City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

El Monte, CA

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

107,066
Residents
$64,484
Median income
$626,000
Median home
$2,601
Median rent (state)

El Monte - the verdict

El Monte ranks in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
23rd
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: El Monte, CA

California's El Monte is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 107,066 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in El Monte brings in $64,484 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.5%. Home values in El Monte run a median of $626,000, and the median resident age is 38.1 years. About 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 103 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 18% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2475.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. 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 27.3 minutes, with 70.8% driving alone and 5.4% 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

107,066 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$64,484 /yr

Poverty 13.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does El Monte compare to other US cities?

Here's how El Monte stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, El Monte ranks #306 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below El Monte's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

42ndIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

El Monte's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

El Monte'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 25 Avg. percentile National median
El Monte'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 El Monte's home value compares nationally

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

$626,000 10th percentile more affordable than 10% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $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. El Monte $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 - El Monte, CA El Monte, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not El Monte, 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 El Monte, CA median $64,484/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%
El Monte, 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 El Monte, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.9%

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

Population
107,066
Median Income
$64,484
Median Home Value
$626,000
Median Age
38.1
Poverty Rate
13.5%
Labor force participation
56.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2475.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
423.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2052.2
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.

Schools

Total Schools
26
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
104,000 residents106,000 residents108,000 residents110,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 109,142 residents 105,075 residents ▼ -3.7%
El Monte's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
103
housing units authorized
Single-Family
29
detached homes
Multifamily
74
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 87
2020 51
2021 77
2022 87
2023 98
2024 103

Permit volume increased 18% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.3 minutes
Drive Alone
70.8%
Carpool
15.6%
Public Transit
3.8%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
5.4%
Other
2.4%

Based on 47,661 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 El Monte 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

Menifee
107,020 people
West Covina
107,436 people
Jurupa Valley
106,244 people
Inglewood
105,575 people
Burbank
105,165 people
El Cajon
104,909 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to El Monte's 107,066 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hillsboro, OR
107,050 people
Sandy Springs, GA
107,198 people
Centennial, CO
107,386 people
Green Bay, WI
106,585 people
Rio Rancho, NM
106,533 people
Concord, NC
106,518 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to El Monte's $64,484 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hamersville, OH
$64,482 median income
Union Park, FL
$64,481 median income
Columbia, MO
$64,488 median income
Stanhope, IA
$64,479 median income
Rittman, OH
$64,492 median income
Attica, NY
$64,474 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - El Monte, 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 El Monte, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 13.7% 29.3% 32.8% 20.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 65.1% White 13.7% Black or African American 0.6% Asian 29.3% American Indian 2.8% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 32.8% Two or more races 20.4% 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 El Monte 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
El Monte (this city) 107,066 $64,484
Menifee 107,020 $89,183
West Covina 107,436 $98,570
Jurupa Valley 106,244 $96,190
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about El Monte, CA?

What is the population of El Monte, CA? +

El Monte, CA counts 107,066 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in El Monte, CA? +

El Monte households earn a median of $64,484 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in El Monte? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for El Monte; 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 El Monte, CA safe? +

El Monte has a total crime rate of 2475.4 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 El Monte, CA? +

A typical home in El Monte is worth $626,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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 Editorial

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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.