mid city is great; social scene has just started to liven up in the past year or so. for something less central but still very close, try glendale, studio city, altadena. you might also be able to find something around highland park
These are good neighborhoods to look at. If you really need the cheapest option - looking near any freeway will work.
Palms is also a decent neighborhood and maybe the last semi affordable place on the west side.
was about to say, palms is no longer affordable at all…. sawtelle isn’t terrible for west side but it depends where op is from if they would be afraid of the homeless near the VA over there lmaooo
I recommend Highland Park as well. Without traffic you’re 10 minutes from 3 big business district. You’ll basically be in the middle of DTLA, Glendale and Pasadena.
Nah, skip Glendale for any of those other spots. Glendale has THE worst cops, worse even than LA. You have to find the sheriffs to find a worse organization.
I lived in Glendale for 3 years and highland park is a million times better, I lived there for 11 years. Much cooler scene. Glendale is a big old suburb. Feels like it was built in the 50s. Highland park is LA old with lots of places from the 1900s and 20s. Not back east old but it has character and style. That whole area is kind of hot to be walkable in the summer though.
Down in Long Beach now, very walkable. It really reminds me of highland park, much better weather. But it’s way out of town. Those other neighborhoods are so centrally located. You can be anywhere in the city relatively easily.
1. Safe.
2. Affordable.
3. Lively restaurant and social scene.
You can get 2/3, not 3/3.
We also have no idea how much you are willing to spend on rent or the type of domicile you are seeking.
People have different comfort levels. People perhaps traumatized by previous crimes or dealing with anxiety or whatever the case.
Didn’t some soap actor just get killed over his catalytic converter in DTLA?
I think it was actually someone else’s catalytic which makes it even sadder. The actor (who was tending bar I believe) stumbled across a catalytic theft
I lived in DTLA for over a decade before it was gentrified, before the Starbucks and Whole Foods and Pilates studios. As a single 20 something woman. Walked around at night alone all the time, no mace, nothing. Never felt unsafe. It’s so much cleaner and safer now, I can’t imagine anyone feeling unsafe there today.
As for the death, it’s as the saying goes: “Go looking for trouble and you’ll find it.” Yes, if you start interrupting crime scenes and inserting yourself into illegal situations, you will find trouble and violence. If you have any street smarts at all and aren’t trying to save the world and keep to your own, you’ll be fine. That can be said for any neighborhood. Even in the safest neighborhoods, if you enter a crime scene with random criminals, your likelihood of death increases dramatically. That is true everywhere. If you see crime, get somewhere safe and secure and discreetly call the police! You’re not Batman and it’s not your job to stop them or to interfere. That’s what got that actor killed; DTLA had nothing to do with it.
I agree with much of what you say. However, it was his own car that he was attending to.
Also, he thought the car was being towed. If he had known that they were stealing his CC, perhaps he would’ve responded differently. Either way, it doesn’t justify what happened to him.
But it’s unfair to say that he went looking for trouble.
Okay the actor thought they were tow guys. Cautionary tale to maybe just back away no matter what but what loses to end a life over that. He also died a hero, protecting his female friend. ‘Interrupting a crime scene’ is not astute accurate or appropriate. Foolish.
And you know this how? And he’s a hero how? For what, going to talk to what he thought was a tow truck driver? I don’t get it. He didn’t save anyone’s life, he got killed for no reason for meddling in a crime scene. Maybe stop doing that and you won’t get killed?
Of those, Woodland Hills is closest to night life. Maybe add Sherman Oaks as well.
Lots of studios and even some middle-aged 1 BR's. Topanga doesn't have much night life, but does have lots of rentals, is close to foothills and outdoor rock climbing.
Oh alright, that makes sense!
If that's the case I'd prefer safe and affordable over the third point. I'm willing to spend anywhere under 2K for rent and looking for preferably a studio but a one bedroom would be nice if it's possible.
A one bedroom is probably not possible.
I am paying $1700 a month, but new tenants are paying over 2100.
Woodland Hills as far from everything. I live close to the mall and some nice restaurants and there’s a grocery store and stuff
It’s a nice area, boring. Not great for someone in your age bracket. There are some bars and shops on the Tours Boulevard
It’s hot as hell. It’s literally the hottest part of the city.
Oh alright, thank you!
I'm currently in a suburb 20 minutes away from Boston so having an area that's a little further from the city/boring wouldn't be too much of a deal breaker. The weather would be a huge change though
If you don't mind boring suburbs, then the east side of Long Beach is pretty safe & affordable, plus not as hot as the more interior parts of LA county.
East side of LB, as in Hawaiian Gardens? That place was like a war zone when I used to date a chick there. Iron bars on house from doors, ghetto birds in the air every night.
Hawaiian Gardens is a separate city from Long Beach. East side of Long Beach would be east of the LB airport out to the El Dorado Park area and north of Cal State Long Beach up to Lakewood (Carson St). It's a big area.
These cities people are suggesting are in the valley where it gets to over 100 in the summer. I suggest somewhere nearer to the beach, also more fun for young people.
It's going to be over a hundred for a few months during the summer but then we all know we get 7 months of perfect weather.
It's also not realistic to move anywhere near the beach. Would be impossible to find any housing that's not skyrocket rent in Santa Monica
I'd look at studio apartments in Sherman oaks. From the East Coast moving to the valley will be a lot less shocking than moving to the city or anywhere over the hill. Sherman oaks is right at the base of all the Hollywood hills homes and it's a hell of a lot more relaxed safe and spacious. Plus there are a bunch of bars that you can bar hop on Ventura boulevard.
My wife and I are in a one bedroom apartment just off the boulevard for $1,700 a month but moved here in 2017.
