Los Angeles County

Treated as a nation, Los Angeles County has some interesting comparative statistics.

In terms of population, it is bigger than Switzerland, Israel, or Austria, and about the same as Portugal or Greece, at 10,110,000 folk.   Compared to American states, only six states are much larger--Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio--while North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan are roughly equivalent.    It has as many residents as South Carolina and Alabama combined.

And California, without Los Angeles County, still has more people than any other state.

In terms of land area, Los Angeles County is not so large.  it is about the same as Vanautu, which by the way has not yet had a single case of Covid19 (quick, can you point out Vanautu on a map?).   Peru is one hundred times larger; France is fifty times and Spain is forty times larger.  Actually, our county, Tulare with 446,000 folk, is 80 square miles bigger.   Next door Kern County (Bakersfield) is almost twice as big, and San Bernardino County (America's largest) is four times larger than LA County.

In economic terms, it is America's largest GDP county at $711 Billion, 4% of the USA.   It would tie for the 20th richest GDP nation with Switzerland, well ahead of Taiwan from which so much of American electronics has emanated.

California today with 11% of America's population, has 619,000 Confirmed Covid19 Cases, 12% of America's total and 11,700 Deaths, 7% of the USA total.   LA County, with 25% of California's population, has 36% of its confirmed cases and 47% of its deaths.  

.As a Covid19 hotspot, it is America's leading county, with 221,000 Confirmed Cases at this writing.   Granted, NYC's five boroughs exceed this number slightly, but only Miami-Dade County in Florida is within shouting distance, with 70% of LA County's cases.  Cook County (Chicago) has half as many.  

So LA County is 'the biggest deal' in the biggest state, with the leading Covid19 statistics.

What might we learn from it?

First, some demographics

LA County is 27% White, 47% Hispanic, 14% Asian, 9% African-American

LA County's Confirmed Cases (where known) are 15% White, 71% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 6% Black

Deaths are 24% White, 50% Hispanic, 15% Asian, and 10% Black

Thus in lockstep with California, Hispanics have borne the brunt of Confirmed Cases.   However, in sharp contrast with much of California, their death-rate is substantially lower in proportion to every other ethnic group.   Whites have one fifth as many cases, and half the deaths.  Worth understanding.

Second, some deeper analysis

LA County has 88 incorporated towns, some pretty large besides LA City itself (at 4 million).  Long Beach has 460,000; Glendale 201,000; and Pasadena 162,000.   Fourteen cities are larger than 100,000.

Seventeen have more than 3,000 Cases per 100,000 folk, which is enough that you'd likely know someone who has been infected.   Twenty-eight have less than 1,000 Cases per 100,000--relatively safe communities.    

Ditto for the 140 Districts within LA City, and the 133 Unincorporated areas.

So, a mixed bag, to be sure.   Mull these now, and we can return to this example later, comparing it to other big cities/counties in America, and also to the other California urban centers.