The Town FilesWest Athens, California
Community in Los Angeles County · population 9,393 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $718,100
- Household income
- $67,201
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 34.9
West Athens is a community of 9,393 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $718,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better transit than 99% of California towns, more vibrant than 97% of California towns, more walkable than 86% of California towns.
How West Athens 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 West Athens is worth $718,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.7 times the median household income of $67,201, which is more affordable than 5% of California towns. Median rent is $1,622 a month. 55.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Athens | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $718,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,622 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $67,201 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West Athens
| People | West Athens | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in West Athens
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 West Athens 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 5.5 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 1.50 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 West Athens itself the ACS puts it at 10%.
Towns near West Athens
- Westmont, CA1.3 mi · 33,913 people · home $653,800
- Gardena, CA2.0 mi · 61,027 people · home $700,600
- West Rancho Dominguez, CA2.4 mi · 24,347 people · home $612,900
- Hawthorne, CA2.6 mi · 88,083 people · home $863,400
- Alondra Park, CA3.0 mi · 8,569 people · home $835,100
- Inglewood, CA3.3 mi · 107,762 people · home $792,800
- Lennox, CA3.3 mi · 20,323 people · home $708,000
- Lawndale, CA3.7 mi · 31,807 people · home $781,900
West Athens questions
Is West Athens, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Athens scores better for retirees than 2% of California towns and quieter than 11%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.9).
How much does a house cost in West Athens?
The median owner-occupied home in West Athens is valued at $718,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,201, so homes cost about 10.7 times income. Median rent is $1,622 a month.
What is the weather like in West Athens?
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 West Athens get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Athens 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)