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Living in
Paramount.
About
Life in Paramount
Paramount works best if you're seeking affordable urban living in Los Angeles County with easy freeway access to jobs across the region—your 29-minute commute average is reasonable for LA standards. The median home price around $533,700 and median rent of $1,875 are lower than many surrounding areas, though still substantial by national standards. The community is predominantly Latino, with a particularly strong Mexican cultural presence; the city has earned a reputation as a "second Sinaloa" for its authentic regional Mexican restaurants and food culture.
Paramount at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.6%
Foreign-Born
36.4%
Broadband Internet
90.7%
of households
Population Growth
-5.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics36.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Paramount: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Paramount, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (73.7%), and 64.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.1%
of residents
65 and Older
10.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
43.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.1%
of households
Married Couples
43.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.54
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 8% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Paramount
In Paramount, rent runs 8% below the CA average, and home values are 27% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,681
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
43.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $647,972 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Paramount and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Paramount 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 Paramount 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
Commute28.4 min avg
How Paramount residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Paramount, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 54% 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
- 14 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 95% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Paramount runs 95% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
640.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,397.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Paramount 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 Paramount, 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.
145 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
Paramount 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 Paramount, 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
Paramount is less than 1% of Los Angeles County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Paramount has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
35
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 47°F | 2.89" |
| Feb | 67°F | 48°F | 3.02" |
| Mar | 69°F | 51°F | 1.65" |
| Apr | 71°F | 54°F | 0.56" |
| May | 73°F | 58°F | 0.26" |
| Jun | 76°F | 61°F | 0.07" |
| Jul | 81°F | 65°F | 0.05" |
| Aug | 83°F | 66°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 82°F | 64°F | 0.08" |
| Oct | 78°F | 59°F | 0.53" |
| Nov | 73°F | 52°F | 0.75" |
| Dec | 67°F | 47°F | 2.15" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Paramount
Uninsured
15.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Paramount's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lac/rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Ctr
Acute Care Hospitals · 2.1 mi away · Downey
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Downey
Acute Care Hospitals · 2.5 mi away · Downey
Uci Health-lakewood
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Lakewood
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.
Education20.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Paramount
Paramount's student/teacher ratio is 20.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 14.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Paramount (within 15 miles)
California State University-Long Beach
8.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 35,924 students · in-state tuition $8,338 · 81% graduate · median earnings $69,554 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Southern California
10.9 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
11.7 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)
California State University-Dominguez Hills
5.7 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 · 11,198 students · in-state tuition $1,238 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,194 (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, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Paramount
Paramount has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
37 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
54 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
95 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayChannel Islands National Park
National Park
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Paramount
Paramount Library
16254 Colorado Ave., Paramount
Cities Near Paramount
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Paramount?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Paramount FAQ
Is Paramount, California affordable?⌄
Paramount's median rent is $1,875/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $75,250/year. Median home value is $533,700.
Is Paramount, California safe?⌄
Paramount's violent crime rate was 641 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2398 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Paramount, California?⌄
Paramount has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Paramount, California?⌄
The cost of living in Paramount is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,875/month and median household income is $75,250/year. The median home value is $533,700. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Paramount, California?⌄
The average commute in Paramount 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