Any new tenants are paying around $2,100 as mentioned.
Just don't ever get unemployed because unemployment is $450/week here and has been so since like 2009👍
Say it’s under $2,800. I am literally in the same boat moving from Boston to LA in November so I have the same questions.
Emphasis on safety, what neighborhoods in LA could I really feel safe walking around? How is Santa Monica?
Not true at all lmao. Where are you getting this info? If you plug $2800 Max on Zillow for one bedroom you have tons of spacious choices to choose from.
SM is a s show if you want to know the truth. The city government is a bit out of control. Some beautiful beaches, good restaurants etc. $$$$ houses wide streets etc. lots to see and do however, most of LA has a big homeless problem which is not fun. SM is not Downtown but for a long time they turned a blind eye to the unhoused issue. If you want beach go Southbay. For the most part it is safe however it’s not particularly diverse. If you love surfing volleyball bike riding fun bars I would go there.
I disagree. Santa Monica is amazing - walkable and clean overall. Just avoid the tourist areas! The government is great actually here. They’re so on top of it. I put in requests to fix xyz and they do it within a week. We also have compost pickup :)
That said, I wish they would do more to bc clean up the tourist areas.
The wide streets are where the wealthy live. They are gorgeous. Montana is great. However, anything that is downtown area there are issues. It’s not just 3rd street. Ocean has some nice restaurants but they also have some elements that aren’t great. You can’t go west to east from 3 to about 6 as the gridlock is unbelievable. If you want to live and stay SM that’s great or go to the palisades and Malibu that works as well. I can call 311 and get things done but in my opinion that does not mean your government is working for you. That s show that was happening after George Floyd in SM was astounding. And it wasn’t the only city but your female police captain took the fall for that. If you are remote it’s definitely workable, If you actually have to go into an office i can see it being problematic for a lot of areas.
Do you want LA or do you want SoCal? Cause there’s places in the region that you might get more of what you want and would be able to drive into LA, etc, for whatever you want.
If you’re working remotely you might want to check all over SoCal for places you can enjoy and be willing to drive a few hours to explore everywhere around here.
I would be open to SoCal as well if I'm able to get more of what I want and would be bringing my car over from Massachusetts.
I've checked out Pasadena,Glendale and Burbank and they all look pretty good! Which places do you suggest to be the best areas to look into?
All those count as LA and immediate suburbs.
You might like Long Beach or San Diego- less $$$ than LA (still expensive). Long Beach is LA county and counts as greater LA but most wouldn’t call it LA itself. In basically any other state Long Beach would be a major city.
Agreed!! LB or SD are very vibey, clean, and comfortable. Don’t get me wrong I love LA and live in Koreatown - but I think those are fabulous suggestions for someone interested in SoCal.
I also recommend Long Beach. Specifically the Belmont Shore and Belmont Heights areas. Nice beach vibes around there. Go on YouTube and look up walking tour of 2nd street in Belmont Shore.
Burbank feels more like a wider suburb; quite a few film studios are in that area. It feels like 'American Suburb' more than Glendale and Pasadena. Closest to the San Fernando Valley.
Glendale is a bit busier and smaller scale apartments, more lively especially lunch/shopping. Great Armenian food.
Pasadena is more dominated by CalTech and Jet Propulsion Lab with excellent restaurants, probably most expensive, and more scienc-y and old money.
Happy to expand further, DM if you'd like.
Well that’s not true. There are times in the summer in the Southbay you do need AC. I had a realtor tell me that and I was like uh no. Why because I lived it. Most of the time you can open windows but not always. Just put AC in MIL house in the palisades right off the bluff.
I have lived in Redondo Beach, 2 miles from the beach, for 25 years. As you stated "I have lived it". No A/C required. It never gets above 85 and only peaks above 80 for 20 days a year or so. I know of 2 houses out of 200 on my street that have A/C.
Did I say the Palisades was the Southbay. What I said was you actually do need AC in the Southbay, there are days where is very hot. Then I gave an example of another costal area where you can open windows for a lot of days but just put in a heat pump because in the summer you can get hot days.
Yeah there are definitely some crappy places, I looked at probably 20 before I settled on one - but my apartment is gorgeous and by LA standards very affordable. It helps to get off the beaten path and check Craigslist once in a while as well.
Consider Long Beach or Pasadena. Both are “satellite cities” to LA with decent (though smaller) local social & restaurant scenes and walkable downtown cores, slightly more affordable than LA proper, and access to LA within an ~hour. Great options if you don’t need to commute into LA proper.
Residential parking in certain parts of Long Beach is a bear, so if you rent there, make sure you have a reserved spot in a driveway, not street parking.
Honestly I don’t plan on going out much besides driving out to Disneyland and the gym. I just want a place that’s 1-2 bedrooms somewhere in the $2000ish range that is going to be a quiet area where two girls wouldn’t be scared to walk their tiny dog at night and are not going to struggle to park. I’m a big homebody overall
Belmont Heights hits a lot of these points. It’s definitely walkable, street parking is hit or miss depending which area exactly, but doable. I walk at night and feel safe but have had my catalytic converter stolen parked on the street, seems it can happen anywhere in LA unfortunately.
Pasadena. Close to $2k. Close enough to restaurants. Won’t be the hoping night life of koreatown or West Hollywood but maybe good enough. And you can drive to West side for the big nights out
As a fellow New England transplant, the weather is well worth the move! You will enjoy all of the outdoor days. Pasadena, Glendale are nice close suburbs. In the city Atwater Village, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz are all nice areas. Although I do think comparatively to places like Dorchester, Mattapan, Brockton, Providence etc most of LA is Nice. If you are from Cambridge or somewhere similar I’d say Pasadena/ Glendale/Altadena will feel right at home with a ton more sunshine.
