This year has seen the extension of two Metro lines to affluent communities. The income level around Metro stations can go from twice the amount of Los Angeles County’s median income to well below in a matter of a few stops. We decided to look at median household income levels along all the lines to get a clearer picture of who’s being served. While not a perfect measure, looking at income levels along the Los Angeles Metro stations offers a look at how income is distributed.

Blue Line

The Blue Line is Los Angeles’ oldest and second busiest Metro rail service serving some of Los Angeles County’s poorest residents. Only two stations are in areas where median incomes are above the county’s level. Little neighborhood development has occurred along the Blue Line stations compared with other lines due to a mix of economic and zoning factors, according to a recent report by Genevieve Giuliano of USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Highest

Union Station

Wardlow

$75,085

Lowest

Grand

$25,820

L.A. County

L.A. County

median income

median income

$55,870

Below

Below

Above

Above

Station

7th St./Metro Center

$29,774

DTLA

Pico

$29,597

Grand

$25,820

San Pedro

$26,662

Washington

$39,617

South L.A.

Vernon

$30,159

Slauson

$32,329

Florence

$34,306

Firestone

$34,000

103rd St./Watts Towers

$27,462

Willowbrook

$34,571

Compton

$41,308

Artesia

$47,380

Del Amo

$48,613

$75,085

Wardlow

Long Beach

$57,914

Willow

PCH

$31,898

Anaheim

$30,884

$36,946

5th St.

$40,272

1st St.

Downtown Long Beach

$43,164

$35,812

Pacific

Crenshaw Line

The $2.06 billion Crenshaw/LAX transit project is planned to open in 2019 and will serve neighborhoods in South L.A. and South Bay with mostly black and Latino residents.

Highest

Westchester/Veterans

Union Station

$53,682

Lowest

Fairview Heights

$33,752

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Station

Below

Above

$36,813

Expo/Crenshaw

South L.A.

$45,927

MLK

$43,300

Leimert Park

$42,028

Hyde Park

Fairview Heights

$33,752

South Bay

Downtown Inglewood

$38,151

Westchester/

$53,682

Veterans

$42,660

Aviation/Century

Expo Line

Construction of the Expo Line extension was completed in 2015 and is expected to open in early 2016. Stations along the extension reside in more affluent and predominantly white areas.

Highest

Union Station

Westwood/Rancho Park

$85,662

Lowest

Jefferson/USC

$19,642

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Below

Above

Station

7th St./Metro Center

$29,774

DTLA

Pico

$29,597

23rd St.

$22,015

$19,642

Jefferson/USC

South L.A.

Expo Park/USC

$23,261

Expo/Vermont

$23,800

Expo/Western

$36,427

Expo/Crenshaw

$38,813

Farmdale

$29,129

Expo/La Brea

$34,043

La Cienega/Jefferson

$59,123

$62,074

Culver City

West L.A.

$64,522

Palms

Westwood/

Rancho Park

$85,662

Expo/Sepulveda

$72,604

Expo/Bundy

$67,262

26th St./Bergamot

$66,354

17th St./Santa

$65,728

Monica College

$61,121

Downtown

Gold Line

Stations in Pasadena and elsewhere in the San Gabriel Valley are mostly above the county median income level. Levels sharply decrease when entering downtown Los Angeles. The Gold Line extension to Azusa finished construction in 2015 and is scheduled to open March 5.

Highest

Fillmore

Union Station

$84,085

Lowest

Little Tokyo/Arts District

$21,872

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Station

Below

Above

APU/Citrus College

$54,863

San Gabriel Valley

Azusa Downtown

$55,677

$65,247

Irwindale

$54,179

Duarte/City of Hope

$68,424

Monrovia

$75,169

Arcadia

Pasadena

$83,575

Sierra Madre Villa

Allen

$66,389

Lake

$59,603

$61,880

Memorial Park

Del Mar

$79,949

$84,085

Fillmore

$80,459

South Pasadena

Highland Park

$44,288

DTLA

Southwest Museum

$42,589

Heritage Square

$40,216

Lincoln/Cypress

$40,839

Chinatown

$23,137

Union Station

$24,278

Little Tokyo/ Arts District

$21,872

Pico/Aliso

$35,272

Mariachi Plaza

$27,701

East L.A.

Soto

$29,167

Indiana

$38,122

Maravilla

$36,638

East L.A. Civic Center

$35,460

Atlantic

$44,699

Green Line

The Douglas station had the highest median income among the Metro rail stations. The Green Line was built along the 105 Freeway as a result of a legal settlement with Caltrans. The line is the only rail line to not service downtown Los Angeles.

Highest

Douglas

Union Station

$126,005

Lowest

Willowbrook

$31,338

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Station

Below

Above

$82,425

Redondo Beach

South Bay

Douglas

$126,005

$119,423

El Segundo

Mariposa

$71,442

$51,752

Aviation/LAX

Hawthorne/Lennox

$36,531

Crenshaw

$52,543

Vermont/Athens

$32,102

South L.A.

Harbor Freeway

$33,469

Avalon

$40,110

Willowbrook

$31,338

Long Beach Blvd.

$39,143

Southeast L.A.

Lakewood Blvd.

$58,565

Norwalk

$60,017

Purple Line

Phase one of three of the construction has begun and is expected to open in 2024, allowing riders to commute to Wilshire and La Cienega. The entire extension line project is estimated to cost $7.2 billion.

Highest

Century City

Union Station

$107,432

Lowest

Westlake/McArthur Park

$22,404

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Below

Above

Station

Union Station

$24,278

DTLA

Civic Center

$33,689

Pershing Square

$23,791

7th St./Metro Center

$29,774

Westlake/

McArthur Park

$22,404

Central L.A.

$32,064

Wilshire/Vermont

$33,542

Wilshire/Normandie

$33,965

Wilshire/Western

$74,326

Wilshire/La Brea

$71,754

Wilshire/Fairfax

$73,013

Wilshire/La Cienega

Wilshire/Rodeo

$99,326

West L.A.

Century City

$107,432

Westwood/UCLA

$65,409

VA Hospital

$79,170

Red Line

Universal City was the only station above the county median income level. The Red Line was one of the most controversial subway lines, according to Genevieve Giuliano at USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. The rail line plan was originally supposed to run from downtown to Fairfax via Wilshire Boulevard but faced so much opposition that the route was altered to go through Vermont Avenue up to San Fernando Valley.

Highest

Union Station

Universal City

$83,622

Lowest

Westlake/McArthur Park

$22,404

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Below

Above

Station

Union Station

$24,278

DTLA

Civic Center

$33,689

Pershing Square

$23,791

7th St. /Metro Center

$29,774

Westlake/

McArthur Park

$22,404

Central L.A.

$32,064

Wilshire /Vermont

$34,449

Vermont/Beverly

$34,711

Vermont/Santa Monica

$42,537

Vermont/Sunset

$31,779

Hollywood/Western

$34,807

Hollywood/Vine

$46,075

Hollywood/Highalnd

Universal City

$83,622

San Fernando Valley

North Hollywood

$45,947

Regional Connector

The $1.43 billion rail project plans to allow commuters to connect to multiple stations and allow direct travel between Azusa and Long Beach and East L.A. and Santa Monica. It is scheduled to open in 2020.

Union Station

L.A. County

median income

$55,870

Below

Above

Station

2nd St./Hope

$35,137

DTLA

$24,947

2nd St./Broadway

$20,870

1st/Central Ave.

Methodology