Michael Cudahy (1841–1910) 02, 1892
Cudahy’s story
66 years in pictures
Census counts: 16,998 in 1970, 22,811 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1892 and 8 maps from 1896 on.
- 1960Cudahy is settled
Population
21,445
2025 Census estimate · −6% since 2020
Typical home
$690K
+2.9% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
30.7
years
Jobs based here
3,290
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#737 of 841 in CA
Is Cudahy a good place to live?
Cudahy grades D− overall, 737th among California's 841 graded towns, mostly because of health and safety. Residents are less healthy than 88% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its crime rate is higher than 81% of U.S. towns, with 100 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. What it does well: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 94% of U.S. towns. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Cudahy, above both California’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Cudahy's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 100% of U.S. towns. Homes are expensive, about $690K for a typical one and 7.2 times the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income.
What makes Cudahy stand out
Where Cudahy beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Cudahy for work
Where Cudahy’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,290jobs based in Cudahy
3%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Cudahy grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Cudahy is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.1 of 20; 6.7% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthCommunity Hospital of Huntington Park 3 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC−Open →SafetyC−Open →Jobs & incomeCOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB−Open →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life0.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 87° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 30.7; 6% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 276 attractions →SoFi Stadium and 240 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cudahy. Close and well known come first.
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaSoFi Stadium
Big draw13 mi LandmarkHollywood Walk of Fame10.0M visitors a year
Big draw7 mi MuseumLucas Museum of Narrative Art
Big draw7 mi Stadium & arenaLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Big draw19 mi Theme parkDisneyland17.3M visitors a year
Big draw7 mi Stadium & arenaCrypto.com ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
SoFi Stadium: Thank You (21 Millions+) views, CC BY 2.0 · Hollywood Walk of Fame: BenSherman, Public domain · Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Kriddl, CC0 · Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: CanonStarGal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Disneyland: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Crypto.com Arena: Troutfarm27, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cudahy: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cudahy, and how to reach them.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTract 180 Mutual Water Co.No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpWednesdayTown’s haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLos Angeles Registrar-Recorder County ClerkLos Angeles County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9020190201 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cudahy.
Cudahy has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and fares better on crime within California than nationally, but it has poverty well above the California rate.
HealthD
Cudahy stands out in California and nationally, with more of its adults who say their health is fair or poor
40% of Cudahy adults say their health is fair or poor. Cudahy beats the California average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 23. 20% of Cudahy adults report frequent physical distress.
12%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Cudahy | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 22% | 19% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 24% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 36% | 33% |
32 measures vs. California
2 better7 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Cudahy | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.3% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 17.7% | 20.8% |
| More uninsured adults | 28.5% | 10.6% |
Community Hospital of Huntington Park
3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
8th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Cudahy’s public schools outperform 50% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Los Angeles Unified school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Elizabeth Learning Center, with 1,257 students.
50%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teresa Hughes ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 515 | – |
| Elizabeth Learning CenterLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 1,257 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
SafetyC−
Cudahy earns a C− for safety
At 37.4 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 69% of California’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 482 to 387 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Cudahy’s violent crime rate is 4.7 per 1,000 residents. Cudahy reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 81% report less.
19%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Cudahy | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 13.4 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cudahy4.7
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Cudahy13.4
California18.2
U.S.15.5
19th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
31st
percentile among CA towns
100
violent crimes reported in 2025
287
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Cudahy has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Cudahy for work: only 3% work in town. The median household income in Cudahy is $57,000. Jobs based in Cudahy grew to 3,290 in 2023, 713 more than in 2013.
3%work in town
| Cudahy | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 4.4% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Cudahy3%
Los Angeles25%
Commerce3%
Vernon3%
Santa Fe Springs3%
9 mi
median commute distance
3,290
jobs based in Cudahy
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Cudahy faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Cudahy
January nights average 47.2°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 85°.
Cudahy has warm winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
87°summer high
| Cudahy | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 47°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 85°F | 89°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter47–69°
Spring53–74°
Summer63–84°
Fall57–80°
+2.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
87°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade D
A smaller share of households in Cudahy own their home than in the typical California or U.S. town
14% of households own their home in Cudahy. The typical Cudahy home is worth about $690,000, up 2.9% in a year, 9% below the California typical home. 61% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent in Cudahy.
$690KZillow home value
| Cudahy | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 14% | 64% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 61% | 55% | 48% |
| Median rent | $1,711 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Cudahy$690K
California$762K
+2.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
2.5%conserved
| Cudahy | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
2.5%
conserved · 20 of 782 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cudahy Park | 0.3 mi | 9 |
| 2. Clara Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Lugo Park | 0.1 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cudahy
20pages on Cudahy
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 50% of CA districts · 4 schoolsSafetyC−4.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than CA on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$690K typical home · up 2.9% in a yearWork & commuteC$57K median household income · 3,290 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 78% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
72 within 15 miles of the center of Cudahy
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and ScienceUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Los Angeles4.4 mi$23,000 tuitionEast Los Angeles CollegeCommunity college · Public · Monterey Park5.6 mi$1,238 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-Los AngelesUniversity or college · Public · Los Angeles7.2 mi$7,160 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Cudahy residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
About Cudahy
City in California, United States
Cudahy ( KUD-ə-hay) is a city located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Cudahy has one of the highest population densities of any incorporated city in the United States. It is part of the Gateway Cities region and had a population of 22,811 as of the 2020 U.S. census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1960
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 121 ft
- Area code
- 323
Cudahy’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Cudahy.
BellSouth GateBell GardensHuntington ParkCudahy
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cudahy | #737 | D− | D | C− | B− | D |
| Bell | #690 | D | D | C− | B− | C− |
| South Gate | #640 | D | D | D | B− | C |
| Bell Gardens | #726 | D− | D | C | C | D |
| Huntington Park | #738 | D− | D | D | B− | C− |
Questions about Cudahy
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cudahy, CA a good place to live?
Cudahy grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #737 of 841 in California. It grades D for health, C− for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
What is Cudahy, CA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Alejandro Covarrubias and John Ferraro.