View source for Placentia, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Placentia, California
 | settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
 | motto                    = "A pleasant place to live."<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.placentia.org/|title= City of Placentia California Website|publisher= City of Placentia California Website |access-date= September 14, 2012}}</ref>
 | image_skyline            = Placita Santa Fe, Placentia, California (2021-06-24).jpeg
 | image_caption            = Placita Santa Fe in Old Town Placentia (2021)
 | image_flag               = Flag of Placentia, California.svg
 | image_seal               = Seal of Placentia, California.png
 | image_map                = Orange County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Placentia Highlighted.svg
 | mapsize                  = 250x200px
 | map_caption              = Location of Placentia in [[Orange County, California]]
 | image_map1               = 
 | mapsize1                 = 
 | map_caption1             = 
 | pushpin_map              = USA
 | pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
 | pushpin_relief           = 1
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[California]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Orange County, California|Orange]]
 | government_type          = [[Council-Manager|Council-Administrator]]
 | leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
 | leader_name              = Kevin Kirwin
 | leader_title1            = [[Mayor Pro Tem]]
 | leader_name1             = Chad Wanke
 | leader_title2            = [[City council]]
 | leader_name2             = Ward Smith<br />Tom Hummer<br />Jeremy B. Yamaguchi<ref name="council">{{Cite web
   | url = http://www.placentia.org/index.aspx?nid=268
   | title = Mayor / City Council
   | publisher = City of Placentia
   | access-date = December 12, 2018
 }}</ref>
 | leader_title3            = [[Treasurer]]
 | leader_name3             = Kevin Larson<ref name="treasurer">{{Cite web
   | url = http://www.placentia.org/index.aspx?nid=288
   | title = City Treasurer
   | publisher = City of Placentia
   | access-date = December 12, 2018
 }}</ref>
 | leader_title4            = [[City Administrator]]
 | leader_name4             = Tom Hatch
<ref name="administrator">{{Cite web
   | url = http://www.placentia.org/index.aspx?nid=15
   | title = Administration
   | publisher = City of Placentia
   | access-date = December 12, 2018
 }}</ref>
 | established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
 | established_date         = December 2, 1926<ref>{{Cite web
   | url         = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
   | title       = California Cities by Incorporation Date
   | format      = Word
   | publisher   = California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s
   | access-date  = August 25, 2014
   | url-status     = dead
   | archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
   | archive-date = November 3, 2014
 }}</ref>

<!-- Area------------------>
 | 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}}</ref>
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 6.63
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 6.61
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
 | area_total_km2           = 17.16
 | area_land_km2            = 17.12
 | area_water_km2           = 0.04
 | area_water_percent       = 0.22
 | elevation_footnotes      = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1661237|Placentia|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref>
 | elevation_ft             = 272
 | elevation_m              = 83
 | coordinates              = {{coord|33|52|57|N|117|51|18|W|display=inline,title}}
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = <ref name=quif>{{Cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0657526.html|title=Placentia (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095245/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0657526.html|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 | population_total         = 51824
 | population_density_km2   = 3027.10
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
 | utc_offset               = -8
 | timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = -7
 | postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
 | postal_code              = 92870–92871
 | area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
 | area_code                = [[Area code 714|714]]
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
 | blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|57526}}
 | blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
 | blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1661237}}, {{GNIS 4|2411432}}
 | website                  = {{URL|www.placentia.org}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = 7748.49
}}

'''Placentia''' ({{IPAc-en|p|l|ə|ˈ|s|ɛ|n|ʃ|ə}} {{respell|plə|SEN|shə}}) is a city in [[Orange County, California]], United States. It is part of the [[Los Angeles metropolitan area]]. Placentia's population was 51,233 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 US census]]. The city is primarily referred to as a [[commuter town|bedroom community]],

In 1971, Placentia was honored with the [[All-America City Award]], given out annually by the [[National Civic League]]<ref>[http://www.allamericacityaward.com/ All America City Award]</ref> to 10 cities in the United States.<ref name="LAT 10-30-1997">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-30-mn-37736-story.html|title=Placentia Looking Up in Quest for Landmarks |first=Esther |last=Schrader |date=September 30, 1997 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref>

