What's it like to live in Los Angeles, California?

For a number of reasons, we get a bunch of questions asking what it’s really like in SoCal.

First of all, I'll tell you what it's NOT like: It's not like anything on TV. People watch shows on TV and think that’s what it’s like out here. The “Real OC”, Newport Beach, The Hills, etc. Ever wonder why people in those shows never have to pay bills, do laundry, and are NEVER stuck in traffic? Because it’s FAKE. And the news doesn’t help either, since they know that sex and sensationalism sells. News flash: There aren’t running gun battles in the street. There aren’t shootouts every day. Also, you don’t see celebrities just walking down the street, all glammed up, or sipping a cappuccino at Starbucks waiting to sign autographs. We don't go surfing during lunch hour.

Some sections are REALLY nice, others are “ghetto”. Too many people have this vision in their head that LA and Orange County are one or the other (either Beverly Hills or Compton). They either think it is a fairy tale fantasy or an apocalyptic ghetto. In fact, most of it is working class and middle class stiffs working to pay the bills. Like me.

The variety of food here is incredible. New Yorkers come here and complain that the pizza is terrible (it’s not as good as NY Pizza), but the Mexican food is GREAT here. That more than makes up for it.

The weather here is incredible. 340+ days of sunshine makes up for a lot of traffic.

You NEED a car to live in Southern California. We don’t have an effective public transportation like New York or San Francisco. One reason is that LA is larger in area than either of those, without a central hub. Hollywood is 8 miles north of downtown, and 38 miles north of Disneyland. Average commute is 20-30 miles..

The freeway traffic is probably the worst thing about living here. The 405 is the worst. Know why they call it the 405? Because you go 4 o' 5 miles per hour, and it takes 4 o' 5 hours to get where you're going. Freeway Traffic is bad from 6-10 AM and bad from 3-7 PM. I don't know why they call it rush hour. It's more than an hour, and nobody's rushing, that's for sure.

The gangs are the cause of many rumors. Keep in mind that there are gangs in any large town, in every part of the country. In LA, the gangs aren't really downtown, they are in South LA, East LA, and north Long Beach. And here's the deal: Mostly, they just kill each other.

Gas is expensive in California. It’s about 20-30 cents above the national average.

Yes, gas and real estate are very expensive in SoCal. However, this would be the best time to BUY a house because it's a buyer's market right now. There are a lot of foreclosures, and too many houses on the market. If you want to rent, figure on $1200 per month for a 1BR in a decent neighborhood. You need to make about $30,000 per year in order to do that. You can't do it on minimum wage.

Yep, freeways are a drag, it's smoggy in summer, and expensive to live here. Yet, if it's so bad, why do we have thousands and thousands of people moving here? Weather, year-round activities, jobs, beaches, mountains, and deserts all within driving distance, and plenty of opportunity for those who have the skills and tenacity.

However, it is not for everyone. Every time someone posts this question, you get the LA haters who post their bile and venom. A lot of them don’t know what they are talking about. Some people never even visit, and hate it on principle and stereotypes. Some actually visited once, and found out it wasn’t like it was on TV, and it certainly wasn’t Mayberry. And some actually lived here, and couldn’t deal with the expense, the traffic, or the somewhat impersonal nature of living in a large metropolis. It’s just the lifestyle here: People want their own private space. It’s sort of “you do your thing, I’ll do mine”. To those hateful souls I would say “good luck” to you wherever you are, but please don’t spew your hatred in this forum.

To summarize, it’s a HUGE metropolis that really defies easy description. I live in one of the nicer suburbs, but the commute is no fun, often 1-2 hours each way each day. However, 340+ days of sunshine really helps. Yeah, it's expensive. Mrs. Obviousman and I both have to work to pay the mortgage. But is it worth it? Absolutely!

