Simi Valley is presently known as the home of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The city received media attention as the location of the 1992 trial resulting in the acquittal of four Los Angeles Police officers accused of assaulting Rodney King, triggering riots in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
Simi Valley repeatedly appears on Safest Cities in America lists
Geography
Simi Valley is located at 34°16'16" North, 118°44'22" West (34.271078, -118.739428) with an elevation of 700 - 1,000 feet (210 - 300 m) above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 102.1 km² (39.4 mi²). 101.5 km² (39.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.63% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 111,351 people, 36,421 households, and 28,954 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,097.3/km² (2,841.9/mi²). There are 37,272 housing units at an average density of 367.3/km² (951.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 75.0% White, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 7.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 12.9% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. 28.7% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. (2005–2007)
There are 36,421 households out of which 42.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% are married couples living together, 10.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% are non-families. 14.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.04 and the average family size is 3.33. Many families of young children moved to Simi Valley in the 1970s and 1980s for affordable housing than in the nearby San Fernando Valley and across Los Angeles..
The city's population is spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 15 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36.4 years. For every 100 females there are 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.6 males.
Income
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city is $88,406, and the median income for a family is $91,658. 10.2% of the population and 7.4% of families are below the poverty line.
Government and infrastructure
Local government
Simi Valley's government uses the "Council-Manager" form of government. This means that the city council is composed of one mayor, elected every two years, and four council members elected for four year terms. The city council appoints both the city attorney and city manager, who heads the executive branch of the city government. The city manager appoints the various department heads for the city, and acts as the city clerk and city treasurer.
The city operates its own police department, and contracts with the Ventura County Fire Department to provide fire protection services. There are five fire stations within Simi Valley, and the city recently built a state-of-the-art police station. American Medical Response, in conjunction with Ventura County Fire Dept, provide Emergency Medical Services at the ALS level.
