From Dallas to Los Angeles. What's the best area to live in LA? (Thousand Oaks: transplants, apartment complexes)

[abcnbccbs]

Quick summary: Seeking best area for Single Female in early 30's for LA.

Single female, early 30's, active, successful, beautiful, fun, whose lived in Dallas all her of life. Tired of Dallas! Very boring, flat, there's nothing to do but eat, Nobody decent to date, same old life day in and out. Dallas sucks if you're single, great for families. Looking to move to a nice, clean, fun part of LA. I currently live in North Dallas. Seeking a single friendly area of LA, that's safe, I'm terrified of crime, gangs, run down areas, and sketchy people. Here's a list of places that I've researched that seem decent. Safety is #1 on my list, with rent no more than $2,000 a month or do I need to go higher to live a decent area in LA. I don't like areas that if you make a wrong turn down a street you end up in a gang area or you have to worry about wearing the wrong color.

Brentwood
Beverly Hills
West Hollywood
Calabasas
Malibu
Los Feliz
Encino
Woodland Hills
Thousand Oaks
Studio City

Please tell me the real deal on where to live, that's affordable, fun, dining, singles, shopping, but classy, beach nearby, fitness, etc. Also what's the singles scene like for women in their 30's. Thanks!!

[TrueDat]

The places you mention are all over the map geographically. Where are you going to be working? As bad as traffic in Dallas can be, LA is worse.

[abcnbccbs]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

The places you mention are all over the map geographically. Where are you going to be working? As bad as traffic in Dallas can be, LA is worse.

Yes, Dallas traffic is horrible on the highways. I'm self-employed, but alot of my networking/business meetings, etc will take place in the West Hollywood, West LA area. I'm not really sure of the areas in LA but looking at the map it seems that's where most of the meetings will be.

[disgruntled la native]

Due to your work and personal demographic, I would exclude Calabasas, Malibu , Woodland Hills, Encino , and Thousand Oaks.

Might also exclude Los Feliz, it's a little out there and close to some questionable areas and has heavy traffic

Your rent can get you a 1br basically anywhere.

Brentwood is a very nice safe area, close to the beach, not such heavy nightlife there but adjacent to respectable nightlife in santa monica and westwood, tons of restaurants and shops. The average demographic is fairly successful singles in their 30s.

BEvelry Hills, great centrla location but a lot of stuffy families

West hollywood, like Brentwood but it's more happening if you want clubs and the latest hippest places to go. Faster pace of life than brentwood or santa monica. Better location in terms of getting to hollywood and such. Further from beach. Much more gay.

[abcnbccbs]

Originally Posted by disgruntled la native

West hollywood, like Brentwood but it's more happening if you want clubs and the latest hippest places to go. Faster pace of life than brentwood or santa monica. Better location in terms of getting to hollywood and such. Further from beach. Much more gay.

I love my gays!! So West Hollywood sounds great, but what is the crime like overall? Also Santa Monica seems nice as well but from internet research it seems like that there is gang activity in certain parts? Are WH and SM nice areas to live for what I'm seeking?

[skyway31]

Well, we have a couple of Hollywood fanboys here, and generally most transplants never venture there, but, make you a deal:
Spend a weekend playing on the beach and in the bars of Manhattan and Hermosa Beach and tell us how it went. I guess part of its charm is there will always be people who know nothing about the area and never hang out there. So nothing lost if, as we can assume, you'll never spend a second there. I'm just saying if you spent any measurable amount of time there you'd be off of city data asking where to live

[disgruntled la native]

Santa Monica is extremely safe by downtown and the Northside, it's about as safe as it gets. As long as you avoid the Pico area in the southeast corner, there are no safety issues.

Likewise West Hollywood is also MOSTLY safe. Not as safe as santa monica - ill give you that, because there is some more property crime and also a lot of people from rough areas come to the bars and clubs.

[subPrimeTime]

Check out the Miracle Mile area, this is very central (near Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills), lots of singles, and safe. I'm thinking between Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Fairfax, tons of apartment complexes that should be able to meet your price range. In fact most of those 1 bedroom apartments are in the $1,400-1,700 range.

[abcnbccbs]

Originally Posted by disgruntled la native

Santa Monica is extremely safe by downtown and the Northside, it's about as safe as it gets. As long as you avoid the Pico area in the southeast corner, there are no safety issues.
.

Great info, I'm actually starting to like the idea of Santa Monica after reading your info and looking online.

Originally Posted by subPrimeTime

Check out the Miracle Mile area, this is very central (near Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills), lots of singles, and safe. I'm thinking between Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Fairfax, tons of apartment complexes that should be able to meet your price range. In fact most of those 1 bedroom apartments are in the $1,400-1,700 range.

I will. I've never even heard of the " Miracle Mile " area until you mentioned it. I will check it out for sure. All of this information helps me out tremendously!! When I visit LA for a trip during the winter to check out my sources everything will fall into place when I'm ready for the big move! Thx.

[disgruntled la native]

If you're really paranoid about safety, Santa Monica and Brentwood are the safest areas. Miracle Mile and West hollywood is plenty safe, but there's a considerable amount of property crime in those areas, and they are adjacent to less safe areas and get a larger number of non-locals visiting at night.

Personally as a younger, edgier person I'd rather live in Miracle Mile/WeHo than SM or Brentwood, because it's more exciting, more central, and more to do. But the other two areas are safer, quieter, yet still have plenty going on.