One of Orange County's leading cities, cultural and business centers, Costa Mesa is Located 37 miles southeast of Los Angeles, 88 miles north of San Diego and 475 miles south of San Francisco, and encompasses 16 square miles with its southernmost border just 1 mile from the Pacific Ocean.

The current Costa Mesa population as of 2007 is approximately 104,000 and has grown from 16,840 at the time of incorporation in 1953.

Costa Mesa has evolved from a semi-rural farming community to a city with its local economy primarily based upon retail commercial business and light manufacturing of electronics, pharmaceuticals and plastics.

The city has 26 parks, a municipal golf course, 26 public schools and 2 libraries. The home of Orange Coast College, Vanguard University, Whittier Law School and National University, and a number of universities and colleges are in close proximity. 

The Orange County Performing Arts Center, OC Fairgrounds, South Coast Repertory Theater and South Coast Plaza are prominent centers of cultural and economic activity. The South Coast Plaza shopping center is the single largest commercial activity center. The volume of sales generated by South Coast Plaza, on the strength of 322 stores, places it among the highest volume regional shopping centers in the US.

Residents enjoy a mild Southern California climate. Its location provides easy access to many of Southern California’s major attractions, beaches, mountain areas, high and low deserts, Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Palm Springs and Los Angeles.
Costa Mesa is surrounded by Newport Beach, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana.