Conejo Post

Do you know what the population is, where you live?  If you live in the Conejo, I probably know, because I have become a compulsive reader of road signs.  Here goes: Thousand Oaks’ population is  127,644, Agoura Hills’ population is 20,005, and Westlake Village’s is 8,775. And, I know that the population of Oak Park is around 15,000, and that the population of the  Casa Conejo area in Newbury Park is around 3,000, because I read that in The Star recently.  However, I do not know how many folks call Lake Sherwood home, or other unincorporated areas of Thousand Oaks.

What I find interesting, is the number that cities choose to put on their signs.  Westlake Village’s 8,775 people makes the most sense to me.  After all, I think these signs stay the same for at least a few years.  So, that number sounds like rounding off to the closest 25.  I would call that careful but informal.

Agoura Hills’ 20,005, also makes sense, and looks like it was rounded off to the nearest 5 people.  Obviously, the city wanted to have over 20,000 people, because take away 6 folks, and they are under that.

It is Thousand Oaks’ 127,644 that strikes me as odd.  No rounding off here!  That 644 is a definite statement of just that many people, and no more or less.  It is almost like, if there is an a new baby in the family, or if a grown child moves away, that you should take a piece of chalk and change the population number, since it is such an exact figure.

And, since I can’t seem to stop reading signs, let me share that Malibu lists their population as 13,000.  I think that is great for a city known around the world through TV and films.  Why sweat the small stuff, like how many people live there.  Looking like they are rounding off to a thousand people works for them.  Besides, Bu-ites have more important things to think about, like avoiding the papparazzi staked out on the next corner!

Posted by Janna Orkney