Top 10 Best Places to Live in LA (Los Angeles, Long Beach: to rent, crime)

[JTGJR]

California School Performance Maps

LALife.com

[cottonwood2420]

1. Beverly Hills
2. Hollywood Hills (including Beachwood Canyon, Laurel Canyon and Mount Olympus)
2. Pacific Palisades
3. Thousand Oaks
4. Playa Del Rey
5. Brentwood
6. Culver City
7. Burbank
8. Malibu
9. Manhattan Beach
10. San Marino

[mc111]

Which areas are better for middle school/high school kids : West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Culver City? How about South Pasadena ?

[cottonwood2420]

Originally Posted by mc111

Which areas are better for middle school/high school kids : West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Culver City? How about South Pasadena ?

South Pasadena.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by cottonwood2420

South Pasadena.

I would agree with that.

[doc09]

How is Sherman Oaks?

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by doc09

How is Sherman Oaks?

Another good area. Expensive homes "south of the boulevard."

[ck90211]

There are lots of nice neighborhoods in LA. But I like to offer my perspectives on living in Beverly Hills.

Beverly Hills traffic may be bad for those of you traveling to/through it, but for residents traffic is great, because I can be in downtown, LAX, Century City, UCLA, Santa Monica, South Bay, studios, Burbank, etc. (where most of high paying jobs in LA are), all within 30 minutes. Where else in LA can you find this kind of commute (thus free time)?

The public services are top notch, one can get an ambulance/police/fire within 5 min or less. If we go away, we can even call the police to keep eyes on our house at night. Garbage are collected twice a week, so are street sweeping.

With 10 pm curfew, it may not be a great place for teenagers and late night partiers, but we can get to the westside party places within 10 min.

Schools are not tops, but with Beverly Hills schools becoming larger, starting in 2010 it will be able to keep all its educational budget (from property tax), instead of giving it to the state then have it redistribute back $ millions less, BH schools will really be like a private school for residences. This is both good and bad, but at least schools wouldn't have to beg parents for money like now.

SO overall, I do agree that BH is one of the top neighborhood in LA, especially for those who work in and around downtown, westside or the studios.

[doc09]

North of Blvd is not as nice? does it really get that hot in SFV as people say.

[Vicman]

Isn't El Camino Real of Woodland Hills supposed to be a good LAUSD comprehensive? What about Taft?

And how will University HS change when the opportunity transfers decrease? I understand LAUSD transferred some territory from Hamilton to Venice and Uni.