Compton, California Income Statistics
Compton Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
D
Compton Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Compton | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $77,977 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,552 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.0% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.7% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.8% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Compton is about 21% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Compton (7.0%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Compton earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Compton, California grew by 84.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $77,977 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Compton
| Metric | Compton | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.575 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,154 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,958 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 0.4% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Compton, it is 0.575, about the same as California's 0.572, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 0% more than women's income in Compton, California.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Compton, California has narrowed from about 3% to 0% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 8% in 2014, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 4%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $746 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Compton | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,557 people are unemployed in Compton, California.
The average commute time in Compton is 30 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Compton, California has fallen from 14.8% to 7.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.9% in 2023.
Compton, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Compton, CA is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 94,573 residents against a local median of 42,803. Compton, CA's unemployment, at 7.7%, runs 26% below the 10.4% typical of the cities around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 4.6% on unemployment, so Compton, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Compton, CA has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compton, CA | 94,573 | $77,977 #3/5 | 7.0%/yr #1/5 | 7.7% #2/5 | 0.575 #3/5 |
| Willowbrook, CA | 21,745 | $62,634 | 6.0%/yr | 11.1% | 0.601 |
| Lynwood, CA | 62,939 | $74,926 | 6.7%/yr | 9.7% | 0.573 |
| West Rancho Dominguez, CA | 22,667 | $85,219 | 6.7%/yr | 12.3% | 0.577 |
| Carson, CA | 92,071 | $109,874 | 5.2%/yr | 7.7% | 0.570 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Compton, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Compton, California.
How Rich Is Compton, California?
Compton has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $77,977, about 21% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Compton, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Compton, California rose 84%, from $42,294 to $77,977. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +84% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Compton in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Compton, California was $73,957, up 8% from $68,493 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Compton in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Compton, California was $58,869. By 2024 it had risen 32% to $77,977.
What is the Gini coefficient in Compton, California?
The Gini coefficient in Compton is 0.575. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Compton, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Compton, California has narrowed from about 3% to 0% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 8% in 2014, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 4%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $746 since 2009.
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