Geography
Costa Mesa is located at 33°39'54" North, 117°54'44" West (33.664969, -117.912289)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 40.6 km² (15.7 mi²). 40.5 km² (15.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.38% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 108,724 people, 39,206 households, and 22,778 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,685.8/km² (6,956.3/mi²). There are 40,406 housing units at an average density of 998.1/km² (2,585.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 69.48% White, 1.40% African American, 0.78% Native American, 6.90% Asian, 0.60% Pacific Islander, 16.57% from other races, and 4.27% from two or more races. 31.75% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 39,206 households out of which 29.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% are married couples living together, 10.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% are non-families. 28.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.69 and the average family size is 3.34.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 39.0% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 103.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $50,732, and the median income for a family is $55,456. Males have a median income of $38,670 versus $32,365 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,342. 12.6% of the population and 8.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 16.0% are under the age of 18 and 6.2% are 65 or older.
Commerce and Culture
The business sector is heavy on retailing, with some manufacturing activity occurring in the southwest part of town. Costa Mesa is home to South Coast Plaza, a shopping center notable for its architectural design. Institutions of higher leaning located in Costa Mesa include Orange Coast College, a pioneer in the community college concept, and Vanguard University, a private institution affiliated with the Assemblies of God. The Orange County Fair is held at a permanent fairground each July. A local newspaper, the Orange Coast Daily Pilot, is owned, operated, and printed by the Los Angeles Times.