Places › California › Monterey Park

Living in Monterey Park, CA

Suburb in California

Monterey Park is a suburb in California, home to about 60,000 people, with 11.7 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Monterey Park a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 31 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: LGB is 16 mi away
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places

👎 Cons

  • Few dog parks: 17 within 9 mi
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $889k, and rent is $3,300 a month
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.68% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Monterey Park ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
60,000
11.7 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
68°F / 85°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$889k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,300/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
114
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.68% property tax
Safety
0.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
15 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
31
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
35%
9 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LGB
16 mi away

Living in Monterey Park: common questions

What is the cost of living in Monterey Park?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $889k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,300 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Monterey Park?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.68% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Monterey Park safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Monterey Park?

Monterey Park is warm all year: winter days average around 68°F and summer days around 85°F.

Does Monterey Park get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Monterey Park?

The nearest major airport is LGB, about 16 mi away.

How Monterey Park scores

Each bar compares Monterey Park with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Major metro Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Dense & urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Strong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Average
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Monterey Park right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.