City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Santa Monica, CA

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

91,535
Residents
$109,739
Median income
$1,810,200
Median home
$2,601
Median rent (state)

Santa Monica - the verdict

Santa Monica ranks in the 83rd percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

83rd
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
3rd
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: Santa Monica, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 91,535 residents in Santa Monica, a small city within California. Santa Monica households earn a median of $109,739 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.4%. Typical homes in Santa Monica are valued around $1,810,200, and the median resident age is 42.9 years. Educational attainment runs 68.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 418 residential building permits were authorized in Santa Monica (Building Boom), up 331% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Santa Monica's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 5568.4 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). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,601 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 100.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

91,535 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$109,739 /yr

Poverty 6.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Santa Monica compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% 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, Santa Monica ranks #428 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 Santa Monica 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 is Santa Monica's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Santa Monica ranks #76 - the 94th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Santa Monica only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#406 of 1,338
70th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#513 of 1,458
56th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#76 of 1,343
94th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#732 of 1,450
49th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#113 of 1,458
92nd 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.

83rdIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Santa Monica's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Santa Monica'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 30 Avg. percentile National median
Santa Monica'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 Santa Monica's home value compares nationally

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

$1,810,200 1st percentile more affordable than 1% 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%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Santa Monica $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 - Santa Monica, CA Santa Monica, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, CA median $109,739/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%
Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 68.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.5%

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

Population
91,535
Median Income
$109,739
Median Home Value
$1,810,200
Median Age
42.9
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Labor force participation
63.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
68.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5568.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
778.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4790.4
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
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
89,000 residents90,000 residents91,000 residents92,000 residents93,000 residents94,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 92,921 residents 90,082 residents ▼ -3.1%
Santa Monica's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
418
housing units authorized
Single-Family
105
detached homes
Multifamily
313
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 97
2020 153
2021 185
2022 173
2023 658
2024 418

Permit volume increased 331% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
50.6%
Carpool
3.0%
Public Transit
2.8%
Walk
5.4%
Work from Home
33.1%
Other
5.1%

Based on 49,796 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 Santa Monica 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

Chino
91,775 people
South Gate
91,836 people
Indio
90,669 people
Mission Viejo
92,415 people
Hemet
90,646 people
Westminster
90,147 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Monica's 91,535 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kirkland, WA
91,614 people
Norwalk, CT
91,375 people
Fort Myers, FL
91,730 people
Nashua, NH
91,131 people
Alafaya, FL
90,874 people
Bellingham, WA
92,367 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Monica's $109,739 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Edgemere, MD
$109,734 median income
Tarrytown, NY
$109,732 median income
World Golf, FL
$109,731 median income
Bethel, AK
$109,718 median income
Plymouth Meeting, PA
$109,706 median income
Blandon, PA
$109,775 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 66.9% 9.8% 13.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.4% White 66.9% Black or African American 4.9% Asian 9.8% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 4.7% Two or more races 13.2% 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 Santa Monica 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
Santa Monica (this city) 91,535 $109,739
Chino 91,775 $103,845
South Gate 91,836 $71,315
Indio 90,669 $78,709
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Santa Monica, CA?

What is the population of Santa Monica, CA? +

Santa Monica, CA has a population of 91,535 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Santa Monica, CA? +

In Santa Monica, the typical household earns $109,739 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Santa Monica? +

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

Santa Monica has a total crime rate of 5568.4 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 Santa Monica, CA? +

Homes in Santa Monica carry a median value of $1,810,200, 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.