Los Angeles

Best Los Angeles suburbs for families

Ranked on a families weighting: schools at 30%, amenities within two miles at 20%, and the four poll questions about children, safety and sidewalks at 20%. Cost still counts, at 15%. The full weighting is shown at the bottom, and it is not the same as the overall score.

Updated Sep 2026·60 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Casa Del Mar Hotel — on the beach in Santa Monica, Southern California. Built in a Renaissance Revival-Mediterranean Revival style in 1926 as an elite beach clu
Santa Monica$1.76M median · 24.8 min commute
Schools BAmenities A+Residents inactive
77
Family score
overall 71 B−
2
This is a photo of a place or building that is listed on the California Historical Landmark listing in the United States. Its reference number is
Costa Mesa$1.12M median · 22.4 min commute
Schools B−Amenities A+Residents inactive
74
Family score
overall 70 B−
3
Torrance City Hall in the civic center complex on Torrance Boulevard, Torrance, California.
Torrance$1.07M median · 26.9 min commute
Schools B−Amenities A+Residents inactive
74
Family score
overall 66 C+
4
Arcadia Peacock_Peahen
Arcadia$1.44M median · 29.3 min commute
Schools BAmenities AResidents inactive
72
Family score
overall 64 C+
5
I took this photo on March 21, 2007, from the southwest end of the island formed by the intersection of PCH with 190th/Anita/Herondo & Catalina in Redondo B
Redondo Beach$1.28M median · 27.0 min commute
Schools B−Amenities AResidents inactive
72
Family score
overall 69 B−
6
MCAS Tustin hangar No. 2.
Tustin$950k median · 22.8 min commute
Schools C+Amenities AResidents inactive
72
Family score
overall 67 C+
7
"The City of Newport Beach" July 2014 photo by Don Ramey Logan
Newport Beach$2.00M+ median · 22.9 min commute
Schools B−Amenities B+Residents inactive
71
Family score
overall 72 B−
8
Founders Hall, Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, California.
Aliso Viejo$918k median · 25.1 min commute
Schools BAmenities A−Residents inactive
71
Family score
overall 68 B−
9
Saddleback Mountain unusually covered in snow over Lake Mission Viejo.
Mission Viejo$1.01M median · 26.6 min commute
Schools B−Amenities BResidents inactive
71
Family score
overall 67 C+
10
a welcome sign sr:Слика:Alhambra
Alhambra$858k median · 30.3 min commute
Schools B−Amenities A+Residents inactive
71
Family score
overall 60 C
This list's weighting
Schools 30%Amenities 20%Resident poll (Q2, Q5, Q6, Q8) 20%Cost of living 15%Housing 10%Commute 5%

Poll components only count for places with eight or more resident responses; for the others the remaining weights re-normalise to 100%.

Other Los Angeles lists
Most affordable Los Angeles suburbsBest Los Angeles suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown Los AngelesMost walkable Los Angeles suburbsBest Los Angeles suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Los Angeles suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Santa Monica (User:User2004 · Public domain); Costa Mesa (pelle68 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Torrance (Thurifer · CC BY-SA 4.0); Arcadia (Esun · CC BY 2.5); Redondo Beach (Funhistory · Public domain); Tustin (Lordkinbote at English Wikipedia (Robert A. Estremo) · CC BY-SA 2.0); Newport Beach (Don Ramey Logan · CC BY-SA 4.0); Aliso Viejo (Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0); Mission Viejo (User:Wikpe44 · Public domain); Alhambra (Jey0h (talk) · CC BY 3.0).