Carson has come a long way since its humble beginnings. As an area slower to become a city than surrounding communities, its neighbors forced many garbage dumps, refineries and waste treatment plants onto it. Thankfully, Carson began to reclaim its land in 1968, when it was declared an incorporated city. Now many of these industrial spaces have been transformed into parks, malls and community centers. One of the most popular is the Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the iconic LA Galaxy, a professional men’s soccer club. The South Bay community of approximately 90,000 continues to overcome contamination from former industrial sites — another success being the Carson Country Mart project, undergoing construction on what used to be a landfill.
Carson City Hall is a unique design and features a fountain in front.
Carson is the home of the LA Galaxy one of the most successful teams in MLS history.
Hemingway Park in Carson, California is a great place to play pickleball with friends.
Many Carson homes feature a two car garage.
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Condos, ranch-style homes and contemporary Craftsman houses in Carson
Centered around Interstate 405, Carson is mostly composed of winding residential roads. The wide array of home styles includes condos, which cost about $400,000. There are also ranch-style houses for around $850,000 and contemporary Craftsman homes that are priced at $1.1 million. Homes in Carson sell for a median price of $770,000 compared to nearby Torrance, where homes sell for a median of $1 million. The city supports lower-income homebuyers, with a grant covering up to 25% of the down payment. On average, homes here spend 27 days on the market, compared to the national average of 44 days. “Our homes just don’t stay on the market very long,” said David Roberts, the city manager. “Carson is a desirable location to live in, so homes sell very fast here.” The city continues to expand its housing options, with the Carson Country Mart project, a mixed-use community that will have new townhouses available in 2025.
Carson has new build condominiums and apartments to meet local demand.
There is a diverse mix of housing in this developing city.
There are many unique homes in Carson.
Homes are close together on quiet residential streets in Carson.
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LA Galaxy soccer games, big events and attractions
At the Dignity Health Sports Park, crowds gather to see the LA Galaxy play frequent home games throughout the year. The excitement that these soccer games generate also comes with congestion on surrounding roads. Directly south of the sports park, the VELO Sports Center was constructed for the 1984 Summer Olympics. It will host cycling events at the upcoming 2028 Olympics. Carson likes to keep busy, hosting more than forty city-wide events a year, including the biggest Philippine Independence Day celebration in the Los Angeles area. Every June, it has Filipino food vendors, a parade and entertainment like the 2024 performance by Pops Fernandez.
The city’s attractions include the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles, located on the western side of the city. Here visitors can drive Porsches with instructors or experience Virtual Reality driving in a simulation lab. At the International Printing Museum, also in western Carson, there are exhibits about the history of printing technology, including the linotype machine and typewriters.
Dignity Health Sports Park is a state of the art stadium and training complex.
The Porsche Experience Center allows for car enthusiasts to enjoy a day on the track.
The VELO sports center in Carson will host Olympic competitions in 2028.
The Porsche Experience Center hosts Morning Shift on select Sundays.
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SouthBay Pavilion Mall, strip malls on Carson Street and future retail
The centrally located SouthBay Pavilion Mall is the city’s largest retail hub, with over 70 clothing shops and food court eateries, plus Carson’s only movie theater. Another main shopping area is Carson Street, which runs east to west through the middle of town. This thoroughfare has multiple strip malls: Carson Crossings, Carson Town Square and Carson Bonita Plaza. Here locals can find grocery stores and local restaurants that reflect a predominantly Hispanic and Asian population — the city is known for its Filipino cuisine. “There are a lot of longstanding restaurants, so it's not an area of big franchises. They’re all independent,” says Cynthia Hinderberger, who works with Keller Williams Coastal Prop and has over a decade of experience. Carson has plans for more retail, including the Carson Country Mart project: a mixed-use space for parks, an amphitheater, shopping and dining. This project is expected to be completed in 2025. The Los Angeles Premium Outlets mall, which could house 150 stores, has an unknown completion date due to funding and construction hurdles.
Ikea in Carson is one of Carson's signature retail destinations.
Vallarta Market is a beautiful full service supermarket at Carson Crossings.
Cinemark at SouthBay Pavilion is Carson's state of the art cineplex.
Grace Plaza in Carson is a shopping square with a palm grove in the middle.
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Over a dozen parks, including Victoria Community Regional Park
With over 12 parks, the city prioritizes accessible outdoor recreation for everyone. The popular 36-acre Victoria Community Regional Park, located on the western side of town, is the largest in the city. It offers walking paths with views of the iconic Goodyear Blimp, plus a heated pool and an 18-hole golf course. Its ballfields frequently host little league games, which the city of Carson encourages all children to join. “We don’t want any kids to feel held back by financial constraints. Money is not a reason for youth to not be able to participate,” says Roberts. “Our city invests in and believes in supporting our parks and people.” Carson pays the enrollment fees and uniforms for anyone who wants to be a part of the city’s youth sports leagues, which also include soccer and flag football.
Walking amongst the autumn leaves at Victoria Park.
Dominguez Park has a lot to offer the Carson community.
Foisia Park has lighted tennis and basketball courts and a picnic area among the trees.
Del Amo Park in Carson has multiple, well kept basketball courts for public use.
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A 15-mile drive to LA and only 5 miles to Torrance
“Our position and our location make us one of the best locations logistically in America,” Roberts says. Carson has proximity to many of the freeways of Greater LA, including Interstates 110 and 710 as well as state Routes 91 and 47. Interstate 405 is one of the most popular routes, with about 300,000 daily commuters going to nearby Torrance and Los Angeles. Downtown LA, about 15 miles away, takes over an hour to reach during rush hour. Torrance, about 5 miles away, takes roughly 20 minutes to get to. For public transportation, residents can take Long Beach Transit buses throughout the city. The Long Beach Airport, the closest major airport, is only 10 miles away, while the Los Angeles International Airport is about 15 miles away.
The Los Angeles Unified School District or the Compton Unified School District
Depending on their addresses, students can go to the Los Angeles Unified School District, rated a B on Niche. It also has an A in teachers and an A-minus for college prep. Students may also go to the Compton Unified School District, which has a B-minus rating. This district is also rated an A-minus for teachers and a B-plus in college prep. For higher education, Carson offers California State University, Dominguez Hills and the California Healing Arts College.
Carson High School has a student to teacher ratio of 21:1.
An overview of the California State University-Dominguez Hills.
The entrance sign and walkway to Emerson Elementary School.
Eagle Tree High School shares a campus with Carson High School.
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Crime rate changes and the Carson Police Department
According to the FBI, Carson’s violent crime rate has decreased from 56 to 50 per 100,000 people through 2022 to 2023, while the property crime rate has increased from 209 to 217. In comparison, the state of California’s violent crime rate rose from 92 to 103, and the property crime rate has fallen from 209 to 207. The Carson Police Department works towards lowering crime throughout the city. In 2024, it installed license plate readers along the roads and cameras at neighborhood parks.
Harold and Kim Hanmer - We have been married and a team for over 30 years and were born and raised in Southern California, as were our children. We have a passion for Real Estate and Helping others. All actively licensed agents in the state have a fiduciary responsibility to those they work with; meaning we are required to put the client's best interest and needs ahead of our own. We take pride in the superior service we provided helping people buy or sell their home; not because we have to, but because we enjoy it! Buying or Selling a home is often an emotional process. While the process is usually very similar for each property, people are often what make or break a deal. We work with great Lenders, Title companies, Escrow Offices, Inspectors and more. The other key factor is you! By getting to know you, what you want to accomplish and your timeframe, the better. Working together we remove as much stress as possible as we guide you from start to finish.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
