There are nearly 50,000 people who call Cypress home. Then there is the daily workforce.
Manhattan Beachwear employs 200 of those workers. They sew, design and create 12 million swimsuits from a Cypress.
Manhattan Beachwear president Brenda West uses words like "reassuring" and "comforting" to describe how the city helps her expand her business and retain her workforce.
"This is the way it should be with businesses and cities locking arms and making a place safe and secure," West said.
Cypress city officials say it is all by design. They have four different programs aimed at keeping the offices and warehouses filled. It seems to be working. The names of companies that have headquarters in the city are recognizable and international.
"Sales tax is important to us but so is keeping a large workforce. There are 27,000 people who come here to work on a daily basis," said the city's economic development manager Bill Manis.
Those are the people who eat, shop and get their laundry done in town, ensuring local businesses survive.
Mayor Leroy Mills agrees Cypress works at balancing business and residential needs. Less than 1 percent of homes are in foreclosure.
"The rate of foreclosure in Cypress I think represents stability and leadership. That's why people come and stay here," Mills said.
Back to Work: This story is one in a weeklong series focusing on jobs and employment in Southern California.
