monica City Council adopted a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan aimed at achieving an 80% cut in [[carbon emissions]] by 2030, and reaching community-wide [[carbon neutrality]] by 2050 or sooner.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/05/29/santa-monica-addresses-climate-crisis-with-ambitious-carbon-emission-cuts-and-adaptation-measures|title=Santa Monica Addresses Climate Crisis with Ambitious Carbon Emission Cuts and Adaptation Measures|website=santamonica.gov|access-date=April 4, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806020033/https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/05/29/santa-monica-addresses-climate-crisis-with-ambitious-carbon-emission-cuts-and-adaptation-measures|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Annenberg beach house santa monica-FFP.jpg|thumb|right|[[Annenberg Community Beach House|Annenberg Beach House]]]]
An [[urban runoff]] facility (SMURFF), the first of its kind in the US, catches and treats {{convert|3.5|e6USgal|m3}} of water each week that would otherwise flow into the bay via storm-drains and sells it back to end-users within the city for reuse as gray-water,<ref name="santamonica.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.santamonica.com/includes/media/docs/SustainableCityReportCard.pdf|title=Santa Monica CA – Visitor Information, Hotels, Dining|work=Santa Monica|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308030548/http://www.santamonica.com/includes/media/docs/SustainableCityReportCard.pdf|archive-date=March 8, 2012|access-date=May 24, 2016}}</ref> while [[bioswale]]s throughout the city allow rainwater to percolate into and replenish the [[groundwater]]. The groundwater supply plays an important role in the city's Sustainable Water Master Plan, whereby Santa Monica has set a goal of attaining 100% water independence by 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Water/Rules___Regulations.aspx|title=Santa Monica OSE – Rules & Regulations|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630114830/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Water/Rules___Regulations.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The city has numerous programs designed to promote water conservation among residents, including a rebate for those who convert lawns to drought-tolerant gardens that require less water.<ref name="santamonica.com" />
[[File:The Pergola.jpg|thumb|left|[[Palisades Park (Santa Monica)|Palisades Park]], founded in by [[Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker|Arcadia Bandini de Baker]] in 1892]]
Santa Monica has also instituted a green building-code whereby merely constructing to code automatically renders a building equivalent to the US Green Building Council's [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED Silver standards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smdp.com/taking-the-green-out-of-green-building-certification/132959|title=Taking the green out of green building certification|work=Santa Monica Daily Press|access-date=May 24, 2016|date=March 12, 2014|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306133433/http://smdp.com/taking-the-green-out-of-green-building-certification/132959|url-status=live}}</ref> The city's Main Library is one of many LEED certified or LEED equivalent buildings in the city. It is built over a 200,000 gallon cistern that collects filtered stormwater from the roof. The water is used for landscape irrigation.

Since 2009, Santa Monica has been developing the [[Zero waste|Zero Waste]] Strategic Operations Plan by which the city will set a goal of diverting at least 95% of all waste away from landfills, and toward recycling and composting, by 2030. The plan includes a [[food waste]] composting program, which diverts 3 million pounds of restaurant food waste away from landfills annually. {{As of|2013}}, 77% of all solid waste produced citywide is diverted from landfills.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/departments/council/agendas/2013/20130319/s2013031904-A.htm|title=Zero Waste Strategic Operations Plan – City of Santa Monica|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=June 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625002850/http://www.smgov.net/departments/council/agendas/2013/20130319/s2013031904-A.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Environmentally focused initiatives include curbside recycling, curbside composting bins (in addition to trash, yard-waste, and recycle bins), farmers' markets, community gardens, garden-share, an urban forest initiative, a hazardous materials home-collection service, and a green business certification.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citymayors.com/environment/us_greencities.html |title=The greenest US cities |publisher=City Mayors |date=April 27, 2006 |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=June 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629185043/http://www.citymayors.com/environment/us_greencities.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/ |title=Environmental Programs Division (EPD) – City of Santa Monica |publisher=Smgov.net |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=June 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611064958/http://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

As in other coastal beach communities, [[coastal erosion]] due to coastal infrastructure and high human usage is an increasing challenge, and will become worse due to [[sea level rise]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica Nonprofit Fears Beach Erosion|url=https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2017/March-2017/03_31_2017_Santa_Monica_Nonprofit_Fears_Beach_Erosion.html|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=www.surfsantamonica.com}}</ref><ref name="Chiland">{{cite web|last=Chiland|first=Elijah|date=December 6, 2016|title=Here's what Santa Monica Beach will look like after it's landscaped to resist rising sea levels|url=https://la.curbed.com/2016/12/6/13856290/santa-monica-beach-fenced-off-restoration-area-rising-sea-level|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Curbed LA|language=en|archive-date=February 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206150311/https://la.curbed.com/2016/12/6/13856290/santa-monica-beach-fenced-off-restoration-area-rising-sea-level|url-status=live}}</ref> Starting in 2016, local environmental groups began dune and beach restoration projects.<ref name="Chiland"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica Beach Restoration Pilot Project|url=https://www.santamonicabay.org/explore/beaches-dunes-bluffs/beach-restoration/santa-monica-beach-restoration-pilot/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=The Bay Foundation|language=en|archive-date=January 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121102218/https://www.santamonicabay.org/explore/beaches-dunes-bluffs/beach-restoration/santa-monica-beach-restoration-pilot/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=City of Santa Monica {{!}} Official Website|url=https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/santa-monica-s-natural-dune-restoration-project-celebrates-4-years|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=www.santamonica.gov|language=en-US|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126235135/https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/santa-monica-s-natural-dune-restoration-project-celebrates-4-years|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1880= 417
|1890= 1580
|1900= 3057
|1910= 7847
|1920= 15252
|1930= 37146
|1940= 53500
|1950= 71595
|1960= 83249
|1970= 88289
|1980= 88314
|1990= 86905
|2000= 84084
|2010= 89736
|2020= 93076
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=March 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321050514/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

=== 2020 ===
[[File:Cropped Statue of Saint Monica in Santa Monica California.jpg|thumb|upright|left|''[[Santa Monica (sculpture)|Santa Monica]]'', a 1935 sculpture by [[Eugene Morahan]] in [[Palisades Park (Santa Monica)|Palisades Park]]]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Santa Monica 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 – Santa Monica city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0670000&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[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) – Santa Monica city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0670000&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=[[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) – Santa Monica city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0670000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|60,482
|62,917
|style='background: #ffffe6; |60,654
|71.93%
|70.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |65.17%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|3,081
|3,364
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,623
|3.66%
|3.75%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.89%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|199
|173
|style='background: #ffffe6; |129
|0.24%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.14%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|6,043
|7,960
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,466
|7.19%
|8.87%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9.10%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|84
|116
|style='background: #ffffe6; |109
|0.10%
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|307
|316
|style='background: #ffffe6; |805
|0.37%
|0.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.86%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|2,584
|3,174
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,746
|3.07%
|3.54%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.17%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|11,304
|11,716
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13,544
|13.44%
|13.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.55%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''84,084'''
|'''89,736'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''93,076'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

The  [[2020 United States census]] reported Santa Monica had a population of 93,076.<ref name="2020 census"/> This corresponds to density of 11,067.3 people per square mile.<ref name="2020 census quickfacts">{{cite web|title =U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Santa Monica city, California|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/santamonicacitycalifornia|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 2, 2023}}</ref> The racial makeup of Santa Monica was 63,383 (68.1%) [[White (U.S. Census)|white]], 8,602 (9.2%)  [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 3,776 (4.1%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]], 539 (0.6%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|American Indian and Alaska Native]], 123 (0.1%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander]], 5,347 (5.7%) [[Race (U.S. Census)|some other race]], and 11,306 (12.1%) people were of two or more races.<ref name="2020 census">{{cite web|title = Census Bureau Tables|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0670000&d=DEC+Demographic+Profile|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=June 19, 2023}}</ref>

