Living in Los Angeles, CA
Major city in California
Los Angeles is a major city in California, home to about 3.9 million people, with 9.8 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: Entertainment and creative careers, sun all year, beaches and mountains. Car-dependent and expensive.
Is Los Angeles a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 27 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 76°F
- Easy flying: BUR is 7 mi away
- Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
👎 Cons
- Few dog parks: 36 within 9 mi
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $922k, and rent is $3,300 a month
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.66% property tax
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Los Angeles ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Los Angeles: common questions
What is the cost of living in Los Angeles?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $922k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,300 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Los Angeles?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.66% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Los Angeles safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.9× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is warm all year: winter days average around 67°F and summer days around 76°F.
Does Los Angeles get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.51 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Los Angeles?
The nearest major airport is BUR, about 7 mi away.
How Los Angeles scores
Each bar compares Los Angeles with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Los Angeles
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.
Nearby
See all the best places to live in California.
Is Los Angeles right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.