The Town FilesMalibu, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 10,654 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $194,421
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 69°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 53.9
Malibu is a city of 10,654 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more seaside character than 96% of California towns, more upscale than 94% of California towns, better for young professionals than 87% of California towns.
How Malibu 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 Malibu is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.3 times the median household income of $194,421, which is more affordable than 8% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Malibu | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $194,421 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.0% | — |
Who lives in Malibu
| People | Malibu | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.7% | — |
| Work from home | 40.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Malibu
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
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Malibu since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on November 9, 1982 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 9, 1982.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on January 21, 2010.
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 Malibu itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Malibu
5 public schools with 1,039 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu High | 9-12 | 390 | 13.9 |
| Malibu Middle | 6-8 | 247 | 14.5 |
| Webster Elementary | K-5 | 205 | 17.1 |
| Malibu Elementary | K-5 | 191 | 21.2 |
| Road to Success Academy at Campus Kilpatrick | 7-12 | 6 | — |
Towns near Malibu
- Pepperdine University, CA3.1 mi · 2,747 people · home $979,700
- Westlake Village, CA8.3 mi · 8,029 people · home $1,331,400
- Agoura Hills, CA8.5 mi · 20,299 people · home $1,098,000
- Calabasas, CA9.2 mi · 23,241 people · home $1,504,500
- Topanga, CA10.1 mi · 8,560 people · home $1,777,800
- Oak Park, CA11.0 mi · 13,898 people · home $1,036,900
- Thousand Oaks, CA13.3 mi · 126,966 people · home $991,600
- Santa Monica, CA15.0 mi · 93,076 people · home $1,755,500
Malibu questions
Is Malibu, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Malibu scores better for retirees than 73% of California towns and quieter than 69%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.9).
How much does a house cost in Malibu?
The median owner-occupied home in Malibu is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $194,421, so homes cost about 10.3 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Malibu?
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 Malibu get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Malibu since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 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)