Santa Fe Springs, CA

On a weekday morning, far more people drive into Santa Fe Springs than live there. Home to roughly 19,000 residents, this Los Angeles County town is a regional job center, with distribution hubs, manufacturers and company headquarters spread across most of its land, and the residential side of town is small by comparison. Those homes gather in a few pockets rather than one continuous suburb. The largest sit on the north side, near the Los Nietos area and the older parks, while smaller clusters lie tucked between business parks farther south. Most are one-story postwar houses with stucco walls and modest yards, and the streets have changed little in decades. The oil boom of the 1920s is the story locals tell, and the city keeps it visible. Neighborhood parks sit inside each residential pocket, with ball fields and picnic areas close to home. The places to eat reflect the workday crowd. Norwalk Boulevard and Telegraph Road hold mariscos counters and Mexican bakeries, and the city's swap meet fills a big lot with vendor stalls. Getting around is easy by car. The 5 and 605 cross the city with several local exits, and the Metrolink station shared with Norwalk puts Union Station and Orange County within a train ride. Supermarkets cluster along Telegraph Road and Washington Boulevard. Because industry holds most of the land, the housing supply is limited and new homes are rare, so there are only a few streets to choose from. People who do find a place in Santa Fe Springs often end up living within a short drive of their own job.