Is Rancho Palos Verdes, CA a Good Place to Live?
Rancho Palos Verdes is a small city of 41,805 in California, with a median household income of $166,747 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: Rancho Palos Verdes stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Rancho Palos Verdes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rancho Palos Verdes 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: 115.5Rancho Palos Verdes's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rancho Palos Verdes costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,411,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $3,284 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $166,747 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeRancho Palos Verdes's violent crime rate is 91.6 per 100,000 residents — 76% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rancho Palos Verdes is served primarily by Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 10 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 68.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rancho Palos Verdes sees average highs of 66.8°F in January and 76.9°F in July, with 14.2 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 66.8°F |
| Average High — July | 76.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,805 | — |
| Median Age | 49.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 50.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 32.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 26.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rancho Palos Verdes
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: