Azusa

Azusa, which comedian Jack Benny once joked was shorthand for “everything from A to Z in the USA,” is home to about 46,000 and many actually take its name from the Native American name “Asuksagna.” Another familiar nickname of Azusa is “Canyon City” because it is located at the entrance to the San Gabriel Canyon.

The single-family median income, according to a 10-year-old census, is $40,918; and the city’s economy is a diverse one.

Top employers include the Azusa Unified School District, Northrop Grumman and Azusa Pacific University.  Also based in the city is the irrigation services company Rain Bird Corporation as well as a popular local golf course, Azusa Greens.

The city lies mostly along the 210 Foothill Freeway, and is bordered by the cities of Duarte and Irwindale to the west and Glendora to the east.

Although Azusa isn’t a part of the current public commuter rail system supplied by Metrolink, it will be a planned stop of the Gold Line light rail extension, which presently connects Los Angeles to eastern Pasadena.