Including all responses for people of two or more races, 73,996 (79.5%) were white alone or in combination with one or more other races, 11,864 (12.7%) were Asian alone or in combination with one or more other races, 5,459 (5.9%) were Black or African American alone or in combination, 1,877 (2.0%) were American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination, 415 (0.4%) were Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone or in combination, and 11,619 (12.5%) were some other race alone or in combination with one or more other races.<ref name="2020 census" />

13,544 (14.6%) were  [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or  [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race. Of those, 2,729 (2.9% of the total population) were white alone, 153 (0.2%) were Black or African American alone, 410 (0.4%) were American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 136 (0.1%) were Asian alone, 14 (0.0%) were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, 4,542 (4.9%) were some other race alone, and 5,560 (6.0%) were two or more races.<ref name="2020 census" />

The census reported that Santa Monica had 52,389 housing units. Of those, 47,438 (90.5%) were occupied. 12,856 (27.1%) of the occupied units were owner-occupied and 34,582 (72.9%) were renter-occupied. Of the vacant units, 2,540 (4.8% of total) were for rent, 230 (0.4%) were rented but not occupied, 183 (0.3%) were for sale only, 205 (0.4%) were sold but not occupied, 693 (1.3%) were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use, and 1,100 (2.1%) were otherwise vacant.<ref name="2020 census" />

The median household income between 2017 and 2021 was $99,847 (2021 dollars), with 10.6% of people living in poverty. 94.8% of households had a computer between 2017 and 2021, and 91.0% had broadband internet access.<ref name="2020 census quickfacts"/>

=== 2010 ===

The [[2010 United States Census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0670000|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Santa Monica city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105631/https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0670000|archive-date=October 6, 2014|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported Santa Monica had a population of 89,736. The population density was {{convert|10,662.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Santa Monica was 69,663 (77.6%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (70.1% Non-Hispanic White),<ref name="quickfacts.census.gov">{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670000.html|title=Santa Monica (city) QuickFacts|publisher=United States Census Bureau|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051026022729/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670000.html|archive-date=October 26, 2005|access-date=September 27, 2014}}</ref> 3,526 (3.9%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 338 (0.4%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 8,053 (9.0%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 124 (0.1%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4,047 (4.5%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3,985 (4.4%) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 11,716 persons (13.1%), with [[Mexican Americans]], [[Spanish Americans]], and [[Argentine Americans]] making up 64.2%, 6.4%, and 4.7% of the Hispanic population respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://statisticalatlas.com/place/California/Santa-Monica/Ancestry |title=Ancestry in Santa Monica, California (City) |website=statisticalatlas.com |access-date=July 21, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=August 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813083004/https://statisticalatlas.com/place/California/Santa-Monica/Ancestry }}</ref>

The Census reported 87,610 people (97.6% of the population) lived in households, 1,299 (1.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 827 (0.9%) were institutionalized.

There were 46,917 households, out of which 7,835 (16.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,092 (27.9%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 3,510 (7.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,327 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,867 (6.1%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 416 (0.9%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 22,716 households (48.4%) were made up of individuals, and 5,551 (11.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87. There were 17,929 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (38.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.79.

The population was spread out, with 12,580 people (14.0%) under the age of 18, 6,442 people (7.2%) aged 18 to 24, 32,552 people (36.3%) aged 25 to 44, 24,746 people (27.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 13,416 people (15.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

There were 50,912 housing units at an average density of {{convert|6,049.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 13,315 (28.4%) were owner-occupied, and 33,602 (71.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%. 30,067 people (33.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 57,543 people (64.1%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Santa Monica had a median household income of $73,649, with 11.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.<ref name="quickfacts.census.gov" />

=== 2000 ===
[[File:SantaMonicaCatholicChurch (cropped).JPG|thumb|right|[[St. Monica Catholic Church (Santa Monica, California)|St. Monica Catholic Church]]]]
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 84,084 people, 44,497 households, and 16,775 families in the city. The population density was {{convert|10,178.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|inhabitants&nbsp;|inhabitants}}. There were 47,863 housing units at an average density of {{convert|5,794.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 78.29% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 7.25% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 3.78% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.47% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.10% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 5.97% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 4.13% from two or more races. 13.44% of the population were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.
There were 44,497 households, out of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18, 27.5% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 62.3% were non-families. 51.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.83 and the average family size was 2.80.

The city of Santa Monica is consistently among the most educated cities in the United States, with 23.8 percent of all residents holding graduate degrees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top25s/educated.html |title=CNN Money – 25 Most Educated Cities |publisher=Money.cnn.com |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511115112/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top25s/educated.html |archive-date=May 11, 2012 }}</ref>

The population was diverse in age, with 14.6% under 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 40.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% 65 years or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

According to a 2009 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $71,095, and the median income for a family was $109,410.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=U.S. Census website |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/http://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Males had a median income of $55,689 versus $42,948 for females. The per capita income for the city was $42,874. 10.4% of the population and 5.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.9% of those under the age of 18 and 10.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

=== Crime ===
[[File:SMPD School Resource Officer Chevy Tahoe.jpg|thumb|left|[[Santa Monica Police Department|Santa Monica Police Dept]] patrol car]]
In 2006, crime in Santa Monica affected 4.41% of the population, slightly lower than the national average crime rate that year of 4.48%.<ref name=SMCrime1>{{cite web
   |title=Santa Monica CA Crime Statistics (2006 Crime Data)
   |url=http://santamonica.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
   |access-date=August 25, 2009
|archive-date=August 28, 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828213738/http://santamonica.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
   |url-status=live
   }}</ref> The majority of this was property crime, which affected 3.74% of Santa Monica's population in 2006; this was higher than the rates for Los Angeles County (2.76%) and California (3.17%),<ref name=SMCrime2>{{cite web
   |title=Crime Statistics for Santa Monica
   |url=http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Santa_Monica-California/community-info/
   |access-date=August 25, 2009
|archive-date=August 26, 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826234002/http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Santa_Monica-California/community-info
   |url-status=live
   }}</ref> but lower than the national average (3.91%). These per-capita crime rates are computed based on Santa Monica's full-time population of about 85,000. However, the Santa Monica Police Department has suggested the actual per-capita crime rate is much lower, as tourists, workers, and beachgoers can increase the city's daytime population to between 250,000 and 450,000 people.<ref>{{cite news |first=Reeve T. |last=Schley |title=Santa Monica Crime Rate Is Highest in Los Angeles County |url=http://www.smmirror.com/volume4/issue15/santa_monica_crime.asp |date=September 25, 2002 |access-date=August 25, 2009 |publisher=Santa Monica Mirror |archive-url=https://archive.today/20021003225044/http://www.smmirror.com/volume4/issue15/santa_monica_crime.asp |archive-date=October 3, 2002 }}</ref>

[[Hate crime]] has typically been minimal in Santa Monica, with only one reported incident in 2007. The city experienced a spike of anti-Islamic hate crime in 2001 after the [[September 11 attacks]], but hate crime levels returned to their minimal 2000 levels by 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/contentFullPage.aspx?id=6261|title=Sustainable City Progress Report|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724072257/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/contentFullPage.aspx?id=6261|archive-date=July 24, 2011|access-date=August 25, 2009}}</ref>

====Gang activity====
[[File:Bay Cities Guaranty Building, Santa Monica 01.jpg|thumb|right|View of the Bay Cities Guarantee Building from the beach]]
The Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica (south of the [[Interstate 10 in California|Santa Monica Freeway]]) experiences some gang activity. The city estimates there are about 50 gang members based in Santa Monica, although some community organizers dispute this claim.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2006/March-2006/03_16_06_Police_Chief_Calls_for_Regional_Approach.htm |title=Police Chief Calls for Regional Approach to Gang Violence |publisher=Surfsantamonica.com |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204000927/http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2006/March-2006/03_16_06_Police_Chief_Calls_for_Regional_Approach.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Gang activity has been prevalent for decades in the Pico neighborhood.

