Moving to Los Angeles, CA
So, you’re thinking about relocating to the City of Angels. Are ya? We get it.
Los Angeles is many things: beautiful, fun, exciting, and fast-paced. And it can be a great place to raise a family or build a career.
Reese Witherspoon, Johnny Depp, Halle Berry, Kim Kardashian, and Denzel Washington all call Los Angeles home, and hey, maybe you will, too.
In this blog, we’ll share a moving company’s perspective on all things moving to Los Angeles to help you feel better about ditching your current city and making the big move to L.A. (or staying put, if that's what you want to do).
Let’s have some fun. Shall we?
The Basics of Moving to Los Angeles: Data, Cost of Living, and Of Course, Jobs
Here are all the deets about moving to Los Angeles:
The Numbers: Population Info and Demographics
Recent reports show that the Los Angeles metropolitan area has approximately 12,488,000 people as of 2022, which went up 0.23% since 2021. Now, getting down to the city of Los Angeles itself, its population is 3,985,516.
L.A. is the most populated city in California, and it just so happens to be ranked as the second biggest city in the country (New York City is the biggest). There are approximately 8,499 individuals per square mile, ranging from families to business owners and retirees.
The Cost of Living in Los Angeles
If you check out Reddit, moving to Los Angeles is on many people’s minds, and one of the biggest questions we see is: how much does it _really_cost to live in L.A.? We’ll just come out and say it: the cost of living in the City of Angels is 73.3% higher than the national average.
L.A. surpasses the national average in costs related to groceries, transportation, and housing (more on that below). Healthcare, on the other hand, is 10.6% less than the national average.
The Los Angeles Job Market
Los Angeles’s job market is rated just over a 6 out of 10. You’ll find jobs here of every kind. If you’re looking for something in the entertainment industry, L.A. has you covered. You can also find other jobs in the “creative economy,” as U.S. News calls it, which include theaters, museums, and fashion companies.
However, contrary to what many people think, there are many more industries beyond entertainment and other creative fields. In fact, some of the top industries are trade, bioscience, food manufacturing, IT, and professional services.
Some major employers that might strike a bell include the Walt Disney Co., CBRE Group, AECOM, Farmers Insurance Group, Morgan Stanley, Meta, and Goldman Sachs.
Getting Around Los Angeles
There are virtually unlimited ways to travel around L.A. You can choose from the Los Angeles Metro (definitely get a TAP Card if you do), Metro Buses, Metro Express Buses, Metro Rail, or DASH Buses. You can also grab a cab or Uber if it works better for you.
Just don’t forget to plan your route accordingly so as to not get bogged up in traffic. (L.A. comes up as #6 in “worst traffic” in the country.) Rush hour happens from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. approximately and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and onward between Monday through Friday. Over the weekend, it can get worse, especially if you’re going toward the Downtown region.
So, do you need a car in L.A.? You be the judge!
Where to Live in Los Angeles? Here’s a Mini Neighborhood Guide
One of our best tips on moving to Los Angeles, California, is finding the right neighborhood. Below are some suggestions:
1. Eagle Rock: Safe, Quiet, and Enjoyable
This eclectic neighborhood is to the north of Downtown Los Angeles, offering a quiet oasis for your family. One article even says, “Today, Eagle Rock is regarded as a sleepy, tucked-away town that's also a safe place to raise a family. In the past six months, for example, Eagle Rock has less instances of violent crimes than 159 other neighborhoods in the County (areas such as Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Sawtelle fared worse).”
Eagle Rock is rated an A- overall, bringing you top-notch schools and plenty of places to eat and shop, including the Eagle Rock Plaza. The city is perfect whether you’re moving up in the business world or are trying to grow your family and want a safe, comfortable place to do so.
2. Downtown L.A.: Great for Singles
Anyone moving to Los Angeles alone should take a peek at Downtown L.A. This neighborhood is an ideal stomping ground for singles and young professionals alike due to the many bars, museums, restaurants, and other places to mingle.
If you live in Downtown L.A., there’s a slim chance you’ll need a car because most of your major amenities are within walking distance, or you can take public transportation. (Psst… Did you know that Downtown is considered the #3 “most walkable neighborhood in Los Angeles?”)
3. Manhattan Beach: Fun and Low-Key
One person from Manhattan Beach says, “What I like about Manhattan Beach is the connected community that we live in. It is a safe environment for kids to be able to exist in, and overall it is a very chill beach town where anyone that comes to visit would enjoy their time.”
Manhattan Beach is the third-best suburb in L.A., rated an A+ between its family-friendliness, public schools, nightlife, and more. It contains a wide variety of coffee shops, restaurants, and local parks that you can feel safe bringing your family to during the day. (Moving to Los Angeles with a family is a great choice when you choose a place like Manhattan Beach! Live in an oceanfront city and be able to enjoy the water anytime you want? Count us in!)
Moving to Los Angeles: Pros and Cons
We’ve already covered many benefits of living in L.A., but we really want to help you feel confident in your moving decision, so let’s explore this a little further.
If you’re planning on moving to Los Angeles in 2022, here are some more pros and cons to be aware of:
Pros:
Diverse:One of the best parts about moving to Los Angeles alone (or even with a family, for that matter) is you’re sure to find your crowd here. L.A. is one of the most diverse cities worldwide, according to the World Population Review. It’s a unique place where you can meet others from all walks of life who are full of energy, passion, and ready to take the world by storm.
So Many Outdoor Activities:Los Angeles (and California, in general) is especially known for its warm, dry summers. The city stays between 48 and 85 degrees in general, depending on the season. And what do we know about warm weather? Well, when it’s warm out, we want to be outside! That means that when you live in L.A., you can do a little of everything, from surfing to hiking and so much more.
Cons:
Crazy-High Cost to Buy a Home:As we hinted at above, L.A. is not the cheapest place for housing, but check out Zillow for some of the most beautiful homes you’ve ever seen–especially in Paradise Cove Bluffs and Beverly Park.
The median home cost is $883,400, which is $198,600 higher than the average home cost in California and $591,700 higher than the national average. (Take a look at Florence, South Park, or Central Alameda for more affordable housing costs.)
Long Commute: On average, someone living in Los Angeles has a 30.9-minute commute to work, which exceeds the national average by 4.5 minutes. Per one article, 35% of people living in Palmdale (located in North Los Angeles County) spend more than two hours commuting every day.
The thing that makes the Los Angeles commute even more challenging is the traffic, on top of the size of the city and location of your work. (Keep in mind that the commute tends to go up the more west or south you have to travel away from L.A.)
Good Luck With Your Move to Los Angeles
There are many places throughout the world you could call home, and Los Angeles is a great option. But, moving to Los Angeles or another big city, we know, isn’t always the easiest–especially if you have kiddos and pets to think about.
Fortunately, Bellhop is here for you. As your dedicated local and long-distance moving company in Los Angeles, we can help coordinate your move quickly and affordably to ensure everything goes according to plan.
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