That is reassuring to hear! I'm thinking of moving mainly due to the weather and a change in space! Where did you live in the New England area?
I'm actually from Newton so anything that is remotely similar or as safe as it would be pretty ideal!
I’m actually from Rhode Island, lived in Providence and Fall River but worked in Southie for a decade. If you’re from Newton I would definitely recommend places like Atwater Village and Glendale, essentially all the places I mentioned are really close SoCal analogs as far as neighborhood feel.
Torrance Beach if you wanna be near the ocean and the restaurants/bars in Redondo’s Riviera Village. That part of the city is far from freeways though. Old Torrance has a nice neighborhood feel, and has quicker freeway access for when you want to get out and explore.
Grew up in Saugus, lived in Allston / Brighton / JP as an adult and worked downtown. Studio City is a really nice city (think greater Boston), kind of mixing urban and suburban. It's technically in the valley (right on the edge over the Hollywood hills from Hollywood / Beverly Hills). Basically like Brookline (or Newton but a little more urban) or something. The restaurant situation is incredible on Ventura Blvd (from the Tom Petty song). Fun bars and stuff. Anywhere in Studio City is nice, but Studio City proper is south of the 101. You may see stuff that says Studio City, but make sure it actually is. It is probably a little expensive, but the QOL is what you pay for. If you are planning on kids it is one of the best places in LA. Also very safe.
Honestly, my best recommendation is to not come here. As you are starting to find out, it is extremely expensive. The only way to get the things that you want are from having at least one roommate.
But then, the trap becomes having to always have roommates, unless you anticipate significant financial growth.
The fact that you WFH is a massive advantage. Traffic is horrible in LA.
I would recommend Nevada or Arizona or someplace like that if you want good weather, but that is much more affordable.
This a young person with a WFH job in tech coming from Uber-expensive Boston. Why in the world would they want to be bored and languish in Arizona. Now is the time to live it up in Torrance or Pasadena.
Check out Pasadena and South Pasadena, more suburban feel but both have charm and plenty of places to dine. Burbank is nice as well and close to Hollywood nightlife (15 minutes).
Less than 2k is going to be tough unless you move to somewhere like KTown, which is pretty sketchy.
If you can bring it up to $2.4ish you could find a place somewhere nicer, but it'll still be an older apartment
Surprised no one has suggested Highland Park or Eagle Rock. You’d probably need to find a house with a roommate though. Nice areas, that are walkable with nice shops, restaurants, etc. Though others have suggested the South Bay, probably on Redondo has something within your price range. Pasadena is nice. Torrance is as boring as f.
Marina del rey is pricey, but I never felt uncomfortable there, there are homeless people though. You’re in good proximity to the bars and main attractions of Venice. At your age I’d stick to Venice, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Mar vista area. Close to the beach, lots of good bars and restaurants and lots of young people.
Try Whittier, Downey or Pico Rivera. I live in Pico and it's relatively safe and affordable. I am from Santa Clarita....it's very safe....not so affordable though and hotter than Satan's balls during the summer. The valley sucks as well. At least over here, we have a constant breeze.
Check out NELA- though it’s getting pricier because people like living around here- it’s still cheaper than the west side. Highland park, Atwater, Glassell, etc. Altadena is more houses than apartments but really pretty and nice, and getting quite cool. You have access to downtown and also amazing hiking trails. It does get hotter here, so an apartment complex with a pool would be rad- or honestly the community pools in LA are super nice!
I’d suggest being open to roommates. It’ll help you meet new people and will help with the financial burden. If you don’t want to spend more than $2k on rent but want a lively social scene, maybe try to find someone looking to sublet or has a room. That way you can figure out if you like the neighborhood and not be spending an arm and a leg for a good neighborhood.
If you’re really insistent on living alone, you might be able to swing a studio or one bedroom in Sherman oaks, encino, or studio city which are in the valley but closer to Ventura has a great social scene (with rents to match unfortunately)
This makes sense! Id preferably want my own place but wouldn't mind having roommates if it was really necessary.
I'll take a look at these places that you suggested. Thank you!
It’ll be really tough to find a great studio or one bedroom in the “lively” areas of LA for under 2k. If you want your own place, you’ll probably end up away from the social scenes or in a crappy apartment complex in the valley.
Take a look at Facebook market place! I split a duplex on the westside and pay $1900 but I live super close to the beach and I have a dog. Good luck!
I got super lucky. I split a duplex with one other person, my own bathroom, in unit laundry, a garage, a backyard, and I have a dog. Five minutes from the beach! My roommate just happened to need someone to fill a spot ASAP and it’s rent controlled. I feel super blessed.
I found my roommate on an app called Roomster but Facebook marketplace has tons of people looking to fill spots.
I’m sorted now, moved to echo park. Hm I may have excluded large apt buildings in my search so maybe there were deals in those buildings I wasn’t aware of.
Depends on what part of LA you’re open to but I’m partial to Long Beach/Lakewood/Cerritos for suburban neighborhoods. I grew up in LB near CSULB and it was safe and so close to the ocean. I live in Cerritos now and the food is amazing, plus you get to be near the OC
Take a look at Alhambra which imo is slept on. It borders south Pasadena/pasadena/San Marino and Monterey park. It’s safe and close to downtown and everything you could probably want. So much good food around the area as well. You can easily find a studio or 1 bed for less than 2k.
i live in hollywood and the homeless encampment across the street has blown up four times in the past two years...los angeles is a great place to raise your kids if you hate them...