In October 1998, alleged Culver City 13 gang member Omar Sevilla of Culver City was killed.<ref>{{cite news |first=Don |last=Terry |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9500E2DA143DF933A15753C1A96E958260 |title=Death of gangster Omar Sevilla |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 20, 1998 |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=January 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124104220/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9500E2DA143DF933A15753C1A96E958260 |url-status=live }}</ref> A couple of hours after the shooting of Sevilla, German tourist Horst Fietze was killed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Tourist-Murder-Fugitive-Captured-in-Jamaica.html |title=NBC Los Angeles report on the capture of Fietze's killer |date=February 13, 2009 |publisher=Nbclosangeles.com |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=March 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318084550/http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Tourist-Murder-Fugitive-Captured-in-Jamaica.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Several days later Juan Martin Campos, a Santa Monica city employee, was shot and killed. Police believe this was a retaliatory killing in response to Sevilla's killing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-29-mn-37325-story.html |title=Gang Bullets Pierce Santa Monica's Image |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 29, 1998 |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111130536/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/29/news/mn-37325 |url-status=live }}</ref> Less than 24 hours later, Javier Cruz was wounded in a drive-by shooting outside his home on 17th and Michigan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2004/Dec-2004/12_07_04_Youth_and_Street_Violence.htm |title=Violence in Pico |publisher=Surfsantamonica.com |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911050031/http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2004/Dec-2004/12_07_04_Youth_and_Street_Violence.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-21-me-34672-story.html|title=Police Chief to Address Public Safety Concerns|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 22, 2011|date=October 21, 1998|archive-date=January 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111130308/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/21/local/me-34672|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, there was a double homicide in the Westside Clothing store on Lincoln Boulevard. During the incident, Culver City gang members David "Puppet" Robles and Jesse "Psycho" Garcia entered the store masked and began opening fire, killing Anthony and Michael Juarez.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santamonicapd.org/press_info/PressReleases/2006/PressRelease-2006-0415-HomicideInv.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905145222/http://www.santamonicapd.org/press_info/PressReleases/2006/PressRelease-2006-0415-HomicideInv.htm|title=Suspects Charged in Westside Clothing Store Shooting|archive-date=September 5, 2009}}</ref> Police say the incident was in retaliation for a shooting committed by the [[Santa Monica 13]] gang days before the Juarez brothers were shot down.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/2003/110603PARA.HTML |title='Gangster's Paradise Lost' |publisher=Streetgangs.com |date=October 27, 1998 |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111100637/http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/2003/110603PARA.HTML |archive-date=January 11, 2013 }}</ref>

===Homeless population===

In 2022, there were 826 homeless individuals in Santa Monica.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Homeless Count by City/Community |url=https://www.lahsa.org/data?id=54-homeless-count-by-city-community |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=LAHSA}}</ref>

== Economy ==
[[File:Buildings in Santa Monica, California-2261765938.jpg|thumb|left|View from [[Santa Monica State Beach|Santa Monica Beach]]]] 
Santa Monica is home to the headquarters of many notable businesses, such as [[Beachbody]], [[Fatburger]],<ref>"[http://www.fatburger.com/Contact/ Contact] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202010056/http://www.fatburger.com/Contact/ |date=February 2, 2010 }}." [[Fatburger]]. Retrieved on March 5, 2010.</ref> [[Hulu]], [[Illumination (company)|Illumination]], [[Otter Media]], [[Lionsgate]],<ref>"[http://www.lionsgate.com/corporate/contact/ Investor Relations Contact] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210011959/http://www.lionsgate.com/corporate/contact/ |date=February 10, 2016 }}." [[Lions Gate Films]]. Retrieved on February 9, 2016.</ref> [[Macerich]], [[Miramax]], [[CBS Media Ventures]], the [[RAND Corporation]], [[Saban Capital Group]], [[The Recording Academy]] (which presents the annual [[Grammy Awards]]), [[TOMS Shoes]],<ref>"[http://www.toms.com/legal/ Legal Information & Privacy Policy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126160448/http://www.toms.com/legal |date=January 26, 2012 }}." [[TOMS Shoes]]. Retrieved on July 30, 2010.</ref>  [[Universal Music Group]], and [[ZipRecruiter]]. [[Atlantic Aviation]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Ericksen|first=Olin|title=Airport Commission Gives New Operator Thumbs Up, Despite Fears Jet Traffic Will Rise|url=http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2007/March-2007/03_29_07_Airport_Commission_Gives_New_Operator_Thumbs_Up.htm|website=The Lookout|access-date=June 13, 2012|archive-date=September 15, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120915093749/http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2007/March-2007/03_29_07_Airport_Commission_Gives_New_Operator_Thumbs_Up.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> is at the [[Santa Monica Airport]]. The [[National Public Radio]] member station [[KCRW]] is on the [[Santa Monica College]] campus. [[VCA Animal Hospitals]] is just outside the eastern city limit.<ref name=vca>{{cite web |url=https://vca.com/contact/ |title=Contact VCA |access-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124930/https://vca.com/contact/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

A number of [[Video game development|videogame development studios]] are based in Santa Monica, making it a major location for the [[Video game industry|industry]]. These include:
* [[Activision Blizzard]] (which includes [[Activision]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.activision.com/company/locations|title=Activision &#124; Studios & Locations|website=www.activision.com|access-date=September 20, 2021|archive-date=December 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229115235/https://www.activision.com/company/locations|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Cloud Imperium Games]] (Creators of [[Star Citizen]])<ref name="GameSpot_2013-04-23">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-dev-opens-new-office/1100-6407401/ |title=Star Citizen dev opens new office |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=April 23, 2013 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=CBS Interactive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103140028/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-dev-opens-new-office/1100-6407401/ |archive-date=November 3, 2014 |url-status=live |access-date=November 22, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Naughty Dog]] (Creators of [[Crash Bandicoot]] (1996–1999), [[Jak & Daxter]], [[Uncharted]] and [[The Last of Us]] franchises)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naughtydog.com/crash/crash/timeline.htm |title=Time Line |access-date=April 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604103557/http://www.naughtydog.com/crash/crash/timeline.htm |archive-date=June 4, 2004 }}. [[Naughty Dog]]. June 4, 2004. Retrieved on May 5, 2010.</ref>
* [[PUBG Corporation]] (North American station, developed Miramar map in [[PUBG]])<ref name=pubg>{{cite web |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180427005008/en/Company-Profile-PUBG-Corporation |title=Company Profile for PUBG Corporation |date=April 27, 2018 |publisher=Business Wire |access-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180023/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180427005008/en/Company-Profile-PUBG-Corporation |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Riot Games]], the creator of ''[[League of Legends]]'', is just outside the eastern city limit.
* [[Santa Monica Studio]] (Creators of the [[God of War (video game series)|God of War]] franchise)

