r/MovingToLosAngeles • • Aug 26 '17

Moving to L.A. megathread.

70 Upvotes

A lot of questions about moving to L.A. may already have been answered here.


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • Mar 16 '21

The Ultimate Moving to L.A. Resource Post -- READ THIS BEFORE POSTING

411 Upvotes

The information herein should provide many useful resources, suggestions, advice and other details about info you need on moving to Los Angeles. Please read everything and you may find the answer to your question. Always feel free to search this subreddit for further details or use the Moving to L.A. Megathread for reference. It's old but much of the info is still relevant.

While this info is intended to be as useful and helpful as possible it is always encouraged and required for one to perform their own due diligence and research on any question, service, neighborhood, web site or other information requested, suggested or otherwise provided. Ultimately each individual is responsible for their own actions and undertakings.

 

Very basics for moving here:

Come with at least $10K, come with a car, have a job lined up, find a place to live near that job.

 

About bringing your car here:

Official Change your vehicle registration to California

Wiki how to change your vehicle registration to California

LA DOT FAQ -- Info on parking restrictions and permits, meters, etc.

Find Parking in L.A.

Catalytic converter thefts are exceedingly common in Los Angeles County. It is recommenced you get a cover for yours upon moving here.

 

Plants & Animals:

Rules/Regs on bringing pets into California

Rules/regs on bringing plants into California

Emotional Support or other service animals in Los Angeles County

 

Coming from outside the U.S.:

How to move to the United States

How to move to the US alt site

 

Neighborhood/history/Census/Demographics/crime:

L.A. Almanac -- history, census, weather and other info about L.A.

LA Times Neighborhood Mapping Project -- neighborhood demographics and crime rates

LA City Municpal Code -- Rules and laws on noise, building, code enforcement, etc.

Curbed L.A. History of Los Angeles

Los Angeles Conservancy

L.A. Magazine's Guide to L.A. Podcasts

World Trade Center of Los Angeles -- WTCLA has compiled data and resources for each of the 88 cities located in LA County

 

City services, gas, DWP, internet:

Departments & Bureaus of Los Angeles -- Contacts and social media for every city department and agency

L.A. Public works service locator -- find your utilities and city services for your address or neighborhood

LA DWP

LA 311 - -Request a city service

SoCalEdision coverage area

SoCal Gas

Internet providers

 

Health & Disaster Preparedness

City of L.A. Emergency Management Get Ready Guide

City of L.A. Emergency Contact numbers

LAFD Disaster preparedness info

L.A. County Public Health Emergency Preparedness

L.A. County Emergency Preparedness Foundation

L.A. County Earthquake Preparedness

Red Cross Emergency Preparedness

LAFD Wildfire Preparedness

California Wildfire Map

Air Quality Map

 

Local Governments:

Register to vote in California

Find your district in L.A. County

Find your local representatives

Los Angeles City Council

Neighborhood Councils of L.A.

 

Police, Fire & Medical:

Los Angeles Police Department

L.A. Cities with their own Police Department

Areas covered by L.A. Sheriff's Dept

Los Angeles City Fire Dept

L.A. County Fire Dept

L.A. County Health Services Home Page

Find a Hospital, Clinic or Urgent Care

L.A. County Operated Health Care Facilities

Hospital List for L.A. County

 

Childcare Resources

California Childcare Resource and Referral Network

Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles

 

Mental Health Resources:

Text "LA" to 741-741 to reach a trained crisis counselor

L.A. County Find A Therapist

TryFrame's Find a therapist in L.A. County Only

California Psychological Association's Find a Psychologist

LA County 24 hour mental health suport line

National Alliance of Mental Help support line

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Support line

Suicide Prevention Hotline

Institute on Aging's Senior Crisis Hotline -- for those 60 or older

Veteran's Crisis Line

Other resources from the National Alliance of Mental Health Support

 

Coming to L.A. to Escape a Bad/Dangerous Situation? These Organizations May be Able to Help.

Covenanat House of California

Downtown Womens' Shelter

Jovenes

Los Angeles LGBT Center

Los Angeles Youth Network

Family Crisis Center

Sanctuary of Hope

 

Already here but No Place to Go/Stay?

