City, Los Angeles County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Codes: 91501, 91502, 91503, 91504, 91505, 91506, 91507, 91508, 91509, 91510, 91521, 91522, 91523
Bedroom-entertainment city in the San Fernando Valley just over the hills from Hollywood. Population 108,029. www.mccormacks.com
Home to Disney, NBC and Warner Brothers studios, and to largest airport serving the San Fernando Valley. Median age of residents is 36. Under 18 years, 22 percent. Over 55 years, 21 percent. Rounded, as many old as young.
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One of the oldest “suburban” towns in L.A. County. Named after a pioneering dentist who bought land and dabbled in sheep farming. Most of the town's housing was erected during and right after World War II when the area boomed.
The homes tend to two and three bedrooms, housing built mainly for Lockheed workers and veterans. Other communities with this type of housing have gone into decline. Burbank has not. It is a cared-for town where residents take pride in sprucing up their homes. Even in the middle of August, with the sun glaring, many lawns will show green.
The city also has its new and fairly new housing. Between 1960 and 1990, housing starts averaged 4,800 units a decade, dropping to 3,500 in the 1990s.
The great majority of Burbank was built on flat land and laid out on a grid, the layout of old suburbia. On the northeast, some streets rise into the hills and here you will find new and bigger homes and the “best” neighborhoods along with the city golf course and regional parks. But Burbank straddles the middle, avoiding the very high and the very low income, and its school and crime figures tell the same story. www.mccormacks.com
State in 2008 counted 44,055 housing units: 19,940 single homes, 1,752 single attached, 22,251 multiples, 112 mobiles.
Served by Burbank Unified School District. Almost all schools score between the 50th and 80th percentiles. These scores suggest stable neighborhoods, middle-class-plus demographics and good support of education. Bond passed in 1997 to renovate schools. See Schools.
Three homicides in 2005, four in 2004, three in 2003, one in 2002, three in 2001, one in 2000, two in 1999, four in 1998. Counts for previous years: 0, 4, 6, 5, 5, 7, 6, 2. See Crime.
Golf course, 17 parks, bike trails, Woodbury University. Fourth of July fireworks at Starlight Amphitheater, which seats about 3,000. Nature center. Several senior centers. New branch library.
Large equestrian center on the south side, near the Disney complex. Burbank borders the hilly Griffith Park, which has miles of horse trails. Many of the horse lovers live nearby in the Rancho Equestrian neighborhood — homes with horse stalls out back. At Christmas, residents mount up and amble around the streets, singing holiday tunes. Among famous residents, Mr. Ed, the television talking horse. www.mccormacks.com
With so many movie and entertainment people clustered here, the local economy has thrown up many first-class restaurants, shops and diversions. Burbank has done a good job of reviving its downtown, which has movies, department stores, restaurants and shops, and is a favorite of the young on Friday nights. Also many businesses, hotels and manufacturing firms. Center for hiring day laborers.
Short commute for many because of local jobs. Two freeways, Metrolink (commuter rail). Two stations nearby for the new subway. Buses.
The airport is a real plus because it allows the local to avoid an often congested drive to LAX. But over the years, the locals have resisted efforts to expand Burbank airport. Check out noise.
Decades ago, the city yanked out all its parking meters. In 2006, the council voted to bring them back.
For orientation on cities, towns and neighborhoods of Los Angeles County, see County Overview.
Chamber of commerce: (818) 846-3111.
City web site: www.ci.burbank.ca.us