In addition, Santa Monica is part of [[Silicon Beach]], and the area serves as the home of hundreds of venture capital funded [[Startup company|startup companies]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3037848/why-a-subway-building-binge-will-transform-how-los-angeles-works|title=Why A Subway-Building Binge Could Transform L.A.'s Tech Culture|date=October 31, 2014|work=[[Fast Company (magazine)|Fast Company]]|first=Neal|last=Ungerleider|access-date=December 28, 2015|archive-date=January 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101134913/http://www.fastcompany.com/3037848/why-a-subway-building-binge-will-transform-how-los-angeles-works|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Umgheadquarters.jpg|thumb|right|[[Universal Music Group]] operational headquarters]]
Former Santa Monica businesses include [[Douglas Aircraft]] (now merged with [[Boeing]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/Airport/Airport_History.aspx|title=Airport History – SMO: Santa Monica Municipal Airport|website=smgov.net|access-date=January 25, 2017|archive-date=February 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203143609/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/Airport/Airport_History.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> [[GeoCities]] (which in December 1996 was headquartered on the third floor of 1918 Main Street in Santa Monica<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/BHI/ad_info.html |title=Advertising and Sponsorship Information |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961219234521/http://www.geocities.com/BHI/ad_info.html |archive-date=December 19, 1996 }}. ''GeoCities''. December 19, 1996. Retrieved on April 30, 2009.</ref>), [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mgm.com/corporate/corporate_info/corporate_information.html |title=Corporate Information |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001006025115/http://www.mgm.com/corporate/corporate_info/corporate_information.html |archive-date=October 6, 2000 }}. [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]. October 6, 2000. Retrieved on February 6, 2012. "Corporate Headquarters Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. 2500 Broadway Street Santa Monica, CA 90404-3061"</ref> and [[MySpace]] (now headquartered in [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerhope.com/comp/myspace.htm|title=MySpace company and contact information|website=ComputerHope|access-date=March 28, 2017|archive-date=March 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311214726/http://www.computerhope.com/comp/myspace.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Top employers ===
[[File:Randcorporationsantamonica.JPG|thumb|right|[[RAND Corporation]] headquarters]]
According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.smgov.net/Media/Default/annual-reports/FYE2022/SM%20ACFR%20Final%202.23.23.pdf|title=City of Santa Monica ACFR 2022|publisher=City of Santa Monica|access-date=March 10, 2023|archive-date=March 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311050714/https://finance.smgov.net/Media/Default/annual-reports/FYE2022/SM%20ACFR%20Final%202.23.23.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> the top employers in the city were:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|City of Santa Monica
|2,059
|-
|2
|[[Santa Monica – UCLA Medical Center]]
|1,965
|-
|3
|[[Santa Monica College]]
|1,865
|-
|4
|[[Snap Inc.]]
|1,667
|-
|5
|[[Universal Music Group]]
|1,400
|-
|6
|[[Saint John's Health Center]]
|1,368
|-
|7
|[[Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District]]
|1,358
|-
|8
|[[Hulu]]
|1,320
|-
|9
|[[Oracle Corporation]]
|950
|-
|10
|[[Activision]]
|919
|}

==Arts and culture==
[[File:052607-008-3StP-facing-SMP.jpg|thumb|left|[[Third Street Promenade]], leading to [[Frank Gehry]]'s [[Santa Monica Place]]]]
The [[Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome]] ([[carousel]]) is a [[National Historic Landmark]]. It sits on the [[Santa Monica Pier]], which was built in 1909. The La Monica Ballroom on the pier was once the largest ballroom in the US and the source for many New Year's Eve national network broadcasts.

The [[Santa Monica Civic Auditorium]] was an important music venue for several decades and hosted the [[Academy Awards]] in the 1960s. [[McCabe's Guitar Shop]] is a leading acoustic performance space as well as retail outlet. The ''Santa Monica Playhouse'' is a popular theater in the city.

[[Bergamot Station]] is a city-owned art gallery compound. The city is also home to the California Heritage Museum and the [[Angels Attic]] dollhouse and toy museum.
[[File:Charmont Apartments, Santa Monica.JPG|thumb|right|The historic [[Mission Revival]]/[[Art Deco]] fusion [[Charmont Apartments]]]]
The [[New West Symphony]] is the resident orchestra of Barnum Hall. They are also resident orchestra of the [[Oxnard]] Performing Arts Center and the [[Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza]].

Santa Monica hosts the annual [[Santa Monica Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harter |first=Clara |date=January 14, 2022 |title=The Santa Monica Film Festival makes a triumphant return this weekend |url=http://smdp.com/2022/01/14/the-santa-monica-film-festival-makes-a-triumphant-return-this-weekend/ |access-date=September 14, 2022 |work=Santa Monica Daily Press |language=en-US}}</ref>

The city's oldest movie theater is the Majestic. Opened in 1912 and also known as the Mayfair Theatre, it has been closed since the [[1994 Northridge earthquake]]. The Aero Theater (now operated by the [[American Cinematheque]]) and Criterion Theater were built in the 1930s and still show movies.

Notable restaurants have included [[Madame Wu's Garden]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marble |first=Steve |date=October 1, 2022 |title=Madame Wu, famed Westside restaurateur who served the stars, dies at 106 |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-10-01/madame-wu-famed-westside-restauranteur-who-served-the-stars-dies |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Batterfish]], [[Stout Burgers and Beers]], and [[The Misfit (restaurant)|The Misfit]].

=== Shopping districts ===
[[File:Parkhurst Building, Santa Monica, California.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Parkhurst Building]], built in 1927 in a [[Spanish Colonial Revival]] style]]
Santa Monica has three main shopping districts: Montana Avenue on the north side, the Downtown District in the city's core, and Main Street on the south end. Each has its own unique feel and personality. Montana Avenue is a stretch of luxury boutique stores, restaurants, and small offices that generally features more upscale shopping. The Main Street district offers an eclectic mix of clothing, restaurants, and other specialty retail.

The Downtown District is the home of the [[Third Street Promenade]], a major outdoor pedestrian-only shopping district that stretches for three blocks between [[Wilshire Boulevard|Wilshire Blvd.]] and Broadway. Third Street is closed to vehicles for those three blocks to allow people to stroll, congregate, shop and enjoy street performers.

The [[Santa Monica Place]], featuring Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom in a three-level outdoor environment, is at the Promenade's southern end. After a period of redevelopment, the mall reopened in the fall of 2010 as a modern shopping, entertainment and dining complex with more outdoor space.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vincent |first1=Roger |title=Santa Monica Place set to reopen as upscale outdoor shopping venue |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jul-30-la-fi-santa-monica-place-20100730-story.html |newspaper=LA Times |date=July 30, 2010 |access-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129165119/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jul-30-la-fi-santa-monica-place-20100730-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Public library system ===
The [[Santa Monica Public Library]] consists of a Main Library in the downtown area, plus four neighborhood branches: Fairview, Montana Avenue, Ocean Park, and Pico Boulevard.

== Sports ==
{{See also|Sports in Los Angeles}}
The [[Santa Monica Track Club]] has many prominent [[track and field|track]] athletes, including many Olympic gold medalists. Santa Monica is the home to Southern California Aquatics,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swim.net/scaq.cfm|title=SCAQ|website=www.swim.net|access-date=December 24, 2017|archive-date=December 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225035220/http://www.swim.net/scaq.cfm|url-status=live}}</ref> which was founded by Olympic swimmer [[Clay Evans (swimmer)|Clay Evans]] and Bonnie Adair. Santa Monica is also home to the [[Santa Monica Rugby Club]], a semi-professional team that competes in the [[Rugby union in the United States#Pacific Rugby Premiership|Pacific Rugby Premiership]], the highest-level rugby union club competition in the United States.