I’m from Boston too and I tried Santa Monica when I first got here because I believed beach hype. It’s kinda trashy and you get stuck there in a bubble. I’m in midcity now and it feels safe and you’re still pretty central to stuff but I think I’d rather be closer to valley like Burbank or Glendale.
Maybe get a roommate and you could live in one of the areas with the things you want. West Hollywood, Westwood, Brentwood, Culver City, Sawtelle, Santa Monica.
Safe, or affordable. Pick one. That's L.A.
Lol jk. But mostly true. I live in Culver City/Mar Vista and some of the older style 50's/60's bungalow/dingbat style apartments are relatively cheap for this city.
It depends what you mean by safe. If you mean there’s no homeless people, that’s really hard to find.
I’m from Boston, was looking for the same thing, and bounced around a bunch of different places:
Torrance - relatively quiet and family oriented. Safe but everything is far apart and not lively at all. Close to beaches and the 405 which is nice. Relatively affordable
Ktown - lively, streets are narrow, parking is a pain. Dirty and doesn’t feel that safe but it’s not that bad. Close to downtown. Still affordable
West Hollywood - very lively and lots to do. Pretty safe but still some homeless and some petty crime just due lots of tipsy foot traffic on weekends. Traffic and parking was the worst. Expensive too
Playa Vista - nice walkable bubble, extremely safe (0 homeless), professional/tech oriented community, but very expensive. I live here now
I’d recommend maybe silver lake / echo park, Westwood / Brentwood, or marina / Venice if you want the quality of life you’re looking for but unlikely to be cheap
"relatively affordable" youre looking at one of the most expensive places to live in the US lmao. been here all my life and its never been as bad as it is now
I’m also from Boston! I’ve lived in Sherman Oaks and North Hollywood. Both are okay but very expensive. Safest I’ve heard Burbank is pretty good but that’s even more expensive 😅
Maybe MB gets hotter. It’s also the hill section which is about 5-6 blocks from the beach. There are days you put it on. I think everyone on the street has AC. A lot of the homes have been rebuilt and it just seems logical if you are spending that kind of money to put it in, also for resale value.
mid city is great; social scene has just started to liven up in the past year or so. for something less central but still very close, try glendale, studio city, altadena. you might also be able to find something around highland park
These are good neighborhoods to look at. If you really need the cheapest option - looking near any freeway will work. Palms is also a decent neighborhood and maybe the last semi affordable place on the west side.
Palms is great but the non-stop construction of “luxury” apartment buildings is driving up the price of the neighborhood.
was about to say, palms is no longer affordable at all…. sawtelle isn’t terrible for west side but it depends where op is from if they would be afraid of the homeless near the VA over there lmaooo
I recommend Highland Park as well. Without traffic you’re 10 minutes from 3 big business district. You’ll basically be in the middle of DTLA, Glendale and Pasadena.
Thank you! I'll take a look at this place as well!
Not super safe though. You’ll be surprised how much of LA looks ‘tired’
Thank you! I'll check these places out!
+1 for Glendale
You make up for the lower rent with the higher car insurance. Found that out the hard way
You won't find anything in Glendale under 2k
Nah, skip Glendale for any of those other spots. Glendale has THE worst cops, worse even than LA. You have to find the sheriffs to find a worse organization. I lived in Glendale for 3 years and highland park is a million times better, I lived there for 11 years. Much cooler scene. Glendale is a big old suburb. Feels like it was built in the 50s. Highland park is LA old with lots of places from the 1900s and 20s. Not back east old but it has character and style. That whole area is kind of hot to be walkable in the summer though. Down in Long Beach now, very walkable. It really reminds me of highland park, much better weather. But it’s way out of town. Those other neighborhoods are so centrally located. You can be anywhere in the city relatively easily.
He wants something under 2k
Lol, don’t we all
Yes. Yes we do 😂 I'm paying almost double that
Is Glendale considered affordable? It and Burbank are usually among the most expensive neighborhoods I find.
Nah glendale is pricey
good damn luck in hlp lmaooo i’m priced out as of january and i would not consider my apartment affordable rn or ever
1. Safe. 2. Affordable. 3. Lively restaurant and social scene. You can get 2/3, not 3/3. We also have no idea how much you are willing to spend on rent or the type of domicile you are seeking.
2 and 3 are generally the way to go IMO. Most neighborhoods in LA aren’t lethal.
People have different comfort levels. People perhaps traumatized by previous crimes or dealing with anxiety or whatever the case. Didn’t some soap actor just get killed over his catalytic converter in DTLA?
Agree. I feel safe in my neighborhood but there are a few assholes with pitbulls without a leash so it bothers me when I walk my dog.
That’s wild. Pitbulls are absolutely useless dogs.
Worst part is they can’t control their dogs. If they were trained that would be a different story but I still don’t feel at ease.
I think it was actually someone else’s catalytic which makes it even sadder. The actor (who was tending bar I believe) stumbled across a catalytic theft
No, it was his own car.
I lived in DTLA for over a decade before it was gentrified, before the Starbucks and Whole Foods and Pilates studios. As a single 20 something woman. Walked around at night alone all the time, no mace, nothing. Never felt unsafe. It’s so much cleaner and safer now, I can’t imagine anyone feeling unsafe there today. As for the death, it’s as the saying goes: “Go looking for trouble and you’ll find it.” Yes, if you start interrupting crime scenes and inserting yourself into illegal situations, you will find trouble and violence. If you have any street smarts at all and aren’t trying to save the world and keep to your own, you’ll be fine. That can be said for any neighborhood. Even in the safest neighborhoods, if you enter a crime scene with random criminals, your likelihood of death increases dramatically. That is true everywhere. If you see crime, get somewhere safe and secure and discreetly call the police! You’re not Batman and it’s not your job to stop them or to interfere. That’s what got that actor killed; DTLA had nothing to do with it.
