East Los Angeles, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

East Los Angeles is a major urban center located in California, within Los Angeles County. The total population is 111,647. It ranks as the 58th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in East Los Angeles is 34.7 years. This is 8% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in East Los Angeles is $68,741. This is 31% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.3%. This is 44% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.8%. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $643,100. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 33.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 40% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

East Los Angeles has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 95.5% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 2.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 33.8%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (95.5% vs 40.2%). The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

11.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 69% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 55.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for East Los Angeles, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.