===1984 & 2028 Summer Olympics===

The men's and women's [[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|marathon]] ran through parts of Santa Monica during the [[1984 Summer Olympics]].<ref>[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/1984v1pt1.pdf 1984 Summer Olympics official report.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102235952/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/1984v1pt1.pdf |date=November 2, 2010 }} Volume 1. Part 1. pp. 97–98.</ref>

During the [[2028 Summer Olympics]], Santa Monica will host athletics (marathon), triathlon and road cycling. <ref>{{cite web |title=LA28 Olympic Venue Plan Updates|url=https://la28.org/en/newsroom/la28-celebrates-updated-olympic-venue-plan.html |website=la28.org |access-date=15 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
{{main|List of Santa Monica municipal parks}}
[[File:Santa Monica Pier (22944807230).jpg|thumb|right|250px|View of [[Santa Monica Pier]]]]
[[Palisades Park (Santa Monica)|Palisades Park]] stretches out along the crumbling bluffs overlooking the Pacific and is a favorite walking area to view the ocean. It includes [[public art]], a [[totem pole]], [[camera obscura]], benches, picnic areas, [[pétanque]] courts, and restrooms.

[[Tongva Park]] occupies 6 acres between Ocean Avenue and Main Street, just south of Colorado Avenue. The park includes an overlook, amphitheater, playground, garden, fountains, picnic areas, and restrooms.

The [[Santa Monica Stairs]], a long, steep staircase consisting of 152 wooden steps and 18 concrete steps in a straight path, that leads from north of San Vicente down into Santa Monica Canyon, is a popular spot for outdoor workouts. Some area residents have complained that the stairs have become too popular, and attract too many exercisers to the wealthy neighborhood of multimillion-dollar properties.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ben|last=Tracy|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4811826n|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221051429/http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4811826n|archive-date=February 21, 2009|title=Santa Monica's Disputed Steps|date=February 18, 2009|access-date=February 24, 2010|url-status=live|publisher=CBS News TV report}}</ref>

[[Ishihara Park]] opened to the public in 2017 and acts as a buffer between the [[Los Angeles Metro Rail]] and the surrounding residential community.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ishihara Park - Community Services Department|url=https://www.smgov.net/departments/ccs/content.aspx?id=53687098200|access-date=April 9, 2021|website=www.smgov.net|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413231048/https://www.smgov.net/Departments/CCS/content.aspx?id=53687098200|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Government ==
[[File:Santa Monica City Hall.JPG|thumb|left|[[Santa Monica City Hall]], designed by [[Donald Parkinson]], with terrazo mosaics by [[Stanton Macdonald-Wright]]]]

=== Local government ===
Santa Monica is governed by the [[Santa Monica City Council]], a Council-Manager governing body with seven members elected at-large. The mayor is Lana Negrete, and the Mayor Pro Tempore is Caroline Torosis. The other five council members are Jesse Zwick, Natalya Zernitskaya, Barry Snell, Dan Hall, and Ellis Raskin.<ref>https://www.smgov.net/departments/council/content.aspx?id=13705</ref>

===Representation===

In the [[California State Legislature]], Santa Monica is in {{Representative|casd|24|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|51|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |title=Statewide Database |publisher=UC Regents |access-date=November 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 }}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Santa Monica is in {{Representative|cacd|36|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|33|access-date=September 29, 2014}}</ref>

== Education ==
[[File:Santa Monica High School Science and Technology Building, Central Plaza.jpg|thumb|right|[[Santa Monica High School]]]]

=== Public schools ===
The [[Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District]] provides public education at the elementary and secondary levels. In addition to the traditional model of early education school houses, [[Santa Monica Alternative School House|SMASH]] (Santa Monica Alternative School House) is "a K–8 public school of choice with team teachers and multi-aged classrooms".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080514015915/http://www.smash.smmusd.org/curriculum.html Santa Monica Alternative School House Curriculum, SMASH Vision Statement"]. Retrieved May 11, 2011.</ref> The district maintains eight elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools in Santa Monica.<ref name="smmusd.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.smmusd.org/domain/728 |title=Schools |publisher=[[SMMUSD]] |access-date=May 11, 2011 |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526150737/https://www.smmusd.org/domain/728 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Private schools ====
Private schools in the city include [[Crossroads School (Santa Monica)|Crossroads School]] and [[Saint Monica Catholic High School]].

[[Asahi Gakuen]], a [[Hoshū jugyō kō|weekend Japanese supplementary school system]], operates its Santa Monica campus (サンタモニカ校･高等部 ''Santamonika-kō kōtōbu'') at Webster Middle in the [[Sawtelle, Los Angeles|Sawtelle]] neighborhood of Los Angeles. All high school classes in the Asahi Gakuen system are held at the Santa Monica campus.<ref name=SantaMonica>"[http://www.asahigakuen.com/santa_monica.html サンタモニカ校･高等部] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307010540/http://www.asahigakuen.com/santa_monica.html |date=March 7, 2012}}." Asahi Gakuen. Retrieved on March 30, 2014. "DANIEL WEBSTER MIDDLE SCHOOL 11330 W. Graham Place, Los Angeles, CA 90064 "</ref><ref>"[http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/sawtelle/ Mapping LA: Sawtelle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713043810/http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/sawtelle/ |date=July 13, 2014}}." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Retrieved on May 9, 2014.</ref>

=== Post-secondary ===
[[File:Smcboardwalkandhss.jpg|thumb|left|[[Santa Monica College]]]]
[[Santa Monica College]] is a [[community college]] founded in 1929. Many SMC graduates transfer to the [[University of California]] system. It occupies {{convert|35|acre|ha|abbr=off}} and enrolls 30,000 students annually. The [[Frederick S. Pardee RAND Graduate School]], associated with the [[RAND Corporation]], is the U.S.'s largest producer of public policy PhDs. [[The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles]] is also in Santa Monica near the Santa Monica Airport.

Universities and colleges within a {{convert|22|mi|km|adj=on}} radius from Santa Monica include [[Santa Monica College]], [[Antioch University Los Angeles]], [[Loyola Marymount University]], [[Mount St. Mary's University (Los Angeles)|Mount St. Mary's University]], [[Pepperdine University]], [[California State University, Northridge]], [[California State University, Los Angeles]], [[UCLA]], [[University of Southern California|USC]], [[West Los Angeles College]], [[California Institute of Technology]] (Caltech), [[Occidental College]] (Oxy), [[Los Angeles City College]], [[Los Angeles Southwest College]], [[Los Angeles Valley College]], and [[Emperor's College]] of Traditional Oriental Medicine.

==Infrastructure==
=== Transportation ===
==== Bicycles ====
[[File:Bike (193316603).jpeg|thumb|right|Cyclists on the [[Marvin Braude Bike Trail|Coastal Bike Trail]]]]
Santa Monica has a bike action plan<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica Bike Action Plan|url=http://www.smgov.net/departments/pcd/plans/bike-action-plan/|publisher=City of Santa Monica|access-date=March 7, 2015|archive-date=October 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015231550/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/PCD/Plans/Bike-Action-Plan/|url-status=live}}</ref> and launched a [[bicycle sharing system]] in November 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bikeshare is coming to Santa Monica!|url=http://www.smgov.net/Departments/PCD/Programs/Bike-Share/|publisher=City of Santa Monica|access-date=March 7, 2015|archive-date=October 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015224423/http://www.smgov.net/Departments/PCD/Programs/Bike-Share/|url-status=live}}</ref> The city is traversed by the [[Marvin Braude Bike Trail]]. Santa Monica has received the Bicycle Friendly Community Award (Bronze in 2009, Silver in 2013) by the [[League of American Bicyclists]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Monica|url=http://bikeleague.org/content/santa-monica-calif|publisher=The League of American Bicyclists|date=May 24, 2013|access-date=March 7, 2015|archive-date=March 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315131752/http://bikeleague.org/content/santa-monica-calif|url-status=live}}</ref> Local bicycle advocacy organizations include Santa Monica Spoke, a local chapter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://la-bike.org/about|title=Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition|publisher=Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition|access-date=March 7, 2015|archive-date=March 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311180759/http://la-bike.org/about|url-status=live}}</ref> Santa Monica is thought to be one of the leaders for bicycle infrastructure and programming in Los Angeles County although [[cycling infrastructure]] in Los Angeles County in general remains very poor compared to other major cities.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hymon|first1=Steve|title=Are the pedals of change in Los Angeles County gaining momentum?|url=http://thesource.metro.net/2017/05/17/the-ongoing-bike-revolution-in-los-angeles-county/|website=The Source|access-date=October 14, 2017|date=May 17, 2017|archive-date=October 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014134319/http://thesource.metro.net/2017/05/17/the-ongoing-bike-revolution-in-los-angeles-county/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The city implemented a 5-year and 20-year Bike Action Plan with a goal of attaining 14 to 35% bicycle transportation mode share by 2030 through the installation of enhanced bicycle infrastructure throughout the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nelsonnygaard.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Santa-Monica-Bicycle-Action-Plan.pdf |title=Action plan |date=2014 |website=nelsonnygaard.com |access-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217062121/http://nelsonnygaard.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Santa-Monica-Bicycle-Action-Plan.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, Santa Monica scored near the 90th percentile of cities surveyed in the PeopleForBikes City Ratings, which measures the quality of a city's bike network.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Santa Monica California City Rating Page {{!}} PeopleForBikes 2023 City Ratings |url=https://cityratings.peopleforbikes.org/santa-monica-ca |access-date=July 4, 2023 |website=PeopleForBikes |language=en}}</ref>

