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Irvine, California

Irvine is an incorporated city located in Orange County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 143,072. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated in 1971, the 46-square mile city has a population of 148,000 (as of 2001). It currently has plans to annex an undeveloped area to the north, as well as the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, most of which is to be made into a park.

Irvine is home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and to various other companies in the technology sector, including the American division of Toshiba, and offices of several automotive companies, including Ford and Mazda. The two biggest employers are the UCI and Verizon.

A planned city

Irvine is divided into townships that are self-contained except for income-generating activities. The townships are separated by six-lane streets. Each township includes a spectrum of similar types of dwellings, along with shopping, religious institutions and schools. Commercial districts are checker-boarded in a periphery around the central townships.

All streets have landscaping allowances. Rights-of-way for powerlines also serve as bicycle corridors, parks and greenbelts to tie together ecological preserves. The greenery is irrigated with reclaimed water.

Many of the homeowner's associations are extremely powerful, controlling every facet of the appearance of one's home, including color, roofing, and the age of car that may be parked in front.

Geography

Irvine is located at 33°41'3" North, 117°47'33" West (33.684065, -117.792581)1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 120.4 km² (46.5 mi²). 119.6 km² (46.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.67% water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 143,072 people, 51,199 households, and 34,354 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,196.2/km² (3,098.0/mi²). There are 53,711 housing units at an average density of 449.1/km² (1,163.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 61.06% White, 1.45% African American, 0.18% Native American, 29.83% Asian American, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 2.54% from other races, and 4.82% from two or more races. 7.37% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 51,199 households out of which 36.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% are married couples living together, 9.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% are non-families. 22.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.66 and the average family size is 3.17.

In the city the population is spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 14.4% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $72,057, and the median income for a family is $85,624. Males have a median income of $64,189 versus $41,810 for females. The per capita income for the city is $32,196. 9.1% of the population and 5.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.1% are under the age of 18 and 5.6% are 65 or older.

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