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Places in the Los Angeles Area
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2018 Best Suburbs to Live in the Los Angeles AreaAbout this List

Explore the best suburbs to live in the U.S. based on crime, public schools, cost of living, job opportunities, and local amenities. Ranking based on data from the U.S. Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, and other sources. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

Best Places to Live
221 results

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Health & Outdoors

  1. Santa Monica

    • Town in California
    • 65
    1 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Works Here: I've lived and/or worked in Santa Monica for over 12 years. In addition to it's gorgeous weather and beaches, Santa Monica is both family & pedestrian friendly, as well as a vacation destination and hot spot for evening events. Although Santa Monica has faced years of traffic congestion due to its popularity, however the City continues to strive to be environmentally conscious through offering fantastic public transportation--the new metrorail, (hulu) bike rental kiosks, becoming anti-smoking, and banning plastic bags. From healthy fast casual restaurants offering vegan cuisine, bistros and fresh sushi to high end restaurants...Santa Monica offers it all!
    Read 65 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 92,247 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  2. Manhattan Beach

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 70
    2 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Manhattan is a wonderful family oriented vacation-like community along the Pacific Ocean south of LAX. With wonderful public schools, cutting edge restaurants and an outdoor healthy lifestyle, Manhattan Beach real estate has become very high priced! Not only is Manhattan Beach an international vacation destination but also a vibrant safe community in which to live.
    Read 70 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 35,573 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  3. Irvine

    • City in California
    • 223
    3 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Irvine is probably one of the safest, cleanest, and greenest cities in CA (if not, in the US)! It is located in Orange County, so it's really easy to go up to LA area or drive down to San Diego. Irvine is home to a lot of high-ranking schools like the University of California Irvine (UCI), Concordia University, Irvine Valley College, the Orange County Center of the University of Southern California (USC), and campuses of California State University Fullerton (CSUF), University of La Verne, and Pepperdine University. This city is really beautiful with streets dotted with flowers and trees. It is very quiet and all neighborhoods are well-maintained. There's a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities.
    Read 223 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 246,992 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  5. South Pasadena

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 62
    4 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: It has a small town feel; it IS a small town,very small! Yet it is minutes away from downtown Los Angeles. There are many tree-lined streets with modest houses from the 1930's, all beautifully maintained (probably due to high property values). The public schools are ranked near the top in Los Angeles. It feels safe; my boyfriend left his bass guitar on the sidewalk one night; and only realized it was missing when he was contacted by someone who took it home for safe-keeping. For over thirty years we have fought the proposed extension of the 710 freeway through the middle of our town, an almost unheard of victory. We are also home to large, thriving flocks of escaped pet store green parrots. Each evening they return to roost in the tall palm trees lining my street, and at sunrise their sleepy chatter suddenly becomes a glorious cacophony as they rise en masse to greet the day.
    Read 62 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 25,936 Population
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  6. Hermosa Beach

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 40
    5 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Hermosa Beach is a care-free surf town. While many buildings have been renovated, the city does not lose its charm, remaining a vibrant beach town full of culture. From the beautiful nature trail (known as the greenbelt) to the restaurant-filled pier plaza, there is always a unique experience waiting for you.
    Read 40 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A
      Public Schools
    • 19,726 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  7. La Cañada Flintridge

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 70
    6 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Not too much happens in La Cañada Flintridge and it is a very peaceful town. What makes it special is the safety and friendliness of the community, the school in the area, and the convenient location. Little to no crimes occur in la Cañada, and the ones that happen are small and rare burglaries. The community funded school in the area is La Cañada high, a public school in the top 150 public schools in America. The town also contains Saint Francis and Flintridge Prep, two great private schools. La Cañada is extremely close to Pasadena and Glendale, meaning fun activities and good quality places are only a few minutes away! Overall, La Cañana Flintridge is not only my city, but my home.
    Read 70 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 20,477 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  10. Redondo Beach

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 129
    7 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Being a resident to Redondo Beach my entire life has convinced me to stay here. Redondo Beach is full of friendly, family oriented people, and is quite affordable for being in such close proximity to the beach. The neighborhood is surrounded with tall palm trees, seagulls and cool beach mist that fills the air. Shopping centers, restaurants and the redondo beach pier are just some of the exciting places to go to if you get bored. South of Redondo is the city of Torrance and even further south of Torrance are the beautiful cliffs of Palos Verdes. Los Angeles Airport is only about a 30 min drive from Redondo Beach and a few hours drive north from Redondo Beach is Big Bear Mountains where visitors can snowboard, skii and rent snow cabbins during the winter. Schools are very diverse and have great teachers. Redondo Beach is a great place to start and raise a family and I highly recommend it for anyone searching for an affordable home close to the beach.
    Read 129 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 67,664 Population
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  11. Palos Verdes Estates

