City
Compton
Compton is a city record. City or town offices may handle local rules inside their limits, while county offices still handle records, taxes, courts, and many services.
Starting point
Confirm the address is inside local limits first.
If the address is inside Compton, city or town offices may handle local permits, code, and services. If it is outside limits, county routing may be the better first stop.
A mailing city is not always the same as city government jurisdiction.
2025 population
90,500
Land area
10.027 sq mi
Water area
0.089 sq mi
Directory notes
Local layers to keep on the same page.
Confirm city or town limits.
A mailing address can use a nearby place name. If the address is outside limits, county offices may handle permits, code, and land-use routes.
County still matters.
Los Angeles County can still matter for assessor, tax collector, recorder, court, public health, social service, and election records.
Some layers are separate.
Water, sewer, fire, school, utilities, coast, earthquake maps, wildfire zones, parks, and trails may point outside city hall.
County layer
County shown for Compton
Practical notes
Office, map, permit, and paperwork notes for Compton
Place note · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Compton business license work has its own online lane
Compton's business license and online services pages separate business license applications, renewals, searches, building services, utilities, code reports, parking, and records.
Place note · Home and property · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Compton utility bills can include water, sewer, and trash
Compton's Municipal Utilities billing page explains that customer bills can cover water service, sewer fees, and trash collection, so one bill may carry more than one service.
Place note · Home and property · Reviewed July 3, 2026
Compton permits and inspections run through Building and Safety
Compton Building and Safety handles plan review, permit issuance, inspections, certificates of occupancy, and online services through Citizen Serve.
Place note · Cars and driving · Reviewed June 30, 2026
Metro Micro gives Compton another short-trip option
Metro Micro serves the Watts/Compton zone with on-demand rides, app, web, or phone booking, posted hours, and pickup-dropoff points that should be checked before relying on it.
County layer · Home and property · Reviewed July 7, 2026
Glendale permits depend on the project type
Glendale separates simple residential online permits from larger building, planning, zoning, licensing, and neighborhood services questions.
County layer · Home and property · Reviewed July 7, 2026
Inglewood alerts matter on regular days and event days
Inglewood residents, workers, and visitors can use Alert SouthBay and event-day resources to follow emergency notices, traffic updates, weather alerts, and public safety information.
Almanac notes
Stories and local context near Compton
Place note · Outdoors
Compton Creek Natural Park adds green space and outdoor lessons
Compton Creek Natural Park at George Washington Elementary turns creekside land into paths, native habitat, shade trees, grass, seating, fitness equipment, stormwater features, and outdoor learning space.
Place note · History and culture
Dominguez Rancho Adobe keeps an older South Bay story close to Carson
Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum near Carson and Compton preserves an 1826 adobe tied to Rancho San Pedro, early land-grant history, gardens, and South Bay family memory.
Place note · History and culture
Compton still has a small-airplane layer
Compton/Woodley Airport gives the city a local aviation layer, with flight training, aviation clubs, community events, and a history that reaches back to 1924.
Place note · History and culture
Heritage House keeps Compton's oldest home in view
Compton's Heritage House was built in 1869, is listed by the city as the oldest house in Compton, and stands as a small landmark from the city's early settler period.
County layer · Outdoors
El Dorado Nature Center gives Long Beach a quiet habitat pocket
El Dorado Nature Center sits between the San Gabriel River and the 605 Freeway, giving Long Beach trails, water, trees, and a calmer nature stop inside the city.
County layer · History and culture
Mentryville gives Santa Clarita an old oil-canyon story
Mentryville and Pico Canyon add an early California oil layer to Santa Clarita, with trails, old buildings, and the story of Pico No. 4.
County layer · History and culture
The Museum of Neon Art gives Glendale a glow-in-the-dark art stop
Glendale's Museum of Neon Art preserves historic neon signs and electric art, adding a bright Los Angeles County story to Brand Boulevard.
County layer · History and culture
A Playhouse mural turns Palmdale's stage into a city story
The 152-foot mural on the Palmdale Playhouse blends theater scenes with local details, including the old schoolhouse, Joshua trees, and a small B-2 silhouette.