What it's like to live in Lathrop
Lathrop is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lathrop deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and long average commutes.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Long commutes
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
How Lathrop compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lathrop
Based on Lathrop's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,140
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $102,800 a year
- 46% of Lathrop renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$128,720
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $64,360
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 82% above US
$2,570/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,570 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 $643,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $643,600 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 30% above US
5.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.6%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 39% below US
202 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1066/100k · Lathrop Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 74% above US
45 min average commute
Commutes run long, averaging 45.2 minutes, and that's just the average, meaning a lot of people are doing significantly more. This isn't a city where living far from the office is a comfortable bet. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 40°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 22% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. 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 Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (39 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lathrop's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,570/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.
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