The Town FilesSierra Madre, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 11,268 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,226,800
- Household income
- $143,547
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 44.8
Sierra Madre is a city of 11,268 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $1,226,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks hipper than 99% of California towns, better for retirees than 92% of California towns, more walkable than 91% of California towns.
How Sierra Madre 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 Sierra Madre is worth $1,226,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $143,547, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. Median rent is $2,198 a month. 55.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sierra Madre | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,226,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,198 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $143,547 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Sierra Madre
| People | Sierra Madre | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.7% | — |
| Work from home | 24.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Sierra Madre
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 38.1°F. About 32.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sierra Madre since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 20, 1992 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 20, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on October 17, 2005.
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 Sierra Madre itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Sierra Madre
2 public schools with 1,211 students, about 25.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Madre Elementary | K-5 | 618 | 25.8 |
| Sierra Madre Middle | 6-8 | 593 | 24.7 |
Towns near Sierra Madre
- Arcadia, CA2.6 mi · 56,681 people · home $1,441,800
- East Pasadena, CA2.7 mi · 6,021 people · home $1,069,200
- Monrovia, CA3.8 mi · 37,931 people · home $909,400
- East San Gabriel, CA4.0 mi · 22,769 people · home $962,200
- Mayflower Village, CA4.3 mi · 5,402 people · home $889,200
- South Monrovia Island, CA4.4 mi · 6,515 people · home $680,900
- Temple City, CA4.6 mi · 36,494 people · home $961,800
- North El Monte, CA4.8 mi · 3,730 people · home $863,400
Sierra Madre questions
Is Sierra Madre, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sierra Madre scores better for retirees than 92% of California towns and quieter than 44%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Sierra Madre?
The median owner-occupied home in Sierra Madre is valued at $1,226,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $143,547, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is $2,198 a month.
What is the weather like in Sierra Madre?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 38.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sierra Madre get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sierra Madre since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 20, 1992. 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)