Malibu, California

Malibu, California
Aerial view of Downtown Malibu and surrounding neighborhoods
Nickname: 
The 'Bu[1][2][3]
Location of Malibu in Los Angeles County, California
Malibu
Malibu
Location in California
Malibu
Location in the United States
Malibu
Location in North America
Coordinates: 34°02′06″N 118°41′42″W / 34.03500°N 118.69500°W / 34.03500; -118.69500
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyLos Angeles
Incorporated (city)March 28, 1991 (1991-03-28)[4]
Named afterChumash: Humaliwo, "The Surf Sounds Loudly"[5]
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • MayorDoug Stewart[6]
 • Mayor pro temMarianne Riggins[6]
 • City councilHaylynn Conrad[6]
Bruce Silverstein[6]
Steve Uhring[6]
Area
 • Total
19.90 sq mi (51.54 km2)
 • Land19.86 sq mi (51.45 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)  0.22%
Elevation105 ft (32 m)
Population
 • Total
10,654
 • Density540/sq mi (210/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
90263–90265[10]
Area codes310/424
FIPS code06-45246
GNIS feature IDs1668257, 2410913
Websitemalibucity.org

Malibu (/ˈmælɪb/ MAL-ih-boo; Chumash: Humaliwo; Spanish: Malibú) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California,[11] about 30 miles (48 km) west of Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate, its strip of beaches stretching 21 miles (34 km) along the Pacific coast, and for its longtime status as the home of numerous Hollywood celebrities and executives with a high proportion of its residents in the entertainment industry.[12] The Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) traverses the city, following along the South Coast of California. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 10,654. The 2025 Palisades Fire devastated Malibu, with almost all of the beachfront homes near its center destroyed.[13]

Nicknamed "The 'Bu" by surfers and locals,[1][2][3] Malibu is noted for its beaches. The many parks within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area lie along the ridges above the city.

The city is bounded by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, Topanga to the east, Solromar to the west, and the ocean to the south. The Malibu ZIP Code includes residents of the unincorporated canyon areas as it was assigned before the city incorporated.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Poole was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Taylor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Partridge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference incorporated was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference named for was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c d e "Staff Directory: Malibu, CA" https://www.malibucity.org/Directory.aspx?did=4 Archived September 8, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  8. ^ "Malibu". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference quif was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "USPS – ZIP Code Lookup – Find a ZIP+ 4 Code By City Results". Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2007.
  11. ^ "Santa Monica Mountains". Mapping L.A. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "Dick Van Dyke and Cher forced to evacuate Franklin fire in Malibu". www.bbc.com. December 13, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  13. ^ Hayley, Mattson (January 8, 2025). "Palisades Fire Devastates Malibu". Malibu Times. Retrieved January 9, 2025.