Life In Glendale
Everyone knows that L.A. is the “City of Angels” - but few people know that nearby Glendale has its own sparkly moniker: it’s known as The Jewel City, named for the scenic views that make it, in the words of Edward Emery, “sparkle like a jewel in the sun”. Emery said this back in the early 20th century, when Glendale was only just becoming the bustling cultural hub it remains today. Tucked into the Verdugo Mountains, Glendale offers equal parts social stimulation, economic opportunity, outdoor access, and peace and quiet. Families and professionals who are tired of compromising their budgets, sanity, and safety for the perks of living in L.A. have been flocking to Glendale for decades, joining the already-robust population of locals who can trace their roots back a century or more. Curious about what awaits you as a newcomer to L.A.’s northern neighbor? Read on for all the ins and outs of living in the Jewel City.
Glendale at a Glance
Glendale is Los Angeles County’s fourth-largest city, with a population of roughly 200,00 spread across 30 miles. Among its many draws are the great school system and the extremely low crime rate: Glendale routinely makes the list of top ten safest cities in America, with low rates of both violent and property crime. Glendale Unified School District also regularly outranks districts from LA neighborhoods, with several of the district’s elementary and middle schools ranking at 8 or 9 out of 10 according to GreatSchools.org.
Hiking in the Verdugo Mountains is just one of the ways Glendale residents enjoy the outdoors: there’s also Deukmejian Wilderness Park, a rugged yet maintained urban getaway with miles of trails. There are over 40 parks and community centers in Glendale, including athletic fields, golf courses, pools and dog parks. The city hosts outdoor-oriented community programs all year round, encouraging residents to not only get out and explore the city but also learn about native flora and fauna and participate in the conservation of these valuable open spaces.
The Americana at Brand, designed by Rick Caruso, is an outdoor mall - and while that might not sound like something worth talking about, it’s a favorite destination for shopping, eating, and entertainment. Brand-name stores and restaurants like Nordstrom and La Pain Quotidien sit alongside locally owned establishments like Sugarfina and Din Tai Fung; there’s also an 18-plex, 3000-seat movie theater, a cupcake-dispensing Sprinkles vending machine, luxury apartments and condominiums, and choreographed fountain light shows. It’s as much an outdoor spectacle as it is a great place to scratch your Shake Shack itch.
Glendale search76 Properties
| Address | Beds | Baths | Sq.Ft. | Price(%Chng) | $/Sq.Ft. | On Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1033 Kildonan DrGlendale, CA 91207 |
4 | 3 | 2,959 | $2,300,000 | $777.29 | 1 day |
2313 Rosecrest Dr #3Glendale, CA 91208 |
2 | 1 | 1,004 | $685,000 | $682.27 | 1 day |
320 E Stocker St #305Glendale, CA 91207 |
1 | 2 | 1,353 | $675,000 3.8% | $498.89 | 1 day |
1622 Riverside DrGlendale, CA 91201 |
3 | 2 | 1,692 | $1,050,000 | $620.57 | 2 days |
913 E Glenoaks BlvdGlendale, CA 91207 |
3 | 2 | 1,903 | $1,175,000 | $617.45 | 2 days |
219 N Isabel St #2Glendale, CA 91206 |
2 | 3 | 1,129 | $750,000 | $664.30 | 2 days |
1344 5th St #16Glendale, CA 91201 |
3 | 2 | 1,912 | $839,000 | $438.81 | 3 days |
2915 Montrose Ave #428Glendale, CA 91214 |
1 | 1 | 779 | $489,000 | $627.73 | 3 days |
1015 Calle AzulGlendale, CA 91208 |
4 | 3 | 2,777 | $1,898,888 | $683.79 | 3 days |
506 La Loma RdGlendale, CA 91206 |
3 | 3 | 1,819 | $2,300,000 | $1,264.43 | 4 days |
1155 N Brand Blvd #702Glendale, CA 91202 |
1 | 1 | 756 | $549,000 | $726.19 | 5 days |
3422 Encinal AveGlendale, CA 91214 |
2 | 1 | 1,126 | $899,000 | $798.40 | 6 days |
1043 Thompson Ave #13Glendale, CA 91201 |
2 | 2 | 940 | $575,000 | $611.70 | 6 days |
551 W Stocker St #1Glendale, CA 91202 |
2 | 2 | 880 | $619,900 | $704.43 | 7 days |
3448 Sierra Vista AveGlendale, CA 91208 |
2 | 1 | 1,083 | $1,150,000 | $1,061.87 | 10 days |
1200 Scofield DrGlendale, CA 91205 |
3 | 2 | 1,324 | $899,000 | $679.00 | 11 days |
1135 Scofield DrGlendale, CA 91205 |
3 | 3 | 1,474 | $1,099,000 | $745.59 | 11 days |
2473 Bywood DrGlendale, CA 91206 |
3 | 2 | 1,756 | $1,495,000 | $851.37 | 11 days |
721 Dale AveGlendale, CA 91202 |
3 | 2 | 1,444 | $1,195,000 | $827.56 | 11 days |
330 Kempton RdGlendale, CA 91202 |
8 | 8 | 7,200 | $5,150,000 | $715.28 | 12 days |
3270 E Chevy Chase DrGlendale, CA 91206 |
3 | 3 | 2,283 | $1,888,000 | $826.98 | 12 days |
365 Burchett St #310Glendale, CA 91203 |
1 | 1 | 642 | $489,000 | $761.68 | 12 days |
1126 N Central Ave #207Glendale, CA 91202 |
2 | 2 | 1,092 | $599,500 | $548.99 | 12 days |
4230 Boston AveGlendale, CA 91214 |
3 | 3 | 2,457 | $1,498,000 | $609.69 | 13 days |
3524 Community AveGlendale, CA 91214 |
3 | 2 | 1,717 | $995,000 | $579.50 | 15 days |
400 N Louise St #206Glendale, CA 91206 |
3 | 2 | 1,321 | $735,000 | $556.40 | 16 days |
1215 Stanley AveGlendale, CA 91206 |
2 | 1 | 726 | $835,000 | $1,150.14 | 17 days |
1340 Glenwood Rd #14Glendale, CA 91201 |
2 | 3 | 1,254 | $689,999 | $550.24 | 23 days |
330 N Jackson St #318Glendale, CA 91206 |
2 | 1 | 927 | $549,000 | $592.23 | 23 days |
3206 Buckingham RdGlendale, CA 91206 |
2 | 2 | 1,394 | $1,199,000 | $860.11 | 24 days |
2157 E Chevy Chase DrGlendale, CA 91206 |
3 | 4 | 1,674 | $1,445,000 | $863.20 | 25 days |
625 Cumberland RdGlendale, CA 91202 |
5 | 6 | 4,569 | $5,300,000 | $1,159.99 | 25 days |
1980 El Arbolita DrGlendale, CA 91208 |
3 | 2 | 2,063 | $1,579,000 -1.3% | $765.39 | 34 days |
1857 Arvin DrGlendale, CA 91208 |
3 | 4 | 2,884 | $1,599,000 -5.4% | $554.44 | 36 days |
1734 Hillfair DrGlendale, CA 91208 |
4 | 2 | 1,772 | $1,650,000 | $931.15 | 40 days |
815 Moorside DrGlendale, CA 91207 |
4 | 3 | 3,093 | $3,450,000 | $1,115.42 | 41 days |
1630 Virden DrGlendale, CA 91208 |
3 | 2 | 2,055 | $1,695,000 -5.6% | $824.82 | 46 days |
531 N Kenwood St #202Glendale, CA 91206 |
2 | 2 | 1,097 | $548,000 -2.8% | $499.54 | 47 days |
466 Vine StGlendale, CA 91204 |
2 | 2 | 1,392 | $1,149,000 | $825.43 | 48 days |
1307 E Acacia AveGlendale, CA 91205 |
2 | 1 | 1,046 | $945,000 | $903.44 | 51 days |
344 N Maryland Ave #103Glendale, CA 91206 |
1 | 1 | 681 | $465,000 -7% | $682.82 | 52 days |
3481 Stancrest Dr #232Glendale, CA 91208 |
1 | 1 | 807 | $499,000 -5% | $618.34 | 52 days |
3360 E Chevy Chase DrGlendale, CA 91206 |
4 | 3 | 2,629 | $2,149,888 -2.2% | $817.76 | 60 days |
1025 W Mountain StGlendale, CA 91202 |
5 | 4 | 4,231 | $4,290,000 | $1,013.94 | 60 days |
412 N Kenwood St #302Glendale, CA 91206 |
2 | 2 | 1,610 | $925,000 -2.5% | $574.53 | 61 days |
1463 Beaudry BlvdGlendale, CA 91208 |
4 | 4 | 2,051 | $1,575,000 -6% | $767.92 | 61 days |
515 N Kenwood St #204Glendale, CA 91206 |
1 | 1 | 804 | $490,000 -1.8% | $609.45 | 62 days |
605 Caruso AveGlendale, CA 91210 |
2 | 3 | 1,529 | $1,900,000 | $1,242.64 | 63 days |
120 Aspen Oak LnGlendale, CA 91207 |
5 | 4 | 6,056 | $4,800,000 -3.9% | $792.60 | 72 days |
606 Galer PlaceGlendale, CA 91206 |
4 | 3 | 2,889 | $1,699,000 | $588.09 | 75 days |
Cost of Living
The average home price in Glendale is roughly $850,000, while rent averages around $3,052. Of course, some of Glendale’s more pricey neighborhoods - Brockmont, Whiting Woods, Encino and Holmby Hills - skew the averages somewhat compared to the more affordable neighborhoods, like Rancho San Rafael, San Rafael Hills, and Crescenta Highlands. With 40 total neighborhoods, Glendale has a home for every budget.
