Agoura Hills, CA, General Information By Carol Lee

About Agoura Hills

Agoura Hills, in Los Angeles County, was incorporated into cityhood in 1982. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, it is rich in rolling hills and canyons, yet is only 45 minutes from busy downtown Los Angeles. It is a unique suburban community, committed to the preservation of its history, high quality of life, and environmental sensitivity. The area has one of the lowest crime rates in California.

Demographics. As of the 2000 census, there were 20,537 people, 6,874 households, and 5,588 families residing in the city. with 6,993 housing units. The median income for a family was $97,765, the per capita income for the city was $39,700. More than half of the poulation over the age of 15 has a college degree.

History. The area was first settled by the Chumash Indians and later by the Spaniards. In the 1920's, the community was briefly known as Picture City, as Paramount Studios owned a ranch in the area used for filimg Westerns and TV shows, such as MASH. To obtain a post office of its own, the residents were required to choose a one word name, and in 1927, chose a mispelling of the last name of Pierre Agoure, a French immigrant who had setteld in the area in 1871. The construction of the Ventura Freeway, (the 101) through the heart of the city led to rapid growth. The first housing tracts were Hillrise, Liberty Canyon, and Lake Lindero. Schools were built, and downtown was erected.

Employment. Agoura Hills has a strong, diverse regional economy. In addition to the local retail shops, businesses and entertainment, there are several major industries such as biotech, agriculture, healthcare, insurance, and telecommuncations in the area. Major area employers include Walt Disney and other studios, Amgen, Countrywide, HealthNet, Jet Propulsion Labs (JPL), UCLA, University Of Southern California, (USC) Los Robles Medical Center and other hospitals and medical centers.

Housing. All types of homes may be found in the Agoura Hills area, including: townhomes, single-family homes, condominiums, apartments, estate homes and equestrian-style ranches. Prices of homes in Agoura have sold in the last 6 months range from $200,000 for a condo to $3,200,000 for a 6500 square foot newly constructed home. The average sales price of a single family home in the 6 months ending Feb 3, 2008 was $1,230,575, the average sales price of a condominium or attache townhome for the same time period was $374,000. (Information from VCRDS, rappatoni from 8/7/07-2/3/08. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.) See what is currently for sale on the Ventura County MLS.

Schools Agoura Hills is part of the Las Virgenes Unified School District. In Agoura Hills there are four elementary schools, (Lupin Hill, Sumac, Yerba Buena, and Willow) one middle school (Lindero), and one high school (Agoura High School). Several of the schools are National Blue Ribbon winners, and are very high achieving schools.

Recreation/Entertainment

Agoura has many parks: Forest Cove Park, Morrison Park, Old Agoura Park (with nearby equestrian trails), Reyes Adobe Park, Sumac Park, and Chumash Park with facilites for baseball, basketball, softball, playgrounds and picnic shelters. Mountain biking is popular in the many mountain trails in the area. Agoura is sometime called the "Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area" which covers over 150,000 acres of land.

If golf is your thing, Lake Lindero Country Club offers a par three executive course, known for its challenging narrow fairways. For the theatre lover, there is the Stage Door Theatre and the Canyon Club Dinner theatre that also offers rock concerts. The Civics Arts Plaza in nearby Thousand Oaks offers live theatre, music, lectures, and other entertainment. There are several movie theatres in Agoura and neighboring communities. The "Concerts in the Parks" program offers free outdoor concerts in the summer, and the City of Agoura Hills offers many classes and activities through their Recreation Program. Numerous restaurants offer a variety of cuisines.

When you are ready to venture beyond the borders of Agoura Hills, there is no limit of what there is to do in the playground that is in the Metro Los Angeles area. Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor are all easy day trips from Agoura. If you are interested in Museums, you can visit the Getty Museum, Los Angeles County Museum, the ronald Reagan Museum in Simi Valley, or others. You can play in the ocean in Malibu, go on the Ferris Wheel at the Pier in Santa Monica, or check out all the characters at Venice beach. Mountain High Ski resort is also a short day trip from Agoura. The exlusive area of Santa Barbara is just 60 miles north of Agoura.

Agoura Hills, an excellent place to live. Carol Lee lives in the area, knows the area, sells the area.