City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Los Angeles, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Los Angeles - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,857,897
Residents
$80,366
Median income
$879,500
Median home
$2,601
Median rent (state)

Los Angeles - the verdict

Los Angeles ranks in the 62nd percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

62nd
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
27th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is a major U.S. city in California, home to 3,857,897 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Los Angeles households earn a median of $80,366 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.9%. Typical homes in Los Angeles are valued around $879,500, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. About 37.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 10,488 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 27% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2212.4 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Los Angeles's yearly average temperature at 63.6°F with 12.2 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,601 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 25.7 minutes, with 61.4% driving alone and 17.3% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 100.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

3,857,897 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$80,366 /yr

Poverty 11.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Los Angeles compare to other US cities?

Where Los Angeles sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 62% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Los Angeles ranks #281 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Los Angeles against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Los Angeles toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Los Angeles ranks #303 - the 77th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Los Angeles only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#767 of 1,338
43rd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#513 of 1,458
56th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#303 of 1,343
77th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#404 of 1,450
72nd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#473 of 1,458
67th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

62ndIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

62nd percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Los Angeles's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Los Angeles's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Los Angeles's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Los Angeles's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$879,500 4th percentile more affordable than 4% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Los Angeles $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Los Angeles, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Los Angeles, CA median $80,366/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Los Angeles, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Los Angeles, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,857,897
Median Income
$80,366
Median Home Value
$879,500
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
11.9%
Labor force participation
61.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2212.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
728.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1483.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
63.6°F
Annual Precipitation
12.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
574
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,820,000 residents3,840,000 residents3,860,000 residents3,880,000 residents3,900,000 residents3,920,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,896,473 residents 3,869,089 residents ▼ -0.7%
Los Angeles's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
10,488
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3,041
detached homes
Multifamily
7,447
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 14,387
2020 12,292
2021 14,088
2022 16,707
2023 13,154
2024 10,488

Permit volume decreased 27% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.7 minutes
Drive Alone
61.4%
Carpool
8.8%
Public Transit
6.7%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
17.3%
Other
2.7%

Based on 1,898,466 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Los Angeles sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,601/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
100.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

San Diego
1,385,061 people
San Jose
990,054 people
San Francisco
836,321 people
Fresno
543,615 people
Sacramento
524,802 people
Long Beach
458,491 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Los Angeles's 3,857,897 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Chicago, IL
2,707,648 people
Houston, TX
2,300,419 people
Phoenix, AZ
1,624,832 people
Philadelphia, PA
1,582,432 people
San Antonio, TX
1,458,954 people
Dallas, TX
1,299,553 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Los Angeles's $80,366 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Verona, NY
$80,369 median income
North Eastham, MA
$80,375 median income
Sanborn, ND
$80,357 median income
Staplehurst, NE
$80,379 median income
Barbecue, NC
$80,380 median income
Waterford, WI
$80,380 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Los Angeles, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Los Angeles, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 37.3% 8.5% 12.0% 25.1% 15.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 47.2% White 37.3% Black or African American 8.5% Asian 12.0% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 25.1% Two or more races 15.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Los Angeles compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Los Angeles (this city) 3,857,897 $80,366
San Diego 1,385,061 $104,321
San Jose 990,054 $141,565
San Francisco 836,321 $141,446
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Los Angeles, CA?

What is the population of Los Angeles, CA? +

The population of Los Angeles, CA stands at 3,857,897 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Los Angeles, CA? +

In Los Angeles, the typical household earns $80,366 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Los Angeles? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Los Angeles; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Los Angeles, CA safe? +

Los Angeles has a total crime rate of 2212.4 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Los Angeles, CA? +

The median home value in Los Angeles is $879,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Los Angeles? +

Climate normals put Los Angeles's yearly average temperature at 63.6°F, 12.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.