Downey, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Downey, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 112,177 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 8924.7 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.19% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.8 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 35,215 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Downey grew by 3.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 112,177 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Downey is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.2% of residents. That is 1.4 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 25,978 23.2% +1.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 25,044 22.3% -1.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 23,358 20.8% +1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 15,404 13.7% -1.5 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.2% of the people living in Downey and men 48.8%.
- Women 51.2% California 49.9%
- Men 48.8% California 50.1%
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Economy
Downey has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,056 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.48% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Downey is about 7% lower than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $596,741 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,939 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.3% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Downey is about 25.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,939 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Downey spend about 56 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 232 hours, about 9.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 27.9 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 55.7 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 232 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,199 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 61,008 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,769 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Downey is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Downey has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.15 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Downey has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.5 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.4% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 9.6% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Downey, CA Compared With Nearby Cities
Downey, CA is the largest of the 6 cities compared here, 112,177 residents against a local median of 51,757. Where Downey, CA breaks from the cities next to it is median household income, sitting 23% above the local median of $75,129 at $92,056. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $596,741 against a local median of $498,156, 20% above it. The cities themselves spread $42,746 on median household income, so Downey, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Downey, CA has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downey, CA | 112,177 | $92,056 #2/6 | $596,741 #3/6 | 27.9 min #5/6 |
| Bell Gardens, CA | 38,229 | $63,357 | $37,500 | 26.6 min |
| Bellflower, CA | 76,778 | $78,927 | $498,156 | 27.8 min |
| Paramount, CA | 51,757 | $75,129 | $875,000 | 25.3 min |
| Norwalk, CA | 98,812 | $99,810 | $895,763 | 27.5 min |
| Cudahy, CA | 21,960 | $57,064 | $95,002 | 30.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Downey, California.
How big is Downey, California by population?
About 112,177 people live in Downey, California, in 35,215 households of 3.2 people on average. The median age is 35.8, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 2 years.
How densely populated is Downey, California?
Averaged over its land area, Downey, California has 8,925 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 103 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Downey, California an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 6.5 times the median household income ($596,741 against $92,056), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,939 a month takes about 25% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Downey, California have a college degree?
23.5% of adults in Downey, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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