The Town FilesManhattan Beach, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 35,506 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $204,306
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 42.8
Manhattan Beach is a city of 35,506 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 98% of California towns, more seaside character than 92% of California towns, more walkable than 91% of California towns.
How Manhattan Beach 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 Manhattan Beach is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.8 times the median household income of $204,306, which is more affordable than 10% of California towns. Median rent is $3,449 a month. 64.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Manhattan Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,449 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $204,306 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Manhattan Beach
| People | Manhattan Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.2% | — |
| Work from home | 39.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Manhattan Beach
July highs average 75.1°F and January lows 49.4°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 5 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 Manhattan Beach 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 6.2 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 3 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 Manhattan Beach itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Manhattan Beach
8 public schools with 5,910 students, about 23.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mira Costa High | 9-12 | 2,568 | 24.0 |
| Manhattan Beach Middle | 6-8 | 1,123 | 20.8 |
| Grand View Elementary | K-5 | 519 | 23.6 |
| Pacific Elementary | K-5 | 509 | 23.1 |
| Aurelia Pennekamp Elementary | K-5 | 485 | 23.1 |
| Meadows Avenue Elementary | K-5 | 419 | 23.3 |
| Opal Robinson Elementary | K-5 | 287 | 23.9 |
| Manhattan Beach Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Manhattan Beach
- El Segundo, CA0.7 mi · 17,272 people · home $1,587,500
- Hermosa Beach, CA2.3 mi · 19,728 people · home $2,000,001
- Del Aire, CA3.1 mi · 10,338 people · home $928,600
- Redondo Beach, CA3.7 mi · 71,576 people · home $1,279,200
- Lawndale, CA4.0 mi · 31,807 people · home $781,900
- Hawthorne, CA4.3 mi · 88,083 people · home $863,400
- Lennox, CA4.4 mi · 20,323 people · home $708,000
- Alondra Park, CA4.9 mi · 8,569 people · home $835,100
Manhattan Beach questions
Is Manhattan Beach, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Manhattan Beach scores better for retirees than 46% of California towns and quieter than 21%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Manhattan Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Manhattan Beach is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $204,306, so homes cost about 9.8 times income. Median rent is $3,449 a month.
What is the weather like in Manhattan Beach?
July highs average 75.1°F and January lows 49.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Manhattan Beach get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Manhattan Beach 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)