What it's like to live in Montebello
Montebello is a smaller city in California. The numbers below lay out what daily life there actually looks like.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Montebello deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
How Montebello compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Montebello
Based on Montebello's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,654
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,080 a year
- 57% of Montebello renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$139,580
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $69,790
- Homes cost 8.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 29% above US
$1,827/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,827 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 $697,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $697,900 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 23% above US
5.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.3%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 28% above US
421 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2092/100k · Montebello 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; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 46°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 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 36% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 4 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 (38 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Montebello'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 ($1,827/mo) equals 27% 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 Montebello
All California guides →Moving to Pico Rivera →
2 mi away · pop. 60,272
Rent $1,786/mo · Income $88,201
Compare with Montebello →Moving to Monterey Park →
3 mi away · pop. 59,132
Rent $1,888/mo · Income $81,855
Compare with Montebello →Moving to East Los Angeles →
4 mi away · pop. 111,647
Rent $1,494/mo · Income $68,741
Compare with Montebello →Not sure Montebello is the one?
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