The Town FilesCompton, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 95,740 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $580,200
- Household income
- $78,465
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 33.3
Compton is a city of 95,740 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $580,200, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more walkable than 96% of California towns, more vibrant than 91% of California towns, better transit than 90% of California towns.
How Compton ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Compton is worth $580,200, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.4 times the median household income of $78,465, which is more affordable than 35% of California towns. Median rent is $1,664 a month. 56.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Compton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $580,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,664 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $78,465 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Compton
| People | Compton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Compton
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows 49.2°F. About 11.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Compton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 9, 1982 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on January 31, 1979.
Severe weather in Los Angeles County since 1996
Los Angeles County has been included in 88 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5605: Canyon Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | DR-4856: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5550: Eaton Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5551: Hurst Fire |
| January 7, 2025 | Fire | FM-5549: Palisades Fire |
Jobs and pay in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County had 4,525,711 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,554 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Compton itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Compton
39 public schools with 17,921 students, about 24.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manuel Dominguez High | 9-12 | 1,616 | 21.8 |
| Compton High | 9-12 | 1,297 | 23.6 |
| Centennial High | 9-12 | 968 | 22.0 |
| Clinton William Jefferson | K-8 | 758 | 28.1 |
| Lifeline Education Charter (charter) | K-12 | 691 | 21.6 |
| Jefferson Elementary | K-8 | 689 | 27.6 |
| Kelly Elementary | K-8 | 684 | 26.3 |
| Dickison Elementary | K-8 | 682 | 27.3 |
| KIPP Compton Community (charter) | K-8 | 661 | 27.5 |
| Robert F. Kennedy Elementary | K-8 | 605 | 24.2 |
| Tibby Elementary | K-8 | 586 | 25.5 |
| Emerson Elementary | K-8 | 570 | 25.9 |
Towns near Compton
- East Rancho Dominguez, CA1.8 mi · 15,114 people · home $573,600
- Willowbrook, CA1.9 mi · 24,295 people · home $559,200
- West Rancho Dominguez, CA2.4 mi · 24,347 people · home $612,900
- Lynwood, CA2.5 mi · 67,265 people · home $597,600
- Paramount, CA3.5 mi · 53,733 people · home $533,700
- Carson, CA3.9 mi · 95,558 people · home $704,400
- South Gate, CA4.0 mi · 92,726 people · home $636,300
- Gardena, CA4.6 mi · 61,027 people · home $700,600
Compton questions
Is Compton, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Compton scores better for retirees than 2% of California towns and quieter than 4%. 10.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Compton?
The median owner-occupied home in Compton is valued at $580,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,465, so homes cost about 7.4 times income. Median rent is $1,664 a month.
What is the weather like in Compton?
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows 49.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Compton get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Compton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 9, 1982. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)