Best suburbs of Los Angeles

We scored all 144 towns and communities of 10,000+ people in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area on what most people weigh when they pick a suburb: what homes cost compared with local pay, household income, poverty, commute times, education, homeownership and how many families with kids live there. Ladera Ranch, Rossmoor and Rancho Mission Viejo come out on top.

top 10 upper half lower half Los Angeles. Dot size shows population.

The top 25

#	Place	Score	Population	Median home	Home vs income	Household income	Commute	Poverty	Miles away
1	Ladera Ranch, CA	88	23,793	$1,151,000	6.2×	$184,458	27.2 min	4.2%	55
2	Rossmoor, CA	85	11,532	$1,406,900	6.6×	$211,597	27.6 min	4.2%	25
3	Rancho Mission Viejo, CA	84	11,971	$1,110,100	5.8×	$192,813	29.0 min	2.7%	60
4	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA	79	45,779	$971,200	6.4×	$152,560	26.2 min	5.7%	54
5	Coto de Caza, CA	79	15,190	$1,535,600	6.3×	$243,816	31.5 min	3.0%	56
6	North Tustin, CA	78	25,807	$1,347,800	7.6×	$177,351	22.8 min	5.2%	40
7	Agoura Hills, CA	78	19,243	$1,098,000	6.4×	$171,302	28.6 min	6.5%	22
8	Aliso Viejo, CA	77	49,844	$917,900	6.4×	$142,439	25.1 min	5.1%	50
9	La Cañada Flintridge, CA	75	19,480	$2,000,000+	8.3×	$241,875	29.5 min	3.5%	18
10	Lake Forest, CA	74	86,333	$937,000	6.9×	$135,175	25.5 min	8.5%	49
11	Mission Viejo, CA	73	90,484	$1,009,600	7.4×	$136,123	26.6 min	5.6%	52
12	Castaic, CA	73	17,999	$792,000	6.1×	$129,863	31.0 min	5.1%	34
13	Del Aire, CA	73	11,115	$928,600	6.6×	$141,533	24.8 min	9.5%	7
14	San Marino, CA	72	11,964	$2,000,000+	9.3×	$214,167	26.6 min	6.7%	18
15	Cypress, CA	71	48,781	$913,900	7.0×	$130,215	28.9 min	6.6%	25
16	Yorba Linda, CA	70	65,632	$1,147,100	7.3×	$157,582	31.0 min	5.8%	38
17	Stevenson Ranch, CA	70	20,990	$1,085,500	6.9×	$158,434	36.3 min	4.2%	27
18	San Juan Capistrano, CA	68	35,119	$993,800	7.7×	$129,457	26.5 min	8.3%	56
19	Lakewood, CA	67	78,010	$827,200	6.9×	$119,177	28.4 min	5.8%	20
20	Laguna Niguel, CA	67	64,107	$1,190,900	8.5×	$140,452	25.9 min	6.4%	53
21	Claremont, CA	67	35,838	$897,000	7.1×	$125,647	27.0 min	6.9%	41
22	Placentia, CA	66	54,911	$921,000	7.9×	$115,929	26.6 min	7.9%	33
23	Vincent, CA	66	15,340	$634,700	6.3×	$100,443	30.5 min	6.7%	28
24	Palos Verdes Estates, CA	66	12,559	$2,000,000+	8.3×	$242,014	31.9 min	2.9%	17
25	Santa Clarita, CA	64	228,430	$784,700	6.4×	$123,062	34.1 min	7.4%	28

