Areas and Suburbs in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a tumult of areas and suburbs, and in many cases, each neighbourhood or collection of nearby neighbourhoods has delved out its own unique niche; sustaining a particular sense of community, standard of schools, rate of crime, income bracket and ethnic distribution.

Expats entangled in the process of househunting can certainly find the search harrying, but it's essential to be patient and to ensure that the area in which you select your accommodation is right for you. Most likely, WHERE you live will be the driving force behind HOW you live.

First and foremost, expats will want to find an area in close proximity to their work, and then it's appropriate to consider other factors like price, proximity to schools (if you have children), and character preferences.

Très Riche

Beverly Hills

Referring to residents of this neighbourhood as "upper-crust" would be a mere euphemism. Beverly Hills is one of the wealthiest areas of Los Angeles, and not surprisingly, one of the quietest and the safest. Many of Hollywood's megastars even play house behind the perfectly manicured hedges. The area is also well-known for its ritzy shopping options, most notably, the famed Rodeo Drive. Expats looking to settle down here should have a super-sizeable budget.

West Hollywood

Predominately populated by the Los Angeles gay community, West Hollywood is up-scale, but considerably more affordable than Beverly Hills. The area is known to be both clean and relatively safe, and it follows that a number of young families with their first child are beginning to also call this neighbourhood home. West Hollywood is nestled between Beverly Hills and Hollywood, and is known as a walkable area with fantastic furniture stores, restaurants and retail outlets.

Family friendly

San Fernando Valley

Casually referred to as "The Valley" by locals, this extended space is a seemingly endless network of gorgeous suburbs and mini-malls. Boasting both Ventura Boulevard, an expansive strip of shopping, dining and entertainment options, and Universal Studios, arguable the broker of the world's most famous movie magic, families with children will find little beyond their reach in this area of town.

Pasadena

Located just 10 miles from the city centre of Los Angeles, Pasadena offers families fast access to the freeway while still allowing them to maintain the leisurely lifestyle most often associated with  a not-so-sleepy town. Old Town Pasadena presents residents with a pedestrian-friendly centre where an assortment of bars, boutiques, cafés and restaurants cluster together. Charming neighbourhoods populated with quaint California bungalows sidle up to good-quality schools, cultural institutions and top-notch universities.

Beachside living

Santa Monica

This popular beach community manages to marry all the characteristics of an urban centre with the beauty of a seaside getaway. With a cost of living that's less than Malibu, and a character cleaner than that of Venice Beach, Santa Monica is a good option for middle-class expats taken with the idea of fresh ocean air and the famed Third Street Promenade, a pedestrian-only entertainment, dining and shopping venue.

Venice Beach

The edgier, more economic cousin of Santa Monica and Malibu, Venice Beach is well known as a bohemian-spirited beach community with inexpensive housing. The iconic boardwalk offers residents a prime people-watching and exercise platform, but can be dangerous at night and should be avoided. This is a great area for young artsy couples or beach bums looking for an easy-going neighbourhood with plenty of eclectic entertainment on offer.

Young and hip

Culver City

Chalked up as an up-and-coming neighbourhood with all the energy of a big city crushed into a small town, Culver City is more and more often being thought of as "home" by a young, mixed crowd of residents. Expats on a budget with a gusto for life, will find the inexpensive housing and burgeoning nightlife an ideal combination. Contrary to many areas of LA, this particular space boasts a truly diverse demographic, attracting the rich, poor, black, white, brown, conservative and liberal local and foreign populations.

Silverlake

This hilly neighbourhood acts as a point of congregation for throngs of creatives and hoards of hipsters. The area is also home to a large gay population as well as a sizeable Mexican community. Countless coffee bars, art galleries and ethnic restaurants entice those expats with an artistic whim, while the area's large reservoir proves an attractive asset for those with dogs or who fancy a fair bit of greenery. Expats should be aware that crime rates have increased as of late.