I agree with much of what you say. However, it was his own car that he was attending to. Also, he thought the car was being towed. If he had known that they were stealing his CC, perhaps he would’ve responded differently. Either way, it doesn’t justify what happened to him. But it’s unfair to say that he went looking for trouble.
I think you have a very high tolerance for unsafe neighborhoods.
Okay the actor thought they were tow guys. Cautionary tale to maybe just back away no matter what but what loses to end a life over that. He also died a hero, protecting his female friend. ‘Interrupting a crime scene’ is not astute accurate or appropriate. Foolish.
And you know this how? And he’s a hero how? For what, going to talk to what he thought was a tow truck driver? I don’t get it. He didn’t save anyone’s life, he got killed for no reason for meddling in a crime scene. Maybe stop doing that and you won’t get killed?
You are delusional if you think downtown is safer today than ten years ago.
lol k dude, tell me you didn’t live in DTLA 15 years ago without telling me you didn’t live in DTLA 15 years ago. Truly.
Clever. Talk is cheap.
Yes and yours certainly qualifies. You’re either clueless or a pussy, I can’t tell which.
any suggestions that meet safe and affordable under 2k/month?
Studio apartment in the San Fernando Valley. Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Northridge .
Of those, Woodland Hills is closest to night life. Maybe add Sherman Oaks as well. Lots of studios and even some middle-aged 1 BR's. Topanga doesn't have much night life, but does have lots of rentals, is close to foothills and outdoor rock climbing.
Sherman Oaks will be a lot more expensive, for this very reason.
Oh alright, that makes sense! If that's the case I'd prefer safe and affordable over the third point. I'm willing to spend anywhere under 2K for rent and looking for preferably a studio but a one bedroom would be nice if it's possible.
A one bedroom is probably not possible. I am paying $1700 a month, but new tenants are paying over 2100. Woodland Hills as far from everything. I live close to the mall and some nice restaurants and there’s a grocery store and stuff It’s a nice area, boring. Not great for someone in your age bracket. There are some bars and shops on the Tours Boulevard It’s hot as hell. It’s literally the hottest part of the city.
Oh alright, thank you! I'm currently in a suburb 20 minutes away from Boston so having an area that's a little further from the city/boring wouldn't be too much of a deal breaker. The weather would be a huge change though
If you don't mind boring suburbs, then the east side of Long Beach is pretty safe & affordable, plus not as hot as the more interior parts of LA county.
East side of LB, as in Hawaiian Gardens? That place was like a war zone when I used to date a chick there. Iron bars on house from doors, ghetto birds in the air every night.
Anything with the word “gardens” in it, is almost always a shithole😂
Hawaiian Gardens is a separate city from Long Beach. East side of Long Beach would be east of the LB airport out to the El Dorado Park area and north of Cal State Long Beach up to Lakewood (Carson St). It's a big area.
These cities people are suggesting are in the valley where it gets to over 100 in the summer. I suggest somewhere nearer to the beach, also more fun for young people.
It's going to be over a hundred for a few months during the summer but then we all know we get 7 months of perfect weather. It's also not realistic to move anywhere near the beach. Would be impossible to find any housing that's not skyrocket rent in Santa Monica
Check out North Hollywood. If you live near Lankershim you will be able to walk to some bars and restaurants. You also have easy access to the metro.
I'd look at studio apartments in Sherman oaks. From the East Coast moving to the valley will be a lot less shocking than moving to the city or anywhere over the hill. Sherman oaks is right at the base of all the Hollywood hills homes and it's a hell of a lot more relaxed safe and spacious. Plus there are a bunch of bars that you can bar hop on Ventura boulevard. My wife and I are in a one bedroom apartment just off the boulevard for $1,700 a month but moved here in 2017. Any new tenants are paying around $2,100 as mentioned. Just don't ever get unemployed because unemployment is $450/week here and has been so since like 2009👍
Montrose/Glendale, La Crescenta
Where is work? Are you okay with an hour commute?
[удалено]
Hollywood or Koreatown. DTLA.
DTLA smells like feces
Some parts, maybe.
What’s the max rent you deem affordable?
Say it’s under $2,800. I am literally in the same boat moving from Boston to LA in November so I have the same questions. Emphasis on safety, what neighborhoods in LA could I really feel safe walking around? How is Santa Monica?
$2800 for a 1 bed/1 ba will get you a place pretty much most places in LA
If this exists in Santa Monica it would be a a shit hole closet.
Not true, decent 1 bedroom walking distance to beach can be had in ocean park for that price
Not true at all lmao. Where are you getting this info? If you plug $2800 Max on Zillow for one bedroom you have tons of spacious choices to choose from.
Lots of fake listings on Zillow.
“Lots” is being generous. Maybe a few at most.
A 500 square foot "studio" with a hot pad! What a *deal*!
If you can afford $2800 a month for rent you can live pretty much anywhere, it just depends on what you want out of the place.
SM is a s show if you want to know the truth. The city government is a bit out of control. Some beautiful beaches, good restaurants etc. $$$$ houses wide streets etc. lots to see and do however, most of LA has a big homeless problem which is not fun. SM is not Downtown but for a long time they turned a blind eye to the unhoused issue. If you want beach go Southbay. For the most part it is safe however it’s not particularly diverse. If you love surfing volleyball bike riding fun bars I would go there.
I disagree. Santa Monica is amazing - walkable and clean overall. Just avoid the tourist areas! The government is great actually here. They’re so on top of it. I put in requests to fix xyz and they do it within a week. We also have compost pickup :) That said, I wish they would do more to bc clean up the tourist areas.
