The small working-class city of Bell not only paid some of its officials the highest municipal salaries in the state, but its residents pay the highest property tax rates of all but one of Los Angeles County's 88 cities, county tax records show.
Use this chart and map to see how your city's rate compares. Keep in mind that even within cities such rates can vary due to additional assessments for schools or special services that may apply to only some areas.
This chart uses the highest tax rate for the assessed value of homes in each city. It does not account for direct assessments for services such as lighting, sewage, refuse and others charged by cities.
All county property owners pay 1% general property tax, along with special or direct assessments levied by their municipalities. The countywide average of all tax rates is 1.16%, or $11.60 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
| City | Rank | Median Income | Population | Property tax percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | 1 | $66,616 | 803 | 1.926277 |
| Bell | 2 | $40,556 | 38,867 | 1.553634 |
| Compton | 3 | $43,157 | 99,769 | 1.531274 |
| San Fernando | 4 | $54,068 | 25,366 | 1.463421 |
| El Monte | 5 | $44,415 | 126,464 | 1.397056 |
| Huntington Park | 6 | $39,185 | 64,219 | 1.389221 |
| Palmdale | 7 | $63,317 | 152,622 | 1.386055 |
| Maywood | 8 | $41,203 | 30,034 | 1.350846 |
| Montebello | 9 | $52,623 | 65,781 | 1.322016 |
| Inglewood | 10 | $46,574 | 119,053 | 1.279126 |
| San Gabriel | 11 | $56,687 | 42,984 | 1.268112 |
| Monrovia | 12 | $61,504 | 39,984 | 1.222003 |
| Los Angeles | 13 | $48,610 | 4,094,764 | 1.220441 |
| Baldwin Park | 14 | $56,585 | 81,604 | 1.191021 |
| Lynwood | 15 | $48,518 | 73,295 | 1.185855 |
| Monterey Park | 16 | $55,210 | 65,027 | 1.183800 |
| Carson | 17 | $70,645 | 98,047 | 1.179221 |
| Gardena | 18 | $52,897 | 61,927 | 1.179221 |
| Lomita | 19 | $59,059 | 21,015 | 1.179221 |
| South Gate | 20 | $48,312 | 101,914 | 1.179221 |
| Vernon | 21 | $81,279 | 96 | 1.179221 |
| West Hollywood | 22 | $52,855 | 37,805 | 1.179221 |
| Pomona | 23 | $54,242 | 163,683 | 1.175465 |
| Santa Clarita | 24 | $88,987 | 177,641 | 1.150565 |
| Sierra Madre | 25 | $88,008 | 11,099 | 1.149366 |
| Diamond Bar | 26 | $92,414 | 61,019 | 1.146754 |
| Walnut | 27 | $106,893 | 32,659 | 1.146754 |
| Lancaster | 28 | $56,069 | 145,875 | 1.142119 |
| Pasadena | 29 | $62,825 | 151,576 | 1.135666 |
| Paramount | 30 | $49,815 | 57,989 | 1.130620 |
| South El Monte | 31 | $46,912 | 22,627 | 1.127983 |
| Bell Gardens | 32 | $41,532 | 47,002 | 1.124141 |
| Commerce | 33 | $46,245 | 13,581 | 1.124141 |
| Cudahy | 34 | $39,048 | 26,029 | 1.124141 |
| Claremont | 35 | $89,804 | 37,608 | 1.122970 |
| Hawthorne | 36 | $43,602 | 90,145 | 1.122403 |
| Pico Rivera | 37 | $56,683 | 66,967 | 1.116714 |
| Covina | 38 | $66,438 | 49,622 | 1.115932 |
