Downey, California Income Statistics
Downey 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.
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C
Downey Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $92,056 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,287 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 14.2% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Downey is about 7% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Downey (4.5%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Downey 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 Downey, California grew by 58.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $92,056 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Downey
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.566 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,986 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $55,911 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.3% | 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 Downey, it is 0.566, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 18% more than women's income in Downey, California. Over a 35-year career, a 18% wage gap accumulates to roughly $352,625 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Downey, California has widened from about 10% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 20% in 2020, and was narrowest at 6% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,723 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Downey widened by 4.9 points while California's narrowed by 4.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.1% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,489 people are unemployed in Downey, California.
The average commute time in Downey is 27 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Downey, California has fallen from 10.5% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 5.2% in 2019.
Downey, CA Wealth 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 income growth, sitting 28% below the local median of 6.2%/yr at 4.5%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $92,056 against a local median of $75,129, 23% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Downey, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves spread 1.8%/yr on income growth, so Downey, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Downey, CA has the 6th highest income growth of the 6 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downey, CA | 112,177 | $92,056 #2/6 | 4.5%/yr #6/6 | 5.8% #3/6 | 0.566 #4/6 |
| Bell Gardens, CA | 38,229 | $63,357 | 6.7%/yr | 5.9% | 0.573 |
| Bellflower, CA | 76,778 | $78,927 | 5.7%/yr | 7.6% | 0.563 |
| Paramount, CA | 51,757 | $75,129 | 6.2%/yr | 5.7% | 0.556 |
| Norwalk, CA | 98,812 | $99,810 | 6.3%/yr | 5.6% | 0.561 |
| Cudahy, CA | 21,960 | $57,064 | 4.9%/yr | 10.1% | 0.591 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Downey, California has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Downey, California.
How Rich Is Downey, California?
Downey has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $92,056, about 7% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Downey, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Downey, California rose 59%, from $57,918 to $92,056. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +59% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Downey in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Downey, California was $89,713, up 5% from $85,438 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Downey in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Downey, California was $76,804. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $92,056.
What is the Gini coefficient in Downey, California?
The Gini coefficient in Downey is 0.566. 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 Downey, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Downey, California has widened from about 10% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 20% in 2020, and was narrowest at 6% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,723 since 2009.
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