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 20
    8 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Palos Verdes might be one of the top cities to live & raise a family in. "The hill," as it's called by locals, thrives in its almost remote, but still accessible niche overseeing LA on most days. Education is a top priority in this town, as there are numerous tutor companies dedicated to providing study environments for the local students. Being that there are countless kids ranging in all ages from 0-18, I often see them walking or biking to and from school. Apart from that, it isn't uncommon to see children playing in the street or front yard with their neighbor friends. This only provides us with confidence that we reside in a safe, aware, and family-friendly community. It's obvious that no restaurant or bar perpetuate an actual night life. Most establishments close on or before 10pm. Any that stay open past that time like Terranea Resort, Admiral Risty, and Pizza Hut have a targeted customer base they're anticipating, which doesn't include the "party people consumers."
    Read 20 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 13,582 Population
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  12. Newport Beach

    • Town in California
    • 32
    9 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Newport Beach is a wealthy and safe area, I've lived here for 2 years. Many top-notch restaurants, big-time companies, and luxury car dealerships are located here. I always hang out at coffee shops here when I have nothing to do or nowhere to go just bring a laptop and sit there all day. The weather is great not too humid during the day and just a little chilly at night because it is by the coast. Perfect vacation destination, most people are friendly except sometimes might be stuck-up because they might think that they're superior because they live in Newport Beach haha.
    Read 32 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 86,813 Population
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  14. San Marino

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 37
    10 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: I would like to see more businesses/restaurants enter San Marino. We do not offer a wide range of restaurant choices as of now, and are lacking especially in Mexican and Asian foods. Furthermore, although we do not have much of a night life, there are many cities nearby that offer a wide range of options, so it is nice to be in the middle of everything. This city is relatively safe, and has a great public education program, so it is a wonderful place to raise kids (if you can afford to live here - the real estate is very expensive).
    Read 37 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 13,324 Population
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  15. Beverly Hills

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 63
    11 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Beverly Hills is a very beautiful place with streets lined with palm trees and Porsches on every street corner. Beverly Hills is a fabulous place to live if you have money that you would like to spend. There are many high end restaurants and very expensive housing. In Beverly Hills you can do anything you want to do from watching a rooftop movie in lounge chairs to swimming or hiking in December, yet everything comes at a (very high) cost. Beverly Hills is highly cultured and filled with people from many different cultures and religions though Persian and Jewish are the most common. Aside from the price of living, the hardest part of living in Beverly Hills is finding genuine friends who care about more than money. Overall, Beverly Hills is a beautiful place with outstanding weather year around and I would recommend it for a visit or vacation but not as a place to live.
    Read 63 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 34,627 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  16. Aliso Viejo

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 85
    12 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Aliso Viejo is truly a beautiful area to live with so much to explore and do nearby. The area is impeccably clean and well managed. If you're an out-doorsy type of person, there are countless parks and hiking trails. Its definitely a biking, tennis, golfing, fitness little city, with tons of gyms, yoga places and more. Roughly 10 minutes from Laguna Beach and about 15 minutes from the beautiful spectrum mall. So far Aliso Viejo has been my favorite place to live!
    Read 85 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 50,219 Population
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  19. Rolling Hills

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 2
    13 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Niche User: It is an excellent gated equestrian community to raise a family.
    Read 2 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 1,760 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  20. Culver City

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 104
    14 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Culver City is a sweet Westside community. It has a mix of single-family houses and larger condo/apartment complexes, but housing prices are skyrocketing across the board. New developments may ease that, but many are luxury buildings without substantial affordable units. They also won't ease traffic congestion, which is an issue throughout LA. Luckily, the Expo Line runs through Culver City, terminating at Santa Monica in the west and Downtown LA in the east. There are also local municipal bus lines, in addition to LA metro lines, and a move to be more bike-friendly. The city prides itself on its historic association with the Film industry, and it continues to highlight Entertainment careers as a major draw. It's also big on Tech, with the new Playa Vista developments next door and major media organizations moving in. But it still manages to have a sense of artsy funkiness and small-town charm, despite the ongoing growth and proliferation of major chains. I hope it stays weird!
    Read 104 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 39,395 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  21. Rancho Palos Verdes

