Vernon is a city five miles (8.0 km) south of downtown Los Angeles, California, the nearest separate city to downtown Los Angeles. The population was 112 at the 2010 United States Census, the least of any incorporated city in the state. Its population nearly doubled to 222 by the 2020 census, making it the second least populous city in the state after Amador City, whose population grew only slightly—from 185 in the 2010 census, to 200 in the 2020 census.

Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is the central business district of Los Angeles. It is part of the Central Los Angeles region and covers a 5.84 sq mi (15.1 km2) area. As of 2020, it contains over 500,000 jobs and has a population of roughly 85,000 residents, with an estimated daytime population of over 200,000 people prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a business exodus from downtown Los Angeles since the COVID-19 pandemic, the district is evolving as a cultural center with the world's largest showcase of architecture designed by Frank Gehry.