Ranging from beachfront to mountainside, the Los Angeles metropolitan area is the second largest in the United States with almost 20 million residents. The city caters to the entertainment whims of almost every resident, with a seemingly endless variety of restaurants, theaters and adventures.
Insider Tip: Sound like a local by learning the lingo: Think Venice Beach when you hear "the boardwalk," and try to avoid traffic on "the 405" (the San Diego Freeway).
Los Angeles Apartments and Neighborhoods
LA Public Transportation, Commuting & Jobs
With low unemployment, a robust entertainment and tourism industry, and more than 300 aerospace companies, Los Angeles is a great place to work. Hop on the LA Metro to commute on the country's third-most comprehensive public transit system. Air transport links are also plentiful, with international flights at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and domestic routes out of suburban airports in Ontario, Burbank and Santa Ana.
Fun Things to Do in Los Angeles
LA crackles with energy all year long, offering everything from foodie festivals and holiday events to major concerts and massive parties. Here are our top five picks for the best festivals and events in Los Angeles:
Los Angeles also abounds with fun free things to do, such as beachfront yoga, world-class museums like The Broad, and concerts by performers on the verge of stardom.
LA's Art & Music Scene
With more museums and theaters than any other American city, Los Angeles offers something for nearly any taste, from LA Philharmonic concerts to DJ-driven dance parties.
Los Angeles Activities for Families with Kids
Family activities are nearly limitless, from train rides at Griffith Park to the Los Angeles Zoo to amusement parks like Universal Studios Hollywood. If schools are at the top of your priority list, rent an apartment in the more affordable eastern LA school districts of Walnut Valley or Temple City.
Top 5 Los Angeles Adventures
Pet-friendly Things to Do in LA
Moving to Los Angeles with your four-legged companion? You'll be thrilled to learn just how pet-friendly this city is, from dog parks to inclusive restaurants and breweries. Don't miss a trip to the Arts District Dog Park on the corner of 4th and Molino in downtown.
Outdoor Living in LA
With more than 180 days of sun every year and easy access to the Pacific Ocean, the City of Flowers and Sunshine is a paradise for outdoor lovers. Hike Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon Park, surf and swim at the beach, or head to The Strand for 22.5 miles of cliff-top bicycling.
Did You Know?
You may have heard that "Los Angeles" means "The Angels," but the original name for the city is up for debate. Some historians say the first settlers called it "El Pueblo de la Reina de los Angeles Sobre el Rio de Porciuncula". Thankfully, the city name has greatly shortened since then.
Getaways from Los Angeles
LA is nearly synonymous with postcard-worthy spots like Venice Beach and Santa Monica State Beach, both famous for great people watching. The best beaches in Los Angeles also include El Porto Beach, known for its surfing opportunities, and Rosie's Dog Beach, the only sands in LA County that allow dogs to roam without a leash.
L.A. is America's second-biggest city, home to Hollywood, the movie and TV industries, countless celebrities and all things related to entertainment. While there are many other industries in the city, none are remotely as well-known or well-regarded as the movie industry. It's so ingrained in the area that attaching headshots to your resume is normal for applying to any job, even if it's not an audition for a movie role. L.A. is also known for sunny beaches, a pleasant year-round climate and urban sprawl, which has made the city one of the largest in the nation by area.
Being in Los Angeles, especially near the glamor of the movie industry, can be very bright, shiny and a little unreal, bringing up the comparison to tinsel, which is normally used as decoration on Christmas trees.
Hollywood is actually a specific neighborhood in Los Angeles, not the city as a whole. That particular neighborhood, however, was the center of a lot of the Los Angeles film industry for decades. As movies grew in popularity in the early 20th Century, Hollywood became the best-known part of the city, causing occasional confusion about the name of the city and the name of the neighborhood.
According to 2018 U.S. census data, the Los Angeles metropolitan area held steady, losing about 7,000 people, or 0.05 percent of its population, since 2017. L.A. has an estimated population of about four million people.
Los Angeles came in 174 out of 182 cities in WalletHub's report on safest cities in America. Its tendency for natural disasters, low financial security and relatively low home and community safety make it a city that, while not exactly dangerous, can be somewhat insecure.