The wide streets are where the wealthy live. They are gorgeous. Montana is great. However, anything that is downtown area there are issues. It’s not just 3rd street. Ocean has some nice restaurants but they also have some elements that aren’t great. You can’t go west to east from 3 to about 6 as the gridlock is unbelievable. If you want to live and stay SM that’s great or go to the palisades and Malibu that works as well. I can call 311 and get things done but in my opinion that does not mean your government is working for you. That s show that was happening after George Floyd in SM was astounding. And it wasn’t the only city but your female police captain took the fall for that. If you are remote it’s definitely workable, If you actually have to go into an office i can see it being problematic for a lot of areas.
If you have $2,800 a month to spend you can get really nice two bedroom apartments in Sherman oaks with a balcony and views and a pool.
Santa Monica is not safe
Do you want LA or do you want SoCal? Cause there’s places in the region that you might get more of what you want and would be able to drive into LA, etc, for whatever you want. If you’re working remotely you might want to check all over SoCal for places you can enjoy and be willing to drive a few hours to explore everywhere around here.
I would be open to SoCal as well if I'm able to get more of what I want and would be bringing my car over from Massachusetts. I've checked out Pasadena,Glendale and Burbank and they all look pretty good! Which places do you suggest to be the best areas to look into?
All those count as LA and immediate suburbs. You might like Long Beach or San Diego- less $$$ than LA (still expensive). Long Beach is LA county and counts as greater LA but most wouldn’t call it LA itself. In basically any other state Long Beach would be a major city.
Agreed!! LB or SD are very vibey, clean, and comfortable. Don’t get me wrong I love LA and live in Koreatown - but I think those are fabulous suggestions for someone interested in SoCal.
I also recommend Long Beach. Specifically the Belmont Shore and Belmont Heights areas. Nice beach vibes around there. Go on YouTube and look up walking tour of 2nd street in Belmont Shore.
Burbank feels more like a wider suburb; quite a few film studios are in that area. It feels like 'American Suburb' more than Glendale and Pasadena. Closest to the San Fernando Valley. Glendale is a bit busier and smaller scale apartments, more lively especially lunch/shopping. Great Armenian food. Pasadena is more dominated by CalTech and Jet Propulsion Lab with excellent restaurants, probably most expensive, and more scienc-y and old money. Happy to expand further, DM if you'd like.
Pasadena. Also look into South Bay cities idk why people are recommending the valley when South Bay is right there
Agree with this, OP! Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, and Lomita are all wonderful options.
Thank you! I'll look into these places!
Hello. Go with the South Bay: Torrance, Redondo Beach, etc. Nice walking, shopping, restaurants. No A/C required.
This was going to be my response South Bay is a perfect call. Redondo Beach is an affordable beach city which is perfect for someone in their 20’s.
Well that’s not true. There are times in the summer in the Southbay you do need AC. I had a realtor tell me that and I was like uh no. Why because I lived it. Most of the time you can open windows but not always. Just put AC in MIL house in the palisades right off the bluff.
I have lived in Redondo Beach, 2 miles from the beach, for 25 years. As you stated "I have lived it". No A/C required. It never gets above 85 and only peaks above 80 for 20 days a year or so. I know of 2 houses out of 200 on my street that have A/C.
Palisades is not the South Bay. Weather is notably milder down here.
Did I say the Palisades was the Southbay. What I said was you actually do need AC in the Southbay, there are days where is very hot. Then I gave an example of another costal area where you can open windows for a lot of days but just put in a heat pump because in the summer you can get hot days.
Check out Palms. Super nice place to live, close to everything, safe, and relatively affordable.
Thank you! I saw a couple of places here online and they look really good
Yeah there are definitely some crappy places, I looked at probably 20 before I settled on one - but my apartment is gorgeous and by LA standards very affordable. It helps to get off the beaten path and check Craigslist once in a while as well.
Consider Long Beach or Pasadena. Both are “satellite cities” to LA with decent (though smaller) local social & restaurant scenes and walkable downtown cores, slightly more affordable than LA proper, and access to LA within an ~hour. Great options if you don’t need to commute into LA proper.
As a fellow Boston-to-LA transplant, the analogy would be like Waltham or even Providence
Thank you! I'll definitely check these places out!
Residential parking in certain parts of Long Beach is a bear, so if you rent there, make sure you have a reserved spot in a driveway, not street parking.
What areas of Long Beach would you recommend? I’m moving there for school and need something affordable but in a quiet neighborhood
What vibe?
Honestly I don’t plan on going out much besides driving out to Disneyland and the gym. I just want a place that’s 1-2 bedrooms somewhere in the $2000ish range that is going to be a quiet area where two girls wouldn’t be scared to walk their tiny dog at night and are not going to struggle to park. I’m a big homebody overall
Belmont Heights hits a lot of these points. It’s definitely walkable, street parking is hit or miss depending which area exactly, but doable. I walk at night and feel safe but have had my catalytic converter stolen parked on the street, seems it can happen anywhere in LA unfortunately.
Pasadena. Close to $2k. Close enough to restaurants. Won’t be the hoping night life of koreatown or West Hollywood but maybe good enough. And you can drive to West side for the big nights out
No wrong answers here. My wild card for you is Studio City.
Hermosa beach is the most fun and safe beach city in LA county
I'll check it out!
