City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

South Gate, CA

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

91,836
Residents
$71,315
Median income
$608,500
Median home
$2,601
Median rent (state)

South Gate - the verdict

Nationally, South Gate sits in the 51st percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

51st
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
7th
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: South Gate, CA

South Gate is a small city in California, home to 91,836 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in South Gate brings in $71,315 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Home values in South Gate run a median of $608,500, and the median resident age is 35.2 years. About 11.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 202 residential building permits were authorized in South Gate (Construction Slowdown), down 31% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. South Gate's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4124.4 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. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Commute times here average 30.3 minutes, with 69.2% driving alone and 6.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 100.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

91,836 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$71,315 /yr

Poverty 11.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does South Gate compare to other US cities?

Where South Gate 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 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% 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, South Gate ranks #411 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

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 South Gate'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.

51stIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

51st percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Gate's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South Gate'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 22 Avg. percentile National median
South Gate'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 South Gate's home value compares nationally

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

$608,500 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. South Gate $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 - South Gate, CA South Gate, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South Gate, 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 South Gate, CA median $71,315/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%
South Gate, 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 South Gate, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 11.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.2%

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

Population
91,836
Median Income
$71,315
Median Home Value
$608,500
Median Age
35.2
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
60.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4124.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
525.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3598.8
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
27
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 residents 202020212022202320242025 92,651 residents 90,071 residents ▼ -2.8%
South Gate's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
202
housing units authorized
Single-Family
202
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 293
2020 145
2021 442
2022 178
2023 190
2024 202

Permit volume decreased 31% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
30.3 minutes
Drive Alone
69.2%
Carpool
16.4%
Public Transit
4.1%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
6.4%
Other
2.2%

Based on 42,983 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 South Gate 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
Santa Monica
91,535 people
Mission Viejo
92,415 people
Indio
90,669 people
Hemet
90,646 people
Redding
93,268 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Gate's 91,836 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fort Myers, FL
91,730 people
Kirkland, WA
91,614 people
Norwalk, CT
91,375 people
Bellingham, WA
92,367 people
Hoover, AL
92,401 people
Nashua, NH
91,131 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Gate's $71,315 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Trumansburg, NY
$71,316 median income
Mosinee, WI
$71,314 median income
Parkston, SD
$71,313 median income
Amherst, VA
$71,313 median income
Lebanon, TN
$71,320 median income
Swanton, VT
$71,307 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South Gate, 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 South Gate, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 23.9% 45.0% 27.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 95.0% White 23.9% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 0.8% American Indian 1.8% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 45.0% Two or more races 27.5% 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 South Gate 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
South Gate (this city) 91,836 $71,315
Chino 91,775 $103,845
Santa Monica 91,535 $109,739
Mission Viejo 92,415 $136,071
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Gate, CA?

What is the population of South Gate, CA? +

The population of South Gate, CA stands at 91,836 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in South Gate, CA? +

In South Gate, the typical household earns $71,315 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Gate? +

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

South Gate has a total crime rate of 4124.4 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 South Gate, CA? +

South Gate's median home value sits at $608,500, 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.