Life in Highland Park
It’s no secret that Highland Park has had a rough-and-tumble history but this Eastside enclave has morphed into one of LA’s most buzzed-about neighborhoods and has gained attention as a community-focused, hidden gem for people who want the L.A. lifestyle without the L.A. price tag. For good reason, Highland Park is experiencing a renaissance that has home buyers and business owners flocking to its charming, eclectic, and diverse avenues. If you’re like the many, many people who are interested in moving to Highland Park, read on to get all the ins and outs of one of L.A.’s most hype-inducing neighborhoods.
Highland Park at a Glance
With a population of just over 60,000, the neighborhood covers about 3.5 miles. Highland Park is the perfect balance of urban and suburban - you’ll never lack for something to do, but residents maintain a firm grip on their community bond. Nestled between South Pasadena and Montecito Heights, just northeast of downtown L.A., Highland Park shares the city’s amazing climate - warm and dry, with over 270 sunny days a year, so you can leave your vitamin D in the medicine cabinet. Summer temperatures average in the low 80s, while winter temperatures rarely drop below 50 degrees. With ten - count ‘em, ten! - outdoor parks, Highland Park makes it easy to take advantage of all those sunny days. There’s even horseback riding at San Pascual Stables! And, yes, pet-lovers: there’s a dog park.
Highland Park Table search31 Properties
| Address | Beds | Baths | Sq.Ft. | Price(%Chng) | $/Sq.Ft. | On Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1036 N Avenue 50Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
2 | 2 | 974 | $1,290,000 | $1,324.44 | 2 days |
1051 N Avenue 63Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 2 | 1,504 | $1,149,000 | $763.96 | 3 days |
5103 San Rafael AveLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,478 | $1,299,000 | $878.89 | 4 days |
312 N Avenue 64Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,287 | $1,049,000 | $815.07 | 5 days |
4849 Eldred StHighland Park, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,884 | $1,660,008 3.9% | $881.11 | 5 days |
4909 4911 Baltimore StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 4 | 2,531 | $1,599,000 | $631.77 | 6 days |
5260 Aldama StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 3 | 2,017 | $1,695,000 | $840.36 | 9 days |
6162 Oak Crest WayLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 2 | 1,344 | $1,250,000 | $930.06 | 10 days |
6166 Oak Crest WayLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
2 | 1 | 1,203 | $1,145,000 | $951.79 | 10 days |
6217 Outlook AveHighland Park, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,328 | $925,000 | $696.54 | 11 days |
5140 Miriam StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
2 | 1 | 787 | $799,000 | $1,015.25 | 13 days |
6311 Repton StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
1 | 2 | 502 | $750,000 | $1,494.02 | 13 days |
351 Vista PlaceLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
5 | 2 | 1,100 | $1,100,000 | $1,000.00 | 16 days |
5950 Great Oak CircleLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 2 | 1,184 | $1,295,000 | $1,093.75 | 16 days |
4844 San Rafael AveLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 3 | 1,558 | $1,345,000 | $863.29 | 17 days |
5657 Fallston StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
2 | 1 | 883 | $1,049,000 | $1,188.00 | 17 days |
6561 Pickwick StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 4 | 2,226 | $1,995,000 | $896.23 | 17 days |
6565 Pickwick StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 4 | 2,320 | $1,995,000 | $859.91 | 17 days |
1215 N Avenue 56Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 3 | 1,878 | $1,250,000 | $665.60 | 20 days |
1417 Nolden StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
5 | 5 | 3,032 | $2,495,000 | $822.89 | 24 days |
358 S Avenue 52Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
1 | 1 | 1,008 | $725,000 | $719.25 | 27 days |
5903 Terrace DrHighland Park, CA 90042 |
5 | 4 | 2,444 | $1,399,000 | $572.42 | 27 days |
360 Kirby StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,884 | $1,295,000 | $687.37 | 31 days |
4853 Eldred StHighland Park, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,651 | $1,389,999 -7.3% | $841.91 | 33 days |
5030 5032 Aldama StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 2 | 1,686 | $1,348,000 | $799.53 | 37 days |
920 Milwaukee AveLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 3 | 1,716 | $1,300,000 | $757.58 | 53 days |
135 S Avenue 53Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
6 | 6 | 1,963 | $2,100,000 | $1,069.79 | 60 days |
818 N Avenue 51Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
3 | 3 | 1,336 | $999,000 -16% | $747.75 | 72 days |
5910 Monte Vista StLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 4 | 2,621 | $1,600,000 | $610.45 | 94 days |
6115 Pine Crest DrLos Angeles, CA 90042 |
4 | 3 | 4,314 | $3,135,500 -3.1% | $726.82 | 100 days |
127 South Ave 55Highland Park, CA 90042 |
3 | 2 | 1,560 | $775,000 -8.8% | $496.79 | 109 days |
Cost of Living
The average home value in Highland Park is around $1.1M, nearly double the average home price even just a decade ago, but still a far cry from some of L.A’s more expensive neighborhoods. Renting a 1-bedroom apartment will run you around $2000. Utilities in L.A. are relatively low, with a typical household spending less than $200 a month.
