Places › California › Rancho Palos Verdes

Living in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Suburb in California

Rancho Palos Verdes is a suburb in California, home to about 41,000 people, with 9.1 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Rancho Palos Verdes a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 27 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 76°F
  • Easy flying: LGB is 14 mi away
  • Big job market: about 9.1 million people live within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.53M, and rent is $3,300 a month
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.65% property tax

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

Key facts

Population
41,000
9.1 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
66°F / 76°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$1.53M
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 · 0.65% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
15 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
27
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
69%
8 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LGB
14 mi away

Living in Rancho Palos Verdes: common questions

What is the cost of living in Rancho Palos Verdes?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.53M, 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 Rancho Palos Verdes?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.65% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Rancho Palos Verdes safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Rancho Palos Verdes?

Rancho Palos Verdes is warm all year: winter days average around 66°F and summer days around 76°F.

Does Rancho Palos Verdes 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 0.52 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Rancho Palos Verdes?

The nearest major airport is LGB, about 14 mi away.

How Rancho Palos Verdes scores

Each bar compares Rancho Palos Verdes 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 Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit 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 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 Excellent
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Rancho Palos Verdes 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.