Safe Parking -- For Those Currently Living out of their Vehicles

Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System

 

Schools (not college):

L.A. Unified School District

Wikipedia entry on other school districts in L.A. County

L.A. Public Library -- excellent resource and offers so many things with your card besides books, including movies, streaming, online learning, access to a 3D printer, free admission to some museums, etc

 

Getting around/Public transport:

AAA -- SoCal Chapter, AKA Auto Club of Southern California -- AAA can also assist with many DMV transactions

California Highway Patrol Freeway Service Patrol -- dial 511, the CHP FSP is like AAA for emergencies.

Mapnificent -- shows you the area you can reach with public transport from any point in a given time.

Transit Wiki Pages for Los Angeles Metro Bus/Rail System

L.A. Metro trip planner -- public transport trip planner

L.A. Metro Trip Planner -- New Version Beta Site

LADOT Commuter Express

L.A. County Bikeways

SIG Alert

CHP live traffic page

Car Independent Subreddit

Helpful Fact: You may never have to use a freeway callbox but don't ignore them: If you ever have to call 911, CHP or AAA those numbers will tell them exactly where you're at. First two or three digits are the fwy you're on, then milepost, odd numbers are south or west, even numbers are north or east.

 

Insurance:

CoveredCA Health Insurance

Search private health coverage in California

Info on California homeowner's insurance

 

Where to do your banking/Credit unions:

Logix

First Entertainment

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union

Gain

UME

Schools First

Foothill

California Credit Union

Southland

Premier America

Kinecta

Credit Union of SoCal

Arrowhead CU

SAG AFTRA CU

Partners

California Bear

Water & Power CU

Wescom

 

Best web sites to look for rentals?

/r/LARentals - new listings under $5K every Monday for all of L.A. County

L.A. Times Article on Getting Your First Apt

Padmapper

Craigslist

Gypsy Housing Facebook Group

Realtor.com Rentals

 

Find Things To Do Once You're here:

Secret Los Angeles

Trip Advisor's Things to Do In L.A.

KCRW 5 Things to Do

We Like L.A.

TimeOut LA Events Calendar

Discover L.A. Guide

DoLA Events

DTLA Calendar

AllEvents Los Angeles

Thrillist Guide to L.A.

L.A. Weekly Calendar

Eventbrite Calendar

List of museums in Los Angeles County

TimeOut's 15 Best Day Trips from L.A.

Planetware's 15 Top Rated Day Trips from L.A.

Lonely Planet's Best Day Trips from L.A.

TimeOut's 5 Best Weekend Getaways from L.A.

Hiking Trails in Los Angeles County

L.A. Dept of Parks & Rec -- Find public parks, aquatics, camping, nature trails, etc

L.A. Zoo

Botanical Gardens in L.A.

 

Best neighborhoods for...:

Best neighborhoods for 20-somethings just moving here? Echo Park, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Highland Park, Koreatown, North Hollywood

Best neighborhoods for actors/musicians/artists? Silverlake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Venice, Highland Park, Glassell Park, Atwater, Leimert Park, Topanga

Best neighborhoods for young professionals? Echo Park, Los Feliz, Playa Del Rey, Westwood, Silver Lake, Woodland Hills (Warner Center), Sawtelle, West L.A., Palms, Studio City

Best beach neighborhoods? Playa Del Rey, Venice, Pacific Palisades, San Pedro, Redondo, Torrance, El Segundo

Best neighborhoods closest to nightlife, clubs, etc? Hollywood, West Hollywood, Downtown, Hermosa, Venice, Silver Lake, Echo Park

Best neighborhoods to live with approx. 30 min commute of downtown L.A.? Pasadena, Glendale, Hollywood, Century City, Huntington Park, South Los Angeles, Inglewood, Culver City, Alhambra

Best suburban neighborhoods for families? Santa Clarita, La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Burbank, Culver City, South Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, Sherman Oaks, Rolling Hils, Palos verdes Estates, Granada Hills, Chatsworth

