What are the nice middle class areas to live around Los Angeles?

May 21st, 2009 | by Michael |
Los Angeles
KC asked:


I am looking to move to Los Angeles and I’m looking for a decent neighborhood to move into; affordable for a single person who makes about $40-45K. Minimal crime, great neighbors, no litter, decent sense of community. I know I sound like a nut, but I’m coming from New York City.

DAMIAN

  1. 5 Responses to “What are the nice middle class areas to live around Los Angeles?”

  2. By Melissa S on May 22, 2009 | Reply

    Burbank. It’s pretty much exactly what you described. Very safe, family oriented, affordable. It’s a middle class suburban area with a strong sense of community. It’s the exact opposite of NYC.

  3. By West of Encino on May 23, 2009 | Reply

    Burbank area glendale and if you dare, certain plastic cities in Orange County.

  4. By Obviousman on May 26, 2009 | Reply

    It’s all about supply and demand: If it’s in SoCal, then it’s not going to be cheap to begin with. If it’s clean and safe, then it’s more expensive. If you need good schools, add a couple hundred bucks a month on top of it.

    If you want to live here and enjoy the weather, then you have to pay for it. You put up with the smog and the traffic, enjoy the weather and pay your rent or mortgage. My advice is to start checking out craigslist, rent.com, and apartments.com if you are looking to rent. You’ll quickly see that the minimum rent for a non-war zone is about $1,000-$1,200 per month for a studio or 1BR. Really nice areas (like the West LA area) easily run $3,000 or more. Want to live near the beach? Expect to pay a premium.

    “LA” is such a big place, there are so many neighborhoods/cities where you can live. Of course, even within a city or neighborhood, there are safer sections and less-safe sections. Within each of the areas below, you’ll find neighborhoods that meet your criteria.

    In Los Angeles, some nice sections are West LA, Brentwood, Westwood, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Eagle Rock, Encino, Tarzana, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Granada Hills, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, West Hills, Chatsworth. Burbank and Glendale are also nice cities.

    To the east: South Pasadena, parts of Pasadena, Altadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Glendora, San Dimas, Laverne, Azusa, Rancho Cucamonga.

    Along the beach: Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, Rancho PV.

    In Orange County aka “The OC”: Seal Beach , Huntington Beach , Newport Beach , Corona Del Mar , Laguna Beach , Dana Point , Capistrano Beach , San Clemente , Brea, Yorba Linda, Orange, Tustin, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest

    To the west: Agoura, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Simi Valley, Moorpark.

    This is not an all-inclusive list, but it’s a start.

  5. By TX2step on May 27, 2009 | Reply

    You might try far western Riverside County: Corona and Norco are very nice, with very little crime and a sense of “community” - also you’ll get twice the house there (as opposed to Orange or LA Counties). They’re just over the hill from Anaheim Hills, Fullerton, Yorba Linda, Orange, & Villa Park (Orange County). Those cities are very nice, and extremely safe too, but pricier (and more crowded)……

  6. By Stephanie on May 29, 2009 | Reply

    The further east you head from Los Angeles the more affordable it will be.
    I’m not sure how you are able to live on that salary in NYC, but if you can do that then you will probably be okay in LA.

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