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South Gate vs Paramount

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: rent (+22% in Paramount) and home values (+19% in South Gate).

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South Gate, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 91,483 people
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Paramount, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 52,050 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

South GateOne of the healthiest towns
Health69% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#197 most walkable in CA2.9 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 8%of U.S. towns we grade All about South Gate →
ParamountAn outdoors town
Outdoors#183 most walkable in CA3.6 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves Health71% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 9%of U.S. towns we grade All about Paramount →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Rent+22%
Rent runs higher in Paramount
Paramount $1,875South Gate $1,531
Home values+19%
Homes cost more in South Gate
South Gate $636,300Paramount $533,700
Typical home built19 yrs
South Gate’s homes are older
Paramount 1971South Gate 1952
Average commute4 min
Paramount has the shorter commute
South Gate 33 minParamount 28 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $230 more a month in South Gate

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

South Gate$3,990/mo
Typical home $693K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,531/mo · Housing →
Paramount$3,760/mo
Typical home $647K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,875/mo · Housing →

The difference: $230 a month, about $2,700 a year, between South Gate and Paramount.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

South Gate and Paramount share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

South GateParamountSouth GateParamount
South Gate ↔ Paramount3.4 miles apart · They share a border
Report cards

Paramount places higher on 14 of 23 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
DSouth GateSafer than 8% of U.S. towns DParamountSafer than 9% of U.S. towns
Schools
B−South GateBetter than 49% of districts in the state C+ParamountBetter than 36% of districts in the state
Health
CSouth GateHealthier than 31% of U.S. towns CParamountHealthier than 29% of U.S. towns
8South Gate
14Paramount

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #641#272 Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #174#361 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #174#283 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #654#441 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #223#401 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #256#369 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #578#454 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #424#530

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of South Gate’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
South GateParamount
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th87th
Outdoors & history
South GateParamount
Trails3 mi4 mi
Conserved land3.4%2.5%
Settled19231957
Archive photos111
Famous people born here3411
Community
South GateParamount
Library hours a week40 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

South GateParamount
People
Population 91,483Highest 52,050Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.8%Lowest CA: +6.1% -0.7%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 36.3±1Highest 4% below CA 33.4±1.2Lowest 12% below CA
Kids under 18 22.6%±1.2Lowest CA: 22% 25.1%±1.9Highest CA: 22%
Paramount and South Gate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 12.4%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7% 10.1%±1Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.3%Lowest CA: 37.1% 14.9%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.5%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6% 8%±1Highest CA: 7.6%
Paramount and South Gate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,571±$3kLowest 25% below CA $75,250±$6kHighest 24% below CA
Paramount and South Gate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $636,300±$9kHighest 13% below CA $533,700±$26kLowest 27% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,531±$47Lowest 25% below CA $1,875±$55Highest 8% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,932Highest 23% below CA $3,681Lowest 28% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.4%±4.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 58.7%±4.9Highest CA: 55.3%
Paramount and South Gate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.7%Highest CA: 12% 12.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 45.3%Highest CA: 55.9% 43%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1952Lowest 24 yrs older than CA 1971Highest 5 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 13% above CA 28 minLowest about the CA average
Work from home 7%±1.2Lowest CA: 17.2% 7.3%±1.2Highest CA: 17.2%
Paramount and South Gate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.8%Lowest 7.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 10.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Lowest 0.77Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (26%)Los Angeles (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ParamountFew work in South Gate
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.4%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.9 miLowest 3.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11Highest 10Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 108Lowest 111Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #256 of 574 in CA#369 of 574 in CA
School district Westbrook Academy District · KIPP Corazon Academy DistrictParamount Unified
High school in town South East HighParamount High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.3Highest 19.3Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

South Gate neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to South Gate’s Town Square.

Paramount neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Paramount’s Town Square.

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Bordering South Gate

+ Compare
Lynwood64,578 people · $598K homes
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Downey110,939 people · $797K homes
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Walnut Park14,958 people · $589K homes
C
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Cudahy22,087 people · $494K homes

Towns like South Gate

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El Monte106,109 people · $644K homes
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Watsonville51,712 people · $686K homes
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Bellflower76,819 people · $706K homes
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Compton92,698 people · $580K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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