United States › California › South El Monte CITY
South El Monte California · 18,963 residents (2025 est.) · 2.84 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
South El Monte is a city of 19,287 people in California. The foreign-born share is 46%. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 10% of adults. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. There are 6,782 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $601,000, having more than tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 116%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 21,144 in 2000
18,963 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
6,782 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 7,516 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 26.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 20K 20K 21K 22K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 South El Monte Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,990
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,656 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $10,130 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.367 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 8.4%
Transportation & warehousing 7.1%
Public administration 2.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.5%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$601,000
+116%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $152,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,752
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $684 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 49.0% in 2000
49.5% rent
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
3.79 people
−12%since 2009
from 4.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 42.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 56.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 9.9 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 4.8%(1,005)
Hispanic / Latino 86%(18,190)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 3.4%(653)
Hispanic / Latino 74.3%(14,333)
from 34 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 35.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 72.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 49.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 30.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 17.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 69.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 46.6%(3,577)
Women 15+
Never married 41.1%(3,290)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 30.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 32.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 6.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 46.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 39.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 54.7% 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) 9.4%(33)
Gulf War (1990s) 44.4%(156)
Share of the 351 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 South El Monte Head to head
Compare South El Monte to nearby cities SOUTH EL MONTE VS
El Monte
Income $68,030 −7%
Home value $644,000 +7%
Population 105,075 +454%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTH EL MONTE VS
Rosemead
Income $73,566 +1%
Home value $807,200 +34%
Population 49,410 +161%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTH EL MONTE VS
Avocado Heights
Income $92,155 +26%
Home value $725,000 +21%
Population 12,593 −34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTH EL MONTE VS
Temple City
Income $104,425 +43%
Home value $961,800 +60%
Population 35,125 +85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in South El Monte, California? South El Monte, California has about 19,287 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in South El Monte, California? The typical household in South El Monte, California earns about $72,990 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is South El Monte, California expensive? In South El Monte, California, the median home is worth about $601,000, and the typical rent is about $1,752 a month.
How educated are people in South El Monte, California? About 10.5% of adults age 25 and over in South El Monte, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in South El Monte, California? About 20.9% of people in South El Monte, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has South El Monte, California grown since 1990? Yes, South El Monte, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,563 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 