• Population: 3.9 million
• New residents: 34,500
• Percentage gain: 0.9%

People have always flocked to California's largest city, but the influx of new residents slowed between 2000 and 2010.

Then, between July 2011 and July 2012, the population exploded at more than three times the rate of the previous decade.

Besides entertainment (of course) the area offers jobs in aerospace, clothing manufacturing, technology and international shipping. The economic diversity these industries provide has helped shield Los Angeles from a being hit too hard by a downturn in any dominant sector.

Colleges and universities, including University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount, make a big contribution to the local economy as well. They attract a steady stream of students, many of whom decide to stay in the area after graduation.

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