Los Angeles, California Income Statistics
Los Angeles 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
Los Angeles Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Los Angeles | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $82,258 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $58,877 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 16.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Los Angeles is about 17% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Los Angeles (5.9%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 15% of adults in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles, California grew by 69.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $82,258 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Los Angeles
| Metric | Los Angeles | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.583 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,330 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $62,700 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 2.5% | 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 Los Angeles, it is 0.583, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less 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 3% more than women's income in Los Angeles, California. Over a 35-year career, a 3% wage gap accumulates to roughly $57,050 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Angeles, California has widened from about 1% to 3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 4% in 2022, and was narrowest at 1% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,123 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Los Angeles widened by 1.2 points while California's narrowed by 4.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Los Angeles | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 19.5% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 174,645 people are unemployed in Los Angeles, California.
The average commute time in Los Angeles is 30 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Los Angeles, California has fallen from 10.3% to 8.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.3% in 2019.
Los Angeles, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Los Angeles, CA is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 3,843,367 residents against a local median of 37,354. Los Angeles, CA's income growth, at 5.9%/yr, runs 28% above the 4.7%/yr typical of the cities around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $82,258 against a local median of $108,268, 24% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Los Angeles, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves spread 2.5%/yr on income growth, so Los Angeles, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Los Angeles, CA has the highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 3,843,367 | $82,258 #5/5 | 5.9%/yr #1/5 | 8.2% #3/5 | 0.583 #5/5 |
| Beverly Hills, CA | 31,624 | $130,286 | 3.4%/yr | 8.3% | 0.530 |
| West Hollywood, CA | 34,884 | $96,678 | 5.8%/yr | 8.9% | 0.471 |
| Culver City, CA | 39,823 | $119,446 | 4.6%/yr | 6.6% | 0.506 |
| Burbank, CA | 104,547 | $97,090 | 4.7%/yr | 7.4% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, California.
How Rich Is Los Angeles, California?
Los Angeles 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 $82,258, about 17% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Los Angeles, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Los Angeles, California rose 70%, from $48,437 to $82,258. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +70% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Los Angeles in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Los Angeles, California was $80,565, up 6% from $76,291 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Los Angeles in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Los Angeles, California was $65,776. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $82,258.
How strong is the job market in Los Angeles, California?
Unemployment in Los Angeles, California is 8.2%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Los Angeles, California?
The Gini coefficient in Los Angeles is 0.583. 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 Los Angeles, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Angeles, California has widened from about 1% to 3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 4% in 2022, and was narrowest at 1% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,123 since 2009.
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