Despite what you may have seen or heard on TV, Los Angeles, for the most part, is a safe city to call home.
But like any major metropolitan area, it all comes down to location, location, location.
Some neighborhoods, towns or boroughs are inherently safer than others, but other areas might actually surprise you with their overall safety rating.
Niche.com, a website that compiles rankings on everything from the best colleges in America to the best places to live and work, has gathered individual safety data for each town and neighborhood in Los Angeles County.
Topping the list is the town of Rolling Hills on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southwest Los Angeles County.
Niche ranks Rolling Hills as one of the best places to live in California and says the Los Angeles suburb “offers residents a rural feel.” Most residents own their homes and there’s no shortage of coffee shops and parks, according to Niche.
Rolling Hills received an ‘A’ ranking on safety, with nary a single violent crime reported in the last several years. The crimes that do happen there, including burglaries and thefts, are significantly lower than the national average.
While only one area received the coveted ‘A’ grade, there are still plenty of towns and neighborhoods in the greater Los Angeles area with overall positive rankings.
These are the safest neighborhoods and towns in Los Angeles County, according to Niche:
Name | Type | Population | Safety Grade (Value) | Safety Grade (Letter) |
Rolling Hills | Town | 1,513 | 4 | A |
Avalon | Town | 3,731 | 3.33 | B+ |
Beverlywood | Neighborhood | 10,687 | 3.33 | B+ |
Hidden Hills | Town | 1,751 | 3.33 | B+ |
Beverly Crest | Neighborhood | 15,109 | 3 | B |
La Canada Flintridge | Town | 20,261 | 3 | B |
La Habra Heights | Town | 6,574 | 3 | B |
Palos Verdes Estates | Town | 13,434 | 3 | B |
Porter Ranch | Neighborhood | 28,539 | 3 | B |
San Marino | Town | 13,194 | 3 | B |
Sierra Madre | Town | 10,932 | 3 | B |
Arleta | Neighborhood | 36,800 | 2.66 | B- |
Bel-Air | Neighborhood | 7,083 | 2.66 | B- |
Bradbury | Town | 833 | 2.66 | B- |
Brentwood | Neighborhood | 34,445 | 2.66 | B- |
Century City | Neighborhood | 7,634 | 2.66 | B- |
Chatsworth | Neighborhood | 54,876 | 2.66 | B- |
Cheviot Hills | Neighborhood | 11,109 | 2.66 | B- |
Chinatown | Neighborhood | 24,866 | 2.66 | B- |
Culver City | Town | 39,169 | 2.66 | B- |
Duarte | Town | 21,559 | 2.66 | B- |
El Segundo | Town | 16,731 | 2.66 | B- |
Elysian Valley | Neighborhood | 9,869 | 2.66 | B- |
Encino | Neighborhood | 52,141 | 2.66 | B- |
Hermosa Beach | Town | 19,539 | 2.66 | B- |
Lake Balboa | Neighborhood | 27,578 | 2.66 | B- |
Mission Hills | Neighborhood | 20,797 | 2.66 | B- |
Mount Washington | Neighborhood | 17,093 | 2.66 | B- |
Pacific Palisades | Neighborhood | 24,431 | 2.66 | B- |
Palms | Neighborhood | 42,891 | 2.66 | B- |
Pico-Robertson | Neighborhood | 19,787 | 2.66 | B- |
Playa del Rey | Neighborhood | 13,716 | 2.66 | B- |
Playa Vista | Neighborhood | 16,055 | 2.66 | B- |
Rancho Palos Verdes | Town | 42,030 | 2.66 | B- |
Rancho Park | Neighborhood | 7,455 | 2.66 | B- |
San Gabriel | Town | 40,143 | 2.66 | B- |
Sawtelle | Neighborhood | 44,734 | 2.66 | B- |
Shadow Hills | Neighborhood | 17,102 | 2.66 | B- |
Sherman Oaks | Neighborhood | 77,099 | 2.66 | B- |
South Pasadena | Town | 25,661 | 2.66 | B- |
Studio City | Neighborhood | 45,003 | 2.66 | B- |
Sunland | Neighborhood | 20,556 | 2.66 | B- |
Toluca Lake | Neighborhood | 10,688 | 2.66 | B- |
Tujunga | Neighborhood | 30,889 | 2.66 | B- |
Westchester | Neighborhood | 42,963 | 2.66 | B- |
West Los Angeles | Neighborhood | 17,046 | 2.66 | B- |
Windsor Square | Neighborhood | 8,039 | 2.66 | B- |
Plenty of neighborhoods received positive grades, but there are a few areas that scraped by with a ‘C,’ or even received a failing grade.
To find the safety rating of your neighborhood, visit niche.com.