What’s it Like to Live in Studio City?

Studio City is less a city and more a neighborhood itself. It spans just 5.6 miles in the north part of Los Angeles, bordered by Sherman Oaks, Valley Village and Toluca Lake. It’s an excellent choice for people who want to be near Downtown LA, but enjoy a quieter lifestyle. Want to learn more? Read on for our complete guide to living in Studio City, CA.

Schools in Studio City

Since Studio City is so small, there are only 5 schools in Studio City itself. These include 1 charter school and 4 private schools. There are no public schools within Studio City– students who are living in Studio City are part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, which has both standard high schools as well as specialty high schools like High Tech Los Angeles, the LA Center for Enriched Studies, and the Downtown Magnets High School. College-age students can also get a fantastic education at colleges near Studio City; LA is home to UCLA, the University of Southern California, Loyola Marymount University, and more.

Studio City Cost of Living

Small doesn’t always mean less expensive, and that certainly rings true in Studio City. The cost of living in Studio City is high, outpacing the American average significantly. Everything from goods and services to groceries are more expensive in LA, and in Studio City, too. But if there’s one place Studio City even outdoes the rest of LA, it’s in housing costs.

The median home value in Studio City is over $1 Million dollars. You read that right. That’s more than double the median home price for all of Los Angeles, and over 5 times more than the national average. It’s no wonder the celebs like Bruno Mars, George Clooney and William Shatner all live here; the homes in Studio City are both incredibly expensive, and incredibly gorgeous.

If you aren’t looking to spend that much, you can get a 1 bedroom apartment in Studio City starting at around $1,800 per month. Just remember that you’ll still have to pay LA prices for all your other expenses, and make sure you can afford it before you settle into this affluent neighborhood.

Who Lives in Studio City

There are almost 50,000 people living in Studio City. The median age is 42.5, and about 39% of folks in Studio City have kids under the age of 18. Studio City has a highly educated population; more than 60% of the Studio City population has received their Bachelor’s Degree or higher. There’s also some huge income disparities here; there’s a high unemployment level of 6.1%, while at the same time, 30% of households have an income above $150,000 per year.

Studio City is relatively diverse, with 70% of the population being white Americans. Ten percent of the Studio City population is Hispanic, 49% is Black, and 7.3% is of Asian descent. When talking about Studio City’s demographics, it’s also important to note that the area is home to a relatively high number of celebrities. The proximity to studios and gorgeous surroundings have made many A-listers choose Studio City as their home.

Working in Studio City

The median household income in Studio City is $105,301 per year. This is high, both in relation to the national average, and the median in Los Angeles as a whole. Though there are jobs in many industries in Studio City, the neighborhood got its name because of the many filming studios that call it home. CBS, NBC and Universal Studios all have studios in Studio City. Most people living in Studio City, however, work within Los Angeles, where the top employers are in city government and education. Other major employers in LA include Walt Disney Co., Providence Healthcare & Services, and the Bank of America.

Where to Live in Studio City

Amazingly, this small suburb of LA can be broken down even further into small neighborhoods that cover just blocks of space. When if comes to living in Studio City, residents are loyal down to the street, so you’ll want to do your research to find the best neighborhood in Studio City for you.

Looking to join the rich and famous in Studio City? Check out Fryman Canyon Estates, a group of 250 homes where your neighbors might include Miley Cyrus or Julie Bowen. Be prepared to spend millions on the stunning estates in Fryman Canyon– many homes here sell for between $5-15 Million. Fryman Estates is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Studio City, and the greater LA area.

Maybe you want something a bit more reasonably priced? Well, if you go to the Silver Triangle neighborhood in Studio City, the prices are significantly less. That doesn’t mean homes here are cheap; in fact, the average sales price for homes in the Silver Triangle is $1,395,444 for a 3-bedroom, 3-bath, 2,000 square foot home. But still, the difference between paying $10 million for a home and $1.5 million does qualify as a significant downgrade in price!

If you don’t want to be in the movies, but don’t mind if your house IS, you might want to look at homes in the Colfax Meadows neighborhood of Studio City. This area is used so often in film and TV that the city council of LA had to issue special conditions for continuous filming here, to ensure that homes and privacy were treated well and protected. As with Fryman Canyon and the Silver Triangle, you won’t find any low-price homes here. Houses in Colfax Meadows sell for the “low” millions, between $1-3 million mostly.

Studio City Weather

The average weather in Studio City is the same as in the rest of Los Angeles. The temperature around the year may vary some, but mainly stays between 48-85 degrees year round. So you might have some sweltering summer days, but you won’t have to worry about freezing winters. And snow is pretty much nonexistent here. Studio City also gets very little rain throughout the year; the “drier season” here lasts 7.7 months.

What to do in Studio City

In reality, this question should be: What to do in Los Angeles. Studio City has a bunch of studios you can check out, and some great restaurants and shopping, but it’s less than 6 miles large, and is really a residential area of Los Angeles. Luckily, Studio City’s proximity to downtown means you’ll always be just minutes away from some of the best things to do in LA.

Craving the water? Los Angeles has miles of beaches for you to choose from, and tons of sunny days when you can enjoy the waves. Looking for great food? LA has some of the most incredible, diverse menus in America. You can get food from every ethnicity here, and there’s more than one restaurant of each. Plus, you don’t have to worry if you’re vegan or gluten free– there are plenty of options for you, too!

Of course, if you want to get touristy, you can check out the Hollywood sign, or visit Hollywood itself to take a tour of some of the biggest studios in the film & TV world. If you want to find things to do with kids in LA, you can always visit Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood. Plus, Studio City is just a few blocks from Griffith Park, which houses not only Griffith Observatory, but also tons of trails, the LA Zoo, the Greek Theater, the LA Equestrian Center and more.

Moving to Studio City

If you’re looking for luxury living close to Los Angeles, moving to Studio City is the perfect choice for you. This affluent neighborhood has stunning homes, with peace and quiet you can escape to after a long day downtown.

Interested in learning more about LA? Check out our blog posts on living in Los Angeles, the best LA neighborhoods, and 5 must-see attractions in Los Angeles. Then if you want to join us out here on the West Coast, give Osmon Moving & Storage a call at (800) 807-6181 for your free Studio City moving quote.