What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Downey, CA, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Downey is a city in Los Angeles County, California, with an estimated population of 109,368. It anchors the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area. The population has contracted 1.1% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Downey is $888,820 as of 2026-04, up 1.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Downey average $2,240 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.7%). The composite momentum score is 61 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (+1.6% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- Held the highs: currently -0.2% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
- The data is the data: Downey has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.
Things to know first
- Net out-migration: population shrinking 1.1% per year — services, schools, and tax base will follow.
- Expensive AND not growing: median home $888,820 with only +1.6% YoY. You're paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
More about Downey
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.