== History ==

[[Indigenous peoples of California]] referred to by the Spanish as [[Gabrieleno|''Gabrielenos'']], known as the [[Tongva]], lived in the area for thousands of years. One estimate wrote that the native population in what was to become northern Orange County was at least 1,000.<ref name=":2" /> The large village of [[Hutuknga]] was closely situated to the area that is now Placentia.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |last1=Koerper |first1=Henry |title=Catalysts to complexity : late Holocene societies of the California coast |last2=Mason |first2=Roger |last3=Peterson |first3=Mark |date=2002 |publisher=Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA |others=Jon Erlandson, Terry L. Jones, Jeanne E. Arnold, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA |isbn=978-1-938770-67-8 |location=Los Angeles |pages=64–66, 79 |oclc=745176510}}</ref>

In 1837, the Mexican government granted the area that is now Placentia to Juan Pacifico Ontiveros as part of the [[Rancho San Juan Cajón de Santa Ana]] land grant.<ref name=":1" />

In 1865, American pioneer [[Daniel Kraemer]] arrived and purchased {{convert|3,900|acres}}. Many other American pioneers soon followed, and the community developed.<ref name=":1" />

The local school district was originally named the Cajon School District. In 1878, the school district's name was changed to Placentia School District by Sarah Jane McFadden, Placentia being derived from a Latin word meaning "pleasant place to live". She was the wife of William McFadden, who was the second White settler to arrive in Placentia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The McFadden Letters {{!}} Placentia Library |url=https://www.placentialibrary.org/articles/mcfadden-letters |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=www.placentialibrary.org}}</ref> The town eventually took its own name after the school district.<ref name=":1" />

The first commercial orange grove was established in 1880, worked by mostly Mexican and English laborers.<ref name=":2" />

=== 20th century ===
[[File:Old Mission orange crate label.jpg|left|thumb|178x178px|Orange crate label of the Placentia Orchard Company]]
From a handful of scattered ranches, the core of the town was developed around 1910. It functioned as a major railroad stop along the [[Santa Fe Railroad]] for processing oranges. Later, during the [[Great Depression]], a brief strike of citrus workers occurred in Placentia.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Gardner |first1=Jeanette |title=Early Placentia |last2=de Graaf |first2=Lawrence |last3=Placentia Historical Committee |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=9780738547282 |pages=7–11}}</ref>

Oil was found in 1919, which led to the development of numerous oil wells in eastern and northern Placentia. The town of Richfield, which later became [[Atwood, Placentia, California|Atwood]], was built to house oil workers. Mexican laborers formed the majority of the labor force in the oil industry. The neighboring town of [[La Jolla, Placentia, California|La Jolla, Placentia]] was constructed for a similar reason as a segregated ''colonia''.<ref name=":2" />

Several schools were constructed in Placentia from the 1910s to the 1930s that were [[Racial segregation|segregated]] between White and Mexican students.<ref name=":2" /> Isabel Martínez was the first student of Mexican parentage to graduate from [[Fullerton High School (California)|Fullerton High School]] in 1931, being celebrated in the ''Placentia Courier'' as an "exceptional" Mexican. Within six years, the number of Placentia students graduating high school numbered only six.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gonzalez |first=Gilbert G. |title=Labor and Community: Mexican Citrus Worker Villages in a Southern California County, 1900-1950 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |year=1994 |isbn=9780252063886 |pages=111}}</ref> 
[[File:La Jolla Colony, south of Placentia, after the flood of March 3, 1938.jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|[[La Jolla, Placentia, California|La Jolla, Placentia]], a predominately Mexican ''colonia'', after the [[Santa Ana River]] flood of 1938]]
The predominately Mexican areas of Placentia were heavily hit by the [[Santa Ana River]] [[Los Angeles flood of 1938#Riverside and Orange Counties|flood of 1938]], which destroyed everything in the area but "the La Jolla School Building and three brick structures." The flood left 3,700 refugees and 1,500 homes uninhabitable, and "caused more than 50 deaths, most from the Atwood area."<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2013 |title=From the Placentia History Room Archives: 1938 Flood, 75 years later |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2013/03/28/from-the-placentia-history-room-archives-1938-flood-75-years-later/ |website=Orange County Register}}</ref>

