ZIP Code 90242: Population, Income, Housing

State: CA

Total population: 40,767 Household income: $89,075 Rent: $1,918

Overview

Total population

40,767

Rent

$1,918

Year built

1959

Household income

$89,075

Per capita income

$34,568

Poverty rate

9.7%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

3.2 persons

Rent over 30% of income

59.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

California

County

Los Angeles County

City

Downey

Total population

40,767

Adults over 25

28,565

Total households

12,419

Household size

3.2 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$89,075

Per capita income

$34,568

Poverty rate

9.7%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

59.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,918

Year built

1959

Households that rent

46.6%

Households that own

53.4%

Rooms per home (all homes)

4.8

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

19.9%

Black

3.7%

Asian

Two or more races

26%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

77.1%

Not Hispanic or Latino

22.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

16,989 (88.1%)

Commute time to work

29 mins

Work from home

2,295 (11.9%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

38.8%

High school graduate or GED

24.8%

Some college or associate degree

11.1%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

25.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 90242 with: Los Angeles County, CA Downey, CA Los Angeles metro area, CA California United States

ZIP 90242

Total population40,767

Rent$1,918

Year built1959

Household income$89,075

Per capita income$34,568

Poverty rate9.7%

Unemployment rateN/A

Los Angeles County, CA

Total population9,808,667

Rent$1,954

Year built1965

Household income$90,112

Per capita income$45,792

Poverty rate13.7%

Unemployment rate5.7%

Downey, CA

Total population110,939

Rent$1,937

Year built1959

Household income$90,699

Per capita income$38,523

Poverty rate9%

Unemployment rate5.2%

Los Angeles Metro Area, CA

Total population12,974,487

Rent$2,063

Year built1969

Household income$95,958

Per capita income$47,931

Poverty rate12.7%

Unemployment rate5.4%

California State

Total population39,287,377

Rent$2,036

Year built1976

Household income$99,122

Per capita income$49,513

Poverty rate12%

Unemployment rate5.3%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP90242	CountyLos Angeles, CA	CityDowney, CA	Metro AreaLos Angeles metro area, CA	StateCalifornia	CountryUnited States
Total population	40,767	9,808,667	110,939	12,974,487	39,287,377	334,922,499
Rent	$1,918	$1,954	$1,937	$2,063	$2,036	$1,413
Year built	1959	1965	1959	1969	1976	1980
Household income	$89,075	$90,112	$90,699	$95,958	$99,122	$80,734
Per capita income	$34,568	$45,792	$38,523	$47,931	$49,513	$44,673
Poverty rate	9.7%	13.7%	9%	12.7%	12%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	5.7%	5.2%	5.4%	5.3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 90242

Rent & Income

In 90242, the typical monthly rent is $1,918 and the typical household income is $89,075. Rent here is similar to Downey and lower than California, and household income is similar to Downey and lower than California. The estimated poverty rate is 9.7%, which is higher than the Downey rate but lower than the California rate.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 46.6% of households, indicating a relatively balanced mix of renters and owners. About 59.2% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 25.4% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 90242 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 90242 — Poverty

How ZIP 90242 compares in California (613 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,918	246 / 613	from lower rent	$1,054 – $3,501
Household income	$89,075	375 / 613	from higher income	$35,378 – $250,001
Poverty rate	9.7%	248 / 613	from lower poverty	2.2% – 39.6%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in California with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 90242

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 90242 places 246th out of 613 ZIP Codes in California. Throughout California, numbers span from $1,054 in ZIP 92243 up to $3,501 in ZIP 90275.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 375th out of 613 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $35,378 in ZIP 90007 up to $250,001 in ZIP 95070.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 90242 comes 248th out of 613 ZIP Codes. In California as a whole, the range goes from 2.2% in ZIP 95120 up to 39.6% in ZIP 90007.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 90242 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,918 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 90242

Annual Household Income: $89,075

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 90242

Estimated Rate: 9.7%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 90242

In ZIP Code 90242, households that rent: 5,787 (46.6%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	5,787	46.6%
Owner-Occupied	6,632	53.4%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 90242

In ZIP Code 90242, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 3,426 (59.2%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	3,426	59.2%
Other renter households	2,361	40.8%
Total renter households	5,787	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 90242

Less than High School: 11,070 people (38.8%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,074 people (24.8%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,160 people (11.1%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 7,261 people (25.4%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 28,565

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.