It seems California, Texas, and a couple of other nearby states are in a continuous process of exchanging inhabitants. I've lived in CA and TX. Here's my take. LA has better weather than most all of TX, but the CA cost of living is outrageous. Don't trust apartment ads. If you call, you will discover the real cost is a few hundred more than advertised. Rental rates fluctuate wildly, so expect that you may get a $200/month increase when you renew your lease. During the housing boom, apartment rents doubled in a few years. Yep, they sure did. Then they fell, then they went up again. If your combined income isn't in the six figures, you will live like lower middle class. Even at six figures, you won't live nearly as well as in TX. You exchange weather for a savings account, going out to dinner, entertainment, etc. Pay attention to that savings account. And don't forget to take another 8% or so from your monthly income to pay state taxes, which TX doesn't have. So far, you'll be paying $800+ more per month to live in LA(that's being conservative). Unless you have a very good income, don't expect to purchase a home unless a dump is your idea of a home. If you haven't been to LA and think you could work in LA and live way outside of it, check out the distance using MapQuest or similar and see just how many miles you'd actually need to drive. A map of LA is deceiving - the area is gigantic. And then expect a lot of traffic to slow you down. LA used to have generally friendly, easy going people. Not so any more because people from all over have moved to LA and the culture has become rougher and ruder. On top of it, LA has a lot of illegal immigrants - more than Texas). In some areas, you will be subject to prejudice and the attitude that you're an intruder; it can be very in your face. So walk around, go into a lot of stores and fast food places in the area you're thinking about living in and see if you get an attitude before you make any decision about living there. Myself, I'm headed back to TX.

Living In Los Angeles

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Dallas is way more open and spread out and relaxed than L.A. Los Angeles is very crowded and congested. You will be amazed at how big of a city it is. Think of the area twice as big as DFW and 10 times more congested. Freeways, Smog, extremely crowded, and lots and lots of traffic, anywhere you want to go on the weekend be prepared for it to be packed with people, I wouldn't move to L.A. if i were you because that's not where you want to raise a family. If you want to live in SoCal look at the newer areas and newer neighborhoods but it be cost lots of $$$. Also be ready to commute 2 hours to work everyday unless you find a place within walking distance to your work. San Diego is nicer.

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RE:

What's it like to live in Los Angeles, California?

I've lived in Dallas, Texas my whole life and I'm thinking about trying out a new area to live in. I graduated with a business degree a year ago and I'm thinking maybe starting a career out in Los Angeles.

What's it like to live in California? What are the people like? Are they...

LA is a great city. It's certainly laid back, but it's a little bit difficult to generalize about the people beyond that... it's an incredibly diverse place.

I personally prefer San Diego and San Francisco to Los Angeles. They're both more centralized with reasonable public transportation... far less traffic jams and smog. San Diego is more affordable with better beaches than LA (and only an hour and a half drive), San Francisco is far more cosmopolitan and cultural.

Consider the answers you got carefully. 1/3 of those responding do NOT live in California, and of the ones that do about half are high school kids that live at home with mom and dad, and have no clue about what it's like to live on their own.

My suggestion is that you should stay in Dallas for the time being. Texas is one of the places where the jobs are during this recession. California has the second highest unemployment rate in the country. Jobs are practically non existent here. Add to that that California is also one of the MOST expensive states to live in. Your cost of living would be much higher here than it is in Texas. This is NOT the climate for someone just beginning their career.. In a few years, if & when the economy recovers, I may give you a completely different answer, but for now moving to California would be a definite NO.

Los Angeles is much like any large city. I have lived in several. One thing for certain. It is necessary to be prepared educationally and occupationally to life here. One cannot bluff one's way through. This is not a place to be poor or unprepared.

well first of all it is a beautiful city, but there are many ugly and dangerous places, but it is beautiful

you should also know that this city is very polluted

it has great weather, a little crazy though.... its hot today, windy tomorrow, and raining the next day

there's always something going on

the people.. i dont think they're that laid back, they're too materialistic

it has beautiful beaches!!! and its great if you actually know where to go like tourist locations.

but honestly i think everyone has their own opinion, i think its great!

so now you have to try it out and see what you think!

Great point, I'd like to know more as well

Well , good luck when you move out out and start a new life again in a different city. It's not going to be an easy road. There maybe lots of frustrations and obstacles along the way. It's not that easy as you think to look for a high paying job. The applications are several inches thick. Same thing as you are going to be looking for a decent place to live.