Walnutroadsign, 2005
Walnut’s story
118 years in pictures
Census counts: 934 in 1960, 28,430 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1860 and 7 maps from 1894 on.
- 1908Walnut is settled
Population
27,316
2025 Census estimate · −3.9% since 2020
Typical home
$1.17M
+2% in a year
Household income
$129K
median
Median age
46.8
years
Jobs based here
9,015
Balanced
TownGrade
B
#127 of 841 in CA
Is Walnut a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Walnut grades B overall, 127th among California's 841 graded towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 86% of the country and the median household earns $129K. What holds it back is price: the typical home is worth about $1.2 million, 12.2 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income. Walnut’s going rate for rent is $3,202 a month, above both the California town median ($1,895 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Walnut is more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. Walnut is home to Mt San Antonio College.
What makes Walnut stand out
Where Walnut beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
College town
Mt San Antonio College calls Walnut home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Walnut grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Walnut is from typical.
Its grades run from A for health (better than 86% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 1%), so the B overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingD−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →HealthEmanate Health Inter-Community Hospital 4.2 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.5 of 20; 3.1% of households have no car; 2.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors9% conserved landAOpen →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life5.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 91° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market36 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.8; 57% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 278 attractions →Disneyland and 242 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Walnut. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi Theme parkDisneyland17.3M visitors a year
Big draw28 mi Stadium & arenaSoFi Stadium
Big draw28 mi LandmarkHollywood Walk of Fame10.0M visitors a year
Big draw25 mi MuseumLucas Museum of Narrative Art
Big draw16 mi Theme parkKnott's Berry Farm4.5M visitors a year
Big draw25 mi Stadium & arenaLos Angeles Memorial ColiseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Disneyland: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 · 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 · Knott's Berry Farm: Phydend at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: CanonStarGal, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Walnut: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Walnut, and how to reach them.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterThree Valleys Mwd water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpValley Vista ServicesTrash haulerTown site
SchoolsWalnut Valley Unified School DistrictRowland Unified School District2 districts serve Walnut; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 code9178991789 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 Walnut.
Walnut has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and has less tooth loss than most of California, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of California.
OutdoorsA
Walnut has set aside 9.4% of its land for conservation
Walkers can cover 28 miles of trail in 12 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Voorhis Ecological Reserve, at 64 acres. In Walnut, the trail network density is 3.1 miles per square mile.
#75for trails in CA
| Walnut | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 3.1 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 9.4% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
9.4%
conserved · 537 of 5,729 acres
28 mi
of trails · 3.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Snow Creek Park | 1.1 mi | 25 |
| 2. Mt. SAC Wildlife Sanctuary | 1 mi | 16 |
| 3. Suzanne Park | 0.9 mi | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
Public schools in Walnut beat 84% of California districts
Its A− for schools comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.17M.
Its public schools are run by the Walnut Valley Unified school district. Of its 11 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason. Public school enrollment locally: 3,255 students across 5 schools.
84%of CA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzanne MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,190 | – |
| Walnut HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,148 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade D−
Walnut’s grade for cost of living is a D−
At 12.2 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income, the typical home (about $1.17M) costs more against local pay than in 86% of California towns; that ratio is one input to that grade. The median property tax bill is $7,897, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
For households in Walnut, the share who live in a home they own is 84%. The typical Walnut home is worth about $1,169,000, up 2% in a year, 54% above the California typical home. A home in Walnut typically sold within 36 days of listing.
$1.17MZillow home value
Typical home value
Walnut$1.17M
California$762K
Market temperature
36
days on market
101.7%
sale-to-list price
+2%
value change, 1 year
12
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthA
Walnut stands out in California and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have been diagnosed with depression
Its widest gap with California is tooth loss: 4.9% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 10.6% statewide. Against the 4,606 U.S. towns with household incomes like Walnut’s, it is healthier than 59%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
Just over a tenth of Walnut adults worry about having enough food. Among 847 California towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who have obesity than Walnut. Two figures for adults locally: 11% report frequent mental distress, 11% binge drink. This California town does better than the California average on 24 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 3.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Walnut | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 29% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 17% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 16% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. California
24 better5 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Walnut | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.9% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.5% | 7.3% |
| More adults with high cholesterol | 41.7% | 35.4% |
Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital
4.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
77th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Walnut faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
3 flood insurance claims have been paid in Walnut since 1980. On expected storm and flood damage, Walnut sits above 87% of U.S. communities. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2025. FEMA puts half of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 48% to inland flooding.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
3
paid flood claims since 1980
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Walnut has mild winters and hot summers
January nights average 45.2°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 88.9°.
The town’s January low stands at 45°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
91°summer high
| Walnut | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 45°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 89°F | 89°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter45–68°
Spring51–75°
Summer62–87°
Fall56–81°
+2.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Walnut has 0.8 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Commuting out is the norm in Walnut: 8% of working residents work locally. Employers in Walnut added 1,321 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 9,015. The share of workers in Walnut who do their job from home: 20%. The top destinations are Los Angeles (14%), Industry (6%) and Pomona (3%).
8%work in town
| Walnut | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $129,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 20% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Walnut8%
Los Angeles14%
Industry6%
Pomona3%
Diamond Bar3%
15 mi
median commute distance
9,015
jobs based in Walnut
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyB−
Walnut reports more crime per resident than 55% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 472 to 339 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within California, it does better than 75% of towns. Walnut’s violent offense rate comes in at 1 per 1,000 residents.
45%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| Walnut | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.6 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Walnut1
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Walnut11.6
California18.2
U.S.15.5
45th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
75th
percentile among CA towns
26
violent crimes reported in 2025
313
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Walnut
20pages on Walnut
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 84% of CA districts · 11 schoolsSafetyB−1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than CA on 24 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$1.17M typical home · up 2% in a yearWork & commuteA$129K median household income · 9,015 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
32 within 15 miles of the center of Walnut
Mt San Antonio CollegeCommunity college · Public · WalnutIn town$1,364 in-state tuitionCalifornia State Polytechnic University-PomonaUniversity or college · Public · Pomona2.4 mi$7,780 in-state tuitionInterCoast Colleges-West CovinaUniversity or college · Private for-profit · West Covina3.4 mi
About 7 of every 100 Walnut residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
Get outside
28 miles of trails in Walnut
9.4% of the town is conserved land, across 12 parks and preserves.
1
Snow Creek Park1.1 mi of trails · 25 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Walnut
City in California, United States
Walnut is a city in the San Gabriel Valley of eastern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 28,430. The greater Walnut Valley is located between the steep San Jose Hills to the north and the gently sloping Puente Hills to the south. Quality housing consists of master-planned single family homes ranging in size from 1,800 to 11,200 sq ft (170 to 1,040 m2). The city hosts a highly ranked public school system: the Walnut Valley Unified School District, which has been ranked by numerous sources as one of the top public school districts in Southern California, as well as Mt. San Antonio College. The city covers nearly 9 sq …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1959
- Area
- 9.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 561 ft
- ZIP code
- 91788, 91789
Walnut’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Walnut.
West CovinaIndustryPomonaWalnut
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut | #127 | B | D− | B− | A− | A |
| West Covina | #387 | C | D− | C | B+ | B+ |
| Industry | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pomona | #671 | D | D | D | C+ | C+ |
Industry isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Walnut with a neighbor →
Questions about Walnut
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Walnut, CA a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Walnut grades B overall, better than 62% of U.S. towns and #127 of 841 in California. It grades A for health, B− for safety and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Walnut, CA safe?
Within California, it does better than 75% of towns.
Is Walnut, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
What is Walnut, CA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Darius McCrary and Kyle MacKinnon.