In terms of number of bicycle accidents, Santa Monica ranks as one of the worst (#2) out of 102 California cities with population 50,000–100,000, a ranking consistent with the city's composite ranking.<ref>{{cite web|title=OTS Collision Rankings|url=http://www.ots.ca.gov/Media_and_Research/Rankings/default.asp|publisher=California Office of Traffic Safety|access-date=March 7, 2015|archive-date=March 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302122700/http://www.ots.ca.gov/Media_and_Research/Rankings/default.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2007 and 2008, local police cracked down on Santa Monica [[Critical Mass (cycling)|Critical Mass]] rides that had become controversial, putting a damper on the tradition.<ref>{{cite news|title=Critical Mass bike ride may be at braking point|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-07-me-bikers7-story.html|access-date=March 7, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 7, 2007|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402210152/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/07/local/me-bikers7|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Highways ====
[[File:Beach Santa Monica ocean.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pacific Coast Highway (California)|Pacific Coast Highway]] running through Santa Monica]]
The [[Santa Monica Freeway]] ([[Interstate 10 (California)|Interstate 10]]) begins in Santa Monica near the Pacific Ocean and heads east. The Santa Monica Freeway between Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles has the distinction of being one of the busiest highways in all of North America. After traversing the [[Greater Los Angeles]] area, I-10 crosses seven more states, terminating at [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. In Santa Monica, there is a road sign designating this route as the Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway. [[State Route 2 (California)|State Route 2]] ([[Santa Monica Boulevard]]) begins in Santa Monica, barely grazing [[State Route 1 (California)|State Route 1]] at [[Lincoln Boulevard (Southern California)|Lincoln Boulevard]], and continues northeast across Los Angeles County, through the [[Angeles National Forest]], crossing the [[San Gabriel Mountains]] as the [[Angeles Crest Highway]], ending in [[Wrightwood, California|Wrightwood]]. Santa Monica is also the western terminus of Historic [[U.S. Route 66 (California)|U.S. Route 66]]. Close to the eastern boundary of Santa Monica, [[Sepulveda Boulevard]] reaches from [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]] at the south, to the northern end of the [[San Fernando Valley]]. Just east of Santa Monica is [[Interstate 405 (California)|Interstate 405]], the San Diego Freeway, a major north–south route in [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]] and [[Orange County, California|Orange]] counties.

==== Motorized vehicles ====
[[File:Santa Monica Beach (8369125844).jpg|thumb|right|People on [[Segway]]s on Santa Monica State Beach]]
Santa Monica has purchased the first [[ZeroTruck]] [[all-electric vehicle|all-electric]] [[medium-duty truck]]. The vehicle will be equipped with a Scelzi utility body, it is based on the Isuzu N series chassis, a [[UQM]] PowerPhase 100 advanced electric motor and is the only US built electric truck offered for sale in the United States in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=21244 |title=Santa Monica Introduces Electric Zero Truck Into City Fleet: #evworld |publisher=Evworld.com |date=June 21, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-date=February 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223195850/http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=21244 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Bus ====
The city of Santa Monica runs its own bus service, the [[Big Blue Bus]], which also serves much of [[West Los Angeles (region)|West Los Angeles]] and the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (UCLA). A Big Blue Bus was featured prominently in the action movie ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]''.

The city of Santa Monica is also served by the [[Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]'s (Metro) bus lines. Metro also complements Big Blue service, as when Big Blue routes are not operational overnight, Metro buses make many Big Blue Bus stops, in addition to MTA stops.

==== Light rail ====
[[File:Gold Line train leaving Downtown Santa Monica station, July 2017.JPG|thumb|left|An [[E Line (Los Angeles Metro)|E Line]] train of the [[Los Angeles Metro Rail]] at [[Downtown Santa Monica station]]]]
Design and construction on the {{convert|6.6|mile|km|adj=mid|extension}} of the [[E Line (Los Angeles Metro)|Expo Line]] from Culver City to Santa Monica started in September 2011, with service beginning on May 20, 2016. Santa Monica [[Los Angeles Metro Rail|Metro]] stations include {{LAMs|Downtown Santa Monica}}, {{LAMs|17th Street/SMC}}, and {{LAMs|26th Street/Bergamot}}. Travel time between Downtown Santa Monica station and [[7th Street/Metro Center station]] in Downtown Los Angeles is approximately 46 minutes, while the travel time between the downtown Santa Monica station and the terminal [[Atlantic station (Los Angeles Metro)|Atlantic station]] in East Los Angeles is approximately 1 hour and 9 minutes.

Historical aspects of the Expo line route are noteworthy. It uses the former Los Angeles region's electric interurban Pacific Electric Railway's [[Right-of-way (property access)|right-of-way]] that ran from the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles to Santa Monica. This route was called the [[Santa Monica Air Line]] and provided electric-powered freight and passenger service between Los Angeles and Santa Monica beginning in the 1920s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.erha.org/pewal.htm |title=Santa Monica Air Line |publisher=Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California |access-date=March 6, 2015 |archive-date=February 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226222027/http://www.erha.org/pewal.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Passenger service was discontinued in 1953, but diesel-powered freight deliveries to warehouses along the route continued until March 11, 1988.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morgenthaler|first=Anne |title=END OF THE LINE—The last train out of SM blows a final whistle |newspaper=Santa Monica Outlook |date=March 14, 1988}}</ref> The abandonment of the line spurred future transportation considerations and concerns within the community, and the entire right-of-way was purchased from [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company|Southern Pacific]] by Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The line was built in 1875 as the steam-powered [[Los Angeles and Independence Railroad]] to bring mining ore to ships in Santa Monica harbor and as a passenger excursion train to the beach.

==== Airport and ports ====
[[File:KSMO east.jpg|thumb|A view of [[Santa Monica Airport]] looking east towards [[Century City, California|Century City]]]]

The city owns and operates a [[general aviation]] airport, [[Santa Monica Airport]], which has been the site of several important aviation achievements. Commercial flights are available for residents at [[Los Angeles International Airport|LAX]], a few miles south of Santa Monica.

Like other cities in Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is dependent upon the [[Port of Long Beach]] and the [[Port of Los Angeles]] for international ship cargo. In the 1890s, Santa Monica was once in competition with [[Wilmington, Los Angeles, California|Wilmington, California]], and [[San Pedro, Los Angeles, California|San Pedro]] for recognition as the "Port of Los Angeles" (see [[History of Santa Monica, California]]).

