The Town FilesLakewood, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 82,496 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $827,200
- Household income
- $119,177
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 39.4
Lakewood is a city of 82,496 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $827,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of California towns, more of a college town than 88% of California towns, more walkable than 86% of California towns.
How Lakewood 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 Lakewood is worth $827,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.9 times the median household income of $119,177, which is more affordable than 42% of California towns. Median rent is $2,347 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakewood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $827,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,347 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $119,177 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lakewood
| People | Lakewood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.4% | — |
| Work from home | 13.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lakewood
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
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakewood 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 0.8 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 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 Lakewood itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Lakewood
20 public schools with 13,697 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood High | 9-12 | 2,580 | 22.4 |
| Mayfair High | 7-12 | 2,457 | 22.1 |
| Artesia High | 9-12 | 1,441 | 19.7 |
| Intensive Learning Center | K-6 | 674 | 23.2 |
| Esther Lindstrom Elementary | K-6 | 577 | 25.1 |
| Stephen Foster Elementary | K-6 | 519 | 21.6 |
| Hoover Middle | 6-8 | 513 | 21.4 |
| Palms Elementary | K-6 | 481 | 24.1 |
| Craig Williams Elementary | K-6 | 456 | 26.8 |
| Cleveland Elementary | K-5 | 455 | 26.8 |
| Riley Elementary | K-5 | 430 | 25.3 |
| Madison Elementary | K-5 | 416 | 26.0 |
Towns near Lakewood
- Artesia, CA2.8 mi · 16,395 people · home $776,600
- Bellflower, CA2.8 mi · 79,190 people · home $705,700
- Hawaiian Gardens, CA3.0 mi · 14,149 people · home $554,100
- Cerritos, CA3.3 mi · 49,578 people · home $935,300
- Signal Hill, CA4.1 mi · 11,848 people · home $783,300
- Paramount, CA4.4 mi · 53,733 people · home $533,700
- Rossmoor, CA4.7 mi · 10,625 people · home $1,406,900
- Norwalk, CA4.7 mi · 102,773 people · home $644,700
Lakewood questions
Is Lakewood, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakewood scores better for retirees than 19% of California towns and quieter than 16%. 15.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Lakewood?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakewood is valued at $827,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $119,177, so homes cost about 6.9 times income. Median rent is $2,347 a month.
What is the weather like in Lakewood?
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 Lakewood get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakewood 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)