The Town FilesSanta Monica, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 93,076 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,755,500
- Household income
- $114,885
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 69°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 42.7
Santa Monica is a city of 93,076 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $1,755,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of California towns, hipper than 100% of California towns, more vibrant than 99% of California towns.
How Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica is worth $1,755,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 15.3 times the median household income of $114,885, which is more affordable than 1% of California towns. Median rent is $2,402 a month. 27.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Santa Monica | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,755,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,402 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $114,885 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 15.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 27.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Santa Monica
| People | Santa Monica | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 13.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.3% | — |
| Work from home | 38.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Santa Monica
July highs average 69.4°F and January lows 49.6°F. About 12.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Monica since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 1, 1983 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 1, 1983.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on February 11, 1959.
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 Santa Monica itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Santa Monica
17 public schools with 11,702 students, about 21.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palisades Charter High (charter) | 9-12 | 2,991 | 24.3 |
| Santa Monica High | 9-12 | 2,573 | 19.1 |
| Lincoln Middle | 6-8 | 884 | 20.1 |
| John Adams Middle | 6-8 | 808 | 18.0 |
| Franklin Elementary | K-5 | 612 | 21.1 |
| Roosevelt Elementary | K-5 | 588 | 21.0 |
| Grant Elementary | K-5 | 570 | 21.9 |
| Will Rogers Elementary | K-5 | 523 | 21.8 |
| Palisades Charter Elementary (charter) | K-5 | 406 | 20.3 |
| Edison Elementary | K-5 | 395 | 19.8 |
| McKinley Elementary | K-5 | 393 | 19.7 |
| Canyon Charter Elementary (charter) | K-5 | 387 | 22.8 |
Towns near Santa Monica
- Marina del Rey, CA3.6 mi · 11,373 people · home $458,800
- Los Angeles, CA5.0 mi · 3,898,747 people · home $921,200
- Culver City, CA5.8 mi · 40,779 people · home $1,142,900
- Beverly Hills, CA7.2 mi · 32,701 people · home $2,000,001
- Ladera Heights, CA7.4 mi · 6,654 people · home $1,661,600
- El Segundo, CA8.1 mi · 17,272 people · home $1,587,500
- Topanga, CA8.6 mi · 8,560 people · home $1,777,800
- View Park-Windsor Hills, CA8.7 mi · 11,419 people · home $1,141,500
Santa Monica questions
Is Santa Monica, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Santa Monica scores better for retirees than 40% of California towns and quieter than 17%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.7).
How much does a house cost in Santa Monica?
The median owner-occupied home in Santa Monica is valued at $1,755,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $114,885, so homes cost about 15.3 times income. Median rent is $2,402 a month.
What is the weather like in Santa Monica?
July highs average 69.4°F and January lows 49.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Santa Monica get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Monica 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)