What is it about Los Angeles, California that makes 3.8 million people want to live there?
Well besides the obvious: 284 days of sunshine, great beaches, and the hopes of spotting a famous person to name a few, we discovered that people are starting to flock to Los Angeles because The City of Angels has some of the best neighborhoods in America. And lucky for you, HomeSnacks has created a guide to those great neighborhoods and the top ten best neighborhoods in Los Angeles for 2026 are listed below.
But before you scroll down, you should probably know a little bit about how we ranked these LA gems. In order to determine the best, we had to give each neighborhood an actual concrete score: we call this a neighborhood’s overall ‘Snackability’. To get this score, we looked at the latest data on income levels, unemployment rates, crime, and home prices for 83 Los Angeles neighborhoods with over 0 residents. Incidentally, this is our eleventh time ranking Los Angeles’ best neighborhoods, so trust us when we say that these are the best of the best.
And folks, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Los Angeles’ best neighborhoods. For example, you can walk Universal Studios on a daily basis if you choose to live in Century City, you can visit the Brentwood Farmers’ Market every Saturday if you choose LA’s Westside, and you can go for a dip in the ocean if you choose Pacific Palisades
Want to know more? We recommend that you grab yourself a fresh avocado and kale smoothie, head to a shady park in Bel Air, and read on as we divulge Los Angeles’ best neighborhoods.
$102,786 median income · $1,249,943 median home value
If you want to live close to the Los Angeles Airport and close to Venice Beach, but not on the beach, then Los Angeles’ first for 2026 neighborhood should be right up your alley.
But, folks, the Mar Vista neighborhood comes with a price. Homes in this neighborhood will run you around $1,249,943 and the median income is around $102,786. Fortunately, however, it’s cheaper to rent in Mar Vista than buy. With rental rates currently topping $2,129, this gives you an opportunity to check out the neighborhood at discount before making any major, life changing, financial decisions.
$163,253 median income · $1,392,827 median home value
Located in
Los Angeles County, California
There are many advantages to living in Los Angeles’ second best neighborhood, Brentwood. For one, you have a better chance of having your bike stolen than getting mugged. This neighborhood only had 249 violent crimes recorded at the time of this report, making them the eighth safest on our list.
Secondly, Brentwood scored off the charts on our snackability scale with an emphasis on education and employment, too. So, if you’re looking for a safe place to send your kids to school, walk your dog, and/or go to work, Brentwood delivers.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$205,646 median income · $2,000,001 median home value
If you guessed that Los Angeles’ third best neighborhood, Pacific Palisades, got its name because it is located on the Pacific coastline, you guessed right.
But I bet you didn’t know that if you want to live in this coveted LA neighborhood, you’re going to have to make the big bucks and you’re going to have to drop those big bucks on a home if you choose to buy or rent. Pacific Palisades is currently the first wealthiest and has the most expensive homes on our list.
So, if you’re looking for a true LA gem, look no further than Pacific Palisades.
$83,954 median income · $987,476 median home value
The Museum of Jurassic Technology and the Woodbine Park are two of the reasons why Palms is the fourth best neighborhood in Los Angeles, but they’re not the only reasons.
Made up of Craftsman and Spanish Colonial style homes, the Palms neighborhood is another neighborhood that made our list with only 37,859 residents. It is also LA’s 31st least dangerous.
Most people get to Palms via the 405 and the 10 freeways, but the coolest feature in this neighborhood is that you can get to it by LA’s only rail line, the Metro Expo Line.
$198,758 median income · $1,880,401 median home value
You, too, can live in Los Angeles’ fifth best neighborhood if you can afford to buy a $1,880,401 home.
But don’t let that price tag scare you. Bel Air, or Bel Air Estates as the locals call it, does have its many perks. It’s located in the Westside area of LA in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains; and, people, it’s gated. Probably why it’s LA’s 16th safest neighborhood.
Bel Air is another lightly populated neighborhood that made our list reporting only 6,984 residents. So, if you’re into living next to older, well-educated neighbors who make a lot of money, definitely give Bel Air a second look.
$99,711 median income · $1,204,131 median home value
$151,877 median income · $1,225,967 median home value
$111,840 median income · $1,267,517 median home value
What happens when you mix people with great jobs, $111,840 as the average income, and $1,267,517 as the average home price? You get the eighth best neighborhood in Los Angeles for 2026, Century City.
Century City has the smallest population on our list with only 5,810 residents; but what they lack in numbers, they make up in chutzpah: they’ve had 59,380 property crimes recorded already this year.
