Population 84,444 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gardena
Household size in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.88 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.01 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.02 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.91 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Gardena is a place of big households: 2.91 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Even so, the typical household here is smaller than in the wider Los Angeles area, where it has 3.01 people. Household size has crept up from 2.88 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.8 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.5 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
At 40.2, the median age in Gardena is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.2, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Gardena: 15.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Gardena has a higher share of single-parent households than most California cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Gardena
Renters in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.2% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.4% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.5% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.8% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Gardena than nationally: 49.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 35.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the west.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.2% of homes in Gardena are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Gardena is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Gardena has older homes than the great majority of California cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $995 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,139 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,359 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,887 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$891 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Gardena pays $1,887 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the wider Los Angeles area ($2,279). Rent has climbed $891 a month since 2006–10, up 90%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Gardena
Bachelor's degrees in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.3% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Gardena than nationally: 28.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.3% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.9% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.1% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Gardena never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.3 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Gardena
| Period | Gardena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Gardena than nationally: unemployment was 6.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Gardena compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardena | 2.91 | 40.2 | 15.1% | 49.8% | 5.2% | 1964 | $1,887 | 28.3% | 80.1% | 6.4% |
| West Athens | 3.22 | 36.0 | 20.0% | 43.7% | 4.2% | 1967 | $1,697 | 23.7% | 82.3% | 8.7% |
| Lawndale | 3.16 | 38.7 | 11.9% | 59.1% | 6.7% | 1967 | $2,013 | 21.7% | 73.5% | 8.7% |
| Hawthorne | 2.90 | 34.8 | 17.3% | 73.0% | 5.6% | 1970 | $1,967 | 25.3% | 79.0% | 8.1% |
| Westmont | 3.40 | 33.0 | 28.1% | 71.7% | 6.9% | 1955 | $1,443 | 13.3% | 71.1% | 10.5% |
| Willowbrook | 3.57 | 36.0 | 19.0% | 48.2% | 5.2% | 1961 | $1,611 | 12.2% | 62.1% | 11.3% |
| Del Aire | 3.15 | 38.4 | 11.2% | 32.9% | 8.2% | 1963 | $2,305 | 39.8% | 85.0% | 3.5% |
| Compton | 3.87 | 34.3 | 18.6% | 41.1% | 5.6% | 1959 | $1,764 | 11.3% | 66.9% | 7.8% |
| Torrance | 2.71 | 42.4 | 8.5% | 47.7% | 7.7% | 1964 | $2,478 | 50.1% | 93.0% | 6.2% |
| Lennox | 3.67 | 35.7 | 15.5% | 74.0% | 4.9% | 1960 | $1,491 | 10.2% | 56.6% | 6.5% |
| Carson | 3.49 | 42.7 | 13.3% | 26.0% | 5.3% | 1966 | $2,228 | 29.5% | 84.7% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Phoenix, AZ · Palm Harbor, FL · Palm Coast, FL · Pembroke Pines, FL · Peoria, IL · Philadelphia, PA · Manchester, NH · Middletown, OH · Mesa, AZ · Marysville, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Gardena. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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