2023 Best Places to Live in the Los Angeles Area

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 2.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: I love living in this area, a lot of things to do and very accessible to many things.... Read 4 reviews

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• Population 4,103

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  15 reviews

Niche User: Santa Monica is an amazing city. Theres a lot of fun things to do there. You can go to the beach, visit the pier, drive up and down pch. The food is amazing and the weather is outstanding.... Read 15 reviews

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• Population 15,959

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 3.95 out of 5  19 reviews

Parent: Fortunate to live here because of amazing city services (fantastic libraries, city beach club, best community college, superb public schools, thoughtful about transportation with light rail arriving soon), perfect climate, "Los Angeles at the beach", thoughtful about the environment--with the exception of over-building, and too many tourists!... Read 19 reviews

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• Population 14,856

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Ocean Park most of my life. Over my 70 years here I have seen Ocean Park evolve from an inexpensive, iffy sleepy neighborhood of artists, beatnicks, peacenicks, elderly expats from Europe, fishermen, and younger blue collar workers (who worked one of the 3 shifts at the then local Douglas Aircraft Company) to become a pricey, yet still quiet, still somewhat sleepy, very safe, age-diverse and LGBTQ+ friendly neighborhood now largely populated by highly educated creative people who work in tech, film, and business. There is still a strong sense of neighborhood in Ocean Park. There is a 'live and let live' attitude here and respect and appreciation for diversity and privacy. Residents here tend to be active, and seen out riding their bike, walking, surfing, skateboard riding, jogging or enjoying the great neighborhood parks...and of course the beach at the bottom of the hills of Ocean Park. We also have a great microclimate that is cooler here on hot days elsewhere.... Read 13 reviews

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• Population 12,290

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  12 reviews

Niche User: I live in an area where there are so many acceptable lifestyles. One can make any safe choice they want to, and not be judged by the community. It is also a great location for someone young like me, because I can travel to LA, West Hollywood, and other fun locations.... Read 12 reviews

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• Population 14,708

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.31 out of 5  154 reviews

Current Resident: Santa Monica is a very peaceful coastal city. It has extensive beautiful beaches, a pier, a boardwalk, and borders the neighborhood of Venice. Santa Monica is a great place to walk with spacious parks, cafes, galleries, and restaurants. We have a unique school system with an abundance of options depending on which part of the city you occupy. I give it four stars because Santa Monica lacks diversity and is very expensive. Because of skyrocketing rent prices, small and historical businesses are shut down left and right and replaced by luxury and novelty goods shops that most cannot afford.... Read 154 reviews

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• Population 92,828

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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• Population 3,125

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 4.39 out of 5  92 reviews

Current Resident: What I like about Manhattan Beach is the connected community that we live in. It is a safe environment for kids to be able to exist in, and overall it is a very chill beach town where anyone that comes to visit would enjoy their time. Although there is not much to do, and most activities in MB are expensive, it is still nice to be able to drive around at night, and have fun down at the beach with your friends. What I would fix about Manhattan Beach would be some issues with the publuc education system. While academics are high, social issues are still relevant in our high school and middle school. Other than that, I think that Manhattan Beach is a great place to live, other than the price to live there.... Read 92 reviews

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• Population 35,585

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 4.24 out of 5  94 reviews

Current Resident: South Pasadena is an amazing suburb to live in. It is a very clean, safe, and inclusive environment. We are like one tight-knit community and we all love our city and try to take care of it as much as possible. There isn't a lot to do in South Pasadena but it is a great place to live in. The clean air here is just amazing. Housing is probably the biggest problem here though in the fact that it is expensive to live here. Ultimately, this is a very nice place to live at.... Read 94 reviews

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• Population 26,837

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 3.76 out of 5  37 reviews

Niche User: I have lived in Santa Monica for nearly 11 years and have seen the area grow beyond realistic capacity. New construction and traffic are terrible and the "beach town" feeling is fading with the rising population and the rising rents. Santa Monica will likely become too crowded for many of us who moved here to get away from the feeling of living in a busy city and the rent control apartments. Overall though,Santa Monica is a great place to live. There are great place to eat, good schools, plenty of yoga studios and gyms and decent public transportation.We complain about the growth but it is still one of the most desired places to live in the country.... Read 37 reviews

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• Population 15,263

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 4.41 out of 5  54 reviews

Nearby Resident: Hermosa Beach is a quaint beach town with tons to do. It has both a great day and night life. There are significant shops to visit and restaurants to eat at. Overall, I would recommend visiting!... Read 54 reviews

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• Population 19,787

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: Having lived in many regions of America then SoCal, Irvine and specifically Woodbridge are hard to beat Center has outdoor seating coffee shops and movie theater all within walking distance Lake is amazing to walk around. Almost unlimited walking and biking trails and best in the area swimming pools which are kept immaculate and cleaned daily 3 miles to spectrum and 5 to south coast plaza 10 to the beach. Freeways right there Excellent place... Read 42 reviews

