The Town FilesLa Palma, California
City in Orange County · population 15,581 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $973,600
- Household income
- $117,989
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 45.1
La Palma is a city of 15,581 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $973,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of California towns, more vibrant than 91% of California towns, more walkable than 88% of California towns.
How La Palma 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 La Palma is worth $973,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $117,989, which is more affordable than 23% of California towns. Median rent is $2,262 a month. 67.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Palma | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $973,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,262 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $117,989 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Palma
| People | La Palma | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 37.7% | — |
| Work from home | 15.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in La Palma
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 46.4°F. About 11.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 39 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 La Palma since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 9, 1982 about 2.0 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 1.00 inches on March 15, 2024.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5679: Norte Fire |
| May 25, 2026 | Chemical | EM-3646: Chemical Release |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| May 12, 2022 | Fire | FM-5439: Coastal Fire |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 1,661,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,403 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in La Palma itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in La Palma
5 public schools with 4,331 students, about 23.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy High | 9-12 | 2,024 | 24.1 |
| Walker Junior High | 7-8 | 845 | 24.1 |
| Los Coyotes Elementary | K-6 | 576 | 26.2 |
| George B. Miller Elementary | K-6 | 499 | 22.7 |
| Steve Luther Elementary | K-6 | 387 | 21.5 |
Towns near La Palma
- Buena Park, CA1.9 mi · 84,034 people · home $838,800
- Cerritos, CA2.1 mi · 49,578 people · home $935,300
- Cypress, CA2.2 mi · 50,151 people · home $913,900
- Hawaiian Gardens, CA2.4 mi · 14,149 people · home $554,100
- Artesia, CA2.6 mi · 16,395 people · home $776,600
- Los Alamitos, CA3.9 mi · 11,780 people · home $1,061,900
- La Mirada, CA4.0 mi · 48,008 people · home $825,900
- Stanton, CA4.4 mi · 37,962 people · home $579,300
La Palma questions
Is La Palma, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Palma scores better for retirees than 44% of California towns and quieter than 11%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.1).
How much does a house cost in La Palma?
The median owner-occupied home in La Palma is valued at $973,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,989, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $2,262 a month.
What is the weather like in La Palma?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 46.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does La Palma get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Palma 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)