Temple City is a suburban city in the western San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, situated at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains and northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It belongs to a cluster of well-known San Gabriel Valley communities — Pasadena, Arcadia, Alhambra, San Marino, and San Gabriel — that together form one of the region's most established residential areas. The city was incorporated in 1960 and covers about four square miles, with a 2020 census population of roughly 36,500. The city is affectionately known as the "Camellia City." That identity began in 1944, when the Women's Club of Temple City held a contest to choose a community flower and slogan; the camellia won, and the Temple City Camellia Festival was born. The festival, which continues today with a parade, carnival, and youth-oriented coronation, remains the community's defining annual event and a point of local pride. Temple City is best known as a family-oriented residential community. Its neighborhoods are characterized by tree-lined streets and well-maintained single-family homes, and its schools are a major draw. The Temple City Unified School District is consistently rated among the top districts in the state, and Temple City High School regularly ranks among California's best public high schools — a key reason families choose the city. Commercially, Las Tunas Drive runs through the heart of the city as its main business thoroughfare, lined with restaurants, shops, and civic buildings including Temple City Park. For regional travel, the city is served by Metro and Foothill Transit bus lines, and the Metro A Line's Sierra Madre Villa Station sits a few miles away, connecting Temple City to Pasadena, downtown Los Angeles, and the wider rail network. That combination of strong schools, quiet residential streets, and regional transit access makes Temple City a sought-after address in the San Gabriel Valley.