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• Population 26,317

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 4.37 out of 5  204 reviews

Current Resident: Redondo is such a beautiful place to live. I am very blessed for being able to call this city my home. I grew up here my whole life and I wouldn’t change a thing! The people here are so welcoming and friendly. Our community feels so close together, and everyone knows everyone. There are so many different “mom and pop” shops that are all so unique. The beach is just a nice little drive away. There are so many different things to do here I never get bored! I am always discovering new places down here with friends and family! I hope that one day I too will be able to raise my kids down here so they can experience what I did. I am forever grateful!... Read 204 reviews

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• Population 70,998

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 3.87 out of 5  23 reviews

Niche User: I love Irvine. I've been living in the same house in Irvine for 18 years (since birth). I think it's an amazing place to raise a family or for anyone that isn't looking for a constant adrenaline rush. It's true that Irvine might not be the most exciting place, but it's an amazing place to live. The air quality is amazing (fresh air everywhere) and it's so peaceful but still close to everything you'd ever need. There's food from almost any ethnicity you can think of within a 15 minute drive and if you ever want to drive further, there's some pretty famous places only around 45 minutes away in LA. The city definitely has every day-to-day necessity and if you ever want to get some adrenaline pumping there are tons of options within an hour drive or less. I really love Irvine and I've committed to UCI so I'll be sticking around for at least 4 more years.... Read 23 reviews

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• Population 10,114

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 3.75 out of 5  20 reviews

Niche User: Irvine Is one of the best cities in regarding safety and education, in this city each level of education is taken seriously and teachers, faculty and staff are mostly high educated. I'm still living in this city and as a students point of view this city is expanding in every area.... Read 20 reviews

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• Population 12,468

• City in California

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  598 reviews

Nearby Resident: I love Irvine! I went to UCI for my bachelors degree and it was a beautiful area. There are many activities to do beyond campus life. My friends and I would ride our bikes in the park and then get food from the University Town center. Irvine became a second home for my friends and I. We would study all day and night in the library and then we would go to the movies in the town center. On the weekend, when we did not have much studying to do, we would go to university town center to interact with other college students. Irvine is not only a great place to raise a family, it is also one of the safest neighborhoods around the area. Additionally, because Irvine is a college town there are many job opportunities If I could, I would live in Irvine to pursue my future buying a house and raising children. To add the cost of living in Irvine is high and over the years has gone up; however, I believe that the cost of living is worth the amazing lifestyle one with achieve by living in Irvine.... Read 598 reviews

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• Population 297,868

• Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA

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  Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Works Here: A very pleasant neighborhood. It has its own security patrol and I feel very safe living a normal life here. I love the proximity to the ocean and parks. The schools are great. There are tons of charming cafes, restaurants, shops, and grocery stores. The streets are wide and beautifully landscaped. It is the perfect example of "You get what you pay for."... Read 4 reviews

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• Population 10,564

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: I absolutely love this place and my Dad especially for choosing this awesome area. Quail Hill has to be one of the best neighborhoods to live in. With the community pools, gym, and parks, this place is truly a dream to live in. The community center is also fantastic with all of the basic necessities and more! The location right by the canyon to get to the beach is unreal. 10 minute drive to main street laguna beach is something I could never get over being grateful for.... Read 4 reviews

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• Population 9,260

• Neighborhood in Torrance, CA

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  Rating 5 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: Torrance police is very responsive for any event and can be contacted at any time.... Read 5 reviews

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• Population 5,990

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 4.21 out of 5  92 reviews

Nearby Resident: Lovely neighborhood with amazing houses and people! Palm trees are a cool addition. Safe environment, farmer's market on the weekends, streets that are clean and nicely paved... One thing I would change: La Canada has a very bubble-like quality. Because it is such a middle-upper class suburbs, many people are dissociated from the "real world." This can be both beneficial and harmful, but I would love for residents to go out of their comfort zone a little more. Explore!... Read 92 reviews

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• Population 20,613

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 3.64 out of 5  14 reviews

Niche User: Irvine is one of the safest cities in the United States. There aren't that many police around because, usually, they aren't needed. There aren't many crimes that are happening beyond minor traffic violations and the occasional loud party.... Read 14 reviews

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• Population 5,378

• Neighborhood in Torrance, CA

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Niche User: It's very safe here. If you go a couple miles east or southwest, it gets a worse, but overall I feel safe and never have to worry about break-ins or criminals.... Read 6 reviews

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• Population 6,415

• Neighborhood in Torrance, CA

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  Rating 4.25 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: Walteria is a wonderful community and the perfect mix of family-friendly safety, excellent schools, and convenience (close proximity to restaurants, big chain stores, local businesses, beach ocean views, sweeping vistas, etc.)... Read 12 reviews

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• Population 5,711

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  17 reviews

Niche User: Everything is really great here. The streets, the schools, and the people.... Read 17 reviews

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• Population 6,338

• Neighborhood in Irvine, CA

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  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Quail Hill. There is a community pool with a mini lifting gym where I can lift weights. I play basketball so I do go to the public basketball court and every about Tuesday and Thursday there would be pick up games. Living in Quail hill a part of Irvine is very expensive though. Rent and everything living in California especially in Irvine are extremely expensive but worth it because of all of these benefits.... Read 2 reviews

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• Population 1,357