Commute
Highland Park is urban gold, featuring pedestrian and dog-friendly wide sidewalks and its role as a transportation hub for the surrounding area - from light rail to bus lines, Highland Park is a convenient start for a commute anywhere in the city. The Metro Gold Line stop on Figueroa Street helped turn the major thoroughfare into a trendy destination, melding an old-fashioned “Main Street” vibe with hip gastropubs and nightlife.
If you’re traveling by car, you’ll have the unique experience of spending part of your commute on California State Route 110, a.k.a Arroyo Seco Parkway - the nation’s first freeway. Highland Park is just a few miles up the 110 from DTLA and your commute to Burbank will take about 20 mins, while Venice and Santa Monica will take you about an hour on a good day.
History and Culture
While the land on which Highland Park sits has been inhabited for thousands of years, it was officially annexed into LA in 1895. Even in its earliest days, Highland Park was a favored destination for artists. Specifically, artists from the Arts and Crafts movement, who left their legacy in the historic architecture of many Highland Park houses. Well-preserved Craftsman homes line the neighborhood’s streets, a charming contrast to the contemporary boutiques and bars popping up on every other corner.
This rich architectural legacy is preserved at the Heritage Square Museum, an open-air museum replicating a turn-of-the-century plaza with eight historic structures - a church, a train depot, a corner drug store, and more - preserved in their original state. The Lummis Home and Gardens are also open to the public on the weekends: built by hand, this stone home was completed in 1910 and, during its heyday, hosted people like Will Rogers and John Muir, among others.
There’s also some more playful history to be found in Highland Park, like LA’s oldest bowling alley. Highland Park Bowl first opened in 1927 and was operational throughout Prohibition. Completely restored in 2016, the massive space might be the classiest bowling alley you’ll ever visit, from a stage for live music to chandeliers to an original Arts and Crafts mural. Puppets more your bag? The Bob Baker Marionette Theater proudly hosts 3,000 puppets within a vaudeville theater built-in 1923. Creeped out by puppets? Take advantage of the excellent acoustics of an early-20s Masonic Temple by catching a show at the Lodge Room.
But all that is chopped chicken liver compared to Highland Park’s Chicken Boy - the great-for-the-‘gram, 22-foot-tall chicken-headed Muffler Man from the 60’s. Intimidating as it is, he really just wants to welcome you to the neighborhood. You can complete your historic tour of Highland Park with a soda and sandwich at Galco’s Old World Grocery, established in 1955.
Of course, don’t make the mistake of thinking that Highland Park is stuck in the past. To the contrary, contemporary art is thriving at galleries like Judson Gallery, THIS, and MorYork Gallery. Meanwhile, forward-thinking boutiques like Sonomama, Dotter, and Wild Terra offer earthy, sustainable, artisanal wares sourced ethically and, often, locally. Indie bookstores thrive in Highland Park - notably, Book Show celebrates literature in a very literal sense with a circus theme.
