What It’s Really Like to Live in Los Angeles
Where people come to make their dreams come true.
Los Angeles, California is a mecca for entertainment, arts, and higher education. With lovely weather and landscapes, it’s no wonder why so many people call L.A. home. To add on California is also one of the richest economies on Earth. In fact, it is the 5th largest economy in the world, which makes this single state wealthier than most countries.
Unfortunately, everything isn’t sunshine, beaches, and rainbows here. If you’re thinking of moving over water and borders, take into account what it’s really like to live in L.A.
The City and County
Los Angeles is a city and county comprised of 3.8 million city dwellers and an overall population of 10 million county-wide. To put into perspective Los Angeles county has roughly the same population as Sweden and far outweighs a population like that of Costa Rica.
Our beloved county is about 4,083 square miles (10,575 km²) according to The Department of Regional Planning. The U.S. Census Bureau states there are 2,466 inhabitants per square mile (or 769 people per km².) Imagine living in Los Angeles during the height of the coronavirus pandemic; take any city in the county you like (Hawthorne, Lakewood, Westwood, Lancaster, etc.), it’s specific population density, and think of how you spent the initial lockdown. At some point you had to leave your home. At some point you went back to work.
Unless you lived alone or in a lavish Bel-Air/Beverly Hills home, it would be nearly impossible to consistently maintain 6 ft of social distancing. Most cities in L.A. are heavily populated, and, on average, our population would have to decrease to a third of its size to allow for safe social distancing at all times.
Public Transporation
Living in L.A. is not like living in a small village or country. You need a car because our train and bus system is unreliable, slow, and dangerous. Train stations have become safe places for homeless people, and harassment, theft, and violence are commonplace. It has become such a problem that The Los Angeles Times reported, “Violent crimes on the [metro train] system are up 72% for the first four months of this year compared with 2021.” Crime has become so prevalent on trains and busses that less and less people are choosing to ride public transportation.
Driving
Driving in Los Angeles is a whole other problem. Traffic ensues ALL DAY LONG. Whether it’s 7 a.m., 2 p.m. or 8 p.m., you can find yourself in painstaking traffic. The best times to drive in L.A. are during normal sleeping hours (from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) And not a day goes by that there isn’t a car accident on any of the major freeways (5, 110, 101, or 105.) Traffic is just a part of life here.
Parking
With so many residents and so many people on the road, parking is a struggle. In certain parts of L.A., residents need a permit to park on the street they live on. Certain areas become so busy that people who have a mortgage or are renting an apartment won’t have secure parking where they live unless it is specifically saved for them through local ordinaces.
If you plan to go to Hollywood, Downtown LA, or the cities surrounding our universities, you need a parking permit or wallet that can afford high parking prices. Drivers are charged at parking meters and garages; charges begin at 15 minute intervals or after the first hour of parking. We have the choice of paying for a monthly parking pass at designated parking structures, or we can pay up $20-$40 for parking every day.
The High Cost of Living
Since L.A. is such a desirable place to live in, that also means there’s a high cost of living. In fact, according to a historical study conducted by UCLA, the cost of living has increased at a proliferated rate since the 1990’s, partially due to commercial real estate investments, property developments, and a rising amount of business ventures, all famously known as “gentrification.”
As money has continued to pour into Los Angeles, the price of living has also increased. Unfortunately, salaries for most residents have remained the same. As the UCLA report stated, Los Angeles is becoming a, “… ‘superstar’ region to which high earners are drawn, squeezing out the poor.” (17)
For people who are not a part of high in-demand career fields such as computer coding, entrepreneurship, law, medicine, etc., it is becoming increasingly difficult to live comfortably in L.A. Often times when looking for an apartment you need to show proof of income that is 3–5 times more than the rent. The average cost of a studio apartment is $1,400 (and rising). Add on a security deposit (first and last month’s rent) and you need about ~ $3,000 to move out independently.
Perhaps the most alarming and dangerous aspect of Los Angeles is the increasing homeless, drug addicted and mentally ill population.
Our Homeless Problem
As it becomes more expensive to live in L.A. more people are becoming homeless. According to the HUD Annual Homeless Assessment Report and LAHSA survey, L.A.’s high cost of living is one of the causes of chronic and first-time homelessness.
Ten years ago the only real dangerous locale a visitor had to avoid was Skid Row (an area described as exhibiting conditions worse than those of third world nations, according to a U.N. representative.)
In 2015, LAHSA estimated that there were 44,359 homeless people in L.A. county. Now, in 2022, there is an estimated 69,144. That is a 56% increase in the last 7 years.
Now, small communities of homeless people have sprouted in Venice and Hollywood. Parks and libraries become housing and shelter. As I write this article in a library, a homeless man has gotten up from his chair and started peeing beneath the desk he was sitting at. Security is currently on their way.
For residents and visitors, Los Angeles is becoming an increasingly dangerous place. Competition to survive is fierce. It is perhaps not as cut-throat as San Francisco, California, economically speaking, but, as someone who was born and raised in L.A., I do not feel safe or comfortable enough to take daily strolls in my city.
Despite the high cost of living, endless traffic, impossible parking, and a growing homeless population, Los Angeles still remains a desirable place to live. Why is that? What makes Los Angeles ideal to live in?
Los Angeles is beautiful.
We enjoy rich cultural diversity: Little Ethiopia, Little Armenia, Little Bangladesh, Koreatown, Persian Square, etc. If you want to become an actor, you can come here and find numerous television production studios: ABC7, FOX, Netflix, CBS, Nickelodeon. If you want to go to a prestigious university you can have your pick: UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount, etc. Mountains accompany you as you drive along our freeways. It hardly rains or snows. You can meet people from all around the world and yet still remain anonymous beneath millions of inhabitants.
And, for the most part, a lot of people smile here.
But as beautiful as the weather, the opportunities, the higher education, the landscapes, and cultural diversity may all be, there is an ugly side. If you come here to live, do not expect it to be an easy, smooth ride.
Life is fast-paced. You will have trouble merging into lanes. You will spend hours driving. You will need a fair amount of savings. You may need to get 3+ roommates. You will need to invest in pepper spray. But, most of all, you need to know why you’re here.
Come, if you dare, and if the challenge of survival excites you.
