The Town FilesDowney, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 114,355 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $796,600
- Household income
- $90,699
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 37.7
Downey is a city of 114,355 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $796,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of California towns, more walkable than 93% of California towns, more of a college town than 87% of California towns.
How Downey 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 Downey is worth $796,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $90,699, which is more affordable than 18% of California towns. Median rent is $1,937 a month. 51.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Downey | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $796,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,937 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $90,699 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Downey
| People | Downey | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Downey
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 46.9°F. About 12.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Downey 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 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 13, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 15, 2024.
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 Downey itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Downey
23 public schools with 22,607 students, about 24.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downey High | 9-12 | 3,936 | 23.9 |
| Warren (Earl) High | 9-12 | 3,471 | 24.1 |
| Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle | 6-8 | 1,327 | 24.1 |
| Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle | 6-8 | 1,322 | 27.0 |
| Griffiths (Gordon) Middle | 6-8 | 1,291 | 24.8 |
| Sussman (Edward A.) Middle | 6-8 | 1,218 | 22.6 |
| Rio Hondo Elementary | K-5 | 859 | 24.5 |
| Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary | K-5 | 834 | 26.1 |
| Price (Maude) Elementary | K-5 | 787 | 26.2 |
| Gallatin Elementary | K-5 | 781 | 26.0 |
| Alameda Elementary | K-5 | 757 | 24.4 |
| Rio San Gabriel Elementary | K-5 | 754 | 24.3 |
Towns near Downey
- Bell Gardens, CA2.3 mi · 39,501 people · home $563,900
- Paramount, CA3.4 mi · 53,733 people · home $533,700
- Norwalk, CA3.4 mi · 102,773 people · home $644,700
- Cudahy, CA3.5 mi · 22,811 people · home $494,100
- Bellflower, CA3.5 mi · 79,190 people · home $705,700
- South Gate, CA3.6 mi · 92,726 people · home $636,300
- Santa Fe Springs, CA3.9 mi · 19,219 people · home $659,900
- Bell, CA4.0 mi · 33,559 people · home $591,600
Downey questions
Is Downey, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Downey scores better for retirees than 15% of California towns and quieter than 4%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Downey?
The median owner-occupied home in Downey is valued at $796,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,699, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is $1,937 a month.
What is the weather like in Downey?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 46.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Downey get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Downey 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)