Living in Los Angeles, CA

It's elevated — there's no way to sugarcoat a violent crime index of 131 when the national average sits at 100. Property crime is at 145. That said, city-wide averages hide a lot of variation. There are safe, quiet neighborhoods in Los Angeles where people raise families without much worry. The key is doing granular research: talk to residents, check precinct-level data, and visit at different times of day before signing a lease. FBI UCR numbers.

It depends on your income, but the city-wide numbers are starting to feel tight. Median rent is $1,879/month against $80,366/year in household income — a 28.1% rent-to-income ratio. That's right at the line where financial advisors start raising eyebrows. You can make it work, especially with a roommate or dual income, but single earners at the median may feel squeezed. Some neighborhoods are cheaper than others, so shop around. Census ACS 2023.

It can be. The mean commute is 26 minutes, a bit above the national average. 61.4% of workers drive solo, which means congestion during rush hour is real. 6.7% rely on public transit, and 17.3% skip the commute by working from home. If you're choosing between neighborhoods, proximity to your workplace should rank high on the list — a few miles can mean 20 extra minutes each way during peak hours.

Los Angeles faces a moderate level of climate risk — score of 41/100. The top threats are Wildfire, Earthquake, and Drought. None of these hit every year, but they're real possibilities that affect insurance rates and emergency planning. Make sure your policy covers the relevant perils, keep a basic emergency kit, and know your evacuation routes if you're in a flood-prone area. FEMA and NOAA data.

Mixed. The city-wide graduation rate is 80.0% and classrooms average 21 students per teacher. Some schools here are legitimately excellent — strong test scores, engaged communities, good resources. Others struggle. The gap between the best and worst is wider than you might expect. Do your homework on individual schools rather than relying on the city-wide number.

A bit less than you'd pay in most U.S. cities. The average monthly utility bill in Los Angeles is around $208 (covering electric, gas, water, sewer), compared to a national average of $230. That $22 monthly savings won't change your life, but it's a nice perk — especially if you're coming from a more expensive market.

For most people, no. The median AQI of 65 puts Los Angeles in the "Moderate" category — fine for healthy adults, though sensitive groups (asthma, COPD, young kids) should pay attention on higher days. 130 days per year qualify as "Good." Ozone is the leading pollutant. Worth monitoring if you have respiratory conditions, but not a reason to avoid the city. Daily data at AirNow.gov.

Higher than average, yes. The total effective tax rate lands around 17.5% when you add up income, property, and sales taxes. Sales tax is 9.5%. High-tax areas often come with better public schools, infrastructure, and services — but that's not guaranteed, and it's cold comfort on payday. If you're moving from a low-tax state like Texas or Florida, brace for a noticeable dip in take-home pay.

Mostly, yes. The system scores 80/100, with 0 health-based violations on record and a "low" lead risk rating. That's a solid track record. Most residents drink tap water without issues. If you're in an older building with pre-1986 plumbing, a basic filter is a cheap precaution. For detailed contaminant info, check EWG's Tap Water Database.

Everything on this page is built from public government sources: rent and income figures from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023); commute and transportation data from Census ACS tables B08303 and B08006; crime rates from the FBI Uniform Crime Report; climate risk assessments using FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA storm records; air quality measurements from the EPA's Air Quality System database; water quality compliance data from EPA records and the EWG Tap Water Database; school data from the National Center for Education Statistics; utility cost estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We refresh each dataset monthly through an automated pipeline and cross-check for anomalies. No surveys, no user-submitted guesses — just official federal data presented in a way that's actually useful for people researching a move.