What it's like to live in Westminster
Westminster is a smaller city in California. The numbers below lay out what daily life there actually looks like.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Westminster deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Westminster compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Westminster
Based on Westminster's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,336
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $86,720 a year
- 59% of Westminster renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$171,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $85,830
- Homes cost 10.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 53% above US
$2,168/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,168 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 $858,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $858,300 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
334 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2020/100k · Westminster Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27 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; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 49°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 28% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (45 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Westminster'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 ($2,168/mo) equals 30% 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 who doesn't drive.
Other places near Westminster
All California guides →Moving to Garden Grove →
3 mi away · pop. 170,964
Rent $2,012/mo · Income $92,174
Compare with Westminster →Moving to Fountain Valley →
4 mi away · pop. 56,258
Rent $2,631/mo · Income $115,237
Compare with Westminster →Moving to Huntington Beach →
4 mi away · pop. 195,240
Rent $2,510/mo · Income $120,919
Compare with Westminster →Not sure Westminster is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.