The Town FilesGardena, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 61,027 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $700,600
- Household income
- $84,803
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 39.6
Gardena is a city of 61,027 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $700,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of California towns, more walkable than 94% of California towns, hipper than 85% of California towns.
How Gardena 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 Gardena is worth $700,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $84,803, which is more affordable than 23% of California towns. Median rent is $1,809 a month. 48.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gardena | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $700,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,809 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $84,803 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 48.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Gardena
| People | Gardena | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 37.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Gardena
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
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gardena since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 1, 1983 about 6.9 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 Gardena itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Gardena
16 public schools with 8,081 students, about 19.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardena Senior High | 9-12 | 1,407 | 18.8 |
| Robert E. Peary Middle | 6-8 | 1,119 | 17.0 |
| Amestoy Elementary | K-5 | 671 | 20.3 |
| Denker Avenue Elementary | K-5 | 668 | 20.2 |
| One Hundred Eighty-Sixth Street Elementary | K-5 | 619 | 20.6 |
| One Hundred Thirty-Fifth Street Elementary | K-5 | 593 | 21.2 |
| Gardena Elementary | K-5 | 463 | 19.3 |
| One Hundred Fifty-Third Street Elementary | K-5 | 379 | 15.8 |
| Chapman Elementary | K-5 | 375 | 18.8 |
| Purche Avenue Elementary | K-5 | 371 | 18.6 |
| Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena (charter) | 6-8 | 360 | 20.0 |
| One Hundred Fifty-Sixth Street Elementary | K-6 | 359 | 22.4 |
Towns near Gardena
- Alondra Park, CA1.6 mi · 8,569 people · home $835,100
- West Athens, CA2.0 mi · 9,393 people · home $718,100
- West Rancho Dominguez, CA2.4 mi · 24,347 people · home $612,900
- Lawndale, CA2.6 mi · 31,807 people · home $781,900
- Hawthorne, CA2.7 mi · 88,083 people · home $863,400
- Westmont, CA3.3 mi · 33,913 people · home $653,800
- Del Aire, CA3.9 mi · 10,338 people · home $928,600
- Lennox, CA4.2 mi · 20,323 people · home $708,000
Gardena questions
Is Gardena, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gardena scores better for retirees than 24% of California towns and quieter than 8%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Gardena?
The median owner-occupied home in Gardena is valued at $700,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,803, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $1,809 a month.
What is the weather like in Gardena?
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 Gardena get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gardena since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 1, 1983. 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)