Los Angeles is a mixed bag in that you have tremendous wealth stationed next to poverty and homelessness.
Our list of the 15 best Los Angeles neighborhoods speaks to the different populations that live in L.A. Some folks will need to live in more affordable areas, which may not have as many bells and whistles but offer interesting culture, while others may prefer more expensive (and fanicer) areas like Century City.
Here are some of the great neighborhoods around town that you can call home.
1. Koreatown (K-Town)
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,561
- Median 2-BR rent: $3,449
- Walk Score: 93/100
Spanning approximately 3 square miles, Koreatown (also known as K-Town) is a thriving neighborhood located along Wilshire Boulevard east of Western. With a significant Korean-American population, K-Town also attracts residents of all nationalities while maintaining its unique Korean cultural flair.
Whether you want to enjoy karaoke in a private room or end a night out with coffee and dessert (try patbingsoo, a.k.a. shaved ice), Koreatown offers a lot to see and do. If you like k-pop, this is also the place to visit.
2. Central Hollywood
- Median 1-BR rent: $3,497
- Median 2-BR rent: $4,489
- Walk Score: 79/100
Central Hollywood is the dream place of many wannabe actors who flock to the city every year to try to become famous. Hollywood proper is not as glamorous in person as it is on TV, but it’s still a popular place to live because it’s located next to, well, everything.
The area technically identified as “Central Hollywood” is bordered by La Brea to the west, Hollywood Blvd. to the north, Larchmont to the East (between Vine and Gower) and Melrose to the south.
3. Hollywood Hills
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,635
- Median 2-BR rent: $3,651
- Walk Score: 82/100
North of Franklin, you’ll find the Hollywood Hills, which is where many celebrities live and you can get away from some of the grittier parts of Hollywood. Despite having an official Walk Score of 82, the Hollywood Hills is only “walkable” in that it’s a great place to take a leisurely stroll or more active hike. It’s definitely not walkable in city terms. These are primarily residential houses, many of them mansions, that are on windy, difficult to navigate streets.
You won’t find a lot of apartments, per se, in this area, but many young and less wealthy people rent large mansions with groups of friends in order to enjoy the views and have a place to throw one of those famous Hollywood Hills parties.
4. East Hollywood
- Median 1-BR rent: $1,795
- Median 2-BR rent: $2,980
- Walk Score: 90/100
East Hollywood isn’t the poshest neighborhood around, nor does it have the cachet of West Hollywood, which is actually its own city (and why it isn’t included in a list of Los Angeles neighborhoods).
Situated near hipster Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Thai Town, East Hollywood gives you access to lots of great shopping, bars and ethnic restaurants. Little Armenia is also found in East Hollywood offering unique food and bakeries. Let’s not forget the massive Church of Scientology landmark building found here, too.
5. Silver Lake
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,822
- Median 2-BR rent: $4,999
- Walk Score: 83/100
Silver Lake (sometimes spelled Silverlake) and neighboring Los Feliz have long been known as the quirky hipster communities in the northeast section of the Los Angeles basin. There’s a real lake called Silver Lake in the middle of the neighborhood, which is actually a reservoir.
Silver Lake is sometimes called the “Brooklyn of Los Angeles,” referring more to the modern, upscaled and artsy Brooklyn than the working-class Brooklyn of yesteryear. In other words, it’s where people with a little bit (but not too much) money and a lot of colorful artistic preferences come to work and play.
6. Fairfax District
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,700
- Median 2-BR rent: $3,350
- Walk Score: 93/100
The Fairfax District is in the heart of what most people would call L.A., at least north of the 10. (Downtown Los Angeles, situated to the east, is actually off to the side.)
The Fairfax District offers a lot of historic two-story apartment buildings that are a favorite among young singles, and they’re much more quaint and attractive than a lot of the ugly box apartments you’ll find on the Westside.
With landmarks like Canter’s Deli and the Farmer’s Market, you’ll have plenty of places to hang with friends before heading off to Hollywood clubs for a night out.
7. Westwood Village
- Median 1-BR rent: $5,900
- Median 2-BR rent: $4,645
- Walk Score: 95/100
Located next to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Westwood Village’s average rent might seem a bit high considering this is a student area, but there are also many student housing options.
The Westwood Village portion offers walkable streets and shops, while nearby busy Wilshire Boulevard houses massive skyscrapers and condos. It’s a bit incongruous, like the rest of L.A.
8. Venice Beach
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,500
- Median 2-BR rent: $4,850
- Walk Score: 83/100
Famous Venice Beach has always been a double-edged sword – lots of colorful cultures and, of course, the boardwalk but a lot of homelessness and poverty. Gentrification battles continue to rage as wealthy investors and residents encroach on the historically African-American neighborhood of Oakwood (also known as Ghost Town).
