Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Los Angeles, CA
VS
South Gate, CA
🏆 Los Angeles leads 13 of 21 categories
Los Angeles
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
South Gate
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,188
Violent Crime Index
138⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
92,381
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $9,056 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $822,600
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,791/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
South Gate, CA
Pros
Homes cost $244k less ($578,900 vs $822,600)
28% less violent crime than Los Angeles
Rent averages $391/mo less ($1,400 vs $1,791)
Smaller class sizes — 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (525.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (3598.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Los Angeles by $9,056/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Los Angeles
Median Income
$9,056
$76,244 vs $67,188/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
South Gate
Violent Crime
28% lower
525.6 vs 728.5 per 100k
South Gate
Median Home Value
$244k less
$578,900 vs $822,600
South Gate
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 82.0°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | South Gate, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $822,600⚠ High | $578,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,791⚠ High | $1,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,244 ✓ Higher | $67,188 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 15.1% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 143⚠ High ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C- (72) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 17.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Los Angeles Unified | Westbrook Academy District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.6°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 82.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 14.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger | 92,381 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.6% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles's cost of living index is 115.5 vs South Gate's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Los Angeles leads 13 of 21 categories. Los Angeles wins 13 and South Gate wins 8. 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 Los Angeles to South Gate or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($822,600 vs $578,900 median home), income ($76,244 vs $67,188), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Los Angeles, CA and South Gate, CA are about 14 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.