Mexican-American [[war veterans]] from [[World War II]] worked to end school segregation in Placentia in 1948.<ref name=":2" /> This campaign was led by Alfred Aguirre, who noted that some white ranchers believed Mexicans were good fruit pickers, but that "the White kids are too advanced" for Mexican students to keep up in the classroom.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Rosales |first=Steven |title=Soldados Razos at War: Chicano Politics, Identity, and Masculinity in the U.S. Military from World War II to Vietnam |publisher=University of Arizona Press |year=2017 |isbn=9780816532445 |pages=189–190}}</ref>

The Mexican-American community in Placentia developed its own political power base in the 1950s. This resulted in the election of Aguirre to Placentia's city council from 1958 to 1962 and the registration of hundreds of [[Chicano]] voters in the city.<ref name=":3" />

In July 2020, Placentia organized and established its own fire department, Placentia Fire and Life Safety Department, leaving the [[Orange County Fire Authority]] as the first city to ever disband from the OCFA.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.placentia.org/178/History-of-Placentia|title = History of Placentia &#124; Placentia, CA - Official Website}}</ref>

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|6.6|sqmi|km2}}, of which 0.22% is covered by water. [[California State Route 57|State Route 57]] (the Orange Freeway) runs through the southwest section of Placentia. [[California State Route 91|State Route 91]] (the Riverside Freeway) passes directly south of the city. Districts in Placentia include the neighborhood of La Jolla and the formerly unincorporated community of Atwood.

=== Climate ===
According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Placentia has a [[Mediterranean climate#Warm-summer Mediterranean climate|warm-summer Mediterranean climate]], ''CSA'' on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=291040&cityname=Placentia%2C+California%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Placentia, California]</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1930= 1606
|1940= 1472
|1950= 1682
|1960= 5861
|1970= 21948
|1980= 35041
|1990= 41259
|2000= 46488
|2010= 50533
|2020= 51824
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706023553/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br>1860–1870<ref name=1870CensusCA1>{{Cite web|title=1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=September 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907072108/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=1870CensusCA2>{{Cite web|title=1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 28, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828190324/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1880-1890<ref name=1890CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1900<ref name=1900CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812164053/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823050629/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1920<ref name=1920CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1930<ref name=1930CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 28, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828162810/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=September 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918190408/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=September 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921120611/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><br> 1960<ref name=1960CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812164028/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812164028/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823052400/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><br> 1990<ref name=1990CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=August 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814213918/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
2000<ref name=2000CensusCA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusCA>{{Cite web|title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=February 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204210903/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><br> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

Placentia was first listed as a city in the [[1930 U.S. Census]].<ref name=1930CensusCA/> Prior to 1920, the area was part of unincorporated Fullerton Township (pop 5,037 in 1920).<ref name=1920CensusCA/>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Placentia 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 – Placentia city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0657526&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[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) – Placentia city, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0657526&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[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) – Placentia city, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0657526&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|24,967
|22,590
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18,993
|53.71%
|44.70%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |36.65%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|746
|818
|style='background: #ffffe6; |946
|1.60%
|1.62%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.83%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|177
|123
|style='background: #ffffe6; |105
|0.38%
|0.24%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.20%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|5,121
|7,457
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,940
|11.02%
|14.76%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19.18%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|65
|58
|style='background: #ffffe6; |69
|0.14%
|0.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.13%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|61
|74
|style='background: #ffffe6; |219
|0.13%
|0.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.42%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|891
|997
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,861
|1.92%
|1.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.59%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|14,460
|18,416
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,691
|31.10%
|36.44%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38.00%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''46,488'''
|'''50,533'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''51,824 '''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

=== 2020 ===
The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Placentia had a population of 51,824. The population density was {{convert|7,837.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Placentia was 43.4% [[White Americans|White]], 2.0% [[African Americans|African American]], 1.1% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 19.5% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.2% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 17.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 16.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 38.0% of the population.<ref name=DP1>{{cite web |title=Placentia city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0657526 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 1, 2025}}</ref>

The census reported that 99.3% of the population lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.2% were institutionalized.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 16,915 households, out of which 36.5% included children under the age of 18, 56.5% were married-couple households, 5.5% were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 24.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 13.6% had a male householder with no partner present. 17.4% of households were one person, and 9.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.04.<ref name=DP1/> There were 12,897 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (76.2% of all households).<ref>{{cite web |title=Placentia city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0657526 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 1, 2025}}</ref>

The age distribution was 22.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% aged 18 to 24, 25.6% aged 25 to 44, 26.1% aged 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 39.0{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 17,368 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2,626.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 16,915 (97.4%) were occupied. Of these, 63.2% were owner-occupied, and 36.8% were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated the median household income was $110,575, and the [[per capita income]] was $46,069. About 6.2% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line.<ref>{{cite web |title=Placentia city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0657526 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 1, 2025}}</ref>

=== 2010 ===
The [[2010 United States census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0657526|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715032504/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0657526|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Placentia city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Placentia had a population of 50,533. The [[population density]] was {{convert|7,677.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of Placentia was:

* 31,373 (62.1%) White (44.7% Non-Hispanic White)<ref name="census">{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0657526.html|title=Census Data|access-date=December 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095245/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0657526.html|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
* 914 (1.8%) African American
* 386 (0.8%) Native American
* 7,531 (14.9%) Asian
* 74 (0.1%) Pacific Islander
* 8,247 (16.3%) from other races
* 2,008 (4.0%) from two or more races 
* 18,416 residents (36.4%) were Hispanic or Latino, of any race.

The census reported that 50,196 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 253 (0.5%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 84 (0.2%) were institutionalized.

Of the 16,365 households, 38.6% had children under 18 living in them, 57.4% were opposite-sex married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 4.6% were [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 0.6% were [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. About 17.6% of households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.07. There were 12,366 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (75.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.44.

In the city, the age distribution was 24.6% under 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% were 65 or older. The median age was 36.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The 16,872 housing units had an average density of {{convert|2,563.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 10,681 (65.3%) were owner-occupied and 5,684 (34.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%. About 62.9% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 36.5% lived in rental housing units.

The [[median household income]] was $75,693, with 12.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.<ref name="census" />

== Economy ==
Placentia has a $20 million [[Metrolink (California)|Metrolink]] project that started in the downtown area in 2013.{{Clarify|date=January 2020}} This project is in conjunction with the [[Orange County Transit Authority]] (OCTA), and will assist in the continued revitalization of the area, which is also scheduled for the building of more transit-oriented housing to complement the train station, mixed use, retail, and entertainment.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/city-622599-officials-nelson.html|title=Officials change tracks to fund Metrolink station in Placentia|newspaper=[[The Orange County Register]] |first=Daniel |last=Langhorne |date=June 18, 2014 |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> All are designed to enhance Placentia's unique presence in Orange County. Placentia is also working with the OCTA on the OC Bridges project. The project, combined with the city of Fullerton, provides around $580 million in funding to build underpasses and/or overpasses at the major north–south roadways in the two cities. The roadways are Lakeview Avenue, Rose Drive/Tustin Avenue, Orangethorpe Avenue, Kraemer Boulevard, Placentia Avenue, State College Boulevard, and Raymond Avenue. The underpasses and overpasses at Placentia, Kraemer, Rose/Tustin and Lakeview are complete.<ref>McRea, Heather (Published: October 19, 2011, Updated: August 21, 2013) [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/placentia-322709-avenue-million.html "First bridge to start on $600 million project to eliminate train crossings"] ''[[Orange County Register]]''</ref><ref>Weikel, Dan (June 17, 2014) [https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0618-rail-project-prison-20140618-story.html "Former Placentia official given deadline to repay salary"] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref>

=== Top employers ===
According to Placentia's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report:,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.placentia.org/Archive.aspx?ADID=900|title=City of Placentia CAFR|access-date=August 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128115446/http://www.placentia.org/Archive.aspx?ADID=900|archive-date=November 28, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Number
! Employer
! Employees
|-
|1
| [[Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District]]
|2,500
|-
|2
| [[UCI Health - Placentia]]
|390
|-
|3
| [[TransDigm Group|Hartwell]]
|300
|-
|4
| Premedia
|305
|-
|5
| City of Placentia
|215
|-
|}

