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CITY

Palos Verdes Estates

California · 12,559 residents (2025 est.) · 4.78 sq mi
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Part of the Los Angeles metro area
The short version

Palos Verdes Estates is home to 12,925 people in California. Households here earn about 144% more than in California as a whole. The median age is 52.4, about 13 years above the US median. Median household income runs $242,014, well clear of the $82,259 US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 80% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $2,000,000+, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
80% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
12,925
−3%since 2000
from 13,340 in 2000
12,559 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,706 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 2,831 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
52.4
+12%since 2000
from 46.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
4.78 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K13K13K13K14K19902000201020202024Palos Verdes Estates
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(574)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.7%(868)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.3%(1,078)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(845)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 242.8%(358)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 342.8%(359)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 448.1%(1,050)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5415%(1,938)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6418.1%(2,339)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.1%(1,699)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 849.5%(1,231)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over4.5%(586)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$242,014
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $123,534 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$133,196
+93%since 2000
from $69,040 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
81.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 79.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
2.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.499
+2%since 2010
from 0.491 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Other services12.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade12.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration8.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Information7.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Transportation & warehousing5.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Wholesale trade3%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance2.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical1.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$2,000,001
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $789,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$3,217
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,351 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
89.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 90.5% in 2000
10.3% rent
Vacancy rate
7.9%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.61 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.81 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
35.2%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
67.3%
+34.3 ptssince 2009
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
8.3
+41%since 2009
from 5.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
58
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic76.1%(10,155)
Black1%(130)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(378)
Asian17.1%(2,283)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic59.8%(7,724)
Black3.8%(491)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(638)
Asian24.5%(3,167)
Other7%(905)
Diversity Score
72
+51%since 2009
from 47 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.5%(328)
Cuban0.5%(60)
Argentine0.3%(43)
Nicaraguan0.3%(37)
Colombian0.3%(36)
Spaniard0.3%(33)
Asian origin
Japanese7.4%(956)
Chinese6.5%(843)
Taiwanese2.9%(378)
Korean1.9%(248)
Filipino1.7%(218)
Asian Indian1.4%(184)
Thai0.6%(79)
Sri Lankan0.2%(28)
Vietnamese0.1%(11)
Ancestry
Irish15.4%(1,992)
German13.9%(1,798)
English12.8%(1,651)
Italian6.4%(832)
American3.8%(492)
Polish2.5%(326)
French2.2%(289)
Arab1.9%(252)
Scottish1.8%(239)
Russian1.4%(186)
Norwegian1.1%(144)
Armenian1.1%(141)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish1.1%(137)
Iranian0.9%(120)
Hungarian0.8%(107)
Swiss0.8%(104)
Greek0.8%(100)
Croatian0.8%(98)
Slovak0.7%(86)
Egyptian0.7%(85)
Dutch0.5%(66)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(44)
Nigerian0.3%(44)
Welsh0.3%(43)
Danish0.3%(41)
Romanian0.3%(41)
Ukrainian0.3%(41)
Portuguese0.3%(39)
Canadian0.3%(37)
Austrian0.3%(35)
Serbian0.3%(35)
Moroccan0.2%(28)
Turkish0.2%(28)
Syrian0.2%(24)
British0.2%(23)
Lithuanian0.2%(23)
Lebanese0.2%(22)
Macedonian0.1%(19)
Iraqi0.1%(15)
Czech0.1%(14)
Israeli0.1%(11)
Bulgarian0.1%(10)
Finnish0.1%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
79.6%
+8.7 ptssince 2000
from 70.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
97.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 98.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
41.5%
+10.5 ptssince 2000
from 31.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
31.9 min
+20%since 2000
from 26.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.0%
−11.5 ptssince 2009
from 81.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
2.2%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
26.1%
+17.7 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
2.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2011
from 3.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
52.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 53.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
60.5%
+6.4 ptssince 2020
from 54.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
8.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
70.7%
+5.3 ptssince 2009
from 65.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
50.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
20.4%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.6%
−7.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
8.2%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 6.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
1.0%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 3.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.3%
+2.8 ptssince 2017
from 92.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
98.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 97.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 88.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
74.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 74.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.2%
−3.9 ptssince 2016
from 6.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married20.5%(1,061)
Married65.2%(3,368)
Widowed3.2%(167)
Divorced11.1%(573)
Women 15+
Never married15%(788)
Married67%(3,508)
Widowed8.4%(440)
Divorced9.5%(500)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
1.0%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 3.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
65.3%
+5.8 ptssince 2020
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
26.8%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 28.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
25.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
6.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 4.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
85.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 84.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
30.0%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 27.0% 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)21.1%(75)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.9%(78)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.6%(123)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.5%(23)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II7%(25)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 356 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

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Head to head

Compare Palos Verdes Estates to nearby cities

PALOS VERDES ESTATES VS
Rancho Palos Verdes
Income$179,623−26%
Home value$1,609,400−20%
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SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PALOS VERDES ESTATES VS
Redondo Beach
Income$150,245−38%
Home value$1,279,200−36%
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PALOS VERDES ESTATES VS
Torrance
Income$116,217−52%
Home value$1,074,700−46%
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PALOS VERDES ESTATES VS
Lomita
Income$93,810−61%
Home value$831,500−58%
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SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Palos Verdes Estates, California?

Palos Verdes Estates, California has about 12,925 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Palos Verdes Estates, California?

The typical household in Palos Verdes Estates, California earns about $242,014 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Palos Verdes Estates, California expensive?

In Palos Verdes Estates, California, the median home is worth about $2,000,001, and the typical rent is about $3,217 a month.

How educated are people in Palos Verdes Estates, California?

About 79.6% of adults age 25 and over in Palos Verdes Estates, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Palos Verdes Estates, California?

About 2.9% of people in Palos Verdes Estates, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Palos Verdes Estates, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Palos Verdes Estates, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 587 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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