© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
El Monte.
About
Life in El Monte
If you're considering a move to the San Gabriel Valley, El Monte offers a genuinely affordable slice of LA County life with real community character—though it's not without trade-offs. The median household income sits at $68,030, and you'll find median home values around $644,000 with rents averaging $1,736 a month, making it more accessible than many LA neighborhoods while still reflecting Southern California's housing realities. The Latino community forms the cultural backbone here—about 65% of residents are Latino, with a significant Asian population (30%) as well, creating a diverse, family-oriented environment where multigenerational households are common and the median household size is 3.71 people.
El Monte at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.4%
Foreign-Born
49.1%
Broadband Internet
89.8%
of households
Population Growth
-4.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics49.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in El Monte: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In El Monte, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (46.2%), and 56.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.8%
of residents
65 and Older
15.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
14.1%
of households
Married Couples
45.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.56
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 15% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in El Monte
In El Monte, rent runs 15% below the CA average, and home values are 12% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,681
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
40.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $752,488 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in El Monte and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in El Monte 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 El Monte 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
Commute27.8 min avg
How El Monte residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In El Monte, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
Long Beach International Airport (LGB)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 20 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 23 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% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in El Monte runs 24% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
409.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,952.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
El Monte 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 El Monte, 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.
173 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
El Monte is about 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 El Monte, 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
El Monte is about 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
El Monte 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
15.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
64
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
33
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 El Monte
Uninsured
12.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside El Monte's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Greater El Monte Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 2 mi away · South El Monte
Bhc Alhambra Hospital
Psychiatric · 2.5 mi away · Rosemead
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Baldwin Park
Acute Care Hospitals · 2.6 mi away · Baldwin Park
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.
Education20.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in El Monte
El Monte's student/teacher ratio is 20.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 15.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
24
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near El Monte (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 26,140 students · in-state tuition $1,364 · 35% graduate · median earnings $49,600 (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
15 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
8 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 · 10,509 students · in-state tuition $1,195 · 28% graduate · median earnings $46,476 (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, 42 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for El Monte
El Monte has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (42 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
42 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
48 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in El Monte
El Monte Library
3224 Tyler Ave., El Monte
Norwood Library
4550 North Peck Rd., El Monte
Cities Near El Monte
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to El Monte?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
El Monte FAQ
Is El Monte, California affordable?⌄
El Monte's median rent is $1,736/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $68,030/year. Median home value is $644,000.
Is El Monte, California safe?⌄
El Monte's violent crime rate was 410 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1953 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in El Monte, California?⌄
El Monte has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in El Monte, California?⌄
The cost of living in El Monte is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,736/month and median household income is $68,030/year. The median home value is $644,000. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in El Monte, California?⌄
The average commute in El Monte 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