Geographic Divides in Los Angeles County: Demography, Income and Housing

Geographic Divides in Los Angeles County: Demography, Income and Housing has been published by the Center for Community Research and Solutions at United Way of Greater Los Angeles.

This research brief uses data from a special tabulation of the 2006 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau to examine 69 communities and districts in L.A. County. This brief looks at how socio-economic conditions differ across the county using several indicators such as median income, high school graduation rates, homeownership rates, renter costs, poverty and more. The 69 communities are then ranked into a composite index according to these indicators. Tables and maps are also available to download.

Selected Findings:

• The median family income in L.A. County is $56,930; California's median family income is $64,563 (pg.6)
• There is a seven fold difference in median family income across the 69 communities (from $23,000 in the Westlake-downtown area to $163,000 in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and Brentwood) (pg. 6).
• South Park has the lowest high school graduation rates of adults 25 and over (38.8%), while Calabasas-Agoura-Topanga Canyon has the highest rates at 97.3% (pg. 15).
• South Park community also has the highest rate of people living in poverty, with about 4 in 10 of its residents in poverty (pg. 15).
• Downtown-Westlake-Pico Union has the lowest owner occupied housing rate at 5.5%, while Calabasas-Agoura-Topanga Canyon has the highest at 83.4% (pg.15).