The River East neighborhood stands out for access to major roads in El Monte, a San Gabriel Valley city east of Los Angeles. "It's where the 10 and 605 meet on the outskirts of El Monte, going into Baldwin Park," says Alma Aguilar, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. She says Baldwin Park, a neighboring city east of Interstate 605, is somewhat less commercial and industrial than El Monte.
Foothill Transit's bus from Puente Hills Mall to El Monte Station stops on Cogswell Road. LA Metro buses also run in the city, and there's Metro Micro on-demand rideshare, a fixed-route transportation service and a commuter shuttle. Metrolink's light rail runs out of El Monte Station. The neighborhood's east side is closest to I-605, so noise could sometimes be an issue. Interstate 10 is to the south, and it's about a 15-mile trip west to reach Downtown LA and 30 miles to Los Angeles International Airport, also known as LAX.
The neighborhood has ranch-style homes from the 1940s through the 1970s. Larger contemporary and Traditional homes, many with Mediterranean-inspired elements, were added from the 1980s to the 2020s. Some homes are in gated communities. Single-family home prices are in the $600,000s to $900,000s. Condos and townhouses, primarily dating to the 1980s and 1990s, are in the $500,000s to $700,000s.
Several miles west of River East is downtown El Monte, which many locals call Valley Mall. In addition to its wide variety of stores, it's a gathering place throughout the year for events held around Main Street. There's a Lunar New Year celebration with performances and a parade, a Mother's Day Sidewalk Serenade with mariachi music and the El Monte Sizzling Car Show in July. The El Monte Farmers Market is held on Thursdays from March through October.
The neighborhood's central community gathering place, Zamora Park, was being closed for renovations in early 2025. New features and upgrades are anticipated for the future. The San Gabriel River Trail runs along the neighborhood's east side as part of the Emerald Necklace Greenway, a network of preserved open spaces, parks and trails in the Los Angeles Basin. River East is approximately halfway between two expansive outdoor sites: to the southwest is Whittier Narrows, and to the northeast is the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area. Both sites are about 5 miles from River East, and each has a nature center, water sports and trails.
Several public school districts serve the area. Students living west of La Madera Avenue may attend El Monte City School District's Rio Hondo School, which earns a B grade from Niche and is for kindergarten through eighth grade. East of La Madera, Mountain View School District's La Primaria Elementary School is for transitional kindergarten through third grade and Twin Lake School serves third through eighth grades. Both have a C grade. El Monte Union High School District includes El Monte High, which receives an A-minus and is zoned to the area west of Cogswell Road. East of Cogswell is covered by Mountain View High, which has a B-minus.
Jonathan Khaw
First Team Real Estate
(562) 222-5872
21 Total Sales
1 in River East
$569,000 Price
Mario Mariscal
Better Homes and Gardens RE
(562) 471-4695
129 Total Sales
1 in River East
$640,000 Price
Grace Lin
Century 21 Realty Masters
(424) 296-1651
18 Total Sales
1 in River East
$505,000 Price
Helen Wong
Imax Realty & Mortgage Inc.
(626) 600-0370
29 Total Sales
1 in River East
$770,000 Price
Andro Chavez
Re/Pro Realty
(657) 366-5303
125 Total Sales
1 in River East
$500,000 Price
Mark Lear
First Team Real Estate
(657) 223-8121
340 Total Sales
1 in River East
$630,000 Price
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | River East | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 4 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 6 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 6 | 4 |
| Robbery | 6 | 4 |
| Burglary | 4 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 6 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
On average, homes in River East, El Monte sell after 42 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in River East, El Monte over the last 12 months is $705,500, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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A centrally located Main Street retail hub with diverse shops and eateries
An affordable suburban neighborhood with plenty of housing and dining options
A suburban neighborhood with diverse restaurants, located next to a small airport
North El Monte neighborhood with a park and plenty of dining options
Low-key neighborhood next to Whittier Narrows Park and El Monte's shopping centers
