The Town FilesSignal Hill, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 11,848 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $783,300
- Household income
- $113,298
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 41.9
Signal Hill is a city of 11,848 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $783,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of California towns, hipper than 95% of California towns, better for young professionals than 94% of California towns.
How Signal Hill 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 Signal Hill is worth $783,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.9 times the median household income of $113,298, which is more affordable than 42% of California towns. Median rent is $1,851 a month. 50.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Signal Hill | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $783,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,851 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $113,298 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 50.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Signal Hill
| People | Signal Hill | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.4% | — |
| Work from home | 20.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Signal Hill
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
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Signal Hill 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 0.2 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 1 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 Signal Hill itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Signal Hill
3 public schools with 1,832 students, about 24.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jessie Nelson Academy | 6-8 | 818 | 22.7 |
| Signal Hill Elementary | K-5 | 620 | 27.0 |
| Alvarado Elementary | K-5 | 394 | 26.3 |
Towns near Signal Hill
- Long Beach, CA1.6 mi · 466,742 people · home $806,600
- Lakewood, CA4.1 mi · 82,496 people · home $827,200
- Rossmoor, CA5.2 mi · 10,625 people · home $1,406,900
- Carson, CA5.2 mi · 95,558 people · home $704,400
- Hawaiian Gardens, CA5.8 mi · 14,149 people · home $554,100
- Los Alamitos, CA6.2 mi · 11,780 people · home $1,061,900
- Bellflower, CA6.3 mi · 79,190 people · home $705,700
- East Rancho Dominguez, CA6.5 mi · 15,114 people · home $573,600
Signal Hill questions
Is Signal Hill, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Signal Hill scores better for retirees than 18% of California towns and quieter than 17%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Signal Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Signal Hill is valued at $783,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,298, so homes cost about 6.9 times income. Median rent is $1,851 a month.
What is the weather like in Signal Hill?
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 Signal Hill get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Signal Hill 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)