Palmdale is a suburban city in northern Los Angeles County, California, occupying a broad stretch of the high-desert Antelope Valley at the western edge of the Mojave Desert. The San Gabriel Mountains rise between the city and the Los Angeles Basin to the south, giving Palmdale a distinctly different climate and landscape from the coastal metropolis it serves. Incorporated in 1962 as the first city in the Antelope Valley, Palmdale grew from a small desert settlement into the largest city in the valley, with roughly 169,000 residents, and became a charter city in 2009. Aerospace is the defining industry. Air Force Plant 42, a government-owned, contractor-operated facility within the city, anchors a cluster of aviation and aerospace employers, while Edwards Air Force Base lies to the north, placing Palmdale at the center of the region often called Aerospace Valley. That industrial base has shaped the local workforce, which also includes many commuters who travel south toward Los Angeles along State Route 14, the Antelope Valley Freeway, and via the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line. Palmdale's housing, parks, and schools support a family-oriented community, and the city's relative affordability compared with the Los Angeles Basin has long made it a destination for households seeking more space and lower costs. The landscape is defined by wide desert views, foothills, and, in season, the wildflower displays for which the Antelope Valley is known. Residents balance high-desert living with access to one of the country's largest job markets, making Palmdale a substantial and self-sufficient city within the greater Los Angeles region.