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 71
    15 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Former Resident: RPV is a great place to rise your kids! It a great community with beautifully well kept parks and there’s always community events throughout the year. The schools, teachers, and school community are incredible! Everyone is warm & welcoming. We are moving because it’s too expensive to live here - wish we could stay and rise our children here.
    Read 71 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 42,412 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  22. Seal Beach

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 35
    16 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: I have nothing but positive things to say about my town! Small town beach community with the convenience of being centrally located between Orange County and Los Angeles. Schools are top notch and the community very close knit that offers many events. Our tiny Main Street and surrounding shopping centers have amazing options for restaurants and bars. Cost of living is a little higher than average but the benefits of living close to the beach make up for the extra costs.
    Read 35 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 24,510 Population
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  23. Claremont

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 94
    17 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Former Resident: Claremont is a nice town, it is very small & quaint. Also very quiet. There is a nice place in the center of Claremont called "The Village" you are able to enjoy many restaurants catering to every type of cuisine you're interested in & also a movie theater & other things to engage in entertainment!
    Read 94 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 35,827 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  26. Rolling Hills Estates

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 17
    18 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Rolling hills estates is amazing. Nothing I would change. So beautiful and great weather everyday. The community is so family friendly with fun programs nearby everyday.
    Read 17 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 8,206 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  27. Ladera Ranch

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 40
    19 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Visitor: Whenever I'm in Ladera Ranch, there are always things to do around me to keep
    me busy. There are a lot of different varieties of places to eat or do other things at, which expands my options of choosing. I wouldn't really change anything about Ladera Ranch if I had to.
    Read 40 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 27,121 Population
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  28. Arcadia

    • Town in California
    • 173
    20 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Former Resident: Arcadia is my adopted hometown. I was treated horribly in my hometown in Texas. I lived in Arcadia in the 1980s. I have been back East working.I recently visited Arcadia. Nothing has changed. Arcadia is still beautiful , peaceful, quiet and has the friendliest people in California!
    Read 173 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 57,755 Population
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  29. Rossmoor

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 10
    21 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Rossmoor was a great town to grow up in. Great schools for all ages. One of the lowest crime rates in orange county. Rossmoor is also the most family friendly neighborhood I've ever been to. Although the cost of living is expensive, it is well worth it.
    Read 10 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 10,933 Population
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  30. Laguna Beach

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 22
    22 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Laguna Beach is where I was blessed to be born & raised! Being an outdoorsman, Laguna Beach was perfect because it lends Itself to canyon hikes, surfing, tennis, & beach volleyball. It's also known for its art culture like Pageant of the Masters, Sawdust Festival, art galleries, Museums & Theatres.Though it possesses charm & character, Laguna is a bit of a " bubble." The average home price is $1.5M, kids drive exotic cars to school, have easy access to drugs/alcohol & the sense of entitlement runs rampant. It's a culture shock to people who visit from other areas! This is what I'd change about Laguna Beach. Laguna's youth are living with "checked out parents" that are trying to be their friends rather than parents. As a young man who was raised by a single mom,this was not my reality. My goal was to find a place where I could still enjoy the outdoors & experience diverse cultures yet get away from so much of the "Orange County Stigma."
    Read 22 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 23,204 Population
    View Nearby Homes
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  32. Westlake Village

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 21
    23 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: I've lived most of my life in Westlake Village and I've had a great experience. I always felt very safe in my neighborhood and it was a good central location for driving both to LA and to Ventura County. I never had to travel more than 10 miles for the 3 jobs I've had while living here. There are several movie theaters nearby as well as a couple of malls and plenty of restaurants. Overall, Westlake Village is a great place to live if you have the income for it.
    Read 21 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 8,443 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  33. Torrance

    • City in California
    • 145
    24 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Torrance is very safe and friendly. Not very diverse because the city has a lot of Asians but everyone is friendly! Schools are very competitive with each other but overall they are all a family. There is sometimes traffic in Torrance on major streets with freeways but there are also streets that often time are not busy at all. The job opportunities are low currently. Haven't seen many places hiring. The food that can be found in Torrance have got to be the best. From ramen or tacos, it's all delicious.
    Read 145 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A
      Public Schools
    • 147,307 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  34. Oak Park

    • Suburb of Los Angeles, CA
    • 46
    25 Best Suburbs to Live in Los Angeles Area

    Current Resident: Great place to live! Nice restaurants, very safe and clean, nice schools, nice people, great shops. Nice scenery. But not much to do sadly.
    Read 46 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 14,885 Population
    View Nearby Homes
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2018 Best Suburbs to Live in the Los Angeles Area
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