Los Angeles County, California Income Statistics
Los Angeles County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Los Angeles County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Los Angeles County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $90,339 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $60,487 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.6% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.0% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 17.5% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Los Angeles County is about 9% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Los Angeles County (5.6%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 15% of adults in Los Angeles County 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 County, California grew by 63.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $90,339 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Los Angeles County
| Metric | Los Angeles County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.581 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $66,717 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $61,784 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 7.4% | 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 Los Angeles County, it is 0.581, 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 8% more than women's income in Los Angeles County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 8% wage gap accumulates to roughly $172,655 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 County, California has narrowed from about 8% to 7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 9% in 2019, and was narrowest at 7% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,504 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Los Angeles County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 17.1% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 377,970 people are unemployed in Los Angeles County, California.
The average commute time in Los Angeles County is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Los Angeles County, California has fallen from 9.8% to 7.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.1% in 2019.
Los Angeles County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Los Angeles County, CA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 9,796,997 residents against a local median of 915,060. Where Los Angeles County, CA breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 25% above the local median of 5.8% at 7.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $90,339 against a local median of $106,588, 15% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Los Angeles County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.2% on unemployment, so Los Angeles County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Los Angeles County, CA has the 5th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA | 9,796,997 | $90,339 #5/6 | 5.6%/yr #2/6 | 7.3% #5/6 | 0.581 #5/6 |
| Orange County, CA | 3,164,225 | $116,542 | 5.1%/yr | 5.4% | 0.564 |
| Ventura County, CA | 836,943 | $110,868 | 4.3%/yr | 5.7% | 0.557 |
| Kern County, CA | 915,060 | $70,255 | 4.4%/yr | 8.6% | 0.605 |
| Santa Barbara County, CA | 443,693 | $98,304 | 5.2%/yr | 6.3% | 0.577 |
| San Diego County, CA | 3,282,387 | $106,588 | 6.0%/yr | 5.8% | 0.552 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Los Angeles County, 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 County, California.
How Rich Is Los Angeles County, California?
Los Angeles County 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 $90,339, about 9% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Los Angeles County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Los Angeles County, California rose 64%, from $55,141 to $90,339. Over the same years, income here kept pace with California as a whole: +64% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Los Angeles County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Los Angeles County, California was $88,199, up 5% from $83,959 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Los Angeles County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Los Angeles County, California was $71,666. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $90,339.
What is the Gini coefficient in Los Angeles County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Los Angeles County is 0.581. 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 County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Angeles County, California has narrowed from about 8% to 7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 9% in 2019, and was narrowest at 7% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,504 since 2009.
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