On a lighter note, Century City is the sixth best neighborhood to find a job on our list. Must be all of that very important Tinseltown stuff happening there.
$78,789 median income · $1,266,754 median home value
Westwood is the largest neighborhood in terms of population on our list, currently recording 57,287 residents.
The bonus to this neighborhood, it’s super safe. It ranked the tenth safest neighborhood on our list.
The one downfall to this neighborhood, however, is that the unemployment rate is currently above the national average at 4.6 percent. This tells us two things: 1).You should probably have a job in mind before you consider Los Angeles’ ninth best neighborhood; and 2). Local notables like Mila Kunis and Johnny Depp won’t live next to just anyone.
$103,804 median income · $1,296,346 median home value
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is California’s statewide median.
California statewide median: $99,122
California statewide median: $774,582
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the best Los Angeles, CA neighborhoods in 2026
To rank the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 83 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Los Angeles.” We’re lookin’ at you, Mar Vista.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Los Angeles, California has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Los Angeles.
The full plate
Table: Best Los Angeles neighborhoods for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar Vista | 36,353 | $1,249,943 | $102,786 |
| 2 | Brentwood | 31,709 | $1,392,827 | $163,253 |
| 3 | Pacific Palisades | 21,864 | $2,000,001 | $205,646 |
| 4 | Palms | 37,859 | $987,476 | $83,954 |
| 5 | Bel Air | 6,984 | $1,880,401 | $198,758 |
| 6 | Mid Wilshire | 39,181 | $1,204,131 | $99,711 |
| 7 | Playa Vista | 8,485 | $1,225,967 | $151,877 |
| 8 | Century City | 5,810 | $1,267,517 | $111,840 |
| 9 | Westwood | 57,287 | $1,266,754 | $78,789 |
| 10 | Pico-Robertson | 18,291 | $1,296,346 | $103,804 |
| 11 | Portar Ranch | 22,688 | $681,550 | $122,141 |
| 12 | Atwater Village | 10,765 | $789,870 | $91,126 |
| 13 | Sawtelle | 34,435 | $807,986 | $92,728 |
| 14 | West Los Angeles | 13,682 | $1,069,617 | $116,735 |
| 15 | Venice | 32,030 | $1,713,615 | $122,750 |
| 16 | Jefferson Park | 31,402 | $729,400 | $57,065 |
| 17 | Eagle Rock | 31,016 | $820,187 | $95,550 |
| 18 | Mid City West | 44,687 | $1,457,400 | $98,680 |
| 19 | Los Feliz | 28,163 | $1,174,050 | $101,089 |
| 20 | West Hills | 40,760 | $666,650 | $123,412 |
| 21 | Granada Hills | 53,139 | $633,692 | $107,829 |
| 22 | Highland Park | 45,611 | $685,910 | $73,793 |
| 23 | Shadow Hills | 4,677 | $719,933 | $100,458 |
| 24 | Mount Washington | 18,109 | $739,788 | $89,732 |
| 25 | Tarzana | 39,168 | $696,533 | $89,012 |
| 26 | Encino | 51,628 | $881,117 | $117,836 |
| 27 | Silver Lake | 38,829 | $943,164 | $91,137 |
| 28 | Woodland Hills | 77,392 | $762,283 | $109,058 |
| 29 | Playa Del Ray | 16,056 | $873,850 | $104,607 |
| 30 | Reseda | 70,313 | $528,697 | $74,808 |
| 31 | Northridge | 82,432 | $622,194 | $94,583 |
| 32 | Mid City | 82,665 | $994,947 | $73,044 |
| 33 | Arleta | 39,928 | $500,739 | $84,270 |
| 34 | Beverly Glen | 12,053 | $1,705,700 | $193,885 |
| 35 | Chatsworth | 41,206 | $592,150 | $101,676 |
| 36 | Toluca Lake | 9,150 | $890,544 | $83,615 |
| 37 | San Pedro | 77,099 | $609,528 | $77,474 |
| 38 | Sylmar | 78,715 | $471,372 | $78,184 |
| 39 | Westchester | 36,173 | $1,001,476 | $129,931 |
| 40 | Studio City | 40,742 | $1,041,634 | $117,445 |
| 41 | Mission Hills | 21,378 | $497,623 | $84,609 |
| 42 | Sun Valley | 79,154 | $526,454 | $63,454 |
| 43 | Pacoima | 71,405 | $431,452 | $62,298 |
| 44 | Valley Village | 28,134 | $837,730 | $84,571 |
| 45 | Hollywood Hills | 31,163 | $1,232,129 | $113,863 |
