Torrance Named Los Angeles County's Most Business-Friendly City
The city beat six other finalists for the 2026 large-city award presented at the LAEDC EDDY Awards.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Torrance was named the most business-friendly large city in Los Angeles County for 2026, beating six other finalists. The award was presented Nov. 4 at the LAEDC 31st annual EDDY Awards at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights the city's efforts to attract investment, support local businesses and encourage economic growth. For Los Angeles County readers, it signals how Torrance is positioning itself relative to neighboring cities competing for business.
Torrance was selected from seven large-city finalists, and the city reports more than 13,000 active business licenses. The source does not specify the scoring methodology used by the LAEDC judges.
The players
Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)
The LAEDC is a regional economic research and advocacy organization serving Los Angeles County that presents the annual EDDY Awards.
Torrance, California
Torrance is a South Bay city in Los Angeles County known for its large aerospace and manufacturing base.
The details
The large-city finalists were Torrance, Burbank, Carson, El Monte, Palmdale, Santa Clarita and Santa Monica. Torrance does not impose a local gross receipts tax, and city economic development efforts include help for businesses navigating city requirements and opportunities for expansion.
Timeline
Nov. 4, 2026: Torrance received the award at the LAEDC 31st annual EDDY Awards ceremony.
Market Landscape
The award places Torrance among Los Angeles County cities competing to attract aerospace and manufacturing investment. Recent investments by Northwood Space, Hadrian and FlightWave Aerospace Systems in the city reflect that competitive environment.
Businesses considering a Torrance location may find the city's assistance for navigating local requirements useful. The absence of a local gross receipts tax could affect the cost calculations for companies weighing a move.
The takeaway
Cities that actively court investment and simplify local requirements can compete for businesses even against larger neighbors. Torrance's recognition suggests that such efforts are being noticed at the county level.
Further reading
Explore more Torrance openings and closings to see which businesses are arriving and leaving the city.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Patch.
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