City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Lemon Grove, CA

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

27,489
Residents
$79,278
Median income
$640,600
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

Lemon Grove - the verdict

Lemon Grove ranks in the 61st percentile for household income and the 45th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

61st
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
45th
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: Lemon Grove, CA

Lemon Grove is a small city in California, home to 27,489 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lemon Grove households earn a median of $79,278 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Typical homes in Lemon Grove are valued around $640,600, and the median resident age is 38.8 years. 20.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 116 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1833% from five years earlier. Lemon Grove reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1516.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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 $3,001 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

27,489 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$79,278 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Lemon Grove compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 61% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 45% 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, Lemon Grove ranks #149 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 Lemon Grove'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.

61stIncome percentile
45thSafety percentile

61st percentile nationally for median household income · 45th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lemon Grove's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lemon Grove'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 37 Avg. percentile National median
Lemon Grove'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 Lemon Grove's home value compares nationally

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

$640,600 9th percentile more affordable than 9% 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. Lemon Grove $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 - Lemon Grove, CA Lemon Grove, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lemon Grove, 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 Lemon Grove, CA median $79,278/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%
Lemon Grove, 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 Lemon Grove, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.0%

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

Population
27,489
Median Income
$79,278
Median Home Value
$640,600
Median Age
38.8
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1516.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
442.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1074.1
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
27,400 residents27,600 residents27,800 residents28,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 27,770 residents 27,936 residents ▲ +0.6%
Lemon Grove's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
116
housing units authorized
Single-Family
44
detached homes
Multifamily
72
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 22
2021 38
2022 64
2023 109
2024 116

Permit volume increased 1833% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.8%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
2.6%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
12.0%
Other
1.4%

Based on 13,062 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 Lemon Grove sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Belmont
27,505 people
Walnut
27,857 people
Lemoore
27,023 people
Brawley
26,934 people
Benicia
26,861 people
Ridgecrest
28,138 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lemon Grove's 27,489 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bristol, TN
27,490 people
Marshalltown, IA
27,491 people
Mililani, HI
27,495 people
Athens, AL
27,474 people
Pearl, MS
27,458 people
New Lenox, IL
27,456 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lemon Grove's $79,278 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Washington, NJ
$79,280 median income
Fridley, MN
$79,274 median income
Belgium, WI
$79,271 median income
Kirkersville, OH
$79,286 median income
Punta Gorda, FL
$79,291 median income
Eldorado, PA
$79,261 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lemon Grove, 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 Lemon Grove, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 36.1% 14.9% 9.4% 15.9% 21.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 44.1% White 36.1% Black or African American 14.9% Asian 9.4% American Indian 2.0% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 15.9% Two or more races 21.1% 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 Lemon Grove 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
Lemon Grove (this city) 27,489 $79,278
Belmont 27,505 $207,609
Walnut 27,857 $133,762
Lemoore 27,023 $82,189
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lemon Grove, CA?

What is the population of Lemon Grove, CA? +

The population of Lemon Grove, CA stands at 27,489 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lemon Grove, CA? +

Lemon Grove households earn a median of $79,278 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lemon Grove? +

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

Lemon Grove has a total crime rate of 1516.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Lemon Grove, CA? +

Homes in Lemon Grove carry a median value of $640,600, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.