| 46 | Westlake | 98,864 | $755,085 | $46,523 |
| 47 | West Adams | 25,628 | $609,010 | $52,313 |
| 48 | Hollywood | 143,022 | $803,580 | $53,967 |
| 49 | Lakeview Terrace | 13,477 | $459,025 | $82,779 |
| 50 | Echo Park | 23,799 | $848,314 | $72,527 |
| 51 | North Hills | 59,369 | $515,014 | $72,890 |
| 52 | Sunland | 16,555 | $551,050 | $91,974 |
| 53 | Panorama City | 62,980 | $420,144 | $55,198 |
| 54 | Central City East | 23,663 | $630,142 | $58,266 |
| 55 | Winnetka | 50,815 | $542,476 | $75,166 |
| 56 | El Sereno | 44,421 | $556,110 | $66,447 |
| 57 | Boyle Heights | 77,778 | $472,252 | $49,528 |
| 58 | Glassell Park | 23,038 | $711,482 | $76,170 |
| 59 | Canoga Park | 55,504 | $444,276 | $65,037 |
| 60 | Harbor Gateway | 42,327 | $554,804 | $67,380 |
| 61 | Lincoln Heights | 33,525 | $547,919 | $51,775 |
| 62 | Van Nuys | 109,844 | $545,731 | $58,231 |
| 63 | Tujunga | 26,088 | $546,061 | $77,320 |
| 64 | North Hollywood | 71,248 | $623,486 | $57,555 |
| 65 | Crenshaw | 25,072 | $642,111 | $51,584 |
| 66 | New Downtown | 6,396 | $282,200 | $49,413 |
| 67 | South Los Angeles | 207,640 | $469,672 | $50,087 |
| 68 | Glendale | 29 | $1,053,600 | $53,438 |
| 69 | Harbor City | 22,398 | $456,657 | $63,462 |
| 70 | Chinatown | 9,144 | $488,417 | $53,225 |
| 71 | Downtown | 45,198 | $704,691 | $50,463 |
| 72 | Hyde Park | 31,100 | $567,417 | $58,128 |
| 73 | Southeast Los Angeles | 194,788 | $410,964 | $45,171 |
| 74 | Cypress Park | 10,713 | $578,810 | $58,239 |
| 75 | Wilmington | 50,695 | $437,323 | $56,607 |
| 76 | Watts | 40,431 | $354,525 | $36,669 |
| 77 | Central City | 57,489 | $440,243 | $43,878 |
| 78 | Civic Center-Little Tokyo | 3,457 | $306,133 | $55,760 |
| 79 | Montecito Heights | 8,572 | $647,575 | $81,139 |
| 80 | South Park | 7,021 | $209,983 | $48,922 |
| 81 | Leiment Park | 10,458 | $460,217 | $51,933 |
| 82 | Wholesale District-Skid Row | 7,245 | $218,186 | $29,771 |
| 83 | Fashion District | 2,466 | $89,350 | $39,866 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 83 Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: Putting a bow on our analysis of the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Los Angeles where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Los Angeles are Mar Vista, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Palms, Bel Air, Mid Wilshire, Playa Vista, Century City, Westwood, and Pico-Robertson.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Los Angeles aren’t all good. Fashion District takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Los Angeles.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below. Not sold on California? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Neighborhoods In Los Angeles FAQs
What is the best neighborhood in Los Angeles?
Mar Vista is the best neighborhood in Los Angeles for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Brentwood and Pacific Palisades are next.
What are the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles?
The best neighborhoods in Los Angeles are Mar Vista, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Palms, Bel Air, Mid Wilshire, Playa Vista, Century City, Westwood, and Pico-Robertson. We ranked all 83 neighborhoods in the city.
How expensive is Mar Vista?
The median household income in Mar Vista is $102,786 and the median home costs $1,249,943. The best blocks in Los Angeles rarely come at a discount.
How do you rank Los Angeles neighborhoods?
Each neighborhood is scored on income, home values, population density, unemployment, and crime, using Census tract data. The neighborhood with the best combined score, Mar Vista, takes the top spot.
Which Los Angeles neighborhood ranked last?
Fashion District came in last of the 83 neighborhoods we scored. Every city has a bottom of the table; in Los Angeles the numbers put it there.
