Planning a Move to LA Area, Moving From a NYC Suburb, Looking For a Similar Vibe (Long Beach: live, shop)

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

you could move to simi valley where the rest of the LAPD lives

Yeah, or Castaic.

[Samoi137]

It seems that some are using "L.A." to mean just the City of Los Angeles, and others to include much if not all of the County of Los Angeles. Encompassing vastly different areas in terms of size. The list one poster gives is decent as a start but, as with all such lists, has some huge generalizations. Glendale = Armenians??????

[genjy]

Originally Posted by Samoi137

as with all such lists, has some huge generalizations. Glendale = Armenians??????

Glendale is pretty Armenian. Sort of like how one might say Beverly Hills is Persian or East LA is Hispanic. It's a generalization, but not too far-fetched from reality.

For OP:

Central SGV and South SGV are mostly Asians and Hispanic... comprised of mainly middle-class first-gen immigrants and second-gens with some wealthy (or really wealthy) folks mixed in. Those areas are very drivable to Los Angeles.

North SGV cities like Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Bradbury, Glendora, Covina, San Dimas, and Claremont still have a high number of white/Caucasian residents. Solid middle cities with upper class areas. They aren't 30 mins from Downtown LA, though--more like 45 mins to an hour.

[kttam186290]

It would help to know where the OP will be posted within the LAPD. If they are posted in the San Fernando Valley, then the suburbs of Santa Clarita, Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks will be options. Many LAPD officers stationed in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys and Foothill stations) also live on the west side of the Antelope Valley, believe it or not.

I think some of the posters on here are exaggerating with regard to commute times, etc.

With regard to the OP's desired preference, I think Santa Clarita is a good fit. The OP wants an LA suburb with a substantial Caucasian population. Santa Clarita is a solidly middle-class suburb with a Caucasian population of about 70-75% with a mix of Hispanic and Asian families. Santa Clarita offers good schools, safe neighborhoods and lots of churches and activities for families. There are quite a few L.A. Sheriffs who live there.

Santa Clarita is no Yonkers. This is southern California, after all. But it is mostly new, safe and very family friendly.

[jksocal]

Originally Posted by redturtle

Here's an oversimplified breakdown but will give you a feel for what the southland is like:

WESTSIDE
- Santa Monica: white yuppies
- Marina Del Rey: white, active types, yuppie
- Venice: mixed, rich, upper- middle- and working class; some gangs
- Brentwood: white, wealthy
- Westwood: white, UCLA students
- Culver City: mixed, upper- middle- and working class
- Century City: corporate offices & shopping
- Beverly Hills: rich Persians and Jews; and white
- West Hollywood: gay, Russian, straight young singles

SOUTH LA
- Inglewood: black and Hispanic; gentrifying
- Baldwin Hills: upper- and middle- class black
- Leimert Park: middle-class black
- rest of South LA (mostly Hispanic working class, with pockets of black working class - Hawthorne, Gardena, Compton)

SOUTH BAY
- Manhattan Beach/Redondo Beach/Hermosa Beach: white, mix of young and old, single and families; outdoorsy types
- Long Beach: mixed; mostly white in the upscale areas, and Hispanic/black in the working class areas
- Torrance: mixed; middle- and working class

CENTRAL LA
- Hollywood: very mixed; middle- and working class
- Mid-Wilshire: mixed; mostly apartments; middle and working class
- Koreatown: Koreans and Hispanics
- Hancock Park: white, wealthy, old money
- Rampart/Westlake: working class Guatamalans/El Salvadorians
- Downtown: very mixed; from rich to homeless central
- Silverlake: white young hipsters (think LA's Williamsburg)
- Echo Park: white young hipsters more downmarket; mixed with Hispanics
- Los Feliz: white and rich

EAST LA
- Glendale: Armenians
- Eagle Rock/Highland Park: Hispanic working class becoming gentrified by young white families/couples
- Montebello, Whittier, Pico Rivera, Downey, Bellflower, Cerritos, etc.: overwhelmingly Hispanic (middle and working class)

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
- Most of the valley is mostly white in the middle and upper middle class areas (Studio City, Toluca Lake, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks), or mix of middle- and working class white/Hispanic (North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Encino)

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY
- Alhambra, Monterey Park: middle class Asian (Chinese), with some Hispanic
- San Marino/Arcadia: rich Asian
- El Monte/Temple City: middle class Asian and Hispanic

PASADENA
- good mix of white, Asian, Hispanic; mostly middle and upper middle class (with pockets of working class in northern parts of Pasadena)

haha i like this list, it's quite accurate!

