The Town FilesPalos Verdes Estates, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 13,347 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $242,014
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 52.4
Palos Verdes Estates is a city of 13,347 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 98% of California towns, more seaside character than 98% of California towns, more upscale than 97% of California towns.
How Palos Verdes Estates 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 Palos Verdes Estates is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $242,014, which is more affordable than 23% of California towns. Median rent is $3,217 a month. 89.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palos Verdes Estates | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,217 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $242,014 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.7% | — |
Who lives in Palos Verdes Estates
| People | Palos Verdes Estates | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.4% | — |
| Work from home | 26.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Palos Verdes Estates
July highs average 75.6°F and January lows 47.3°F. About 13.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palos Verdes Estates since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1966 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 7, 1966.
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 Palos Verdes Estates itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Palos Verdes Estates
5 public schools with 2,900 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palos Verdes High | 9-12 | 1,419 | 21.8 |
| Palos Verdes Intermediate | 6-8 | 709 | 22.2 |
| Montemalaga Elementary | K-5 | 436 | 24.2 |
| Lunada Bay Elementary | K-5 | 336 | 22.4 |
| Sunrise Pre-School | Other | — | — |
Towns near Palos Verdes Estates
- Rancho Palos Verdes, CA4.1 mi · 42,287 people · home $1,609,400
- Rolling Hills Estates, CA5.3 mi · 8,280 people · home $1,692,600
- Redondo Beach, CA5.4 mi · 71,576 people · home $1,279,200
- Torrance, CA5.6 mi · 147,067 people · home $1,074,700
- Lomita, CA6.4 mi · 20,921 people · home $831,500
- Hermosa Beach, CA6.7 mi · 19,728 people · home $2,000,001
- West Carson, CA8.3 mi · 22,870 people · home $689,700
- Manhattan Beach, CA8.8 mi · 35,506 people · home $2,000,001
Palos Verdes Estates questions
Is Palos Verdes Estates, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palos Verdes Estates scores better for retirees than 84% of California towns and quieter than 64%. 27.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.4).
How much does a house cost in Palos Verdes Estates?
The median owner-occupied home in Palos Verdes Estates is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $242,014, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $3,217 a month.
What is the weather like in Palos Verdes Estates?
July highs average 75.6°F and January lows 47.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Palos Verdes Estates get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palos Verdes Estates since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 1966. 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)