PlainZIP

Downey, CA · standard

ZIP Code 90242

Los Angeles County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

43,497
3,690/sq mi
$89,075
Median income
$761,000
Median home value
25.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Downey pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 28%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
3,690
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 90242 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 90242 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Downey, Los Angeles County, California, with 43,497 residents across 11.8 square miles, a density of 3,690 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 90242 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $89,075 (12% below the California average), while per-capita income is $34,568. Local economic indicators show a 9.7% poverty rate alongside 5.7% unemployment. Housing costs here run $761,000 for a typical home value (2% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,918 a month; 53.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is 29 minutes. To put 90242 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Los Angeles County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 90242

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Downey, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 90242.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 90242, Downey, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

43,497

Population

11.8

Area (sq mi)

3,690

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 90242?

37.7

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

32.9%

Foreign-Born

White 19.9%
African American 3.7%
Asian 8.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.5%
Two or More Ethnicities 26.0%
Hispanic or Latino 77.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$89,075

Median Household Income

-12% vs state

$34,568

Per Capita Income

9.7%

Poverty Rate

5.7%

Unemployment Rate

29.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 90242 ranks nationally

Downey, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$89,075 Top 28% higher than 72% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 50.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

12,670

Total Housing Units

12,419

Occupied Units

251

Vacant Units

3.23

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.4%
Renter 46.6%

$761,000

Median Home Value

-2% vs state

$1,918

Median Rent

1959

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+8.1%

YoY Change (2024)

390

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+290%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 90242 have increased 8.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +290% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 282
2021 +10.3% 311
2022 +14.7% 357
2023 +1.2% 361
2024 +8.1% 390

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 600 business establishments in ZIP 90242, employing approximately 16,330 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,292,648,000.

600

Businesses

16,330

Employees

$1.3B

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 96 16.0%
Accommodation and food services 86 14.3%
Retail trade 74 12.3%
Other services (except public administration) 61 10.2%
Transportation and warehousing 54 9.0%
Construction 51 8.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 38 6.3%
Finance and insurance 29 4.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 29 4.8%
Wholesale trade 23 3.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 19 3.2%
Manufacturing 16 2.7%
Information 10 1.7%
Educational services 6 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 90242 vs 90241 →

ZIP 90242 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 90242 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 90242 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 90242 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
90241 Downey, CA 42,399 1.5 mi
90723 Paramount, CA 54,099 2.2 mi
90706 Bellflower, CA 76,615 2.5 mi
90240 Downey, CA 25,876 2.7 mi
90262 Lynwood, CA 69,745 3.4 mi
90280 South Gate, CA 94,396 3.3 mi
90650 Norwalk, CA 105,549 3.5 mi
90201 Bell Gardens, CA 101,279 3.8 mi
90712 Lakewood, CA 31,499 5.1 mi
90040 Los Angeles, CA 12,520 5.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Los Angeles County

90650 standard
Norwalk, CA
Pop: 105,549
90011 standard
Los Angeles, CA
Pop: 103,892
91331 standard
Pacoima, CA
Pop: 103,689
90201 standard
Bell Gardens, CA
Pop: 101,279
90280 standard
South Gate, CA
Pop: 94,396
90805 standard
Long Beach, CA
Pop: 93,524

Related Areas

Los Angeles County Downey, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 90242 in? ▼
ZIP code 90242 (Downey) is located in Los Angeles County, California. Los Angeles County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/los-angeles-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 90242? ▼
ZIP code 90242 in Downey, CA has a population of 43,497 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 90242? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 90242 is $89,075, which is 17% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 90242? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 90242 is $761,000, which is 174% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 90242? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 90242 is Two or More Ethnicities at 26.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 77.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 90242? ▼
ZIP code 90242 has 600 business establishments employing approximately 16,330 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 90242? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 90242 are: Health care and social assistance (96), Accommodation and food services (86), Retail trade (74). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 90242? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 90242 increased by 8.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 290%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 90242? ▼
In ZIP code 90242, 50.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 90242? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 90242 is 29.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 90242? ▼
In ZIP code 90242, approximately 53.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 90242? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 90242 is 9.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.