Homes

Duarte’s housing varies widely from affordable homes to expensive showplaces. Condos/townhomes, homes adjacent to the Rancho Duarte Golf Course, and executive style-homes on the Duarte Mesa with sweeping panoramic views are just a few of the many options for homebuyers.

Sixty-six percent of all homes in Duarte are owner-occupied, leaving only 33.53 percent for the rental market. Home ownership creates more pride in a community and that is evident when driving through Duarte’s residential neighborhoods.

Both location and economics create an opportunity for a home for nearly everyone in Duarte.


Parks and Recreation

The City of Duarte is home to 16 well-maintained parks recreation facilities, including a full-equipped fitness center, the historic Fish Canyon Trail and a modern recreation center at Royal Oaks Park. A year-round program of recreational activities for people of all ages is provided by the city, parks and recreational staff in the parks, the Senior Center and the Teen Center.

The parks and recreation department is responsible for youth sports, adult sports, special events, recreation classes, senior, youth and adult excursions, cultural events, senior services and programs, the fitness center, teen services programs and aquatics.

The parks and recreation department is also responsible for maintenance of all city facilities including repairs to buildings and park sites, custodial services, supervision of activities held in city facilities and overseeing contractual maintenance agreements.


Education

Education is a cornerstone in the Duarte community. The learning landscape of the city is led by the Duarte Unified School District, a public, K-12 education system serving approximately 4,700 area students each year. The district is composed of five K-8 schools, one high school and one alternative education campus – all of which offer a challenging, 21st century learning environment conducive to student success. As a testament to this, Duarte High School is working in partnership with Citrus College, the area community college, in programs where high school seniors are enrolled in college classes to fast-track the higher education pursuit.

In addition to the mainstream curriculum, the district offers such programs as Head Start/State Preschool, before- and after-school care, adult education and others. Contact the Duarte Unified School District for more information:

Duarte Unified School District
1620 Huntington Dr.
Duarte, CA 91010
P: (626) 599-5000
F: (626) 599-5069
www.duarteusd.org

Additional quality education is also available through private schools in Duarte, including Inspire Charter Schools, Wee Care Montessori, Foothill Oaks Academy, School of Little Scholars Preschool-K and Maryvale Family Resource & Early Education Center.

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) is a public charter school that provides a creative, challenging and nurturing environment offering bright and talented students a rigorous college-preparatory education and pre-professional arts conservatory training. CSArts-SGV is a tuition-free, donation-dependent program made possible through a unique public-private partnership with the Duarte Unified School District. While approximately 10 percent of students reside in Duarte, CSArts-SGV draws students from more than 80 cities within and outside of the San Gabriel Valley, creating a diverse culture of artistically focused students.


Economic Development in Duarte

In the years since its incorporation, Duarte has developed from a primarily agricultural community into a flourishing urban area. Services, manufacturing and trades are among the leading industries in Duarte, which is home to such major employers as the City of Hope National Medical Center, Walmart, Target Stores, Santa Teresita Medical Center and numerous auto dealerships.

When you shop Duarte, you help our businesses and return sales tax dollars to the local economy, which enables the city to enhance services. Duarte has small shops and large, nationally-known stores. Did you know that in the day and age of online ordering, if you pick up your items at the store, the city receives the sales tax? Yet another reason to support our local stores.

Although Duarte remains a primarily residential community, the city’s proactive development efforts make it an ideal place to locate or expand a business. The city takes pride in the attractive and balanced commercial developments found throughout the community. In 2012, the City of Duarte received the prestigious “Most Business Friendly City” Award with a population of 60,000 and under in Los Angeles County by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. In 2018, they were one of five finalists with a population under 50,000 for the same award.

Duarte is also a special place for small, ambitious companies. The reasons are clear: a location central to the entire Southern California basin, reasonable costs, a skilled labor pool, and business-friendly local government.

San Gabriel Valley’s Business Advantages
  • Large market
  • Large, well-trained workforce
  • Excellent access to national and international markets
  • Large, well-established international trade support infrastructure
  • Diversified economic base
  • Opportunities for higher education
  • More universities and colleges than any other Los Angeles County area
  • Leading tourist destination
  • Available modes of transportation
  • Competitive cost structure
  • Weather and geography

Health Care in Duarte

Health care plays a large role in the Duarte community. With the internationally recognized City of Hope based here, people travel from around the world for some of the most successful and innovative treatments from top cancer specialists. They are also a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation, hematologic malignancies, select solid tumors and diabetes.

The City of Hope has saved countless lives, and the Cancer Center also places a great deal of emphasis on the patient’s emotional, spiritual and social well-being, even those not being treated at City of Hope. Patients at City of Hope experience the very real healing powers of compassion and understanding.

The City of Hope is one of only 40 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. From common to rare cancers, the City of Hope offers appointments for a second opinion at (800) 826-HOPE.

The community is also served by the emergency medical services provided by Methodist Hospital in nearby Arcadia; urgent care and medical center Santa Inez Medical Clinic and the Santa Teresita Medical Center. In addition, there are medical clinics, doctor and dental offices, and a full array of medical facilities with a variety of specialists to serve the citizens of Duarte and the surrounding communities.


Government

City Council meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Community Center at Duarte City Hall, 1600 Huntington Dr. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

In additional to the parks, an often-utilized city facility is the Duarte Public Safety/Sheriff’s Satellite Station. This facility houses City Code Enforcement, Animal Control officers and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies. Having the satellite office in Duarte has helped control crime and make Duarte one of the safest cities in the San Gabriel Valley.

City Council
John Fasana
Margaret Finlay
Sam Kang
Tzeitel Paras-Caracci
Liz Reilly
Bryan Urias
(District 7 is vacant at the time of this publication.)

Administration
City Manager: Darrell J. George
Assistant City Manager: Kristen Petersen
City Clerk: Marla Akana
Director of Community Development: Craig Hensley
Director of Parks and Recreation: Manuel Enriquez
Director of Public Safety: Brian Villalobos


Worship

Duarte residents enjoy an active and vibrant spiritual populace, offering an array of houses of worship. A diverse selection of religions and denominations call the Duarte area home, each fostering a close-knit community made possible through faith-based programs and events.

Berean Bible Baptist Church
2302 S. Mountain Ave., Duarte
(626) 278-2334
bereanbiblebaptist.org

Christian Alliance Bible Church
1108 Highland Ave., Duarte
(626) 256-9333
www.cabcduarte.org

Church of Christ
1330 S. Highland Ave., Duarte
(626) 357-3540

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
1452 Royal Oaks Dr., Duarte
(626) 359-1686
lds.org

Church of the Foothills
1014 N. Highland Ave., Duarte
(626) 357-2616

Clinica Del Alma-Church of the Nazarene
2047 Mountain Ave., Duarte
(626) 644-5860

First Baptist Church
2200 Huntington Dr., Duarte
(626) 359-2055
lovefbc.org

Grace Fellowship
1551 Huntington Dr., Duarte
(626) 358-8516
www.graceduarte.com

New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church
518 E. El Sur, Duarte
(626) 358-0411
Njmbc168.org

New Life Assembly of God
822 Bradbourne Ave., Duarte
(626) 357-9756
newlifeduarte.org

Torre de Alabanza
822 Bradbourne Ave., Duarte
(626) 483-1888
torredealabanza.net