City Information of Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA: Lifestyle and Diversity

Buying a home in the city of Los Angeles may seem a daunting task—its area so expansive, its population so vast, and its culture so diverse. Perhaps it would help to have a solid idea of where this city has come from and what it is today.

Los Angeles, CA is a city of almost 4 million spread over 470 square miles of real estate. The Greater Los Angeles Area spans five counties and holds over 17 million people. At first glance, moving here may feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to get to know everyone! You will introduce yourself to just as many neighbors as you would anywhere else. The truth is that the incredible size and diversity of LA is an advantage for prospective home buyers because there are so many communities, neighborhoods, and homes to choose from. You just have to find your niche — and Los Angeles has one for everyone.

Even though you might make the same amount of friends as you would in Ohio, if you move to LA you will probably have more neighbors to choose from. The population density is roughly 7,876.8 people per square mile. That’s a lot of people living within a short walk! The prospect of living in such an area is exhilarating. It would seem that the whole world is right out the front door.

Indeed if there were ever a truly global village it might be Los Angeles. The ethnic makeup is highly diverse. It is comprised of roughly 30% Caucasians, 23% Hispanics, 11% African Americans, 10% Asians, 1% Native Americans, and a large group of various others. There are almost as many people in LA who speak Spanish as a first language as do English.

Besides ethnic diversity, there are also all stages of life represented in the Los Angeles population. Home buyers will be able to find neighborhoods of predominantly young families, retired couples, single individuals, and so on. In 2000 there were 1.25 million households in LA of which a third had children living under the roof. Roughly another third were non-family residences and another third were home to individuals without partners or children. Many less wealthy families have moved toward downtown LA in recent decades, which has balanced the suburban sprawl that has overtaken other American cities.

Los Angeles is not a place to hide in your room. The warm climate and the active lifestyle make it a place to see the world and enjoy the ocean air. The winters can be wet but the summers are hot, though the breezes from the Pacific keep things comfortable on the coast. Smog has been an issue and continues to be, but has been effectively addressed in recent years by city and state authorities. The smog alerts have decreased severely since the 1970s.

Besides hot weather in the summer, Los Angeles, California is hopping with hot spots for recreation, education, entertainment, employment, and—you name it. From downtown LA to West Hollywood, the Sunset Strip to The Promenade, UCLA to Venice Boulevard, there is plenty of culture to experience in Los Angeles, CA. So do not be overwhelmed: This just might be one of the most exciting places in the world to consider buying a home!

Los Angeles Real estate & City Information