== Arts and culture ==
The [[George Key Ranch]] Historic District is a historic citrus ranch and Victorian ranch house in Placentia. It is now within the {{convert|2|acre|adj=on}} George Key Ranch Historic Park, with the [[historic house museum]], outdoor displays, and a citrus grove. It is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The Placentia-Santa Fe District is in the southwest or downtown area. The town is home to the [[A. S. Bradford House]], a historic house museum. It is also home to the 100-year-old Berkenstock Mansion.<ref name="LAT 10-30-1997" />

In 1973, [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/mar/05/sdsu-mural-triptico/ Chicano Park's "founding lead artist"] Guillermo Aranda and "founding apprentice artist" Ernesto "Neto" Paul (San Diego natives) collaborated with the art students of the [[University of California, Irvine]] (UCI) in painting a mural (about 8 x 36&nbsp;ft) on the walls of the [http://www.tlaquepaquerestaurant.com/ Tlatepaque Restaurant]. Aranda was invited by a professor at UCI. The following year, the chairman of Toltecas en Aztlan, and the board director of the Centro Cultural De La Raza, Guillermo Aranda, also invited these same Orange County artists referred to as the "Santa Ana muralists/Santa Ana artists", to come to [[Chicano Park]] and paint on one of the first pillars ([http://www.pbase.com/amoxtli/image/83841846 second painted pillar]) of Chicano Park.

==Government and politics==
{| class="wikitable"  style="float:right; margin:1em; font-size:95%;"
|+ Placentia city vote<br /> by party in presidential elections
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Year
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Third party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livevoterturnout.com/Orange/LiveResults/precincts_6.pdf|title=Precinct results |date=2020 |website=www.ocvote.com |access-date=November 27, 2020}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''51.81%''' ''13,616''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.17% ''12,135''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.02% ''531''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]<ref>{{Cite web| title=Certified statement of the votes cast at the Presidential general election | url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2016/sov.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217082248/https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2016/sov.pdf | archive-date=2017-02-17}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''46.49%''' ''9,828''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.43% ''9,814''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|7.08% ''1,497''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2012/sov-for-web.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117103027/http://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/live/gen2012/sov-for-web.pdf | archive-date=2013-01-17}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.08% ''8,581''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''55.66%''' ''11,348''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.26% ''461''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/gen2008/sov.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115165241/http://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/gen2008/sov.pdf | archive-date=2012-11-15}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.41% ''9,022''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.51%''' ''11,329''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.07% ''431''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/e13/sov1.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115165205/http://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/e13/sov1.pdf | archive-date=2012-11-15}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.82% ''7,028''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''63.15%''' ''12,390''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.03% ''203''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2000 United States presidential election|2000]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/gen2000/gen2000-SOV.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115165533/http://www.ocvote.com/fileadmin/user_upload/sov/gen2000/gen2000-SOV.pdf | archive-date=2012-11-15}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|37.29% ''6,674''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.12%''' ''10,580''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|3.59% ''643''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1996 United States presidential election|1996]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/statementofvote51996cali|title=Statement of vote|last=California. Secretary of State|date=March 30, 1968|publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.94% ''5,673''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.58%''' ''8,615''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|9.48% ''1,497''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1992 United States presidential election|1992]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/statementofvote31992cali|title=Statement of vote|last=California. Secretary of State|date=March 30, 1968|publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|29.26% ''5,097''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''48.01%''' ''8,364''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|22.73% ''3,959''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1988 United States presidential election|1988]]<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote81988cali | title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|28.62% ''4,612''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''70.31%''' ''11,328''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.07% ''172''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1984 United States presidential election|1984]]<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote61984cali | title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|22.81% ''3,396''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''76.39%''' ''11,375''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.80% ''119''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1980 United States presidential election|1980]]<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statementofvote41980cali| title=Statement of the Vote| publisher=Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary| year=1968}}</ref>
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|22.06% ''3,142''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''69.17%''' ''9,853''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|8.78% ''1,250''
|}

=== Local ===
Placentia is a [[charter city]] with elected city council members, city clerk, and city treasurer, and professional city manager.

