What it's like to live in San Gabriel
San Gabriel is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. San Gabriel 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
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 San Gabriel compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to San Gabriel
Based on San Gabriel's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,830
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $76,600 a year
- 46% of San Gabriel renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$189,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $94,570
- Homes cost 10.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 36% above US
$1,915/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,915 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 $945,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $945,700 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 28% below US
237 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 1792/100k · San Gabriel Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.4 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; 13% 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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, 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
San Gabriel's strongest point is household incomes running above 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 ($1,915/mo) equals 25% 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 and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near San Gabriel
All California guides →Moving to East San Gabriel →
2 mi away · pop. 23,410
Rent $1,976/mo · Income $108,677
Compare with San Gabriel →Moving to Rosemead →
2 mi away · pop. 50,013
Rent $1,834/mo · Income $73,566
Compare with San Gabriel →Moving to San Marino →
2 mi away · pop. 12,216
Rent $3,500+/mo · Income $214,167
Compare with San Gabriel →Moving to Alhambra →
2 mi away · pop. 81,022
Rent $1,939/mo · Income $88,024
Compare with San Gabriel →Not sure San Gabriel is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.