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Hawthorne, CA

A town of about 85,191 people in Los Angeles County, part of the Los Angeles area. Resident comments and photos are about Hawthorne; job numbers cover the wider area.

The Los Angeles area:Arts and creative · Arts, design and media jobs 2.0x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

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Around Hawthorne

View southwest across Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California from an airplane heading toward Los Angeles International Airport
View southwest across Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California from an airplane heading toward Los Angeles International Airport · Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Iridium Mission
Iridium Mission · Photo: Official SpaceX Photos, CC0
Los Angeles Basin JPLLandsat
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Where it is
Hawthorne
Hawthorne in California
California in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Hawthorne's center.

68
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
135
coffee shops
165
parks
148
playgrounds
18
libraries
5
movie theaters
16
live theaters
8
museums
30
bookstores
1
comic shop
69
gyms
58
bars
33
pharmacies
4
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Hawthorne.

Bike lanes and bike paths
91 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
84 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 21,389 rented homes in Hawthorne, 74% rent for under $2,000 a month and 96% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 6%
$1,000 to $1,499: 25%
$1,500 to $1,999: 43%
$2,000 to $2,499: 17%
$2,500 to $2,999: 5%
$3,000 or more: 4%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Hawthorne rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $3,000 to $3,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $4,500 to $5,997 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,500 to $1,999, that's a yearly income of about $54,000 to $71,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to California: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the California DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: California voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

82 public school districts in this county, with about 1,154,190 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Hawthorne · Hawthorne
7,093 students · 24.8 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades K to 12
Los Angeles Unified · Los Angeles
427,795 students · 19.7 students per teacher · 785 schools · grades K to 12
Long Beach Unified · Long Beach
65,554 students · 24 students per teacher · 84 schools · grades K to 12
Glendale Unified · Glendale
24,456 students · 23.3 students per teacher · 34 schools · grades K to 12
Downey Unified · Downey
22,359 students · 23.9 students per teacher · 22 schools · grades K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

California keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$257/week
about $13,400 a year
$284/week
about $14,800 a year
Toddler (2)$221/week
about $11,500 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$225/week
about $11,700 a year
$222/week
about $11,500 a year
School-age$199/week
about $10,300 a year

For an infant at a center: $257/week here, $371 across CA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 14% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in California →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

107 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Hawthorne. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Southern California · Los Angeles
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 47,147 students · $68,237 a year
University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles
Public, 4-year · 46,678 students · $13,747 in-state, $44,524 out-of-state
University of the People · Pasadena
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 42,867 students · $1,200 a year
California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach
Public, 4-year · 40,278 students · $7,008 in-state, $18,888 out-of-state
California State University-Northridge · Northridge
Public, 4-year · 37,760 students · $7,095 in-state, $18,975 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$952,601
What a typical home sells for across the Los Angeles area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
30 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,616 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in CA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Very High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
4 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
18.6 per 100,000 people a year
1810 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. CA average: 21.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 69.5 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 67,777 people without housing in the Los Angeles City & County area: 23,362 in shelters and 44,415 outside, down from 71,201 in 2024. CA: 46.1 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$87,760
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.69% of home value a year
About $690 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 13.30%
CA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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