10 Best Neighborhoods to Live in Los Angeles

“What’s the best neighborhood to live in?” Well, that depends on your lifestyle. Here are some things to consider when you move:

  • Los Angeles is a big, sprawling city where you rely heavily on your car to get around. And what local residents know is even a short, 7.5-mile drive in rush hour (think traveling from Downtown LA to Hollywood at 6:30pm) can take as long as 30 minutes … sometimes close to an hour.
  • Each neighborhood has its own perks, but it’s hard to know which one fits what you’re looking for unless you explore. Cause if you crave a retreat-like setting when you arrive home, living in a Downtown loft may not be for you. The same goes if you prefer to walk to your favorite restaurant or bar to meet with friends for drinks or travel on foot in the morning to pick up a latte. You may not want to live way up in the hills.
  • Maybe you’re the type that follows the architecture, and it’s more important to own a mid-century modern gem regardless of where it’s located.
  • If you have kids how do the local public schools rank? Are there magnet or private school options that you’re willing to consider?
  • And speaking of kids – do you want to raise them in the quiet of the suburbs or in the midst of a lively city vibe?

Choosing a Neighborhood in LA

Now you’ve decided what you want from a neighborhood, let’s look at the real estate market and housing trends in each. You can click on the links to get more info about each neighborhood.

Atwater Village

Fun Fact: This is where the Beastie Boys recorded License to Ill and Check Your Head. It’s also where I sold my very first home.
Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home: $810,251
Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 104.91% above the asking price.

As of 2018, the least expensive home to sell in Atwater Village was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath fixer in a neighborhood of Atwater known as Frogtown. Measuring 812 square feet it sold for $450,000.

As of 2018, the most expensive home to sell in Atwater Village was a newly constructed 4 bedroom, 3 bath architectural style home measuring 2,401 square feet. It sold for $1,400,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby: Elysian Valley (aka Frogtown), Glassell Park, Glendale, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.

Downtown LA

Fun Fact: Downtown LA hosts the Downtown Art Walk on the second Thursday of every month. Avid art collectors and admirers take a self-guided stroll through galleries and art exhibitions open along Spring and Main streets, between 2nd and 9th streets. And when you’re done, you can grab a drink and dinner at one of the local restaurants.

Average Sales Price for a Condo-Loft: $781,863

Housing Trend: Condos-lofts selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 106.66% above the asking price.

As of 2018, the least expensive condo loft to sell in Downtown LA was a studio in the historic landmark Glen Donald Building in the Westlake district. Measuring 370 square feet, it sold for $215,000.  See more LA properties.

In 2018, the most expensive condo to sell in Downtown LA was a 3-bedroom, 4-bath duplex penthouse atop The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. Live. Measuring 6,590, this custom-designed space by Moore Ruble Yudell sold for $9,125,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby:  Boyle Heights, Central-Alameda, Chinatown, Echo Park, Historic South-Central, Lincoln Heights, Pico-Union, University Park, Vernon, and Westlake.

Eagle Rock

Fun Fact: Former President Barack Obama was a student at Occidental College from 1979 – 1981.
Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home: $881,794

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 107.35% above the asking price.

As of 2018, the least expensive home to sell in Eagle Rock was a 2 bedroom, 1 bath fixer measuring 882 square feet located on Yosemite Drive. It sold for $435,000.

As of 2018, the most expensive home to sell in Eagle Rock was a 4 bedroom, 5 bath dwelling measuring 2,684 square feet located on Argus Drive. It sold for $1,729,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby: Glassell Park, Glendale, Highland Park, Mount Washington, and Pasadena.

Echo Park

Fun Fact: The 1300 block of Carroll Avenue in Angelino Heights is said to be the best place to trick-or-treat on Halloween. One home, known as the Sanders, is so ghoulish it appeared in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video.

Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home: $1,042,007

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 108.37% above the asking price. (A side note – MLS – where these statistics are pulled from considers Echo Park and Silver Lake as one neighborhood.) 

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in Echo Park was a 3 bedroom, 2 bath fixer measuring 861 square feet located on Laveta Ter in Angelino Heights. It  sold for $415,000.

From March 2017 – September 2017 the most expensive home to sell in the area was the 3 bedroom, 4 bath renovated brick house of artist Pauline Annon located on Landa St. Measuring 3,280 square feet it sold for $2,500,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby: Chinatown, Downtown LA, Elysian Park, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Westlake,  Atwater Village, Koreatown, and Silver Lake.

Hancock Park

Fun Fact: According to LA Time’s mapping project, the smallest neighborhood in Los Angeles is Larchmont Village. It measures .49-square-miles.

Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home:$2,043,244

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 102.56% above the asking price.

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in Hancock Park was a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home measuring 981 square feet located on a Dockweiller St. It sold for $501,850.

As of 2018 the most expensive home to sell in Hancock Park was The O’Melveny house. Originally built in 1908 by famed architects Hunt, Eager & Burns. The residence measures over 9,000 square feet and is sited on magnificent grounds encompassing approximately ¾ acre. It sold for $8,342,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby: Fairfax, Hollywood, Larchmont, Mid-Wilshire and Windsor Square.

Highland Park

Fun Fact: With a 33% grade, Eldred Street is the steepest street in LA (not Baxter as many of us think.)
Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home:$742,309

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 107.27% above the asking price.

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in Highland Park was a cozy 2 bedroom, 2 bath home on Avenue 60 measuring 666 square feet. It sold for $378,000.

As of 2018 the most expensive home to sell in Highland Park was The Hydra House by David Chun, AIA. It’s a newly constructed 3 bedroom, 4 bath home measuring just over 2,000 square feet located on Springvale Drive. It sold for $1,460,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby: Cypress Park, Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, Mount Washington, Pasadena and South Pasadena.

Hollywood Hills

Fun Fact: The Hollywood Hills is divided into two sections. Hollywood Hills East contains Beachwood Canyon, Cahuenga Pass, Franklin Village, Hollywood Heights, Hollywood, Outpost and Whitley Heights. Hollywood Hills West contains Crescent Heights, Laurel Canyon, Lookout Mountain, Mount Olympus, and Sunset Plaza.

Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home: $2,098,150

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 102.35% above the asking price.

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in the Hollywood Hills was a pied-à-terre in the hills. Measuring 446 square feet it sold for $488,000.

As of 2018 the most expensive home to sell in the Hollywood Hills was a gated estate at the end of a long private driveway sited on 51,297 of land. Measuring 9,400 square feet it sold for $14,533,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby: For Hollywood Hills West: Beverly Crest, Beverly Grove, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Studio City, West Hollywood. For Hollywood Hills East:  Burbank, East Hollywood, Griffith Park, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills West, Los Feliz, Studio City, Toluca Lake and Universal City.

Los Feliz

Fun Fact: Los Feliz was the home of the original Walt Disney Studios. Leaving his failed business behind in Kansas City, young Walt Disney traveled to California and set up shop in his uncle Robert’s garage to start another cartoon business.  His uncle lived on 4406 Kingswell Avenue.

Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home: $2,066,500

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 105.56% above the asking price.

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in Los Feliz was featured in Apartment Therapy. It was a thoughtfully designed, 1 bedroom, 1 bath California bungalow. Measuring 480 square feet it sold for $592,000.

As of 2018 the most expensive home to sell in Los Feliz was the one and only historic Cecil B. DeMille Estate. Set on 2.1 elevated acres in prestigious Gated Laughlin Park it sold for $24,500,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby:  Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Griffith Park, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, and Silver Lake.

Pasadena

Fun Fact: In 1964 the song, “Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)” reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on Canada’s RPM chart.

Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home:$1,448,381 (because Pasadena covers a lot of ground this average is for South Pasadena, only.)

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 109.88% above the asking price. (This is only for South Pasadena.)

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in South Pasadena was 3 bedroom home that sold off market. Measuring 1,774 square feet it sold for $700,000.

As of 2018 the most expensive home to sell in South Pasadena a 2-story Craftsman with a guest house built in the early 1900’s. Measuring over 3,500 square feet it sold for $3,095,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby:  Alhambra, El Sereno, Highland Park, Montecito Heights, Pasadena and San Marino.

Silver Lake

Fun Fact: Harry Hay, considered by many to be the father of the modern gay rights movement, organized the pioneering gay rights group Mattachine Society. The Black Cat protests led to the creation of the now defunct Sunset Junction street festival.

Average Sales Price for a Single Family Home: $1,042,007

Housing Trend: Homes selling within the first 30 days on the market sold for 108.37% above the asking price. (A side note – MLS – where these statistics are pulled from considers Echo Park and Silver Lake as one neighborhood.)

As of 2018 the least expensive home to sell in Echo Park was a 3 bedroom, 2 bath fixer measuring 861 square feet located on Laveta Ter in Angelino Heights. It  sold for $415,000.

As of 2018 the most expensive home to sell in the area was the 3 bedroom, 4 bath renovated brick house of artist Pauline Annon located on Landa St. Measuring 3,280 square feet it sold for $2,500,000.

Neighborhoods Nearby:  Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Griffith Park, Koreatown, Los Feliz, and Westlake.