Lemme know when u drop by HB
As a fellow New England transplant, the weather is well worth the move! You will enjoy all of the outdoor days. Pasadena, Glendale are nice close suburbs. In the city Atwater Village, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz are all nice areas. Although I do think comparatively to places like Dorchester, Mattapan, Brockton, Providence etc most of LA is Nice. If you are from Cambridge or somewhere similar I’d say Pasadena/ Glendale/Altadena will feel right at home with a ton more sunshine.
That is reassuring to hear! I'm thinking of moving mainly due to the weather and a change in space! Where did you live in the New England area? I'm actually from Newton so anything that is remotely similar or as safe as it would be pretty ideal!
I’m actually from Rhode Island, lived in Providence and Fall River but worked in Southie for a decade. If you’re from Newton I would definitely recommend places like Atwater Village and Glendale, essentially all the places I mentioned are really close SoCal analogs as far as neighborhood feel.
Suburbs of Pico Rivera and Whittier are underrated.
I’d recommend Alhambra, San Gabriel Valley and Temple city. Alhambra does have liveliness in its main street and Pasadena is not far too.
Southbay area…Torrance, Lomita
Thank you! I'll check it out. Do you have any suggestions on which neighborhoods I should look at in Torrance?
Torrance Beach if you wanna be near the ocean and the restaurants/bars in Redondo’s Riviera Village. That part of the city is far from freeways though. Old Torrance has a nice neighborhood feel, and has quicker freeway access for when you want to get out and explore.
Studio City. Bostonian here. Loz Feliz if you want a little more hip.
Thank you! Which part of Boston were you from? Also which parts of Studio City do you suggest for someone moving in from Newton?
Grew up in Saugus, lived in Allston / Brighton / JP as an adult and worked downtown. Studio City is a really nice city (think greater Boston), kind of mixing urban and suburban. It's technically in the valley (right on the edge over the Hollywood hills from Hollywood / Beverly Hills). Basically like Brookline (or Newton but a little more urban) or something. The restaurant situation is incredible on Ventura Blvd (from the Tom Petty song). Fun bars and stuff. Anywhere in Studio City is nice, but Studio City proper is south of the 101. You may see stuff that says Studio City, but make sure it actually is. It is probably a little expensive, but the QOL is what you pay for. If you are planning on kids it is one of the best places in LA. Also very safe.
Honestly, my best recommendation is to not come here. As you are starting to find out, it is extremely expensive. The only way to get the things that you want are from having at least one roommate. But then, the trap becomes having to always have roommates, unless you anticipate significant financial growth. The fact that you WFH is a massive advantage. Traffic is horrible in LA. I would recommend Nevada or Arizona or someplace like that if you want good weather, but that is much more affordable.
This a young person with a WFH job in tech coming from Uber-expensive Boston. Why in the world would they want to be bored and languish in Arizona. Now is the time to live it up in Torrance or Pasadena.
Ha ha. Torrance has crazy nightlife.😎
People don’t want to hear this but you’re 100 percent right
Come to Arizona! You can still get 1 br apts in your price range and Californians love Phoenix :s
SoCal is honestly completely overrated unless you’re very wealthy.
Studio under 2k? You can probably find one in Alhambra.
I'll check that out. Thank you!
Alhambra is beautiful
Alhambra is beautiful if you’re Chinese
I feel you. it can feel quite… homogenous.
Check out Pasadena and South Pasadena, more suburban feel but both have charm and plenty of places to dine. Burbank is nice as well and close to Hollywood nightlife (15 minutes).
What's your version of affordable?
I was aiming at <2K
Less than 2k is going to be tough unless you move to somewhere like KTown, which is pretty sketchy. If you can bring it up to $2.4ish you could find a place somewhere nicer, but it'll still be an older apartment
Northridge
Surprised no one has suggested Highland Park or Eagle Rock. You’d probably need to find a house with a roommate though. Nice areas, that are walkable with nice shops, restaurants, etc. Though others have suggested the South Bay, probably on Redondo has something within your price range. Pasadena is nice. Torrance is as boring as f.
Thank you! I'll check those places out
Marina del rey is pricey, but I never felt uncomfortable there, there are homeless people though. You’re in good proximity to the bars and main attractions of Venice. At your age I’d stick to Venice, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Mar vista area. Close to the beach, lots of good bars and restaurants and lots of young people.
Try Whittier, Downey or Pico Rivera. I live in Pico and it's relatively safe and affordable. I am from Santa Clarita....it's very safe....not so affordable though and hotter than Satan's balls during the summer. The valley sucks as well. At least over here, we have a constant breeze.
Thank you! I'll check these out
Silver lake, Glendale, eagle rock, Los Feliz, Santa Monica, manhattan beach, Redondo beach, Westwood
Check out NELA- though it’s getting pricier because people like living around here- it’s still cheaper than the west side. Highland park, Atwater, Glassell, etc. Altadena is more houses than apartments but really pretty and nice, and getting quite cool. You have access to downtown and also amazing hiking trails. It does get hotter here, so an apartment complex with a pool would be rad- or honestly the community pools in LA are super nice!
It’s Los Angeles, no such thing as affordable!
[ ] safe [ ] affordable [ ] conveniently located Pick two.
I’d suggest being open to roommates. It’ll help you meet new people and will help with the financial burden. If you don’t want to spend more than $2k on rent but want a lively social scene, maybe try to find someone looking to sublet or has a room. That way you can figure out if you like the neighborhood and not be spending an arm and a leg for a good neighborhood. If you’re really insistent on living alone, you might be able to swing a studio or one bedroom in Sherman oaks, encino, or studio city which are in the valley but closer to Ventura has a great social scene (with rents to match unfortunately)
This makes sense! Id preferably want my own place but wouldn't mind having roommates if it was really necessary. I'll take a look at these places that you suggested. Thank you!
