Agoura Hills, California

History

The area was first settled by the Chumash Native Americans around 10,000 years ago. The Alta California (Upper California) coast was settled by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in the late 18th century.

In about 1800, Miguel Ortega was granted a Spanish grazing concession called Rancho Las Virgenes or El Rancho de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Las Virgenes. The grant was abandoned after Ortega's death in 1810, and José Maria Dominguez was given Rancho Las Virgenes as a Mexican land grant in 1834. Maria Antonia Machado de Reyes purchased the rancho from Dominguez in 1845. (The "Reyes Adobe" ranch headquarters sits today in central Agoura Hills, where it is part of the Reyes Adobe Museum built around 2004 and owned by the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department.)

By 1900, the area was being used as a popular stage stop for travelers because of its natural spring.

In the 1920s, the community was briefly known as Picture City, as Paramount Pictures owned a ranch known as Paramount Ranch used for filming Westerns. To obtain a post office of their own, the residents were required to choose a one-word name, and in 1927 chose the shortest name proposed: a misspelling of the last name of Pierre Agoure, a local Basque man and French immigrant who had settled in the area in 1871 to live the lifestyle of the Mexican rancher. Styling himself Don Pierre Agoure, he was a successful sheep herder.

Agoura began to grow in the late 1960s after the Ventura Freeway section of U.S. Route 101 was built through the area, dividing the community into northern and southern sections. The first housing tracts in Agoura were Hillrise, Liberty Canyon and Lake Lindero. Rapid growth continued during the 1970s when schools were built and much of downtown erected.

In 1982, the residents of the proposed city voted in favor of cityhood by a 68% majority. Agoura Hills became the 83rd City in Los Angeles County. Elected to the first City Council were Mayor Fran Pavley, Mayor Pro Tem Carol Sahm, Councilmembers Ernest Dynda, John Hood, and Vicky Leary. Incorporating a year after neighboring Westlake Village, the drive for cityhood in the region was largely based on public discontent with the county's failure to limit residential development of the area, motives that influenced Calabasas to follow suit in 1991.

The 1980s was a period of growth, with large land areas being subdivided into housing tracts. In the 1990s, businesses set up shop downtown including shops and restaurants.

In 1995, the murder of Jimmy Farris awakened the city to a rising drug problem and petty theft by its young. As a result, the city began sponsoring live music competitions and concerts in local parks.

In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire occurred during Santa Ana winds burning through the community. One victim was found in the ruins of an Agoura Hills home.

In January 2025, many areas of Agoura Hills and neighboring Oak Park were under evacuation warnings due to the Kenneth Fire.

Music

Agoura Hills is known regionally for its live music scene and originality in the nu metal scene, a fame that has given rise to such acts as Linkin Park, Dub Thompson, Skye Aspen, Incubus, Hoobastank, and Fort Minor.

Agoura Hills is home to The Canyon Club, a concert venue that hosts touring acts such as Peter Frampton, Smash Mouth, Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, REO Speedwagon, X, Steel Pulse, The New Cars, Asia, Boyz II Men, Alan Parsons, Foreigner, Bret Michaels and The Smithereens.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.2 sqmi, of which 8.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km2) of it (0.37%) is water.

Agoura Hills has a mountain called Ballard Mountain named after pioneer settler and freed slave John Ballard. The name of the mountain was officially changed from Negrohead to Ballard in a ceremony on February 20, 2010. Ladyface Mountain is another prominent mountain on the west side of the Conejo Valley and stands at an elevation of 2,031 ft.

Agoura Hills is called the "Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area".

Environment

Natural areas of Agoura Hills are part of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion and are covered by hundreds of local plant species, some of which are very rare, and others of which have become popular ornamentals. The range is host to an immense variety of wildlife, from mountain lions to the endangered Southern California Distinct Population Segment of steelhead. The mountain lion population within the Santa Monica Mountains (which includes the Simi Hills & Santa Susana Pass) is severely depleted with only seven known living adult individuals. The primary cause of the decline is due to a combination of traffic-related mortality (three from the area were killed within a matter of months,) anti-coagulants ingested from human-poisoned prey (two individuals within the Simi Hills), and attacks by other, more dominant mountain lions (an elder male, known as P1, killed both his son and his mate, this is thought to be due to a lack of space available.)

The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a vegetated overpass spanning the Ventura Freeway and Agoura Road at Liberty Canyon on the east end of the city. Snakes are common but only occasionally seen. Local species include the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, Mountain Kingsnake, California Kingsnake, Gopher snake, and Garter snake. The mountains are also home to the Western fence lizard.

Invasive species

In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that the New Zealand mud snail had infested watersheds in the Santa Monica Mountains, posing serious threats to native species and complicating efforts to improve stream-water quality for the endangered steelhead trout. According to the article, the snails have expanded "from the first confirmed sample in Medea Creek in Agoura Hills to nearly 30 other stream sites in four years." Researchers at the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission believe that the snails' expansion may have been expedited after the mollusks traveled from stream to stream on the gear of contractors and volunteers.

Climate

| Jan record high F = 87 | Feb record high F = 86 | Mar record high F = 92 | Apr record high F = 99 | May record high F = 105 | Jun record high F = 104 | Jul record high F = 105 | Aug record high F = 106 | Sep record high F = 108 | Oct record high F = 104 | Nov record high F = 93 | Dec record high F = 82 | year record high F = 108 | Jan record low F = 28 | Feb record low F = 28 | Mar record low F = 32 | Apr record low F = 37 | May record low F = 42 | Jun record low F = 47 | Jul record low F = 47 | Aug record low F = 47 | Sep record low F = 43 | Oct record low F = 39 | Nov record low F = 31 | Dec record low F = 28 | year record low F = 28

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1860–1870 1880–1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Agoura Hills first appeared as a city in the 1990 U.S. census, part of the Calabasas census community division (CCD).

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Agoura Hills had a population of 20,299. The population density was 2,604.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Agoura Hills was 75.3% White, 1.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 8.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 10.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.4% of the population.

The census reported that 99.3% of the population lived in households and 148 people (0.7%) were institutionalized.

There were 7,427 households, out of which 34.4% included children under the age of 18, 61.2% were married-couple households, 4.2% were cohabiting couple households, 22.0% had a female householder with no partner present, and 12.6% had a male householder with no partner present. 18.2% of households were one person, and 8.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.71.

The age distribution was 21.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% aged 18 to 24, 20.0% aged 25 to 44, 30.6% aged 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 45.3years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males.

There were 7,621 housing units at an average density of 977.7 /mi2, of which 7,427 (97.5%) were occupied. Of these, 74.8% were owner-occupied, and 25.2% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 17.4% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 79.9% spoke only English at home, 7.6% spoke Spanish, 4.6% spoke other Indo-European languages, 5.1% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 2.8% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 96.7% were high school graduates and 66.5% had a bachelor's degree.

The median household income in 2023 was $171,944, and the per capita income was $78,264. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010

At the 2010 census, Agoura Hills had a population of 20,330. The population density was 2,599.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Agoura Hills was 17,147 (84.3%) White, (78.6% Non-Hispanic White), 267 (1.3%) African American, 51 (0.3%) Native American, 1,521 (7.5%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 590 (2.9%) from other races, and 730 (3.6%) from two or more races. There were 1,936 Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race (9.5%).

The census reported that 20,242 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 15 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 73 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 7,327 households, 2,799 (38.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,565 (62.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 726 (9.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 302 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 263 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 36 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,346 households (18.4%) were one person and 438 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76. There were 5,593 families (76.3% of households); the average family size was 3.15.

The age distribution was 4,904 people (24.1%) under the age of 18, 1,582 people (7.8%) aged 18 to 24, 4,465 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 7,089 people (34.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,290 people (11.3%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

There were 7,585 housing units at an average density of 969.7 per square mile, of the occupied units 5,715 (78.0%) were owner-occupied and 1,612 (22.0%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 16,111 people (79.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,131 people (20.3%) lived in rental housing units. The median household income was $107,885, according to the 2010 United States Census, with 7.1% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Government

Agoura Hills is governed by a City Council/City Manager form of government. A five-member City Council is elected by the residents to oversee city operations and guide the development of the community. Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms. The terms are staggered so that a measure of continuity is maintained from one Council to the next. The role of Mayor rotates among the Councilmembers. The Mayor is chosen by the City Councilmembers to serve a one-year term. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council to supervise the administrative personnel and contract services.

