Area data
Downey, CA — ZIP 90242
Population: 40,767 (Census ACS)
The typical home value in ZIP 90242 (Downey, CA) is $818,854 — up 1.9% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $815,000 after a median 35 days on market. Typical rent runs $2,243/month. 11 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Very High, with earthquake, inland flooding, lightning the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 10.7% above the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).
$818,854
Typical home value
+1.9%
1-year change
35
Median days on market
Very High
Hazard risk (county)
Home values & appreciation
- Typical home value
- $818,854
- 1-year appreciation
- +1.9%
- 3-year appreciation
- +8.4%
- 5-year appreciation
- +20.4%
- 10-year appreciation
- +85.1%
- Peak value since 2000 (Dec 2024)
- $825,239
- House Price Index (state)
- 423.4 (-0.3% YoY)
Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)
Market activity
- Median sale price
- $815,000
- Median list price
- $849,450
- Median price per sqft
- $600
- 1-year sale-price change
- -4.4%
- Median days on market
- 35 days
- Homes sold (recent period)
- 20
- For-sale inventory
- 22
- Sale-to-list ratio
- 100.1%
- Active listings
- 19
- 1-year forecast
- +1.9%
- New listings (monthly)
- 7
Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)
Rents
- Typical rent
- $2,243/mo
- 1-year rent change
- +2.6%
- Studio fair-market rent
- $2,151/mo
- 1BR fair-market rent
- $2,402/mo
- 2BR fair-market rent
- $2,964/mo
- 3BR fair-market rent
- $3,760/mo
- 4BR fair-market rent
- $4,208/mo
Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)
Affordability
- Cost of living index (High)
- 110.7 (100 = US avg)
- Electricity rate (state-level)
- 32.5¢/kWh
- Natural gas rate (state-level)
- $22.00/MCF
- 30-year mortgage rate (national)
- 7.40%
- 15-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.73%
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)
Schools
- Total schools
- 11
- Elementary schools
- 7
- Middle schools
- 2
- High schools
- 2
- Avg student-teacher ratio
- 22.7 : 1
- School districts serving the area
- Los Angeles County ROP, Downey Unified, Los Angeles County Office of Education
- Schools include
- Los Angeles County ROP, Alameda Elementary, Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary, Gauldin (A.L.) Elementary, Imperial Elementary
Source: NCES school directory, 2024-25 (school-address-based)
Natural hazards & flood risk
- Overall hazard risk (county)
- Very High
- Top hazards (county)
- earthquake, inland flooding, lightning, wildfire, avalanche
- Notable hazard ratings (county)
- wildfire: Very High · lightning: Very High · earthquake: Very High · inland flooding: Very High · tornado: Relatively High · heat wave: Relatively High
- Most common flood zone among NFIP claims
- Zone AR
- NFIP flood claims on record
- 4
- Wildfire risk to homes (county)
- Higher than 99% of US counties
- Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
- 5.0%
- Radon potential (county)
- Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3
- EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
- 4
- Nearest Superfund site
- Southern Avenue Industrial Area (2.7 mi)
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA NFIP flood-insurance claims (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL
Climate (30-year normals)
- Average annual temperature
- 63.0°F
- Average high
- 68.0°F
- Average low
- 57.0°F
- Annual precipitation
- 11.2 in
- USDA plant hardiness zone
- 10b (extreme annual low 35 to 40°F)
Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Air quality
- Air quality rating
- Moderate
- Median AQI (annual)
- 74
- Days with Good air quality
- 39
- Days with Moderate air quality
- 228
- Days with Unhealthy air quality
- 31
- Highest AQI recorded (year)
- 201
Source: EPA annual air quality index (county-level)
Walkability & transit
- Walkability index
- 15.8 / 20
- Transit service frequency
- 127
- Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
- 434,664
- Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
- 415,621
Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)
Amenities
- National parks within ~60 mi
- 2
- Nearest national park
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (38 mi)
- National parks include
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
- Airports within 30 mi
- 16
- Nearest airport
- Compton Woodley Airport (CPM) (6 mi)
- Nearest major airport
- Long Beach International Airport (LGB) (7 mi)
- Hospitals in or near this ZIP
- 2
- Hospitals include
- KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - DOWNEY, LAC/RANCHO LOS AMIGOS NATIONAL REHABILITATION CTR
- Avg hospital rating (CMS)
- 3.5 / 5
- Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
- 4.0 / 5
- EV charging stations (within 10 mi)
- 1,155
- Solar radiation rating
- Good (5.2 kWh/m²/day)
Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data (same ZIP, else within ~40 mi) · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)
Migration
- Net migration (county)
- -52,940 tax filers
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration (county-level; published with a multi-year lag)
Housing stock
- Median year housing built
- 1959
- Housing built before 1970
- 68.6%
- Housing built 2000 or later
- 4.5%
- Median annual property tax
- $4,601
- Mean commute to work
- 26 min
- Households with broadband internet
- 76.9%
Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)
Employment & development
- Total county employment
- 3,927,366
- Average weekly wage
- $1,605
- Top industries (by employment)
- Health Care, Accommodation & Food, Professional Services
- Annual residential building permits (county)
- 22,250
Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)
How it compares
| ZIP 90242 | State median | US median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $818,854 | $695,380 | $288,527 |
| Median sale price | $815,000 | $696,000 | $325,000 |
| Median days on market | 35 days | 39 days | 51 days |
| Typical rent | $2,243/mo | $2,786/mo | $1,809/mo |
| Median annual property tax | $4,601 | $4,533 | $2,006 |
State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.
Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →
Common questions
- What is the typical home value in ZIP 90242?
- $818,854.
- What is the median sale price in ZIP 90242?
- $815,000.
- How long do homes take to sell in ZIP 90242?
- Median days on market: 35 days.
- What is typical rent in ZIP 90242?
- Typical rent: $2,243/month.
- What is the natural-hazard risk in ZIP 90242?
- Overall risk: Very High (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: earthquake, inland flooding, lightning, wildfire, avalanche.
- Is ZIP 90242 in a flood zone?
- Flood zones vary by property within ZIP 90242. 4 FEMA flood-insurance (NFIP) claims are on record; the most common zone among them is AR. Check a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
- What is the wildfire risk in ZIP 90242?
- Risk to homes is higher than 99% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
- What is the radon potential in ZIP 90242?
- Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
- Are there Superfund sites near ZIP 90242?
- 4 current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA). Nearest site: Southern Avenue Industrial Area, 2.7 mi.
- How many schools serve ZIP 90242?
- 11 schools (7 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high) (NCES, 2024-25).
- Is ZIP 90242 walkable?
- Walkability index: 15.8/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
- What is the air quality in ZIP 90242?
- Moderate. Median AQI: 74. (EPA AQI).
- What is the cost of living in ZIP 90242?
- Regional Price Parity: 110.7 (100 = US average) (High) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).
Nearby ZIP codes
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Data last updated
Most recent source refresh: Oct 2026. See all data sources →