;Elected officials
*[[Mayor]] Kevin Kirwin<ref name="council" />
*[[Mayor Pro-Tem|Mayor ''pro tem'']] Chad P. Wanke <ref name="council" />
* Council Member Ward Smith<ref name="council" />
* Council Member Thomas Hummer<ref name="council" />
* Council Member Jeremy B.Yamaguchi<ref name="council" />
* City Clerk Robert S. McKinnell<ref name="clerk">{{Cite web
 | url = http://www.placentia.org/index.aspx?nid=282
 | title = City Clerk
 | publisher = City of Placentia
 | access-date = December 12, 2018}}</ref>
* City Treasurer Kevin A. Larson<ref name="treasurer" />

;Appointed officials
* City Administrator Jennifer Lampman<ref name="administrator" />
* City Attorney Christian L. Bettenhausen

;Mayors since 1989:

Unless otherwise noted, mayoral terms begin and end in December.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Mayor
! Term(s)
|-
| Norman Z. Eckenrode||1989–90, 1993–94, 1996–98
|-
| Arthur G. Newton||1990–91
|-
| John O. Tynes||1991–92
|-
| Maria Moreno||1992–93
|-
| Michael Maertzweiler||1994–95, 1999–2000
|-
| Carol Downey||1995–96
|-
| Constance Underhill||1998–99, 2006–07
|-
| Chris Lowe||2000–02
|-
| Scott P. Brady||2002–03, 2004–06
|-
| Judy Dickinson||2003–04
|-
| Gregory Sowards||2008–09
|-
| Joseph Aguirre||2009–10
|-
| Scott W. Nelson||2007–08, 2010–11, 2012–14
|-
| Jeremy Yamaguchi||2011–12, 2015–16
|-
| Chad Wanke||2014–15, 2017–18
|-
| Craig Green||2016–17
|-
| Rhonda Shader||2018–19
|}

The voters of Placentia also elect the boards of the Placentia Library District and the [[Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District]].

=== State and federal representation ===
In the [[California State Senate]], Placentia is split between {{Representative|casd|34|fmt=sdistrict}}, and {{Representative|casd|37|fmt=sdistrict}}. In the [[California State Assembly]], it is in {{Representative|caad|59|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 | url = https://statewidedatabase.org/gis/districtscomp.html
 | title = California Districts
 | publisher = UC Regents
 | access-date = January 5, 2023
}}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Placentia is in {{Representative|cacd|45|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|45}}</ref>

According to the [[Secretary of State of California|California Secretary of State]], as of February 10, 2019, Placentia has 27,328 registered voters. Of those, 10,285 (37.64%) are registered Republicans, 8,510 (31.14%) are registered Democrats, and 7,400 (27.08%) have no political party preference or are independent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-odd-year-2019/politicalsub.pdf|title=CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019|website=ca.gov|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref>

== Education ==

=== Placentia Library District ===
Placentia is home to one of the 13 [[Special-purpose district|special district]] libraries in California. The Placentia Library District is a single-purpose [[library]] district governed by an elected [[board of trustees]]. Its principal source of income is [[property tax]] proration. The library's early history is much like other communities. Beginning in 1914, the [[Women's Christian Temperance Union]] established a reading and recreation room for boys in a storefront on Bradford Avenue.<ref name=":0">Carpenter, Virginia L. (1977). ''Placentia, A Pleasant Place''. Santa Ana, CA: Friis-Pioneer Press.</ref> After a successful [[petition]] and [[election]] by the residents, the Placentia Library District was officially formed on September 2, 1919. The new library district included seven square miles of the Placentia area: the north line was beyond Golden Avenue, the east line along Linda Vista through Hazard's subdivision, the south through Golden State Tract but not as far as Miraloma Avenue and the west line along the Fullerton boundary. The library board of trustees hired Placentia's first librarian, Sara Rideout, for $0.25 an hour, and the Women's Christian Temperance Union turned over their reading room and 193 books. The library officially opened to the public on January 15, 1920, from 2:00–5:00&nbsp;pm and 7:00–9:00&nbsp;pm.<ref name=":0" /> By 1926, a new library building was needed to meet the needs of the growing community. The building, designed in the [[Spanish Colonial Revival architecture|Spanish Colonial Revival]] style by renowned architect [[Carleton Winslow|Carleton Monroe Winslow]], features beautiful [[Talavera (pottery)|Talavera]] tiles created by Mexican potter Pedro Sanchez. In March 1927, the grand opening was held for the new library building located at 143 S. Bradford Avenue.<ref name=":0" /> In 1974, the library again become too small for its growing collection and was moved to its current location in the Civic Center Plaza. That same year, the library boundaries expanded to reflect the same boundaries as the city.<ref name=":0" />

