Is El Monte, CA a Good Place to Live?
El Monte is a mid-sized city of 108,682 in California, with a median household income of $59,929 and a 7.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: El Monte's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether El Monte is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All El Monte city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 115.5El Monte's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in El Monte costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | El Monte, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $597,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageEl Monte's violent crime rate is 423.2 per 100,000 residents — 11% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
El Monte is served primarily by Mountain View Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | El Monte, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Mountain View Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 7 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 63.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
El Monte sees average highs of 68.6°F in January and 85.5°F in July, with 15.7 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | El Monte, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 68.6°F |
| Average High — July | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | El Monte, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 108,682 | — |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 21.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 29.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in El Monte
El Monte, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: