What it's like to live in Gardena
Gardena is a smaller city in California. The numbers below lay out what daily life there actually looks like.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Gardena deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and crime rates above the national average.
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
How Gardena compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Gardena
Based on Gardena's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,618
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $72,360 a year
- 53% of Gardena renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$140,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $70,060
- Homes cost 8.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 28% above US
$1,809/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,809 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $700,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $700,600 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 28% above US
5.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.5%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 87% above US
616 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3011/100k · Gardena Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 13% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 76°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 50°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 1.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (30 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Gardena's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,809/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 and anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Gardena
All California guides →Not sure Gardena is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.