==== Other ====
Since the mid-1980s, various proposals have been made to extend the [[D Line (Los Angeles Metro)|Purple Line]] subway to Santa Monica under Wilshire Boulevard. There are no current plans to complete the "subway to the sea", an estimated $5&nbsp;billion project.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloomekatz |first=Ari B. |date=November 15, 2009 |title=California: In L.A., which is the best way west?: As the $5-billion subway draws closer to reality, the debate over the most beneficial route intensifies. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-15-me-westside15-story.html |access-date=March 27, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

In August 2018, Santa Monica issued permits to [[Bird Global|Bird]], [[Lime (transportation company)|Lime]], [[Lyft]], and [[Jump Bikes]] to operate dockless [[scooter-sharing system]]s in the city.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/30/santa-monica-will-allow-lime-bird-lyft-and-jump-to-operate-e-scooters/|title=Santa Monica will allow Lime, Bird, Lyft and JUMP to operate e-scooters|last=Clark|first=Kate|date=August 30, 2018|work=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=August 30, 2018|publisher=[[Oath Inc.]]|archive-date=August 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831035809/https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/30/santa-monica-will-allow-lime-bird-lyft-and-jump-to-operate-e-scooters/|url-status=live}}</ref> As of April 2023, Lyft, Spin, Veo, and Wheels are licensed to provide micro-mobility transportation in city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=santamonica.gov - Shared Mobility |url=https://www.santamonica.gov/programs/shared-mobility |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=www.santamonica.gov}}</ref>

=== Emergency services ===
[[File:UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica.jpg|thumb|left|[[UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica]]]]
Two major hospitals are within the Santa Monica city limits, [[UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica]] and [[Saint John's Health Center]]. Four fire stations provide medical and fire response, staffed with six Paramedic Engines, a Truck company, a Hazardous Materials team and an Urban Search & Rescue team. [[Santa Monica Fire Department]] has its own Dispatch Center. Ambulance transportation is provided by McCormick Ambulance Services.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ambulance Transportation|url=http://santamonicafire.org/Content.aspx?id=11372|work=Santa Monica Fire Department|access-date=June 13, 2012|archive-date=June 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628144528/http://santamonicafire.org/Content.aspx?id=11372|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Law enforcement services are provided by the [[Santa Monica Police Department]]

The [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]] operates the Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center in Santa Monica.<ref>"[http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phn/docs/HealthCenter/santamonica.pdf Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center]." [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]]. Retrieved on March 17, 2010. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214084354/http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phn/docs/HealthCenter/santamonica.pdf |date=December 14, 2010 }}</ref> The Department's West Area Health Office is in the Simms/Mann Center.<ref>"[http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/spa5/index.htm SPA5 – West Area Health Office]." [[Los Angeles County Department of Health Services]]. Retrieved on March 18, 2010. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327064910/http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/spa5/index.htm |date=March 27, 2012 }}</ref>

=== Internet services ===
{{Further|topic=the Santa Monica-based website|Famous Birthdays}}
Santa Monica has a [[municipal wireless network]] which provides several free city [[Wi-Fi]] hotspots<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gismap.santa-monica.org/GISMaps/pdf/wifi.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023235534/http://gismap.santa-monica.org/GISMaps/pdf/wifi.pdf |archive-date=October 23, 2016 }}</ref> distributed around the city.

== In popular culture ==

=== Film and television ===
[[File:Santa Monica End 66 P4060286.jpg|thumb|End of Route 66]]
Hundreds of moving pictures have been shot or set in part in Santa Monica.<ref name="www.imdb.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/search/title?endings=on&&locations=Santa%20Monica,%20California,%20USA&&heading=18;with+locations+including;Santa%20Monica,%20California,%20USA|title=Most Popular Titles With Location Matching "Santa Monica, California, USA"|website=IMDb|access-date=May 24, 2016|archive-date=March 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320174334/http://www.imdb.com/search/title?endings=on&&locations=Santa%20Monica,%20California,%20USA&&heading=18;with+locations+including;Santa%20Monica,%20California,%20USA|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Films====
One of the oldest exterior shots in Santa Monica is [[Buster Keaton]]'s ''[[Spite Marriage]]'' (1929) which shows much of 2nd Street. The comedy ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'' (1963) included several scenes shot in Santa Monica, including those along the [[California Incline]], which led to the movie's treasure spot, "The Big W". The [[Sylvester Stallone]] film ''[[Rocky III]]'' (1982) shows [[Rocky Balboa]] and [[Apollo Creed]] training to fight [[Clubber Lang]] by running on the [[Santa Monica State Beach|Santa Monica Beach]], and Stallone's ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]'' (1993) includes Santa Monica settings. In ''[[Pee-wee's Big Adventure]]'' (1985), the theft of Pee-wee's bike occurs on the Third Street Promenade.<ref name=peewee>{{cite news |last=Martino |first=Alison |date=August 28, 2014 |title=Third Street Promenade Before the Gap Even Existed |url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/this-is-what-third-street-promenade-looked-like-before-the-gap-even-existed/ |work=CityThink |publisher=Los Angeles Magazine |access-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124547/https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/this-is-what-third-street-promenade-looked-like-before-the-gap-even-existed/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Henry Jaglom]]'s indie ''[[Someone to Love (1987 film)|Someone to Love]]'' (1987), the last film in which [[Orson Welles]] appeared, takes place in Santa Monica's venerable Mayfair Theatre. ''[[Heathers]]'' (1988) used Santa Monica's [[John Adams Middle School, Santa Monica, California|John Adams Middle School]] for many exterior shots. ''[[The Truth About Cats & Dogs]]'' (1996) is set entirely in Santa Monica, particularly the Palisades Park area, and features a radio station that resembles [[KCRW]] at [[Santa Monica College]]. ''[[17 Again (film)|17 Again]]'' (2009) was shot at [[Santa Monica High School|Samohi]]. Other films that show significant exterior shots of Santa Monica include ''[[Fletch (film)|Fletch]]'' (1985), ''[[Species (film)|Species]]'' (1995), ''[[Get Shorty (film)|Get Shorty]]'' (1995), and ''[[Ocean's Eleven (2001 film)|Ocean's Eleven]]'' (2001). [[Richard Rossi]]'s biopic ''Aimee Semple McPherson'' opens and closes at the beach in Santa Monica. ''[[Iron Man (2008 film)|Iron Man]]'' features the Santa Monica pier and surrounding communities as Tony Stark tests his experimental flight suit.

The documentary ''[[Dogtown and Z-Boys]]'' (2001) and the related dramatic film ''[[Lords of Dogtown]]'' (2005) are both about the influential skateboarding culture of Santa Monica's [[Santa Monica neighborhoods|Ocean Park]] neighborhood in the 1970s.

Santa Monica (and in particular the Santa Monica Airport) was featured in Roland Emmerich's disaster film ''[[2012 (film)|2012]]'' (2009). A magnitude 10.9 earthquake destroys the airport and the surrounding area as a group of survivors escape in a personal plane. The Santa Monica Pier and the whole city sinks into the Pacific Ocean after the earthquake.

