L.A. County Living

The Regions

Nearly 10.4 million people call L.A. County home.

L.A. County spans more than 4,000 square miles of diverse geography from snow-capped mountain ranges to the sunny shores of the Pacific Ocean.  Eight distinct regions of L.A. County offer its own unique characteristics and attributes ranging from quaint small town charm to the bustling cityscapes of downtown L.A. The County is comprised of 88 cities and more than 100 unincorporated communities.

The Antelope Valley in the northern reaches of the County is home to a thriving aerospace industry and is also the center of the region's agriculture industry, while nearby Santa Clarita Valley offers small town charm coupled with a vibrant biomedical, aerospace manufacturing, high tech, and filming industry.

Just south of these areas is the San Gabriel Valley where leading institutions including City of Hope, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the California Institute of Technology call home. The San Gabriel Valley is probably best known for its annual Tournament of Roses Parade in the City of Pasadena. The San Fernando Valley portion of the County, just east of the San Gabriel Valley, is also a key outpost for aerospace and professional services. However, its entertainment industry dominates the region's businesses with studios such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and several cable networks, that have facilities in the area. 

Just below the San Fernando Valley is the Westside region of the County, an area that features some of the most valuable real estate in the world. The Westside is also a hotbed for entertainment related companies with global names such as Yahoo!, Google, MTV, and AOL housed here.  This area enjoys 36 miles of beaches and scores of cultural activities including museums, theatres, shops, and dining.

Bustling business center by day, vibrant metropolis by night, Downtown Los Angeles always has something going on.

Education

L.A. County is a major center for higher education. There are 254 institutions of higher education in the five-county area, which puts it ahead of Texas, Illinois and Massachusetts. This count includes three campuses of the U.C. system, seven campuses of the State College and University system, and such private institutions as Caltech, the Claremont Colleges, Occidental College, and the University of Southern California. There are also specialized institutions which offer an array of programs, including computer assisted design and manufacturing, computer animation, apparel design and culinary arts. In addition to its varied institutions of higher learning, LA County is home to some of the most prestigious centers for the arts including the Art Center College of Design, the Colburn School of Performing Arts, Otis College of Design, and the California Institute of the Arts.

Climate

It never rains in Southern California.  Los Angeles enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of 263 sunshine days and only 35 wet days annually, and the average temperature.

Additional Resouces

Explore L.A. County neighborhoods with the Los Angeles Times' L.A. County Neighborhood Interactive Map.

DiscoverLosAngeles.com's Guides Neighborhoods of Los Angeles County

• Hollywood: Like a glamorous starlet, Hollywood has made a major comeback and is living like a newly discovered ingénue everybody is talking about.
  
  
• San Fernando Valley: The San Fernando Valley (we just call it "the Valley") is part suburb, part entertainment hub and all excitement!
  
  
• Westside: Affluent and influential, the Westside is pure LA glamour. Even Westside neighborhoods have as much fame as the celebrities who live in them.
  
  
• Beach Cities: Each of these waterfront wonders offers its own personality and its own take on dining, shopping, attractions and activities.
  
  
• San Gabriel Valley: With the classic California style of Pasadena at its heart, the San Gabriel Valley overflows with fine dining, beautiful rose gardens, lovingly restored Mission
  
  
• Neighboring Regions: From the desert to the sea, and the mountains to the valleys, the diversity of the greater Los Angeles area is just one more reason to visit.