What it's like to live in Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Sierra Madre deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, county unemployment above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High student-teacher ratio
How Sierra Madre compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Sierra Madre
Based on Sierra Madre's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,396
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $87,920 a year
- 41% of Sierra Madre renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$245,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $122,680
- Homes cost 8.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 56% above US
$2,198/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,198 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 $1,226,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $1,226,800 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Los Angeles County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Los Angeles County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 34% below US
216 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 732/100k · Sierra Madre Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 45°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 78% above US
64% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 25:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (41 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Sierra Madre'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 ($2,198/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Sierra Madre
All California guides →Moving to Arcadia →
2 mi away · pop. 55,170
Rent $2,191/mo · Income $113,516
Compare with Sierra Madre →Moving to Monrovia →
3 mi away · pop. 37,571
Rent $2,114/mo · Income $96,021
Compare with Sierra Madre →Moving to East San Gabriel →
4 mi away · pop. 23,410
Rent $1,976/mo · Income $108,677
Compare with Sierra Madre →Moving to Temple City →
5 mi away · pop. 35,430
Rent $2,135/mo · Income $104,425
Compare with Sierra Madre →Not sure Sierra Madre is the one?
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