====Television====
A number of television series have been set in Santa Monica, including ''[[Baywatch]]'', ''[[Goliath (TV series)#Setting|Goliath]]'',<ref>{{cite web|website=Moviefone|url=https://www.moviefone.com/2016/10/14/david-e-kelley-goliath-interview/|title=David E. Kelley Has a Romantic Reason for Setting 'Goliath' in Santa Monica|date=October 14, 2016|author=Huver, Scott Huver|access-date=October 30, 2019|archive-date=October 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030085900/https://www.moviefone.com/2016/10/14/david-e-kelley-goliath-interview/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Pacific Blue (TV series)|Pacific Blue]]'' (1996–2000), ''[[Private Practice (TV series)|Private Practice]]'' (2007–2013), and ''[[Three's Company]]'' (1977–1984), which was set in the [[Ocean Park, Santa Monica|Ocean Park]] neighborhood of Santa Monica.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2019 |title="Three's Company" and Santa Monica |url=https://smmirror.com/2019/02/threes-company-and-santa-monica/ |access-date=October 25, 2023 |website=SM Mirror |language=en-US}}</ref> The Santa Monica pier is shown in the main theme of [[CBS]] series ''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]''. In ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', the main exterior set of the town of [[Sunnydale (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Sunnydale]] that includes the infamous "sun sign", was in Santa Monica in a lot on [[Olympic Boulevard (Los Angeles)|Olympic Boulevard]].{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

=== Literature ===
[[Horace McCoy]]'s 1935 novel ''[[They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (novel)|They Shoot Horses, Don't They?]]'' is set at a [[dance marathon]] held in a ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier.

[[Raymond Chandler]]'s most famous character, private detective [[Philip Marlowe]], frequently has a portion of his adventures in a place called "Bay City", which is modeled on Depression-era Santa Monica.<ref>{{Cite book | publisher = Grove Press| isbn =978-0-8021-3637-4| last = Hiney| first = Tom
| title = Raymond Chandler| year = 1999| page = 92}}</ref> In Marlowe's world, Bay City is "a wide-open town", where gambling and other crimes thrive due to a massively corrupt and ineffective police force.

[[Tennessee Williams]] lived (while working at [[MGM Studios]]) in a hotel on Ocean Avenue in the 1940s. At that location he wrote the play ''[[The Glass Menagerie]]'' (which premiered in 1944). His short story "[[Hard Candy: A Book of Stories|The Mattress by the Tomato Patch]]" (1954) is set near Santa Monica Beach and mentions the clock visible in much of the city, high up on The Broadway Building, on Broadway near Second Street.

=== Music ===
;Notable locations
* The band [[Linkin Park]] is named in homage to Santa Monica's Lincoln Park<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 1, 2012 |title=Linkin Park - AskMen |url=http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_150/196_linkin_park.html |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101160030/http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_150/196_linkin_park.html |archive-date=November 1, 2012 }}</ref> (now called Christine Emerson Reed Park<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-13-me-59427-story.html|title=Dedication Ceremony for Park to Be Held Sunday|date=June 13, 1998|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=February 6, 2019|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211022113/https://www.latimes.com/archives|url-status=live}}</ref>).
* The [[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] is based in Santa Monica on [[Olympic Boulevard (Los Angeles)|Olympic Boulevard]].
* [[Universal Music Group]] is based in Santa Monica. Several of its labels, such as [[A&M Records]], [[Aftermath Entertainment]] (started by [[Dr. Dre]]), [[G-Unit Records]] (created by [[50 Cent]] & [[Sha Money XL]]), [[Geffen Records]], [[Interscope]] (started by [[Jimmy Iovine]]), and [[Shady Records]], are based in Santa Monica, CA.

====Works====
* The folk Australian duo [[Angus and Julia Stone]] has a single titled "Santa Monica Dream" on its album ''Down the Way''.<ref>{{Citation |title=Santa Monica Dream |date=March 30, 2010 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/2aaHkPnIpvGRD1FEnKYIte |access-date=March 8, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* The ska/reggae band [[Bedouin Soundclash]] has a song called "Santa Monica", from their album ''Root Fire''.<ref>{{Citation |title=Santa Monica |date=April 25, 2006 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/57rF4AwjRnfssXtZ6xcg49 |access-date=March 8, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* The band [[Everclear (band)|Everclear]] released a song titled "[[Santa Monica (Everclear song)|Santa Monica]]" in 1995, which became their first mainstream hit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Jason |date=April 4, 2022 |title=EVERCLEAR Announces 30th Anniversary Tour With Special Guests Fastball and The Nixons |url=https://www.iconvsicon.com/2022/04/04/everclear-announces-30th-anniversary-tour-with-special-guests-fastball-and-the-nixons/ |access-date=March 8, 2024 |website=Icon Vs. Icon |language=en-US}}</ref>
* The British singer-songwriter [[Noel Harrison]] released a song and album titled ''Santa Monica Pier'' (1968).<ref name=LATsong>Steve Harvey, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-09-me-0-story.html "Only in L.A."], ''Los Angeles Times'', February 9, 1990.</ref>
* In 1948, bandleader [[Kay Kyser]] released a 78 record of the novelty song "When Veronica Plays the Harmonica (Down at the Pier in Santa Monica)".
* One of the few songs musical satirist [[Tom Lehrer]] has recorded since the 1970s is a tribute to the holidays of the Jewish calendar called "I'm Spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica".
* [[Richard Rossi]] released a song called "Santa Monica", celebrating the Santa Monica Pier, on his album ''Seasons of My Heart.''
* The Australian pop duo [[Savage Garden]] released a song titled "Santa Monica" from their [[Savage Garden (Savage Garden album)|self-titled 1997 debut album]].
* The modern rock band [[Theory of a Deadman]]'s song "[[Santa Monica (Theory of a Deadman song)|Santa Monica]]" is a first-person account of a girl leaving her significant other to start a new life in Santa Monica.
* French Rapper [[Moha La Squale]] released the song "Santa Monica" in 2019.<ref>{{Citation |title=Santa Monica |date=November 4, 2019 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/3H398hWCL0DCKJHNQmURPP |access-date=March 8, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==Notable people==
{{main| List of people from Santa Monica, California}}

== Sister cities ==
* {{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Mazatlán]], Mexico
* {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia|Hamm]], Germany
* {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Fujinomiya]], Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santamonicasistercity.org/sister-cities.html|title=Sister Cities|website=Santa Monica Sister City Association|access-date=May 22, 2020|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225053116/http://www.santamonicasistercity.org/sister-cities.html}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Greater Los Angeles}}
* [[2013 Santa Monica shootings]]
* [[Aragon Ballroom (Ocean Park, Santa Monica, California)]]
* [[Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker]], co-founder and benefactress of Santa Monica
* [[List of cities and towns in California]]
* [[List of City of Santa Monica Designated Historic Landmarks]]
* [[List of people from Santa Monica, California]]
* [[List of public art in Santa Monica, California]]
* [[Muscle Beach]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Santa Monica, California}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikivoyage|Santa Monica}}
{{Collier's poster|Santa Monica}}
* [https://www.smgov.net/ City of Santa Monica]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/10/11/travel/20101017HOURS.html A Weekend in Santa Monica] – slideshow by ''[[The New York Times]]''
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990218155338/http://pen.ci.santa-monica.ca.us/cm/index.htm |date=February 18, 1999 |title=City of Santa Monica }}
* [http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz002cw4cx Image of zoning map of Los Angeles outlining Santa Monica,1927]. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

{{Santa Monica, California}}
{{Cities of Los Angeles County, California}}
{{Greater Los Angeles Area}}
{{Southern California megaregion}}
{{1984 Summer Olympic venues}}
{{2028 Summer Olympic venues}}
{{Olympic venues athletics}}
{{Olympic venues cycling}}
{{Olympic venues triathlon}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Santa Monica, California| ]]
[[Category:1769 establishments in New Spain]]
[[Category:1886 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Cities in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1769]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1886]]
[[Category:Olympic athletics venues]]
[[Category:Olympic cycling venues]]
[[Category:Olympic triathlon venues]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in California]]
[[Category:Venues of the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Venues of the 2028 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Westside (Los Angeles County)]]