As of December 2025 the Agoura Hills City Council consists of Jeremy Wolf (Mayor), Deborah Klein Lopez (Mayor Pro Tem), Chris Anstead, Kate Anderson, and Penny Sylvester. The City Manager is Nathan Hamburger and the city attorney is contracted through RWG Law.

As of 1990 the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District includes Agoura Hills.

State and federal representation

In the California State Legislature, Agoura Hills is in , and in .

In the United States House of Representatives, Agoura Hills is in .

County representation

The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of the County of Los Angeles, a charter county. Lindsay P. Horvath is the Supervisor for Los Angeles County's 3rd District where Agoura Hills is incorporated.

Infrastructure

Las Virgenes Water District serves Agoura Hills along with Westlake Village and other parts of western Los Angeles County. State water provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the sole source used by the district.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Malibu/Lost Hills Station in Calabasas, serving Agoura Hills.

The United States Postal Service Agoura Hills Post Office is located at 5158 Clareton Drive.

Education

The Las Virgenes Unified School District serves Agoura Hills.

• Sumac Elementary School
• Willow Elementary School
• Yerba Buena Elementary School
• Lindero Canyon Middle School
• Agoura High School
• Indian Hills High School

Sports

Agoura Hills was the corporate headquarters of the Los Angeles Rams from 2016 to 2024 until they moved into Rams Village at Warner Center in Woodland Hills.

Events

Agoura Hills is home to the Great Race of Agoura Hills, an annual running event held at Chumash Park in Agoura Hills in March of every year. The Great Race was established in 1986 and features six races including Pacific Half (half-marathon), Chesebro Half (half-marathon), Old Agoura 10K, Deena Kastor (5 kilometers), Kids 1 Mile, and the Family Fun Run (1 mile). The Chesebro Half was voted best half-marathon in the U.S. in 2011.

Notable people

• Doja Cat, rapper, singer, songwriter
• Tara Davis-Woodhall (born 1999), Olympic athlete
• Joni Eareckson Tada, Christian ministry helping the disabled, writer, painter
• Erin Brockovich, environmental activist
• Kirk Cameron, actor
• Brooke Candy, artist and musician
• Paul Carroll, volleyball player and coach
• Rob Chiarelli, multiple Grammy Award winner{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/elizaveta/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425101924/http://www.mtv.com/artists/elizaveta/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 25, 2016 | title=MTV | publisher = MTV Viacom International | access-date = June 29, 2015}}
• Guillermo del Toro, Mexican film director, lived in Agoura Hills for a few years.
• Jason Falkner, musician
• Foxygen, band
• Chelsey Goldberg (born 1993), ice hockey player
• Leo Gallagher, known as Gallagher, American comedian
• Ron Goldman, waiter and deceased friend of Nicole Brown Simpson
• Heather Graham, actress
• Skip Hicks, former UCLA running back and NFL and CFL football player
• Warren Hill, jazz musician
• Deena Kastor (born 1973), Olympic medalist/American marathon record holder
• Grant Kirkhope, composer
• Hayley Kiyoko, singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer
• Taylor Lautner, actor
• Linkin Park, rock band
  • Mike Shinoda, musician from the rock band Linkin Park
  • Brad Delson, musician from rock band Linkin Park
• Casey Matthews, NFL linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Clay Matthews, NFL linebacker for the Green Bay Packers
• Tamera Mowry, actress
• Tia Mowry, model and actress
• Harry Nilsson (1941–1994), singer-songwriter
• Terri Nunn, musician from new wave group Berlin, actress, radio host
• Rob Paulsen, voice actor
• Russell Peters (born 1970), comedian
• Alisan Porter, actress, & singer, winner of 10th season of The Voice
• Doug Robb, singer from post-grunge group Hoobastank
• Ray Romano (born 1957), comedian
• David Shaughnessy, voice actor and TV director
• Todd Steussie, NFL offensive lineman
• Robert Stock (born 1989), Major League Baseball player
• Elias Toufexis, film, television and voice actor
• Jason Wade, singer and musician
• Rainn Wilson, film and television actor
• Matthew Wolff, professional golfer
• Mark L. Young (born 1988), actor
• London Thor, actress & singer songwriter
• Justin Berfield, Actor, producer, and writer known for Malcolm In The Middle.

References

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