The Town FilesEl Monte, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 109,450 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $644,000
- Household income
- $68,030
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 37.8
El Monte is a city of 109,450 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $644,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more walkable than 96% of California towns, more of a college town than 94% of California towns, more vibrant than 93% of California towns.
How El Monte 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 El Monte is worth $644,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.5 times the median household income of $68,030, which is more affordable than 12% of California towns. Median rent is $1,736 a month. 40.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Monte | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $644,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,736 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $68,030 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 40.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in El Monte
| People | El Monte | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 49.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in El Monte
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 46.1°F. About 15.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Monte since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on March 22, 2023 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 13, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on March 1, 2014.
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 El Monte itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in El Monte
26 public schools with 15,394 students, about 20.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo High | 9-12 | 1,698 | 22.9 |
| El Monte High | 9-12 | 1,421 | 21.5 |
| Mountain View High | 9-12 | 1,192 | 20.2 |
| Durfee Elementary | K-8 | 1,089 | 22.7 |
| Parkview Elementary | K-8 | 971 | 19.8 |
| Monte Vista Elementary | K-8 | 850 | 21.3 |
| Columbia Elementary | K-8 | 713 | 23.8 |
| Baker Elementary | K-6 | 597 | 19.3 |
| Potrero Elementary | K-8 | 596 | 20.6 |
| Wright Elementary | K-8 | 588 | 22.6 |
| Twin Lakes Elementary | 2-8 | 576 | 18.6 |
| Willard F. Payne Elementary | K-6 | 518 | 19.9 |
Towns near El Monte
- North El Monte, CA2.0 mi · 3,730 people · home $863,400
- South El Monte, CA2.0 mi · 19,567 people · home $601,000
- Temple City, CA2.5 mi · 36,494 people · home $961,800
- Avocado Heights, CA3.0 mi · 13,317 people · home $725,000
- Mayflower Village, CA3.1 mi · 5,402 people · home $889,200
- Rosemead, CA3.1 mi · 51,185 people · home $807,200
- Baldwin Park, CA3.4 mi · 72,176 people · home $606,900
- South Monrovia Island, CA3.9 mi · 6,515 people · home $680,900
El Monte questions
Is El Monte, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Monte scores better for retirees than 13% of California towns and quieter than 2%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in El Monte?
The median owner-occupied home in El Monte is valued at $644,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,030, so homes cost about 9.5 times income. Median rent is $1,736 a month.
What is the weather like in El Monte?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 46.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does El Monte get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Monte since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on March 22, 2023. 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)