Compton, CA

Census place 0615044 · pop 92,698

F18/ 100
🚽 Totally Shcity
F
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.75% · top 32%
🚽 Disaster100/100 · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

Cradle of West Coast gangsta rap and hometown of N.W.A, Dr. Dre, and Kendrick Lamar.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.75% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1001

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate1272/100k2

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

1272 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Bachelor's degree or higher10.6%3

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

10.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Air quality (AQI)County-level80 AQI3

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

80 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level133 days3

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

133 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults20.3%7

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

20.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.5%7

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

5.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate3223/100k10

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

3223 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Population growth (5yr)-4.2%10

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-4.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Physical inactivity34.2%11

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

34.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health19.7%14

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

19.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Rent$2,580/mo15

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,580/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$580,20015

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$580,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time30 min15

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Broadband access86.3%17

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

86.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poverty rate17.9%23

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

17.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Homeownership56.4%29

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

56.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult smoking14.5%38

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$78,46555

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$78,465 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity33.7%57

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Income inequality0.4166

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property-tax burden0.75%68

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.75% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Compton, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Compton scores 18/100 — a F (Totally Shcity) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is natural disaster risk. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Compton, CA?
Compton reports 1272 violent crimes per 100k and 3223 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Compton, CA expensive to live in?
Compton has a median home value of $580,200 and typical rent around $2,580/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Compton, CA?
Its weakest measured area is natural disaster risk (100/100) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Compton, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.75%) — 68/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Cradle of West Coast gangsta rap and hometown of N.W.A, Dr. Dre, and Kendrick Lamar.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.