Show all 144 places

#	Place	Score	Population	Median home	Home vs income	Household income	Commute	Poverty	Miles away
26	Carson, CA	64	90,808	$704,400	6.5×	$108,703	27.5 min	8.7%	15
27	Brea, CA	64	47,260	$922,300	7.0×	$131,129	31.2 min	6.6%	32
28	Laguna Hills, CA	64	30,020	$1,012,300	7.9×	$128,851	27.4 min	7.8%	51
29	Valinda, CA	64	20,962	$636,700	6.4×	$100,165	29.7 min	8.1%	28
30	Cerritos, CA	63	46,367	$935,300	6.9×	$135,439	32.4 min	5.3%	22
31	Irvine, CA	62	318,764	$1,191,500	8.7×	$136,719	24.7 min	10.8%	44
32	Manhattan Beach, CA	62	33,122	$2,000,000+	9.8×	$204,306	28.0 min	4.5%	8
33	Seal Beach, CA	62	24,075	$486,800	5.7×	$85,964	28.8 min	6.7%	27
34	Redondo Beach, CA	61	67,281	$1,279,200	8.5×	$150,245	27.0 min	5.4%	12
35	South San Jose Hills, CA	61	16,911	$544,400	5.7×	$94,806	29.0 min	11.6%	29
36	Sierra Madre, CA	61	10,620	$1,226,800	8.5×	$143,547	27.9 min	4.6%	23
37	Altadena, CA	60	41,705	$1,120,000	8.7×	$128,720	27.5 min	7.9%	20
38	Citrus, CA	60	10,904	$632,000	6.1×	$103,465	32.9 min	7.7%	30
39	Orange, CA	59	138,365	$945,800	8.1×	$117,113	25.8 min	9.5%	35
40	Norwalk, CA	59	97,104	$644,700	6.4×	$100,085	29.5 min	9.3%	20
41	Rancho Palos Verdes, CA	59	39,654	$1,609,400	9.0×	$179,623	32.8 min	4.2%	20
42	West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA	59	25,615	$638,900	5.7×	$111,699	31.6 min	11.0%	20
43	Buena Park, CA	58	81,741	$838,800	7.6×	$110,550	28.8 min	8.8%	26
44	Tustin, CA	58	77,843	$950,400	8.4×	$112,503	22.8 min	9.9%	40
45	La Palma, CA	58	14,907	$973,600	8.3×	$117,989	32.5 min	5.0%	24
46	Santa Ana, CA	57	315,586	$713,000	7.6×	$93,999	24.5 min	10.8%	36
47	Newport Beach, CA	57	81,977	$2,000,000+	12.7×	$156,867	22.9 min	6.6%	42
48	El Segundo, CA	57	16,379	$1,587,500	10.5×	$150,737	23.6 min	5.3%	8
49	San Clemente, CA	56	62,226	$1,398,400	10.0×	$140,062	28.6 min	5.8%	60
50	Fountain Valley, CA	56	55,508	$1,072,300	9.3×	$115,237	26.0 min	8.0%	34
51	West Carson, CA	56	22,143	$689,700	7.4×	$92,775	26.7 min	8.7%	15
52	La Crescenta-Montrose, CA	56	19,660	$1,207,100	9.3×	$130,000	29.2 min	5.1%	18
53	Artesia, CA	56	15,789	$776,600	7.7×	$101,004	25.8 min	9.4%	22
54	La Mirada, CA	54	45,952	$825,900	7.6×	$109,288	32.0 min	6.2%	24
55	Culver City, CA	54	39,452	$1,142,900	9.7×	$117,389	26.7 min	7.5%	1
56	Walnut, CA	54	27,316	$1,014,000	7.8×	$129,449	33.5 min	10.1%	32
57	Duarte, CA	54	22,866	$779,400	7.4×	$105,483	30.3 min	8.4%	28
58	View Park-Windsor Hills, CA	54	11,230	$1,141,500	8.7×	$130,504	31.0 min	7.1%	4
59	South Whittier, CA	53	55,650	$708,300	7.0×	$100,800	31.3 min	10.6%	23
60	Glendora, CA	53	49,671	$862,700	7.6×	$113,569	33.1 min	7.3%	33
61	Dana Point, CA	53	32,232	$1,320,300	9.3×	$141,520	30.0 min	7.2%	56
62	Laguna Beach, CA	53	22,391	$2,000,000+	13.9×	$143,843	29.0 min	6.1%	50
63	Torrance, CA	52	138,391	$1,074,700	9.2×	$116,217	26.9 min	7.8%	13
64	Quartz Hill, CA	52	11,510	$485,300	4.6×	$105,443	34.8 min	11.3%	45
65	Signal Hill, CA	52	11,153	$783,300	6.9×	$113,298	31.0 min	7.1%	20
66	Huntington Beach, CA	51	191,451	$1,100,000	9.1×	$120,919	28.4 min	7.8%	32
67	Calabasas, CA	51	22,027	$1,504,500	9.1×	$165,288	34.1 min	8.8%	17
68	Hermosa Beach, CA	51	18,513	$2,000,000+	12.0×	$166,442	28.5 min	5.6%	10
69	Laguna Woods, CA	51	16,844	$394,600	6.7×	$59,269	19.8 min	14.2%	48
70	Covina, CA	50	49,404	$718,900	7.3×	$98,671	31.0 min	8.9%	31
71	South Pasadena, CA	50	25,503	$1,640,000	12.9×	$127,175	29.9 min	4.9%	16
72	Lancaster, CA	49	170,084	$446,600	5.5×	$81,511	30.8 min	15.6%	48
73	Pico Rivera, CA	49	58,915	$648,600	7.4×	$88,201	30.3 min	10.3%	19
74	San Dimas, CA	49	32,978	$801,800	7.6×	$105,321	31.6 min	9.9%	35
75	West Puente Valley, CA	48	22,495	$632,300	7.2×	$88,279	32.4 min	13.2%	26
76	Costa Mesa, CA	47	108,881	$1,115,100	10.0×	$111,505	22.4 min	9.1%	38
77	La Habra, CA	47	60,908	$781,600	7.8×	$100,106	30.5 min	10.9%	27
78	Diamond Bar, CA	47	51,884	$902,200	8.3×	$108,281	33.3 min	10.0%	34
79	Stanton, CA	47	40,161	$579,300	6.8×	$84,707	29.0 min	13.3%	28
80	La Puente, CA	47	36,423	$617,700	7.1×	$86,602	30.9 min	11.3%	26
81	La Verne, CA	47	30,178	$817,000	7.9×	$103,761	32.8 min	8.5%	37
82	San Fernando, CA	47	23,449	$674,700	8.1×	$83,024	29.8 min	9.9%	19
83	Anaheim, CA	46	341,008	$831,200	8.7×	$95,227	27.4 min	12.4%	39
