The Town FilesRancho Palos Verdes, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 42,287 (2020 Census)
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- Median home
- $1,609,400
- Household income
- $179,623
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 49.1
Rancho Palos Verdes is a city of 42,287 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $1,609,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 93% of California towns, better for families than 91% of California towns, more seaside character than 91% of California towns.
How Rancho Palos Verdes 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 Rancho Palos Verdes is worth $1,609,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.0 times the median household income of $179,623, which is more affordable than 16% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 80.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rancho Palos Verdes | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,609,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $179,623 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 80.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.5% | — |
Who lives in Rancho Palos Verdes
| People | Rancho Palos Verdes | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.3% | — |
| Work from home | 28.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Rancho Palos Verdes
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 47.0°F. About 13.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rancho Palos Verdes since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1966 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 7, 1966.
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 Rancho Palos Verdes itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Rancho Palos Verdes
11 public schools with 6,189 students, about 22.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle | 6-8 | 1,295 | 20.9 |
| Ridgecrest Intermediate | 6-8 | 917 | 26.2 |
| Miraleste Intermediate | 6-8 | 746 | 21.9 |
| Silver Spur Elementary | K-5 | 539 | 23.4 |
| Soleado Elementary | K-5 | 452 | 25.1 |
| South Shores/CSUDH Visual and Performing Arts | K-5 | 437 | 24.3 |
| Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary | K-5 | 436 | 22.9 |
| Vista Grande Elementary | K-5 | 371 | 24.7 |
| Mira Catalina Elementary | K-5 | 370 | 23.1 |
| Point Vicente Elementary | K-5 | 335 | 19.7 |
| Crestwood Street STEAM Magnet | K-5 | 291 | 22.4 |
Towns near Rancho Palos Verdes
- Rolling Hills Estates, CA3.5 mi · 8,280 people · home $1,692,600
- Palos Verdes Estates, CA4.1 mi · 13,347 people · home $2,000,001
- Lomita, CA4.8 mi · 20,921 people · home $831,500
- Torrance, CA6.4 mi · 147,067 people · home $1,074,700
- West Carson, CA7.3 mi · 22,870 people · home $689,700
- Redondo Beach, CA7.9 mi · 71,576 people · home $1,279,200
- Hermosa Beach, CA9.3 mi · 19,728 people · home $2,000,001
- Carson, CA9.9 mi · 95,558 people · home $704,400
Rancho Palos Verdes questions
Is Rancho Palos Verdes, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rancho Palos Verdes scores better for retirees than 78% of California towns and quieter than 42%. 26.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.1).
How much does a house cost in Rancho Palos Verdes?
The median owner-occupied home in Rancho Palos Verdes is valued at $1,609,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $179,623, so homes cost about 9.0 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Rancho Palos Verdes?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 47.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Rancho Palos Verdes get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rancho Palos Verdes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 1966. 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)