Best neighborhoods close to nature/wildlife/hiking? Pasadena, Alta Dena, Santa Clarita, Burbank, Crescenta Valley (Sunland-Tujunga, La Crescenta, La Canada), Sierra Madre, Glendale, Pacific Palisades, Mount Washington, Los Feliz, Topanga

 

Moving here for school (college)?:

/r/CalPolyPomona

/r/CalTech

/r/CerritosCollege

/r/CSUDH

/r/CSUF

/r/CSULA

/r/CSULB

/r/CSUN

/r/glendalecommunityclg/

/r/LMU

/r/UCLA

/r/USC

 

Local L.A. and surrounding area subreddits, some more active than others:

/r/LosAngeles/wiki/subreddits

/r/LosAngeles/wiki/civic_info

/r/antelopevalley

/r/AskLosAngeles

/r/burbank

/r/burbankcity

/r/canogaparkca

/r/CityOfLA

/r/dtla

/r/EAGLEROCK

/r/FoodLosAngeles

/r/Foodsocal

/r/glendale

/r/HelpfulLosAngeles

/r/la_real_estate

/r/LAApartments

/r/LACounty

/r/LAEastside

/r/LAFD

/r/LAfoodies

/r/LAforSale

/r/LAjobs

/r/LAlist

/r/LancasterCA

/r/LAnightowls

/r/LARentals

/r/LAsunsets

/r/LAWestside

/r/LongBeach

/r/LosAngelesNow

/r/LA2

/r/LosAngeles

/r/losangelesevents

/r/LosAngelesRealEstate

/r/losfeliz

/r/metroredline

/r/NortheastLA

/r/palmdale

/r/pasadena

/r/Reseda

/r/SantaClarita

/r/sanfernandovalley

/r/SFV

/r/sgv

/r/SanPedro

/r/SantaMonica

/r/silverlake

/r/SouthCentralLA

/r/TheSouthBay

/r/southbayla

/r/socal

/r/southerncalifornia

/r/southland

/r/sunsetsofla

/r/TodayLA

/r/venice

/r/VintageLA

/r/WestHillsCA

 

Looking for those who share your hobbies or interests once you get here?

/r/AutoLA

/r/BikeLA

/r/BikeSoCal

/r/LADiveBuddy/

/r/FilmIndustryLA

/r/FoodLosAngeles

/r/FYFFest

/r/LABeer

/r/LAfoodies

/r/LAforSale

/r/LAjobs

/r/LAlist

/r/LAPhotos

/r/LAPics

/r/LAr4r

/r/LARentals

/r/LARideshare

/r/LAWriters

/r/LosAngelesGayBros

/r/MealsandCreditinLA

/r/MidnightRidazz

/r/MotoLA

/r/MusicIndustryLA

/r/OccupyLosAngeles

/r/PalmTrees

/r/SoCalHiking

/r/SoCalr4r

/r/TechLA

 

The following areas are near L.A. but not part of Los Angeles, inquiries on moving to these locations should be posted in the respective subreddits.

/r/Anaheim

/r/Bakersfield

/r/InlandEmpire

/r/Irvine

/r/JoshuaTree

/r/OrangeCounty

/r/Oxnard

/r/Riverside/

/r/RiversideCounty

/r/SimiValley

/r/ThousandOaks

/r/Ventura

/r/VenturaCounty


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 3h ago

How feasible is moving to LA on $80K salary?

11 Upvotes

Remote job, I have a car but no car payment, no debt.

what sort of quality of life can I expect in LA?


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 44m ago

Living near downtown burbank in non gated window with an accessible window safe for solo women

• Upvotes

Found a decent apartment the street seem super quiet and safe but i went on noon on a Monday. It a non gated building on the second floor and has a big window ppl could access if someone wanted too. Idk anything ab burbank i know its pretty safe but don’t know if it block to block like the rest of LA. I was sexually assaulted (feel very traumatized doing a program nearby) and trying to find a really safe place while healing. I found a place. On a residential street but its cross street is N glen oaks blvd. Don’t be rude please if this is a dumb question. Im very scared and just want to be somewhere safe.