84	Hacienda Heights, CA	46	54,291	$820,800	7.5×	$109,193	33.8 min	11.3%	25
85	Arcadia, CA	46	54,117	$1,441,800	12.7×	$113,516	29.3 min	8.6%	23
86	Temple City, CA	46	35,125	$961,800	9.2×	$104,425	30.9 min	8.7%	21
87	East San Gabriel, CA	46	23,410	$962,200	8.9×	$108,677	29.9 min	11.6%	20
88	Garden Grove, CA	45	170,455	$814,100	8.8×	$92,174	28.5 min	12.3%	31
89	West Covina, CA	45	105,301	$779,800	7.7×	$101,065	32.9 min	10.0%	29
90	Beverly Hills, CA	45	30,764	$2,000,000+	15.0×	$132,977	25.1 min	9.6%	4
91	West Rancho Dominguez, CA	45	23,300	$612,900	7.1×	$86,834	30.5 min	15.0%	11
92	Palmdale, CA	44	161,845	$471,000	5.8×	$81,770	39.9 min	15.7%	43
93	Baldwin Park, CA	44	68,880	$606,900	7.5×	$80,663	28.9 min	13.5%	26
94	Paramount, CA	44	50,755	$533,700	7.1×	$75,250	28.4 min	12.6%	16
95	Azusa, CA	44	47,447	$641,400	7.1×	$90,721	30.1 min	13.2%	30
96	Avocado Heights, CA	44	12,593	$725,000	7.9×	$92,155	30.7 min	11.5%	24
97	Fullerton, CA	43	138,675	$902,600	8.7×	$104,286	30.5 min	12.3%	29
98	Santa Monica, CA	43	90,082	$1,755,500	15.3×	$114,885	24.8 min	11.2%	5
99	Hawaiian Gardens, CA	43	13,373	$554,100	7.3×	$76,341	26.6 min	16.3%	23
100	Lake Los Angeles, CA	43	13,051	$322,300	5.2×	$61,467	43.3 min	18.9%	53
101	Whittier, CA	42	85,815	$822,600	8.5×	$97,201	33.2 min	9.1%	23
102	Commerce, CA	42	11,688	$598,700	7.8×	$77,064	27.4 min	12.4%	15
103	Malibu, CA	42	9,574	$2,000,000+	10.3×	$194,421	32.1 min	12.6%	20
104	Sun Village, CA	41	11,036	$384,700	5.3×	$72,173	40.8 min	15.5%	45
105	Downey, CA	40	108,468	$796,600	8.8×	$90,699	31.0 min	9.0%	17
106	Gardena, CA	40	58,460	$700,600	8.3×	$84,803	29.3 min	11.8%	10
107	Monrovia, CA	40	38,264	$909,400	9.5×	$96,021	30.1 min	10.3%	26
108	Pomona, CA	39	147,807	$593,800	7.5×	$79,479	31.8 min	14.3%	37
109	Pasadena, CA	39	135,804	$1,093,300	10.4×	$105,192	26.9 min	13.3%	18
110	Burbank, CA	39	102,988	$1,089,100	11.2×	$97,082	26.0 min	10.7%	13
111	Compton, CA	39	90,500	$580,200	7.4×	$78,465	30.5 min	17.9%	14
112	Lomita, CA	39	19,724	$831,500	8.9×	$93,810	25.6 min	13.0%	17
113	Santa Fe Springs, CA	39	18,793	$659,900	7.5×	$88,238	33.5 min	13.0%	21
114	Los Alamitos, CA	39	11,702	$1,061,900	10.9×	$97,155	31.3 min	8.9%	25
115	San Gabriel, CA	38	38,186	$945,700	10.5×	$90,488	28.4 min	10.6%	19
116	South El Monte, CA	38	18,963	$601,000	8.2×	$72,990	27.3 min	20.9%	21
117	Westminster, CA	37	88,966	$858,300	10.0×	$85,541	27.0 min	14.4%	30
118	West Hollywood, CA	37	34,231	$924,800	9.5×	$96,995	27.1 min	12.9%	5
119	Lawndale, CA	37	29,892	$781,900	9.2×	$85,441	24.6 min	13.0%	10
120	Walnut Park, CA	35	14,958	$589,000	7.3×	$80,331	33.4 min	17.1%	11
121	Lynwood, CA	34	63,512	$597,600	8.0×	$74,844	30.3 min	18.0%	14
122	Montebello, CA	34	60,693	$697,900	8.7×	$79,971	31.0 min	12.1%	17
123	East Rancho Dominguez, CA	33	14,603	$573,600	7.9×	$72,895	32.2 min	15.1%	15
124	Glendale, CA	32	187,160	$1,102,300	12.5×	$88,393	27.1 min	12.9%	15
125	South Gate, CA	32	90,071	$636,300	8.5×	$74,571	32.5 min	12.7%	14
126	Bellflower, CA	32	74,719	$705,700	9.0×	$78,722	29.4 min	13.3%	19
127	Long Beach, CA	30	450,469	$806,600	9.2×	$87,430	29.9 min	14.8%	22
128	El Monte, CA	30	105,075	$644,000	9.5×	$68,030	27.8 min	17.4%	22
129	Monterey Park, CA	30	57,457	$863,000	10.5×	$81,855	28.4 min	12.4%	16
130	Rosemead, CA	30	49,410	$807,200	11.0×	$73,566	26.9 min	13.7%	19
131	Rowland Heights, CA	30	45,911	$851,300	9.9×	$85,617	32.9 min	12.4%	30
132	Alhambra, CA	29	79,820	$857,800	9.7×	$88,024	30.3 min	12.6%	16
133	Bell Gardens, CA	29	37,367	$563,900	9.1×	$62,298	27.9 min	20.0%	15
134	East Los Angeles, CA	27	111,647	$643,100	9.4×	$68,741	30.2 min	17.3%	14
135	Hawthorne, CA	27	82,741	$863,400	11.4×	$75,848	28.3 min	15.5%	8
136	Florence-Graham, CA	25	60,690	$545,200	8.4×	$65,132	33.4 min	20.1%	10
137	Willowbrook, CA	24	21,681	$559,200	8.9×	$62,582	33.1 min	18.3%	12
138	Lennox, CA	23	19,449	$708,000	12.3×	$57,759	29.1 min	16.4%	6
139	Bell, CA	22	31,625	$591,600	9.7×	$61,020	30.0 min	21.6%	14
140	Cudahy, CA	22	21,445	$494,100	8.7×	$56,615	31.3 min	28.7%	14
141	Inglewood, CA	19	101,662	$792,800	10.9×	$72,750	30.5 min	14.6%	6
142	Maywood, CA	19	23,600	$634,400	10.4×	$60,943	31.0 min	19.4%	13
143	Huntington Park, CA	18	51,544	$572,700	9.5×	$59,996	32.4 min	18.3%	11
144	Westmont, CA	15	34,123	$653,800	12.9×	$50,509	33.7 min	25.3%	8

