Where to live near Airport in Los Angeles (Torrance, Inglewood: apartments, to rent)

[CMCinNJ]

Hi, moving to L.A. area from NJ. Going to be working at LAX area and need a safe, quiet, short commute. We are in our 50's. Budget $4700/month. Would appreciate some guidance as to where the best area to look. Want something nice, probably a condo/townhouse. Thanks for any help.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Manhattan Beach first, then Marina del Rey, then Hermosa Beach, then El Segundo (close to the beach). Maybe Playa Vista.

[socal88]

My top recommendations would be Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, or Redondo Beach. These are nice, safe areas with a commute to LAX of no more than 30 minutes.

Assuming you are looking to purchase a condo/townhouse, you should be able to find something that would equate to a mortgage of no more than $4,700 assuming 20% down. But if you're just looking to rent an apartment, you will also find apartments within your budget. You may not get as much bang for you buck in the cities listed compared to inland areas further away from LAX, but at least you'll have a short commute and be in a very good area.

While all areas are along the coast, they are all a little different from each other. I'd say that Santa Monica and Hermosa Beach are more concentrated with younger folks and more bars/nightlife while somewhere like Manhattan Beach is more family-friendly and a little quieter. Luckily, all these areas are close to each other, so it's worth visiting them all to get a feel for what best suits your interests and preferences.

[Pro1000]

Cut to the chase and come on over to Inglewood, Hawthorne, Westchester, or Lawndale. There's a lot of quiet streets here some a little rowdy too but mostly quiet. Those beach cities are expensive plus you still would have access to them anyways. Inglewood has the new Rams stadium almost built and they're building an entertainment district right next door to it and later down the line will be the Clippers new area right across the street. Its being gentrified anyways so you might as well get in now before the snooty LA residents will claim its on the rise and "Hip". Just rent a car and drive through all the neighborhoods and pick/vet the parts you like. Do the same forWestchester, Hawthorn and Lawndale.

[CMCinNJ]

Hi all, thank you so much for the tips, its greatly appreciated. We will be renting and most likely will only be in California for three years. We are used to living in house but will probably rent a condo or townhouse because from searching online they have the nicest interiors. Neither of us have ever been to California and we are l looking forward to seeing it.

[Cinema Cat]

Westchester makes the most sense. It's nice, quiet, relatively inexpensive, and right next to LAX.

[HB2HSV]

lots of good recommendations above. A friend works for SpaceX and rents a townhouse in Redondo Beach for $3,500/mo. So it can be done.

[bethereds82]

All of the recommendations so far are great.

I'd also throw out there Torrance. Most of West and South Torrance are great areas. Torrance could be a little more affordable than the "beach cities" of the South Bay such as Hermosa, Redondo and Manhattan. Plus, Torrance has all of the amenities like the Del Amo Mall, easy beach access, ocean breezes and a greater selection of diverse food options.

[CALGUY]

I could be wrong, but isn't Westchester right under the glide path to planes landing at lax?
Think that would be kind of noisy living there.

[Taiko]

Originally Posted by CALGUY

I could be wrong, but isn't Westchester right under the glide path to planes landing at lax?
Think that would be kind of noisy living there.

No part of Inglewood is. Westchester is mostly north of the flight path.