Portions of the neighborhood may still have some crime, but the boardwalk, plus Abbot Kinney’s quieter shopping and dining, along with all the great walking streets, still make Venice one of the best places to live.
9. Mar Vista
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,527
- Median 2-BR rent: $2,695
- Walk Score: 80/100
Mar Vista is not a destination neighborhood. By that, we mean it’s not a place to go so much as a place that’s conveniently located to other, more exciting places. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad place to live. It’s sandwiched between Venice and Culver City, giving you easy beach access (without all the nightmare traffic that Venice residents deal with every weekend) and proximity to Culver City’s quaint downtown core.
You can reach the beach by bike using Venice Boulevard or wind your way over to the car-free Ballona Creek Bike Trail to walk or pedal all the way down to Playa del Rey. Technically, you could also rollerblade the path if you can manage the inclines.
10. Exposition Park
- Median 1-BR rent: $1,447
- Median 2-BR rent: $2,445
- Walk Score: 76/100
Los Angeles has been for a long time somewhat stratified between people who lived north of the 10 and those who lived south of it. The freeway demarks a border between a more Hollywood-focused Los Angeles and what was formerly called “South Central.” After the Los Angeles Riots of 1992, the Los Angeles City Council voted to rename South Central to South Los Angeles to take the stigma off of the many diverse neighborhoods set below the dividing 10 freeway line.
In recent years, gentrification has been a hot issue for South Los Angeles, which has also seen a huge influx of Hispanic families, as well as young professionals. Exposition Park is one such area near The University of Southern California (USC). It’s where the 1984 summer Olympics were held and is now home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Banc of California Stadium and Exposition Rose Garden. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson was from Exposition Park.
You’ll also find lots of great museums here, including the California African American Museum, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Science Center. The median age of residents here is young at 26.
11. Century City
- Median 1-BR rent: $9,900
- Median 2-BR rent: $12,150
- Walk Score: 63/100
Century City is in some ways one of the first “planned” mixed-use communities, which has been around since the early 1960s. It’s oddly sterile in places, perhaps why the original “Planet of the Apes” films used it as a backdrop. Let’s not forget the Fox Plaza building used in Bruce Willis’ first “Die Hard” movie.
But residents of Century City like the fact that it’s so “clean” (as many reviewers say), and you also get access to the Westfield Century City shopping center, an outdoor mall. Situated just west of Beverly Hills, Century City rents aren’t cheap, but this is the price you pay for luxury in L.A.
12. Toluca Lake
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,095
- Median 2-BR rent: $2,962
- Walk Score: 79/100
Toluca Lake is a quaint neighborhood in the Valley that, yes, has a real lake and offers a respite from the city despite being so close to the urban buzz.
It’s been home to many celebrities, including Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Jonathan Winters, Bing Crosby and Kirsten Dunst.
13. NoHo Arts District
- Median 1-BR rent: $2,415
- Median 2-BR rent: $3,381
- Walk Score: 79/100
The NoHo Arts District is the southeast portion of the greater North Hollywood in the Valley, situated between Valley Village and Toluca Lake. With its proximity to the intersection of 101 and 170, it provides easy access to Studio City, the rest of the Valley and Hollywood via the Cahuenga Pass.
Given that it’s an arts district, NoHo contains a plethora of theaters, art galleries, museums and boutique shops, as you would expect.
14. Downtown Los Angeles
- Median 1-BR rent: $3,168
- Median 2-BR rent: $4,836
- Walk Score: 93/100
For many years, Downtown Los Angeles wasn’t seen as a desirable place to live at all. This has changed as more luxury apartments go up in the downtown core, giving young professionals who crave a more genuine urban experience a NY-like option.
For people who work downtown, living there is a great option to avoid a commute. You can also find some authentic urban loft spaces in Downtown L.A. Safety is an issue after dark in certain areas of downtown, so just like in any city neighborhood, be aware of your surroundings.
15. Brentwood
- Median 1-BR rent: $3,845
- Median 2-BR rent: $4,350
- Walk Score: 80/100
Located next to Santa Monica, Brentwood has a more suburban feel than other Los Angeles neighborhoods and has historically attracted wealthier residents. Some might claim that it’s a bit bland compared to hipster areas like Venice or Silver Lake, but a lot of people like it that way.
Find the best Los Angeles neighborhood for you
No matter what your style, you can find a great neighborhood in Los Angeles to live in. With so many great apartments for rent in Los Angeles, you can live near the beach, in the city, in the hills, whatever makes you happy.
