United States › California › La Palma CITY
La Palma California · 14,907 residents (2025 est.) · 1.78 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
La Palma is a city of 15,272 people in California. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $973,600. The foreign-born share is 38%. 53% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Few US cities rank higher on income. At a median age of 45.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
53% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 87%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 15,408 in 2000
14,907 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
8,575 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 8,734 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 15K 16K 16K 16K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 La Palma Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $117,989
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,438 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $26,598 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 56.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.403 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Education & health services 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$973,600
+87%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $285,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$2,262
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $955 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.1% in 2000
32.4% rent
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 37.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 7.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 36.3%(5,592)
Hispanic / Latino 11.3%(1,736)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 20.7%(3,161)
Hispanic / Latino 16.5%(2,526)
from 87 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 38.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 90.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 49.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 33.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 8.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 87.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 57.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 32.6%(1,978)
Women 15+
Never married 23.6%(1,569)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 78.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23.9%(114)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.8%(104)
Share of the 477 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to La Palma Head to head
Compare La Palma to nearby cities LA PALMA VS
Buena Park
Income $110,550 −6%
Home value $838,800 −14%
Population 81,741 +448%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LA PALMA VS
Cerritos
Income $135,439 +15%
Home value $935,300 −4%
Population 46,367 +211%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LA PALMA VS
Cypress
Income $130,215 +10%
Home value $913,900 −6%
Population 48,781 +227%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LA PALMA VS
Hawaiian Gardens
Income $76,341 −35%
Home value $554,100 −43%
Population 13,373 −10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in La Palma, California? La Palma, California has about 15,272 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in La Palma, California? The typical household in La Palma, California earns about $117,989 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is La Palma, California expensive? In La Palma, California, the median home is worth about $973,600, and the typical rent is about $2,262 a month.
How educated are people in La Palma, California? About 52.9% of adults age 25 and over in La Palma, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in La Palma, California? About 5.0% of people in La Palma, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has La Palma, California grown since 1990? Yes, La Palma, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 120 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here