Today, the Placentia Library District has over 330,000 visitors annually, with over 42,000 library cards issued. The library holds over 102,000 materials. In September 2018, the Placentia Library began a major $2.3 million renovation/modernization project as part of the library's centennial anniversary. The project was completed on September 14, 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last=McRea |first=Heather |date=September 14, 2018 |title=$2.3 million renovation to Placentia library is expected to take a year |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/09/14/2-3-million-renovation-to-placentia-library-is-expected-to-take-a-year/ |publisher=Orange County Register |access-date=October 16, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Truong |first=Hanh |date=September 17, 2019 |title=Community explores Placentia Library after year-long overhaul |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2019/09/16/community-explores-placentia-library-after-year-long-overhaul/ |publisher=Orange County Register |access-date=October 16, 2019 }}</ref>

=== Public schools ===
Placentia is a part of the [[Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District]] (PYLUSD). The three [[High school (North America)|high schools]] in the city are:
* [[El Dorado High School (Placentia, California)|El Dorado High School]].
* [[Valencia High School (Placentia, California)|Valencia High School]]. The oldest high school in Placentia, it opened in 1933. VHS offers an [[international baccalaureate]] program and a technology track known as ValTech.
* El Camino Real High School was named a "Model Continuation High School" by the [[California Department of Education|California State Department of Education]].

In addition, Placentia supports: Kraemer Middle School, Valadez Middle School Academy, and [[Tuffree Middle School]]. The city houses numerous public elementary schools: Brookhaven Elementary, George Key Elementary, Golden Elementary, Morse Elementary, Melrose Elementary, Ruby Drive Elementary, Sierra Vista Elementary, Tynes Elementary, Van Buren Elementary, and Wagner Elementary.

=== Independent schools ===
The Parkview School provides an independent study kindergarten-grade 12 school for students who are "homeschoolers, student actors, junior athletes, chronically ill, or in various other situations for which an alternative to classroom-based instruction is desirable."<ref>{{cite news | title=Homeschooling through Parkview School | url =http://www.parkviewpylusd.org/ | access-date = October 12, 2008 }}</ref>

== Transportation ==
The [[Metrolink (California)|Metrolink]] [[91/Perris Valley Line]] passes through the southern portion of the city. The city has been preparing the area of a proposed new station located at Melrose Avenue and Crowther Avenue in Old Town Placentia. [[Placentia Station]] is estimated to cost $35&nbsp;million; the city will contribute $5.4&nbsp;million. A tentative completion date was set for June 2022, but construction is now "on hold" pending further negotiations with [[BNSF]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lenberg |first1=Tatum |title=Murals, construction are revitalizing Placentia's downtown and historic area |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2020/01/06/murals-construction-are-revitalizing-placentias-downtown-and-historic-area/ |website=The Orange County Register |date=January 6, 2020 |accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

In 2007, the city became [[Train whistle#Noise complaints from train whistles|the first city to implement a quiet zone]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reyes |first1=David |title=Placentia likes the sound of quiet zone designation |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jun-29-me-quiet29-story.html |access-date=June 30, 2021 |agency=Los Angeles Times |date=June 29, 2007}}</ref> for the cargo-carrying trains that pass through the city daily, using locomotive grade-crossing predictors and intercrossing ground-based radio communications to effect a corridor where crossing gate arms become actuated prior to the train's approach, enabling trains to not be required to announce their approach by sounding the [[Morse code]] letter "Q" on their whistles, which is otherwise mandated by the [[Federal Railroad Administration]]. The city's [http://www.placentia.org/191/Quiet-Zone-Update Quiet-Zone-Update web pages] offer information on the zone's scope and any temporary or long-term alterations to the quiet zone.

The city is served by the [[Orange County Transportation Authority]]'s [[OC Bus|bus routes]], with:

* Route 129 running also Kraemer Blvd
* Route 71 running along Rose Drive 
* Route 26 running along Yorba Linda Blvd
* Route 123 running along Chapman Avenue
* Route 30 running along Orangethorpe Avenue<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.octa.net/ebusbook/routePdf/NorthCounty.pdf |title=OCTA North Orange County System Map |publisher=Orange County Transportation Authority |access-date=October 16, 2019}}</ref>

The [[2002 Placentia train collision]] occurred on April 23, 2002, when a [[BNSF Railway]] freight train collided [[Head-on collision|head-on]] with a [[Metrolink (California)|Metrolink train]] in Placentia, near the Atwood Junction, at the intersection of Orangethorpe Avenue and Van Buren Street. Two people died in the crash and 22 were seriously injured.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.trainweb.com/derailments/2002d23a.html| publisher=TrainWeb| title=Metrolink/BNSF Collision| accessdate=June 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/RAR0304.aspx| title=Collision of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Freight Train With Metrolink Passenger Train| author=National Transportation Safety Board| date=October 7, 2003| accessdate=June 6, 2015}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
<!--consensus reached to standardize this heading per WP:WikiProject Cities/US Guideline -->
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• The article must mention how they are associated with the community, whether born, raised, or residing.
• The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
• Alphabetical by last name please
• All others will be deleted without further explanation
END OF NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * *END OF NOTICE -->
* [[Agent Orange (band)|Agent Orange]], a [[punk rock]] band, formed in Orange County in 1979.
* [[Kevin Blankenship]],<ref>{{cite web | title = Kevin Blankenship | url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/Kevin-Blankenship.shtml | access-date = September 25, 2010 |website=The Baseball Cube}}</ref> is a professional baseball player from Placentia and an El Dorado High School class of 1981 graduate.
* [[Bret Boone]], a Major League Baseball player, attended El Dorado High School.
* [[Michael Chang]], professional tennis player, French Open champion, member of [[International Tennis Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]]
* [[Peter Daut]], a news presenter at [[KESQ-TV]], grew up in Placentia and graduated from El Dorado High School.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dolan|first=Casey|date=February 27, 2002|title=Peter Daut joins KESQ as anchor / reporter|url=https://www.cactushugs.com/peter-daut-joins-kesq-as-anchor-reporter/|access-date=January 12, 2021|website=Cactus Hugs}}</ref>
* [[Chris Draft]], [[National Football League|NFL professional]] football player
* [[Janet Evans]], Olympic swimmer, four-time gold medalist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/janet-evans|title=Janet EVANS - Olympic Swimming {{!}} United States of America|date=February 2, 2017|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Jackie Francois]], musician
* [[Jason Freese]], musician, touring keyboard player for the band [[Green Day]]
* [[Josh Freese]], musician, drummer for the band [[Foo Fighters]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Placentia musician's tuba tree is home bass|first=Brooke|last=Seipel|work=[[Orange County Register]]|date=June 26, 2015|access-date=January 27, 2016|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/tree-668914-freese-tuba.html}}</ref>
* [[Michele Granger]], softball pitcher, was born in Placentia.
* [[Courtney Hicks]], figure skater, was born in Placentia.
* [[Kottonmouth Kings]], hip hop group
* [[Kingspade]], hip hop group
* [[Phil Nevin]], baseball player<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nevinph01.shtml|title=Phil Nevin Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Kherington Payne]], ''[[So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)|So You Think You Can Dance]]'' contestant, [[The Pussycat Dolls|Pussycat Doll]]
* [[Shawn Ray]], bodybuilder
* [[Johnny Richter]], rapper
* [[Equanimeous St. Brown]], NFL professional football player
* [[Corrie ten Boom]], a [[Holocaust]] survivor and rescuer in the Dutch underground during World War II, and author, emigrated to Placentia in 1977 and died there in 1983.
* [[Brett Tomko]], a Major League Baseball player, attended El Dorado High School.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Placentia, California}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Placentia-California.html City-Data.com] Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Placentia

{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Placentia
|North = [[Brea, California|Brea]]
|Northeast = [[Yorba Linda, California|Yorba Linda]]
|East = [[Yorba Linda, California|Yorba Linda]]
|Southwest = [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]]
|South = [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]]
|Southeast = [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]]
|West = [[Fullerton, California|Fullerton]]
|Northwest = [[Fullerton, California|Fullerton]]
}}

{{Orange County, California}}
{{Greater Los Angeles Area}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Placentia, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Orange County, California]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Santa Ana River]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1926]]
[[Category:1926 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]