| Irwindale | 39 | $60,959 | 1,717 | 1.115932 |
| South Pasadena | 40 | $76,229 | 25,881 | 1.115736 |
| Hawaiian Gardens | 41 | $46,853 | 15,884 | 1.114851 |
| Lakewood | 42 | $78,764 | 83,636 | 1.114851 |
| Long Beach | 43 | $50,985 | 494,709 | 1.114851 |
| Signal Hill | 44 | $66,283 | 11,465 | 1.114851 |
| Santa Monica | 45 | $69,013 | 92,703 | 1.113924 |
| Avalon | 46 | $53,200 | 3,559 | 1.110551 |
| Arcadia | 47 | $75,808 | 56,719 | 1.108212 |
| Whittier | 48 | $66,891 | 87,128 | 1.108113 |
| La Verne | 49 | $83,352 | 34,051 | 1.106154 |
| San Dimas | 50 | $84,953 | 36,946 | 1.106154 |
| Rosemead | 51 | $49,387 | 57,756 | 1.105771 |
| San Marino | 52 | $158,855 | 13,415 | 1.105547 |
| Glendora | 53 | $81,336 | 52,830 | 1.102878 |
| Santa Fe Springs | 54 | $60,445 | 17,929 | 1.102532 |
| Malibu | 55 | $138,215 | 13,765 | 1.102020 |
| Bradbury | 56 | $123,773 | 963 | 1.100839 |
| Duarte | 57 | $68,539 | 23,124 | 1.100839 |
| La Cañada Flintridge | 58 | $148,996 | 21,261 | 1.097732 |
| Lawndale | 59 | $53,150 | 33,641 | 1.095951 |
| Alhambra | 60 | $53,224 | 89,501 | 1.092625 |
| La Puente | 61 | $55,902 | 43,355 | 1.089743 |
| Downey | 62 | $61,839 | 113,715 | 1.087909 |
| Beverly Hills | 63 | $96,312 | 36,224 | 1.087422 |
| La Mirada | 64 | $83,514 | 50,015 | 1.083945 |
| Norwalk | 65 | $62,412 | 109,817 | 1.083945 |
| West Covina | 66 | $71,898 | 112,890 | 1.082586 |
| Agoura Hills | 67 | $117,608 | 23,387 | 1.081784 |
| Calabasas | 68 | $126,178 | 23,788 | 1.081784 |
| Hidden Hills | 69 | $203,199 | 2,025 | 1.081784 |
| Westlake Village | 70 | $126,550 | 8,872 | 1.081784 |
| Azusa | 71 | $53,299 | 49,207 | 1.081067 |
| Temple City | 72 | $65,965 | 35,892 | 1.076403 |
| El Segundo | 73 | $83,925 | 17,049 | 1.075655 |
| Torrance | 74 | $76,866 | 149,717 | 1.075651 |
| Redondo Beach | 75 | $92,263 | 68,105 | 1.074358 |
| Glendale | 76 | $57,112 | 207,902 | 1.073990 |
| Burbank | 77 | $64,416 | 108,469 | 1.071625 |
| Culver City | 78 | $70,774 | 40,722 | 1.061782 |
| Manhattan Beach | 79 | $136,481 | 36,773 | 1.059263 |
| Palos Verdes Estates | 80 | $167,344 | 14,085 | 1.055672 |
| Rancho Palos Verdes | 81 | $128,321 | 42,893 | 1.055672 |
| Rolling Hills | 82 | $184,777 | 1,974 | 1.055672 |
| Rolling Hills Estates | 83 | $145,628 | 8,157 | 1.055672 |
| Artesia | 84 | $60,538 | 17,608 | 1.049796 |
| Cerritos | 85 | $98,212 | 54,946 | 1.049796 |
| Hermosa Beach | 86 | $109,509 | 19,599 | 1.036418 |
| La Habra Heights | 87 | $137,034 | 6,161 | 1.036080 |
| Bellflower | 88 | $53,325 | 77,312 | 1.022843 |
Interactive: Anthony Pesce | Reporting: Kim Christensen
Source: Property tax rates, County of Los Angeles Auditor-Controller Tax Division, Fiscal Year 2009-2010; | Household income, U.S. Census 2000 [data for city of Los Angeles is based on 2008 estimates.] | Population, Department of Finance 2010 estimate