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I was a long time OC resident, when I'm out of state, or talking to anyone from out of state, I say I'm from Anaheim, not LA. EVERYONE knows where Anaheim is, even people out of the country.
I want no connection with LA, as most OC residents don't. There have been several battles over Anaheim sports teams named California angels, or LA Rams, LA Angels, etc. The people of OC want to be know as Anaheim because it's a great city and county, and we don't need any identification with LA.
People who say Anaheim is a dirty city comparative with Santa Ana, must hang out in really bad area. Anaheim has many upscale area, and a few bad areas, as do most cities.
I was a long time OC resident, when I'm out of state, or talking to anyone from out of state, I say I'm from Anaheim, not LA. EVERYONE knows where Anaheim is, even people out of the country.
Of course they all know where Anaheim is... that is because it is next to LA!
I know what you are saying. i am from San Jose, and I never say I'm from San Francisco.
So, if Disney had built his amusement park in Ventura County to get a location in between LA and SB rather than in between LA and SD, OC would've developed more slowly and would still have rural areas today (as Ventura County still has rural sections)?
Going back to the original question on whether Anaheim is a suburb of Los Angeles? There is no clear answer. Some will argue that Anaheim is simply a city in Orange County. But, I see Anaheim, as a city in Orange County, but also a city within the "Greater Los Angeles area." The Greater Los Angeles area covers Los Angeles County, Orange County, parts of Riverside and San Bernardino County, parts of Ventura County. See: Greater Los Angeles Area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There is are connections with Los Angeles (Anaheim and OC receives all the LA TV and radio stations, many people may still fly out of LAX especially for international flights, many commute to LA). It is not a matter wanting to be a part of LA, but rather for what it is. I mean if you were from Anaheim or Orange County in general and were to travel overseas and when somebody asks you where you are from? You would say America. Then, they would ask you where in America are you from? You would say California. Then they may ask where in California? Would you say Orange County? Would you say Anaheim (though, Anaheim might be recognized overseas namely because of Disneyland). But, I think if you were just to say Orange County, many overseas would not know where that is. Versus if you were to say you are from the Los Angeles area, many more would know where you are from.
Thus, again whether Anaheim is a suburb of Los Angeles may be debatable. But, I do think undoubtfully, Anaheim and Orange County is part of the Greater Los Angeles area (which extends beyond Los Angeles County).
There are three kinds of Areas according to the OMB.
1) Metropolitan Divisions. Here, we have two:
a) LA. (Congruent with LA County).
b) OC. Anaheim is one of the Central Cities of OC.
2) Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) -- LA/OC Metropolitan Area- Both the Metropolitan Divisions together.
3) Combined Statistical Areas (CSA)- "The Southland" of Greater L.A.
The Southland or Greater LA is made up of three MSA's:
a) LA/OC
b) Inland Empire
c) Ventura County
Everyone has stated very valid points. I agree with all of them because they all have some truth. There are the hard factual statistical areas (for CPI, etc.) and there are the geographical realities, and then there are the cultural dynamics.
All of Southern California is one big interconnected sprawl. Los Angeles is the largest and most central of it. One might say it is the heart of the region, having the largest land mass, the largest population, the largest port, the largest airport, and the largest influence (Hello, Hollywood!).
Like all things, the question begs a simple answer but the answer is more like layers of an onion. Anaheim developed separately from L.A., by German immigrants who grew vineyards. Disneyland alone, and not Anaheim and their sports teams, are what make Anaheim known worldwide. When traveling abroad you almost have to tell people, "I'm from Anaheim, you know- the home of Disneyland." for the recognition to be made. The sports teams came after (and in the case of the Ducks, because of) Disneyland. Disney built Anaheim and all that has flowed since.
Add to that, the very independence of Orange County, culturally. They made a distinct move to break away from Los Angeles
County when OC formed. They have proudly made it clear for decades that "We are not a part of L.A." In some ways, they have preferred and encouraged to be the proverbial red-headed step child to L.A. A desire for a distinct identity, a desire to be seen as better or at least different, and a recognition of the cultural differences between the two regions (initially rural vs urban, but more about facade vs reality, and image vs belief).
LA is vast, and has many different regions. There are the coastal areas, desert areas, rural and urban areas, various cultural centers (Jewish centers of the west side, formerly of East L.A., Hispanic centers in various parts of L.A. such as Mexican in East-L.A. originally, Salvadoreans west of there near MacArthur Park, Ethiopians west of that near the 10 and 405, etc.).
Orange County is not as vast. Anaheim is 50-some square miles stretching from the LA/OC border near Buena Park all the way to the I.E. near Corona. While Santa Ana and Anaheim compete for the title of "OC's Downtown," the truth is that when it is all built out, Irvine will have the largest population and the largest land mass area in OC. The regions in OC are very different. There are pockets of lower income, higher crime areas (Santa Ana, Anaheim), and there are areas of incredible wealth (Newport Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Beach).
There really is no easy answer, or a truly correct one, to the OP's question: Is Anaheim a suburb of Los Angeles. I think all the posts prior do an excellent job of sharing examples of the haziness and vague reality that there is no real answer to that question. In the macro, yes, Anaheim is a suburb of L.A., or at the very least in its sphere of influence. In the micro, I tend to think that no, Anaheim is not a suburb (in the sense of a continuation of) of La Ciudad de Los Angeles, especially in respect to a separate cultural identity (I don't mean race or nation of origin cultures).