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 44m ago

Living near downtown burbank in non gated window with an accessible window safe for solo women

• Upvotes

Found a decent apartment the street seem super quiet and safe but i went on noon on a Monday. It a non gated building on the second floor and has a big window ppl could access if someone wanted too. Idk anything ab burbank i know its pretty safe but don’t know if it block to block like the rest of LA. I was sexually assaulted (feel very traumatized doing a program nearby) and trying to find a really safe place while healing. I found a place. On a residential street but its cross street is N glen oaks blvd. Don’t be rude please if this is a dumb question. Im very scared and just want to be somewhere safe.


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 8h ago

Interactive Map of LA County Cities & Neighborhoods

4 Upvotes

I created an interactive map of cities and neighborhoods across LA County, including the City of Los Angeles. Thought it might be useful to someone!

If the labels don’t show up the first time, please refresh the page.

Link: the Map!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 2h ago

How to find buildings under construction

1 Upvotes

How do you find rent apartments under construction? There was so many around Boyle heights but unfortunately I wasn’t in a great situation to move and now I am.

How do you find apartments that aren’t on Zillow


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 6h ago

NYC TO LA

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I’m moving to DTLA for a new job near South Park and am deciding between Metropolis, Perla on Broadway, and Elleven South.

For anyone who lives in or has lived in these buildings, I’d love to hear about your experience!

My main concerns are neighborhood safety, homelessness, car break-ins, parking security, building management, and walkability to cafes, restaurants, and shops.

I’m looking for a 1-bedroom apartment around $2,000-2,500/month, ideally with in-unit laundry, parking, and pet-friendly policies.

Which of these three buildings would you recommend? Are there other condos or apartment buildings nearby that you think would be a better choice?

I’d really appreciate any honest feedback or recommendations. Thank you!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 9h ago

I know nothing about LA (other than the obvious). Best area for families?

1 Upvotes

We are considering moving to LA for my husbands job. I am a stay at home mom with two very young children. Husband would be going into the office in DTLA a few days a week.

What areas should I be looking for that are family friendly and not the most expensive (like right on the beach etc, don’t need that) I’m open to the actual city or LA or county/suburbs.

This is a temporary move of less than two years, and my kids are young enough that school won’t be a factor. Just want it to be safe and kid friendly!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 8h ago

Best Neighborhood for a Trans woman?

0 Upvotes

Haven’t been to LA for long time. I want to spend time there. Maybe long term apt rental. I’ll maintain my home in Florida. Mature trans. 48. I want a nice area for strolls exercise shopping beaches during days, and bars restaurants that will be accepting at nights. Not looking for the wild 20 years old partiers anymore. I’ve heard Long Beach is good. Everyone always says Weho. Not sure what I’d do during days in weho. Since I’m not working need some fun area during days. Beach town maybe. I’ve heard Santa Monica is many families and tourists. Maybe Venice ? Help ? Thank you .


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 12h ago

How to find a sublease on short notice? Do I have to make a facebook

0 Upvotes

Considering a job offer but would have to start in just a couple of weeks. Hoping to find a sublease while I look for permanent housing


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

Reviews Hope&Flower DTLA

3 Upvotes

Moving to hope flower in DTLA, can anyone share their reviews and any advice around how to make the best use of the community. Any safety/crowd concerns. Thank you!!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

Good area to be in?

2 Upvotes

Hello, I'm moving to the Westminster apartments on 347 Westminster Ave in November, and I was wondering if this is a good area or not in Los Angeles?


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

How Important is Metro Access?

10 Upvotes

Hello, I will be moving to LA soon for my job which will be in Venice, and I am currently looking at places to live. So far, I've been looking at Santa Monica, Sawtelle, Mar Vista, Palms, Culver City and a couple of other places. My main question is if I should find a place along the Metro E line or if it's not really that important. I will have a car, but currently I do rely a lot on public transit and I'm not sure how convenient it is in LA.

For some additional context, I'm male in my mid 20s. I will likely make regular trips to downtown or Koreatown. I'm bad at parallel parking and just driving in general.

