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Living in
Cerritos.
About
Life in Cerritos
Cerritos functions primarily as a job and shopping destination rather than a bedroom community—residents here tend to stay because of economic opportunity and established community ties. The median household income of $134,000 reflects a prosperous, educated population (57% hold college degrees), though home values averaging $935,000 and median rent at $2,909 put this firmly in the expensive Southern California category. You'll experience a pleasant climate with warm summers and mild winters, plus a genuine advantage: ocean breezes from the Pacific keep temperatures moderate and actually protect you from the smog and extreme heat that plague much of the inland basin.
Cerritos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
47.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Foreign-Born
44.1%
Broadband Internet
96.7%
of households
Population Growth
-6.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics44.1% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Cerritos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cerritos, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (20.7%), and 12.1% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
19.1%
of residents
65 and Older
26.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.6%
of households
Married Couples
65.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.96
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 44% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Cerritos
In Cerritos, rent runs 44% above the CA average, and home values are 27% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,711
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
75.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,086,261 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Cerritos and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Cerritos 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 Cerritos 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
Commute32.4 min avg
How Cerritos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cerritos, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Long Beach International Airport (LGB)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 17 mi
John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 21 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 24% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cerritos runs 24% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
250.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,791.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cerritos 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 Cerritos, 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.
133 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
Cerritos 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 Cerritos, 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
Cerritos is less than 1% of Los Angeles County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cerritos has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
39
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
38
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 46°F | 2.85" |
| Feb | 69°F | 48°F | 3.02" |
| Mar | 71°F | 52°F | 1.74" |
| Apr | 74°F | 54°F | 0.59" |
| May | 76°F | 58°F | 0.30" |
| Jun | 79°F | 63°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 85°F | 65°F | 0.14" |
| Oct | 80°F | 58°F | 0.50" |
| Nov | 74°F | 51°F | 0.74" |
| Dec | 68°F | 46°F | 1.86" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cerritos
Cerritos has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.6%
of residents
College Hospital
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
La Palma Intercommunity Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 2.2 mi away · La Palma
Coast Plaza Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Norwalk
Uci Health - Los Alamitos
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Los Alamitos
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.
Education24.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cerritos
Cerritos's student/teacher ratio is 24.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 58.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
24.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Cerritos
Private for-profit · 2-year · 157 students · 61% graduate · median earnings $43,085 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 149 students · 80% graduate · median earnings $31,215 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
California State University-Fullerton
10.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 38,546 students · in-state tuition $7,952 · 80% graduate · median earnings $69,015 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Long Beach
6.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 35,924 students · in-state tuition $8,338 · 81% graduate · median earnings $69,554 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Los Angeles
14.9 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)
California State University-Dominguez Hills
10.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 12,538 students · in-state tuition $7,853 · 68% graduate · median earnings $62,587 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 9,034 students · in-state tuition $1,202 · 29% graduate · median earnings $50,592 (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, 43 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cerritos
Cerritos has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (43 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
43 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
48 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
95 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cerritos
Cerritos Library
18025 Bloomfield Ave., Cerritos
Cities Near Cerritos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cerritos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cerritos FAQ
Is Cerritos, California affordable?⌄
Cerritos's median rent is $2,930/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $135,439/year. Median home value is $935,300.
Is Cerritos, California safe?⌄
Cerritos's violent crime rate was 251 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3791 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cerritos, California?⌄
Cerritos has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cerritos, California?⌄
The cost of living in Cerritos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,930/month and median household income is $135,439/year. The median home value is $935,300. About 33% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cerritos, California?⌄
The average commute in Cerritos is 32 minutes, which is longer than 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