The comparatively high housing costs are reflective of the city’s robust job market and professional opportunities. Glendale’s economic future remains bright, with a steady influx of new businesses adding to the city’s more established employers - IHOP, Nestle and Avery Denison all have headquarters in the city, as well as DreamWorks and Disney Studios Grand Central Creative Campus.
Commute
Although Glendale can’t quite boast a match to LA’s extensive public transportation, it does have a serviceable bus and rail system. You can get around Los Angeles County via the Glendale Beeline or the Metrolink, or get further away on Amtrak or Greyhound. For pedestrians, Glendale’s Walk Score is 69 out of 100, with a slightly lower Bike Score. Most residents depend on cars for commuting, and while there are certainly some peak travel times, the roads are generally less congested than L.A. The average commute time in Glendale is about 30 minutes each way.
Food & Drink
You can find evidence of Glendale’s large Armenian population at restaurants like Elena’s, which has been in business for over 30 years - and where you can get a flavorful, generously portioned, vegetarian-friendly meal for under $15. The proliferation of Mediterranean food in Glendale makes it a great destination for vegetarians and vegans who are more interested in a hummus crawl than a bar crawl. There’s also budget-friendly Cuban baked goods at Porto’s, or a little bit of everything at Foxy’s, the perfect compromise for a date night where one of you wants filet mignon and the other wants French toast. Both Din Tai Fun and Tumanyan Khinkali Factory are beloved dumpling purveyors: the former offers world-famous Taiwanese dumplings while the latter serves them up Georgian-style.
Nightlife in Glendale takes many forms: you can dance at Giggles, genre-hop with whatever band is playing at The Complex, compare the many, many beers available at Glendale Tap or the local ales on offer at Brewyard Beer Company, take part in an Open Mic or karaoke night at Dave’s on Broadway, get tropical at Damon’s, or sip upscale cocktails at The Famous. For their morning-after pick-me-ups, locals go to Regent Coffee Roasters and Brew Bar, Kaldi, Urartyu, or Kafn Coffee.
While it’s true that L.A. has worldwide name recognition - you never have to explain exactly where you’re from when you live in Hollywood - many Angelinos choose to give up that glamour and clout in favor of the strong, safe, and vibrant community available in Glendale.
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History
Like most of the cities and towns in the San Fernando Valley, Glendale’s first inhabitants were the Tongva people, a population largely displaced in the 1700s by Spanish missionaries and soldiers. Glendale first got its name in 1884 and officially became a city in 1906. But Glendale’s oldest building predates the city’s formal incorporation by 40 years: the Catalina Verdugo Adobe, built in 1860 by Teodoro Verdugo, is beloved by history buffs and architecture nerds alike. While this home-turned-public-park might be the city’s oldest, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Forest Lawn Memorial Park, established in 1906, is a beautifully lush, landscaped cemetery with artistic monuments, statuary, and architecture that invites the living to stroll, respectfully, among the dead. For the morbidly curious, the dead in Forest Lawn include Michael Jackson, L. Frank Baum, Nat King Cole and his daughter, and Walt Disney. If you’re looking for something appropriately spooky to chase an afternoon at Forest Lawn, there’s the Rockhaven Sanitarium, an abandoned psychiatric hospital where women treated women - the hospital only accepted female patients and was staffed exclusively by women.
On a lighter note, there’s also the Brand Library and Art Center. This public library is specifically focused on the visual arts - it’s no surprise that the building itself is a thing of beauty, inspired by the 1893 Columbian Exposition’s East Indian Pavilion. The land around the building is a public park with lots of trails and activities. The park is also home to The Doctors House, built in 1888, formerly inhabited by - you guessed it - doctors. The house is significant for its Queen Anne Victorian architecture and for its role as the home of Nell Shipman, a silent film star. The Grand Central Air Terminal was built in 1923 and was, for a long time, Glendale’s chief employer. With Art Deco and Spanish-style design, it’s a part of aviation history: Charles Lindbergh took off from the Grand Central Air Terminal on his first west-to-east transcontinental flight. It’s been out of commission since 1959 but remains a point of pride for the city.
People who want to be more of a participant in history can enjoy a night out at the Alex Theatre. This theater, built in 1925, was bringing movies to Glendale long before it earned the gigantic marquee and neon tower that it's now known for. There’s also the Moonlight Rollerway, where the maple floors have been preserved since 1956. Moonlight has been a community mainstay since it first opened as Harry’s Roller Rink, but it’s far from stuck in the past: for the past twenty years, Wednesdays have been LGBTQ night. For a slightly more contemporary look at the past, the Museum of Neon Art is home to expertly-curated rotating exhibits and some iconic mainstays.
