Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Downey, CA
VS
Inglewood, CA
🏆 Downey leads 15 of 21 categories
Downey
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,236 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
113,052 ✓ Larger
Inglewood
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,563
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
106,806
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Downey, CA
Pros
32% less violent crime than Inglewood
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.6%)
Households earn $16,673 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (460.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2650.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,814/mo
Inglewood, CA
Pros
Rent averages $148/mo less ($1,666 vs $1,814)
Cons
Violent crime (674.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Downey by $16,673/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (3614.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Downey
Median Income
$16,673
$84,236 vs $67,563/yr
Downey
Violent Crime
32% lower
460.5 vs 674.6 per 100k
Downey
Median Home Value
$11k less
$679,000 vs $689,700
Downey
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 8.2% unemployment
Downey
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 81.4°F vs 77.2°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Downey, CA | Inglewood, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $679,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $689,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,814⚠ High | $1,666⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,236 ✓ Higher | $67,563 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 30.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.2% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 121⚠ High ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 172⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 23.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% ✓ Higher | 22.8% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% ✓ Higher | 77.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Downey Unified | Inglewood Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 67.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F ✓ Warmer | 77.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" | 11.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 113,052 ✓ Larger | 106,806 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 21.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Downey's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Inglewood's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Downey leads 15 of 21 categories. Downey wins 15 and Inglewood wins 6. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Downey to Inglewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($679,000 vs $689,700 median home), income ($84,236 vs $67,563), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Downey, CA and Inglewood, CA are about 12 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.