Places › California › Pico Rivera

Living in Pico Rivera, CA

Suburb in California

Pico Rivera is a suburb in California, home to about 61,000 people, with 12.1 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Pico Rivera a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 31 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: LGB is 12 mi away
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
  • Big job market: about 12.1 million people live within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Few dog parks: 9 within 9 mi
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $753k, and rent is $3,300 a month
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.66% property tax

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

Key facts

Population
61,000
12.1 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
68°F / 85°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$753k
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 · 0.66% property tax
Safety
1.0× 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
16%
10 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LGB
12 mi away

Living in Pico Rivera: common questions

What is the cost of living in Pico Rivera?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $753k, 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 Pico Rivera?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.66% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Pico Rivera safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.0× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Pico Rivera?

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

Does Pico Rivera get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.98 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Pico Rivera?

The nearest major airport is LGB, about 12 mi away.

How Pico Rivera scores

Each bar compares Pico Rivera 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 Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nightlife Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Tight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Houses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Pico Rivera right for you?

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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.