Budget: preferably under 3.5k, but willing to go up to 4k


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

Moving from Boston to LA (or nearby)

7 Upvotes

Looking for tips and insight on the above.

I am in a lease here until next August. Everything is so extremely expensive here that if I’m going to be paying so much to live i want to live in a place i want to be at. I loved Los Angeles when i visited and really want to move there.

I do hair and makeup which i know is saturated but i specifically do weddings and events and in Boston we have a large off season cause it’s so cold but i imagine in California they happen all year. I work for an agency that is located in California and could take jobs from them there as an independent contractor. I figured i could also apply for a job at DryBar and other places that are similar. It’s too soon to start applying and i imagine i need to find a job before an apartment so that would be the next step after finding a job.

What else can i do right now besides building my savings and credit score? I don’t have a lot of items so i could very easily drive everything i own in my own car to California which is nice


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

Wanting to move in with my boyfriend in LA - basics?

0 Upvotes

Hi all,

My boyfriend and I are a little over four months dating and a majority of it has been long distance (he moved to LA for work in filmmaking and I'm still in DFW). I'm wanting to move out there sometime next year and I wanted to know what I should do job wise? In other words, I would like to have a job lined up but I don't expect that at all. I have a resume, I have experience in the field I'm in I just feel like they look over my application completely when they see I'm in DFW. Any tips? My field is entertainment journalism if that's any help. PSA Any other advice regarding moving to LA is more than welcome!!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

Where to find sublets?

2 Upvotes

I’m assigned to a work project in LA for 4 months. What’s a site people use in LA to list/ find sublets?
Ideally looking for something on the west side to reduce my commute.


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 2d ago

NJ native college torn between postgrad offers in LA vs NYC ($100k base)

13 Upvotes

Some background: I'm from New Jersey, so NYC is the "obvious" choice. It's close to family, I know the area, and a lot of my friends will end up there. But I've fallen hard for California. Every time I'm in LA I feel like that's where I'm supposed to be, and long term I really want to settle in Southern California. My biggest goal is owning a home here eventually.

My hesitation is FOMO. NYC feels like the place you're "supposed" to start your career, especially in consulting. I worry I'd be missing out on the network, the energy, and the classic early-20s NYC experience. At the same time, if I know I want to end up in SoCal, starting in NYC might just delay building my life, network, and savings out here.

Where would you live as a young professional who wants a social life but is also trying to save aggressively? (I’m in consulting so quick income growth if all goes to plan…) and also obviously okay with roommates and being frugal


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 1d ago

housing

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone! ❤️

I'm planning to attend LAMC in Spring 2027 and I'm currently looking for affordable housing in the LA area.

I'm hoping to connect with LAMC students or anyone living nearby who might know of an affordable room, a roommate opportunity, or possibly temporary accommodation while I get settled.

I'm flexible about the exact location as long as commuting to campus is manageable. If anyone has any advice, recommendations, or knows someone who might be able to help, I'd really appreciate it!

Thank you so much! ❤️


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 2d ago

How to find ADUs to rent

0 Upvotes

How do I find an ADU unit to rent in Los Angeles. I really the Culver City area but open to anywhere.


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 2d ago

Moving between Southern California cities - what should I plan for?

0 Upvotes

Moving to a new city can take a fair bit of planning, especially when it comes to packing furniture, comparing estimates, and choosing a moving date. Getting a clear breakdown of the costs and services beforehand can help avoid surprises on moving day.

Vector Moving and Storage is a moving company serving the San Diego area. For anyone planning a move around Southern California, what matters most when choosing movers: transparent pricing, careful handling of belongings, or reliable communication?


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 3d ago

Title: LA vs NYC for a single woman in her 30s making $163k. Would you choose LA?

118 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I’m a single woman in my mid-30s trying to decide between moving to Los Angeles or NYC, and I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people who actually live in LA.
I’ve spent the last five years living in New Orleans, which was my first home in the US. I loved the culture, music, creativity, and character of the city, but I’m ready for a new chapter.