[irish_in_ny]

Originally Posted by mattk92681

It would help to know where the OP will be posted within the LAPD. If they are posted in the San Fernando Valley, then the suburbs of Santa Clarita, Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks will be options. Many LAPD officers stationed in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys and Foothill stations) also live on the west side of the Antelope Valley, believe it or not.

I think some of the posters on here are exaggerating with regard to commute times, etc.

With regard to the OP's desired preference, I think Santa Clarita is a good fit. The OP wants an LA suburb with a substantial Caucasian population. Santa Clarita is a solidly middle-class suburb with a Caucasian population of about 70-75% with a mix of Hispanic and Asian families. Santa Clarita offers good schools, safe neighborhoods and lots of churches and activities for families. There are quite a few L.A. Sheriffs who live there.

Santa Clarita is no Yonkers. This is southern California, after all. But it is mostly new, safe and very family friendly.

Cheers for the input! As for where I'll be assigned, I haven't gotten that info yet. I hope that I do find out soon though.

[kttam186290]

You might also be interested to know that Ventura County, northwest of LA, actually has a significant Scots-Irish and Irish population. Every year in October, they host the Seaside Highland Games, which is a huge festival for Celtic-descent people and Celtophiles:

Ventura Seaside Highland Games Home Page

I posted the link above but the Mod may cut it?

If he does, then you get more info here:

Seaside Highland Games
9654 Kessler Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311-5533

Or simply Google "ventura highland games" and the page will pop up.

[proteus]

Welcome. I've lived in NYC and LA, so I know where you're coming from... and going to.

You'll be hard pressed to find a similar vibe. White folks in LA are just white, they don't go around differentiating, 'Irish, Italian, Polish, etc'. I can't think of many neighborhoods that are that specific. When you come to LA, you'll just be white. ;-) By and large, black folks aren't Jamaican or from The Islands, they're just black. Latinos are more likely Mexican or Salvadoran than Puerto Rican. Just a different place.

Yonkers is more of a lower middle class area with some crime and, though (barely) mostly white, has a large Latino population, It's not too far from the city.

This sounds a lot like Van Nuys or North Hollywood. These are Valley districts of the City of LA. They have large white and Latino populations and range from almost poor to upper-middle/middle class. N. Hollywood has some hip, artsy spots & some pricey areas in Toluca Lake. Both areas are self-contained in that you needn't drive into LA proper every week. A metro station serves No. Hollywood which will place you in the middle of Hollywood in ten minutes.

You won't find the same ethnic identify or pride in LA (Irish Catholic, Italian, etc), but these two areas are as close to the demographics of Yonkers you'll find in LA, North Hollywood having a bit of a better name, though.

[Orange2Angeles]

Originally Posted by irish_in_ny

Thanks very much for this list! This is what I was looking for.

That is seriously the best breakdown I have ever read on this website, and VERY accurate.. wow. Definitely take this to heart. Also, another post said "Simi Valley" and they are correct in that most of the LAPD lives up there, its known as "Cop land."

[Orange2Angeles]

Originally Posted by Samoi137

It seems that some are using "L.A." to mean just the City of Los Angeles, and others to include much if not all of the County of Los Angeles. Encompassing vastly different areas in terms of size. The list one poster gives is decent as a start but, as with all such lists, has some huge generalizations. Glendale = Armenians??????

Glendale does equal Armenians. Even my Armenian friends tell me that, its not an insult and it is accurate.