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Living in
Bell Gardens.
About
Life in Bell Gardens
Bell Gardens is a tightly packed urban neighborhood rather than a sprawling suburb, so you're living in close quarters with about 16,000 people per square mile. The community is about 96% Latino, making it one of the most Latino-concentrated cities in Los Angeles County, with strong cultural identity and Spanish-language services throughout. Housing here is almost entirely rental—about 77% of residents rent rather than own—and while median rent around $1,694 a month is reasonable for LA County, median home prices near $564,000 mean homeownership requires serious savings.
Bell Gardens at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.0%
Foreign-Born
41.5%
Broadband Internet
92.9%
of households
Population Growth
-5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics41.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Bell Gardens: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bell Gardens, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (77.1%), and 88.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.7%
of residents
65 and Older
9.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
49.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
12.3%
of households
Married Couples
41.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.88
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Bell Gardens
In Bell Gardens, rent runs 17% below the CA average, and home values are 23% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,809
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
21.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1960
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $692,163 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Bell Gardens and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Bell Gardens is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Bell Gardens Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Commute27.9 min avg
How Bell Gardens residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bell Gardens, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Long Beach International Airport (LGB)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 15 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 9% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bell Gardens runs 9% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
299
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,101.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bell Gardens Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 21 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
100.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Los Angeles County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Los Angeles County, which includes Bell Gardens, the most common type is high wind, with 21 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | High Wind | $3,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | High Wind | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 21 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 7 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 5 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 4 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 2 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2018 | 3 | Debris Flow | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
164 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
Bell Gardens is less than 1% of Los Angeles County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality74 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Los Angeles County, which includes Bell Gardens, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
74
Good Days
39
per year
Moderate Days
228
per year
Unhealthy Days
32
per year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
Bell Gardens is less than 1% of Los Angeles County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 46°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bell Gardens has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and warm winters (avg low 46°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/57°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
64
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
28
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 46°F | 3.56" |
| Feb | 68°F | 47°F | 4.22" |
| Mar | 71°F | 51°F | 2.53" |
| Apr | 74°F | 53°F | 0.61" |
| May | 76°F | 58°F | 0.48" |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 0.13" |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 0.04" |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 0.00" |
| Sep | 87°F | 64°F | 0.13" |
| Oct | 81°F | 57°F | 0.61" |
| Nov | 74°F | 51°F | 0.92" |
| Dec | 68°F | 45°F | 2.44" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bell Gardens
Uninsured
16.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bell Gardens's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Pih Health Downey Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.5 mi away · Downey
Lac/rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Ctr
Acute Care Hospitals · 2.8 mi away · Downey
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Downey
Acute Care Hospitals · 3.7 mi away · Downey
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bell Gardens
Bell Gardens's student/teacher ratio is 18.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 7.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
7.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bell Gardens (within 15 miles)
California State University-Long Beach
12.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 35,924 students · in-state tuition $8,338 · 81% graduate · median earnings $69,554 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 22,688 students · in-state tuition $1,400 · 35% graduate
Public · 2-year · 21,466 students · in-state tuition $1,180 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,494 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Southern California
8.3 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 20,443 students · in-state tuition $75,162 · 93% graduate · median earnings $103,420 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Los Angeles
7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 19,562 students · in-state tuition $7,530 · 69% graduate · median earnings $62,555 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,121 students · in-state tuition $1,150 · 28% graduate · median earnings $49,216 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 36 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bell Gardens
Bell Gardens has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (36 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
36 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
54 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bell Gardens
Bell Gardens Library
7110 S. Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens
Cities Near Bell Gardens
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bell Gardens?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bell Gardens FAQ
Is Bell Gardens, California affordable?⌄
Bell Gardens's median rent is $1,694/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $62,298/year. Median home value is $563,900.
Is Bell Gardens, California safe?⌄
Bell Gardens's violent crime rate was 299 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1102 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bell Gardens, California?⌄
Bell Gardens has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bell Gardens, California?⌄
The cost of living in Bell Gardens is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,694/month and median household income is $62,298/year. The median home value is $563,900. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bell Gardens, California?⌄
The average commute in Bell Gardens is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from