I have lived in Orange County since 1955. And not in just one place. It has been throughout Orange County. Not L.A.
Since we were a Marine Corps family, we lived in Santa Ana, just north of Santa Ana College. In 1955, It was a new housing tract, that was separted from Horner Plaza by a huge Orange Grove. ( now long gone ). During my college years, I moved out of my parents home and lived on Balboa Island, Balboa Peninsula , and Corona Del Mar. Beach life, body surfing, and beach bunnies. No one ever referred to Orange County as Los Angeles. Never, unless they were from out of state.
During all of the years here in Orange County, I also lived in Anaheim, Fullerton, Tustin, Garden Grove, Yorba Linda and Placentia.
Later, before moving to Kauai Island, I moved to Huntington Harbor ( at the beach ). Erica lived in Old Town Seal Beach . That was about a 12 year period. Then 10 fabulous years on Kauai, and we now have moved back to Orange County, and live in Dana Point. ( Beach city ). Great place !
At no time, did I ever feel that I was living in a suburb of Los Angeles. L.A. is L.A. and Orange County is a whole different entity. In fact, when ever returning on the infrequent drives up to L.A., It always felt great when passing that sign on the side of the freeway that said ORANGE COUNTY.
So from 1955 to 2019, I lived in Orange County with the exception of volunteering for the military and on active duty in Okinawa, Japan and Vietnam ( deployments ), and 10 wonderful years on the beautiful garden island of Kauai.
As to driving from Dana Point, to L.A. county, which would be the VA Hospital, Long Beach, for whatever, that is about the sum of our forays to Los Angeles County. about ( 45 minutes to 1 hr drive ). and Erica goes with me so we can use the HOV lane ). There are some daily commuters, but that is not us.
Old Town Seal Beach :
After the VA, we walk main street, check out the shops a bit, and out on to the pier, and then have lunch and a libation in Old Town Seal Beach. Very neat and quaint beach village. Seal is in Orange County. WE WOULD CHOSE OLD TOWN SEAL BEACH OVER ANAHEIM for full time living .
Is north O.C. getting crowded, and busy with traffic ? . Some areas, you betcha, I do agree that it is getting very populated but we can chose where we wish to live.
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We all have different values and life styles.
We are beach people, we love the ocean, and the beach area living. When it came time that we had to leave Kauai,
we decided on South County. I looked up the different towns on the computer and flew , solo, across the pond to check out places to live and had appointments all set up.
I found the Villas at Monarch Beach, Dana Point. After looking at the property, that is older, (and that is OK ), . I liked the winding paths, the open grass areas, the hillocks, the tall trees, the very well equipped gym, the large pool and jacuzzi area, and the tennis courts. Loved the location, and the small community of Dana Point. I liked the unit with the tall open wood beam ceilings. We do not even think about Los Angeles.
I asked the office staff lady, how to get to the beach. Simple "You just walk that direction." Off, I went. I walked through a small tunnel that passed under PCH . No need to cross the hwy . Then, there was a second shorter tunnel, and i walked out to see a large, well kept green grass park area, with pavillions and bbq's, and Salt Creek Beach, the surfers, sand sitters, shallows walkers , and the Ocean. No driving required, we have legs that work.
Fabulous. We can walk to the beach in about five minutes . I called Erica, who was back on kauai, and told her
I HAVE FOUND OUR PLACE, AND WAS GOING BACK TO THE OFFICE TO PUT DOWN A DEPOSIT. Mission completed.
We absolutely love South County, and not even for a nano second have thought of Orange County as a suburb of LA.
If I tell people where Dana Point is located, I tell them, on the coast, between L.A. and San Diego so that they can get an idea of the geographical location in California. Never, since moving to OC, in 1955 have I ever referred to Orange County as a suburb of Los Angeles.
And , we have the ability to select what area of Orange County that we live in. And, that is Dana Point, and
South County. We love it here. And, it certainly is not Los Angeles.
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As to Anaheim, and during one college summer I worked at the MOUSE ( Disneyland ) but would we chose to live there again ?. No, it is just to busy, and that new project someone mentioned, we just drove up State College Blvd, to visit friends who have lived for years just north of Ball Road. This new monstrosity may be the new wave, but we would not want to be anywhere near it. It is just north of Anaheim Stadium ( not los angeles stadium ) up Toward Lincoln. . However , that is our choice, others think differently .
Point being, there are highly populated areas of Orange County, but note the word ORANGE, Not Los Angeles.
Do we have friends moving out of Orange County, selling their homes, etc. Yep, we do. They are moving to
Tubac, Az......, Lake Havasu......, Idaho......, San Carlos ( norcal ),..... Los Vegas, etc. That is their choice, we are staying put in Dana Point, Orange County, Ca.
Ah, yes, we prefer, beaches, beach town mentality, easy going, friendly people, marvelous Dana Point Marina, wonderful close by wilderness parks , many with very few or no others on those trails...during the week. Great restaurants in our near by sister towns of San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente.
This is not Los Angeles,
This is our Orange County.
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