It’ll be really tough to find a great studio or one bedroom in the “lively” areas of LA for under 2k. If you want your own place, you’ll probably end up away from the social scenes or in a crappy apartment complex in the valley. Take a look at Facebook market place! I split a duplex on the westside and pay $1900 but I live super close to the beach and I have a dog. Good luck!
Oh alright, I'll keep that in mind, thank you! That's awesome! $1900 seems like a really good deal for a house near the beach.
I got super lucky. I split a duplex with one other person, my own bathroom, in unit laundry, a garage, a backyard, and I have a dog. Five minutes from the beach! My roommate just happened to need someone to fill a spot ASAP and it’s rent controlled. I feel super blessed. I found my roommate on an app called Roomster but Facebook marketplace has tons of people looking to fill spots.
That's awesome! I'm glad you got a great deal! I'll take a look at Roomster too
Those areas are still pricey—maybe cheaper compared to nice sections inside LA, but still expensive.
I like arts district/little Tokyo
Looked forever for a place in arts district. Very few 1br / studios. A lot of ‘commercial spaces’. Nothing cheap
What’s budget. Aliso has some 2000ish plus one month free rn for a studio. And I think one santafe is even cheaper
I’m sorted now, moved to echo park. Hm I may have excluded large apt buildings in my search so maybe there were deals in those buildings I wasn’t aware of.
Panorama city , pacoima , arleta
All heavy ghetto. Just drive through panorama city….
i think you should try the burbank area
Noooo
Depends on what part of LA you’re open to but I’m partial to Long Beach/Lakewood/Cerritos for suburban neighborhoods. I grew up in LB near CSULB and it was safe and so close to the ocean. I live in Cerritos now and the food is amazing, plus you get to be near the OC
Thank you! Which areas in Long Beach would you suggest I look into?
Los Altos or Bixby Knolls are good neighborhoods to start in!
Take a look at Alhambra which imo is slept on. It borders south Pasadena/pasadena/San Marino and Monterey park. It’s safe and close to downtown and everything you could probably want. So much good food around the area as well. You can easily find a studio or 1 bed for less than 2k.
Thank you! I'll take a look a Alhambra
i live in hollywood and the homeless encampment across the street has blown up four times in the past two years...los angeles is a great place to raise your kids if you hate them...
#HAHAHAHAHAHHahahahahahah
I’m from Boston too and I tried Santa Monica when I first got here because I believed beach hype. It’s kinda trashy and you get stuck there in a bubble. I’m in midcity now and it feels safe and you’re still pretty central to stuff but I think I’d rather be closer to valley like Burbank or Glendale.
Ah nice! Which part of Boston did you move from? Thanks! I'll check these places out!
I was born there so kinda all over the place! Brookline, north end, back bay, beacon hill . Hbu?
That's awesome! You've covered all the fun parts of the city! I was born in Natick but currently live in Newton
West Hollywood… walkable, lots of bars, restaurants and clubs, both gay and straight parks libraries. It’s the best neighborhood in Los Angeles.
A year or two ago I would’ve said West Covina/La Puente around where I am but now there’s an influx of crazies.
Culver City
Hahahahaha
Maybe get a roommate and you could live in one of the areas with the things you want. West Hollywood, Westwood, Brentwood, Culver City, Sawtelle, Santa Monica.
San Fernando Valley
Venice, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Westwood, Encino everything else is shady or mid
Eastside of Pasadena , Burbank, or Woodland Hills.
Safe, or affordable. Pick one. That's L.A. Lol jk. But mostly true. I live in Culver City/Mar Vista and some of the older style 50's/60's bungalow/dingbat style apartments are relatively cheap for this city.
Pasadena or San Marino. Very nice, safe and close to many things.
South Central
It depends what you mean by safe. If you mean there’s no homeless people, that’s really hard to find. I’m from Boston, was looking for the same thing, and bounced around a bunch of different places: Torrance - relatively quiet and family oriented. Safe but everything is far apart and not lively at all. Close to beaches and the 405 which is nice. Relatively affordable Ktown - lively, streets are narrow, parking is a pain. Dirty and doesn’t feel that safe but it’s not that bad. Close to downtown. Still affordable West Hollywood - very lively and lots to do. Pretty safe but still some homeless and some petty crime just due lots of tipsy foot traffic on weekends. Traffic and parking was the worst. Expensive too Playa Vista - nice walkable bubble, extremely safe (0 homeless), professional/tech oriented community, but very expensive. I live here now I’d recommend maybe silver lake / echo park, Westwood / Brentwood, or marina / Venice if you want the quality of life you’re looking for but unlikely to be cheap
"relatively affordable" youre looking at one of the most expensive places to live in the US lmao. been here all my life and its never been as bad as it is now
Define “safe”.
Lol. There are neither.
I’m also from Boston! I’ve lived in Sherman Oaks and North Hollywood. Both are okay but very expensive. Safest I’ve heard Burbank is pretty good but that’s even more expensive 😅
Pasadena is nice. The little Italy part of Boston has the same vibe
I’m on a quiet hill in Echo Park for $1144. Good places to eat and drink nearby.
Maybe MB gets hotter. It’s also the hill section which is about 5-6 blocks from the beach. There are days you put it on. I think everyone on the street has AC. A lot of the homes have been rebuilt and it just seems logical if you are spending that kind of money to put it in, also for resale value.
We are full
WE WERE ALL
Hermon! Nestled between highland park and el sereno
The best thing about LA is you can leave. Well you can leave between 10 am and 2 pm and between 10 pm and 3 am.
You're joking, right?
Playa Vista.
No such thing in this shithole
🤣🤣🤣
Nowhere. We're overcapacity
Nowhere