It depends. Los Angeles has a large number of high-quality private schools. But the public school system is very mixed with some parts of town having much better public schools than others. Overall, there are 278 high schools recognized as some of the best in the country, along with some of the nation's most well-regarded universities like University of Southern California (USC), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and Loyola Marymount University.
Los Angeles can be a good place for families and landed around the middle of WalletHub's rankings of best cities for families in the U.S. It actually ranked first in family fun and above average in health, safety and education, but L.A. is simply not one of the more affordable cities in which to live.
Los Angeles is an expensive city to live in. The total cost of living here, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research , is 48 percent above the national average, mostly due to very high housing costs (137 percent higher than the national average).
A studio apartment costs $2,129 a month on average, up 8.2 percent from 2018. A one-bedroom averages $2,728 a month, up 3.1 percent from 2018, and a two-bedroom is $4,054 a month on average, up 14.8 percent% from 2018. Rent is pricey in L.A.
According to the Council for Community and Economic Research , the average energy cost (electric plus gas or other) of $192 a month is high relative to the national average. Because L.A. does not have huge temperature fluctuations by season, you can expect utility costs to be more consistent throughout the year in Los Angeles than in cities with four traditional seasons.
If you don't mind being in the San Fernando Valley or other northern parts of the city, Sun Valley , North Hills , Lake Balboa , Reseda , and Tarzana are among the areas with the lowest average rents in the city.
L.A. has a wide diversity of neighborhoods, from laid-back beach communities ( Venice ) to dense urban jungles ( Downtown ). Koreatown is a great place for trendy restaurants and nightlife, and unlike what you'd expect from the name, it's actually a cultural melting pot. Miracle Mile is one of the most pedestrian-friendly areas near Museum Row and just about a mile from Beverly Hills shopping and dining. Palms is a relatively affordable, young and hip area with decent access to both inland neighborhoods and the beach. If you're looking for something quieter, Brentwood is home to tree-lined streets, young families and great Italian restaurants. Finally, Park La Brea is right by The Grove, close to Hollywood and accessible to several major freeways, making it a good central location you can use as a jumping off point to any part of the city.
Los Angeles can be a difficult place for many people. Heavy traffic, competitive job searches, expensive apartments and the impossibility of parking are all real issues. But the year-round sunshine and low humidity, beautiful beaches, endless entertainment options and eclectic international culture make it all worth it for most residents. The constant spotlight of the movie industry and access to world-class outdoor adventures are two of the indelible qualities that make L.A. unique among big American cities. L.A. is also a rather casual place, so dressing down and being late to arrive (partly caused by bad traffic) are considered normal if not acceptable behavior in the city.
Yes, but not as much as you might think. Los Angeles has long had the reputation for terrible traffic, which has led to more development of walkable areas and public transportation. You'll still probably need to commute to work by car from most neighborhoods, but more of the city is walkable than in the past.
Los Angeles has a very livable climate. It has mild winters, hot summers (with cool nights) and dry conditions year-round.
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Studio | 1 Bed | 2 Bed | 3 Bed | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec 19 | $2,062 | $2,656 | $3,587 | $6,185 |
Oct 19 | 2,162 | 2,786 | 3,715 | 6,055 |
Sep 19 | 2,119 | 2,771 | 3,809 | 6,665 |
Aug 19 | 2,209 | 2,827 | 3,772 | 5,822 |
Jul 19 | 2,184 | 2,792 | 3,683 | 5,287 |
Jun 19 | 2,107 | 2,727 | 3,695 | 5,682 |
May 19 | 2,135 | 2,690 | 3,702 | 5,682 |
Apr 19 | 2,172 | 2,677 | 3,646 | 5,077 |
Mar 19 | 2,193 | 2,655 | 3,645 | 4,787 |
Feb 19 | 2,170 | 2,671 | 3,594 | 4,892 |
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Information is copyrighted and school data provided by GreatSchools.org. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Schools listed above are based on distance from the selected location and are just a sampling of the schools in the area. To find a particular school district, and how it relates to a specific apartment, please contact the apartment manager.