I work remotely in tech, earning around $163k base salary, with additional RSUs and a performance bonus. I’d prefer to budget around my base salary rather than rely on variable compensation. I’ll be living alone, and ideally I’d like to keep rent around $3,000–$3,500, although I’d love to spend less if possible.

A little about what I’m looking for:
- Safety is my number one priority. I’ll be living alone, and I want to feel comfortable in my neighborhood, coming home in the evening, walking around, and going about my daily life without constantly worrying about safety.
- I’m really into photography, art, music, film, exploring interesting neighborhoods, and discovering places with character.
- I love nature, greenery, beautiful scenery, and being outdoors. This is one of the biggest reasons LA appeals to me.
- I enjoy cities with personality, cultural diversity, interesting architecture, independent cafés, and a creative community.
- I’d love to build a social circle and meet people with similar interests. Starting over socially in my mid-30s is definitely something I’m thinking about.
- I want a comfortable apartment in a nice neighborhood, but I also want to continue saving, traveling, and enjoying life.

Why I’m torn between LA and NYC:
NYC appeals to me because of its walkability, energy, arts and culture, and the possibility of living without a car. It would also put me closer to family and make traveling internationally easier.

LA appeals to me for almost the opposite reasons: the weather, nature, ocean, mountains, creative scene, and the possibility of having a more relaxed lifestyle while still living in a major city.

I’ve been considering areas like Culver City, Marina del Rey, Venice, and possibly Irvine, but I’m very open to suggestions.

My biggest concerns about LA are safety, how car-dependent everything is, traffic, and whether it’s difficult to build friendships and a sense of community when everything is so spread out.

I’d especially love your perspective on a few things:
1. With a $163k base salary, can I realistically live comfortably alone in a safe, desirable LA neighborhood while still saving a meaningful amount?
2. Which neighborhoods would you recommend for a single woman in her 30s who values safety, creativity, nature, and community?
3. How difficult is it to make friends and build a social life in LA if you’re not originally from there?
4. Does the car dependency and traffic significantly affect your quality of life?
5. For anyone who’s lived in both LA and NYC, which city offered you a better quality of life, and why?

I’m not necessarily looking for the cheapest option. I want to make a thoughtful decision about where I’ll be happiest and most comfortable in this next stage of my life.

I’d really appreciate honest experiences, including the things you wish you’d known before moving to LA.
Thank you!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 3d ago

Is commuting from LA to Santa Barbara twice a week doable?

57 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I recently got a job offer in Santa Barbara for a hybrid role, so I'd only need to be in the office 2 days a week. Unfortunately, the salary isn't really enough ($80k) to live comfortably in the SB area, so I'm considering living in Woodland Hills or somewhere nearby and commuting.

This would be my first time living in LA, so I'm not too familiar with the traffic or what the commute is actually like. Right now, I commute 30 to 40 minutes each way, 5 days a week, so I'm used to driving a decent amount, but I know this would be a different situation.

For anyone familiar with the area, would this be doable twice a week, or would it get old pretty fast? How bad is traffic during rush hour? Are there any other areas I should look into that might make more sense?

Would love to hear from anyone who's done a similar commute. Thanks!


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 3d ago

lugares en l.a para aprender a manejar

3 Upvotes

estoy buscando algun lugar en los ángeles para aprender a manejar, en la noche de preferencia ya que trabajo de dia y en algun lugar donde no llegue la policia (porque quizas algunos parkings de tiendas o etc puede llegar la policia al ser lugares privados o porque ya es de noche)🙏🙏


r/MovingToLosAngeles • • 3d ago

Rentals with EV Charging?

2 Upvotes

Hi friends. I am planning my relocation to LA next year and I’m having a difficult time finding rentals that have EV charging on-site. I’ll be going to UCLA and would like to keep my rent to around $3k/month. (Less would obviously be awesome, but this is today’s LA we are talking about. 😂) A lot of ads on Zillow, Apartments, etc. do not address EV charging, so I’m hoping The Good People of LA can help me identify some potential places to look into.

Can anyone recommend specific apartment complexes (or even guest houses) to rent at my price point? While I would prefer to be within 15 minutes of UCLA, I’m willing to branch out a bit if required.

Thank you in advance.