Guide to Los Angeles: Popular Neighborhoods

A Haven for Everyone in LA

Finding a good neighborhood in Los Angeles is easy--there are so many to pick from. The city is a widespread sprawl of urban development that has been growing at a steady pace for the past two hundred years. It's simply a matter of finding the right environment relatively close to the school you wish to intend--or trade proximity for a commute and choose life on the beach or in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Historic Los Angeles: Hollywood and Beyond

For students interested in living in a historical area of Los Angeles, there are the neighborhoods of Angelino Heights and Echo Park. These are some of the first suburbs of LA and were once the site of several movie studios. The Hollywood area, though known as the center of the movie industry, is actually no longer the cinematic capital it once was. Now it is a collection of well-to-do neighborhoods nestled in the hills with a few ethnic areas including Thai Town and Little Armenia.

South Los Angeles: Living in the "Valley"

While the neighborhoods of south Los Angeles may have been made infamous by the movies, the areas around USC and West Adams are quite nice and make excellent homes for students of nearby schools. One of the largest neighborhoods of the Los Angeles metro area is the San Fernando Valley--origin of the term "valley girl." A significant portion of the city's residents lives in the Valley, which includes smaller neighborhoods like Balboa Park, Mission Hills, and Toluca Lake.

The majority of the Los Angeles neighborhoods can easily be described as suburban and are spread out over a surprisingly large area. No matter what kind of neighborhood suits you best, you'll find it in Los Angeles.

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