Most affordable homes

Quartz Hill 4.6 years of income, $485,300
Lake Los Angeles 5.2 years of income, $322,300
Sun Village 5.3 years of income, $384,700
Lancaster 5.5 years of income, $446,600
Seal Beach 5.7 years of income, $486,800

Most families with kids

Ladera Ranch 57.5% of households
Florence-Graham 54.8% of households
Lynwood 50.1% of households
Bell Gardens 49.8% of households
Citrus 48.5% of households

How the score works

For each measure we rank the 144 places from worst to best within this metro area, then combine the ranks with these weights: home value compared with household income (20%), household income (15%), poverty rate (15%), average commute (15%), share of adults with a bachelor's degree (10%), homeownership (10%), households with children (10%) and population growth since 2020 (5%). Unincorporated communities have no official growth estimate, so they get the middle value for that part. A score of 100 would mean first on every measure.

Everything comes from the Census Bureau: the American Community Survey 2020-2024 and the 2025 population estimates. We leave out crime and school ratings because comparable official data for every town does not exist; check local school district and police data for the places on your shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best suburbs of Los Angeles?

On our data-only score, Ladera Ranch, Rossmoor and Rancho Mission Viejo rank highest among 144 places of 10,000+ people in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area.

What is the most affordable suburb of Los Angeles?

Quartz Hill has the lowest ratio of median home value to household income (4.6 years), with a median home of $485,300.

Which Los Angeles suburb has the shortest commute?

Laguna Woods, where the average commute is 19.8 minutes each way.

Back to the Los Angeles city profile, or see the best suburbs of other big cities.

Places are incorporated cities, towns and villages plus census-designated places with 10,000 or more residents, assigned to the metro area by county (OMB 2023 delineations). Distances are straight lines from the center of Los Angeles. The Census Bureau caps published medians at $250,000 for income and $2,000,000 for home values, shown with a plus sign.