What it's like to live in Downey
Downey is a mid-size city in California with household incomes running above the national average and several well-rated hospitals. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Downey deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Several well-rated hospitals
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High student-teacher ratio
How Downey compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Downey
Based on Downey's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,874
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $77,480 a year
- 56% of Downey renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$159,320
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $79,660
- Homes cost 8.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 37% above US
$1,937/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,937 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $796,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $796,600 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 21% above US
5.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
300 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2200/100k · Downey Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 19% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 47°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.7 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 27% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
23 public schools inside the boundary
There are 23 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 24:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (38 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Downey's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and several well-rated hospitals; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,937/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Downey
All California guides →Not sure Downey is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.