The Town FilesHawthorne, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 88,083 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $863,400
- Household income
- $75,848
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 33.9
Hawthorne is a city of 88,083 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $863,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of California towns, more walkable than 95% of California towns, better transit than 90% of California towns.
How Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne is worth $863,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 11.4 times the median household income of $75,848, which is more affordable than 4% of California towns. Median rent is $1,782 a month. 27.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hawthorne | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $863,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,782 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $75,848 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 27.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Hawthorne
| People | Hawthorne | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Hawthorne
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
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hawthorne 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 4.7 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 2 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 Hawthorne itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in Hawthorne
22 public schools with 13,097 students, about 25.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne High | 9-12 | 1,685 | 21.1 |
| Wiseburn Middle | 6-8 | 975 | 27.1 |
| Zela Davis | K-5 | 870 | 27.2 |
| Da Vinci Connect (charter) | K-12 | 865 | 36.0 |
| Hawthorne Middle | 6-8 | 779 | 26.0 |
| Ramona | K-5 | 765 | 25.5 |
| Eucalyptus | K-5 | 737 | 28.3 |
| Prairie Vista Middle | 6-8 | 736 | 26.3 |
| Bud Carson Middle | 6-8 | 635 | 26.5 |
| Family First Charter (charter) | 9-12 | 595 | 39.7 |
| Del Aire Elementary | K-5 | 589 | 25.6 |
| Kornblum | K-5 | 550 | 28.9 |
Towns near Hawthorne
- Del Aire, CA1.2 mi · 10,338 people · home $928,600
- Lennox, CA1.7 mi · 20,323 people · home $708,000
- Lawndale, CA1.8 mi · 31,807 people · home $781,900
- Alondra Park, CA1.8 mi · 8,569 people · home $835,100
- West Athens, CA2.6 mi · 9,393 people · home $718,100
- Gardena, CA2.7 mi · 61,027 people · home $700,600
- Inglewood, CA2.9 mi · 107,762 people · home $792,800
- Westmont, CA3.2 mi · 33,913 people · home $653,800
Hawthorne questions
Is Hawthorne, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hawthorne scores better for retirees than 4% of California towns and quieter than 3%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.9).
How much does a house cost in Hawthorne?
The median owner-occupied home in Hawthorne is valued at $863,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,848, so homes cost about 11.4 times income. Median rent is $1,782 a month.
What is the weather like in Hawthorne?
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 Hawthorne get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hawthorne 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)