South Gate, California Income Statistics
South Gate 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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D
South Gate Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | South Gate | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,287 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,618 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.3% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.9% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in South Gate is about 25% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in South Gate (6.3%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in South Gate 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 South Gate, California grew by 73.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,287 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in South Gate
| Metric | South Gate | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.558 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,000 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,728 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 8.7% | 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 South Gate, it is 0.558, 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 10% more than women's income in South Gate, California. Over a 35-year career, a 10% wage gap accumulates to roughly $149,520 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in South Gate, California has narrowed from about 18% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 20% in 2010, and was narrowest at 5% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,150 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | South Gate | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.0% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,511 people are unemployed in South Gate, California.
The average commute time in South Gate is 30 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in South Gate, California has fallen from 13.2% to 7.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 7.0% in 2023.
South Gate, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
South Gate, CA is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 90,685 residents against a local median of 43,435. Where South Gate, CA breaks from the cities next to it is unemployment, sitting 22% below the local median of 9.5% at 7.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $74,287 against a local median of $61,002, 22% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so South Gate, CA is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The cities themselves spread 3.4% on unemployment, so South Gate, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. South Gate, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Gate, CA | 90,685 | $74,287 #2/5 | 6.3%/yr #3/5 | 7.5% #2/5 | 0.558 #1/5 |
| Cudahy, CA | 21,960 | $57,064 | 4.9%/yr | 10.1% | 0.591 |
| Lynwood, CA | 62,939 | $74,926 | 6.7%/yr | 9.7% | 0.573 |
| Bell, CA | 33,319 | $61,982 | 6.0%/yr | 6.7% | 0.573 |
| Huntington Park, CA | 53,550 | $60,023 | 6.7%/yr | 9.4% | 0.566 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, South Gate, 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 South Gate, California.
How Rich Is South Gate, California?
South Gate 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 $74,287, about 25% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in South Gate, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in South Gate, California rose 74%, from $42,778 to $74,287. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +74% against +64%.
What was the median household income in South Gate in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in South Gate, California was $71,171, up 5% from $67,574 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in South Gate in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in South Gate, California was $55,725. By 2024 it had risen 33% to $74,287.
What is the Gini coefficient in South Gate, California?
The Gini coefficient in South Gate is 0.558. 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 South Gate, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in South Gate, California has narrowed from about 18% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 20% in 2010, and was narrowest at 5% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,150 since 2009.
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