City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Paramount, CA

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

52,546
Residents
$70,912
Median income
$500,400
Median home
$2,601
Median rent (state)

Paramount - the verdict

Nationally, Paramount sits in the 51st percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

51st
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
12th
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: Paramount, CA

Paramount is a small city in California, home to 52,546 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Paramount households earn a median of $70,912 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.9%. Home values in Paramount run a median of $500,400, and the median resident age is 33.2 years. 13.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 54 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1700% from five years earlier. Paramount's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3362.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,601 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Paramount report an average commute of 27.0 minutes, with 75.3% driving alone and 6.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 100.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

52,546 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$70,912 /yr

Poverty 11.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Paramount compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 51% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 12% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Paramount ranks #388 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Paramount toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Paramount ranks #1,108 - the 24th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Paramount only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#905 of 1,338
32nd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#513 of 1,458
56th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#694 of 1,343
48th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#404 of 1,450
72nd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,108 of 1,458
24th 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.

51stIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

51st percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Paramount's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Paramount'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
Paramount'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 Paramount's home value compares nationally

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

$500,400 15th percentile more affordable than 15% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Paramount $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 - Paramount, CA Paramount, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Paramount, 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 Paramount, CA median $70,912/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%
Paramount, 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 Paramount, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.8%

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

Population
52,546
Median Income
$70,912
Median Home Value
$500,400
Median Age
33.2
Poverty Rate
11.9%
Labor force participation
61.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3362.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
547.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2815.1
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
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
50,000 residents51,000 residents52,000 residents53,000 residents54,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 53,578 residents 50,755 residents ▼ -5.3%
Paramount's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
54
housing units authorized
Single-Family
54
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 0
2021 22
2022 26
2023 22
2024 54

Permit volume increased 1700% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.0 minutes
Drive Alone
75.3%
Carpool
11.8%
Public Transit
3.1%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
6.2%
Other
2.4%

Based on 24,244 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 Paramount 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

Novato
52,689 people
Placentia
52,384 people
Cathedral City
52,047 people
Watsonville
51,968 people
Lincoln
51,629 people
Palm Desert
51,551 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Paramount's 52,546 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kyle, TX
52,439 people
Battle Creek, MI
52,392 people
Grand Island, NE
52,761 people
Elyria, OH
52,833 people
Winter Haven, FL
52,846 people
Joplin, MO
52,218 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Paramount's $70,912 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Daytona Beach Shores, FL
$70,911 median income
Clinton, MS
$70,913 median income
New Market, TN
$70,913 median income
Garfield, AR
$70,909 median income
East Bank, WV
$70,917 median income
Bradshaw, NE
$70,919 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Paramount, 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 Paramount, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 16.1% 8.7% 43.8% 25.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 82.3% White 16.1% Black or African American 8.7% Asian 3.1% American Indian 2.2% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 43.8% Two or more races 25.8% 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 Paramount 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
Paramount (this city) 52,546 $70,912
Novato 52,689 $112,193
Placentia 52,384 $110,575
Cathedral City 52,047 $67,031
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Paramount, CA?

What is the population of Paramount, CA? +

52,546 people live in Paramount, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Paramount, CA? +

In Paramount, the typical household earns $70,912 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Paramount? +

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

Paramount has a total crime rate of 3362.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Paramount, CA? +

A typical home in Paramount is worth $500,400, 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

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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.