1. Getting An Education Is Easy Here
With 432 public schools and 304 private schools in the
Los Angeles area, this city is able to keep the student to teacher ratio at a favorable 20:1 level, despite its huge urban size. The large selection of private schools also make it easy to find the perfect fit for your child.
While the local graduation rate is 73 percent, this lower number can be expected in large metropolitans and it varies greatly by neighborhood.
2. Picking Up Hobbies Is Easy For Kids In This City
With a long list of local acting classes, dance classes, art classes, language classes, cooking classes and more, it’s easy to find family-friendly programs that everyone can enjoy in Los Angeles.
One of the huge benefits of living in a city that’s this large is that nearly any type of youth program you want can be easily found and it probably won’t even mean driving across town.
3. Los Angeles Makes Learning Fun
Another perk of being in a huge city, there are tons of museums and performances that deliver great hands on experiences for youngsters.
One favorite amongst families is the Zimmer Children’s Museum, which works to create an interactive environment that harbors education, with exhibits like “Rhythms of the World” and “Construction Zone!”
There are also several great science museums in the area, including Discovery Cube Los Angeles, a facility with more than 100 exhibits that have a goal of sparking young children’s interest in science.
4. Every Kid Loves Animals, Right?
Spanning over 130 acres, with more than 250 species and over 1,000 animals, a trip to the Los Angeles Zoo is always a great day trip for the family. A few of their more notable exhibits include the “Campo Gorilla Reserve” and the “Red Ape Rainforest.” This is one family-friendly activity that all ages are sure to enjoy.
5. It’s Easy To Play Outside In Los Angeles
Home to over 250 parks filled with playgrounds and tons of trails, the outdoor fun in Los Angeles just doesn’t stop. This city also has several state-of-the-art dog parks, world class skate parks, and plenty of sports fields open to the community that help encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for the children of LA.
If you want to check out on park that’s especially unique, give Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area a try. It stretches over 300 acres and features a Japanese garden, scenic trails, athletic facilities, and an outdoor workout course.
6. There’s Always Something Going On In LA
If you’re not taking the family to one of the many weekly street markets or spending time at the local parks, there are tons of other awesome outdoor events that are totally family-friendly in Los Angeles.
With multiple events going on every week year round, a few favorites include the California Strawberry Festival, Tacolandia and its many taco trucks, and the LA County Fair with an endless supply of thrill rides, games, and deep-fried food.
7. There’s Always Someone To Cheer For Here
The sports culture is vibrant in Los Angeles, home to the Lakers and Clippers basketball teams, the Kings and the Ducks hockey squads, the Dodgers and the Angels baseball teams, the LA Galaxy major league soccer team, and the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA team.
The only professional sport this city doesn’t have is football and recent talks make it sound like that won’t be the case for long. With so many teams, it’s easy to find a good bargain on tickets for the whole family, especially if you look for games during the workweek.
If your kids would rather get on the field themselves, Los Angeles also has a ton of intramural leagues that take place throughout the city at its many parks.
8. Don’t Be Fooled By The High Unemployment Rate
There’s no way around it, unemployment in Los Angeles is higher than the national average at 7.8 percent. However, generally larger cities tend to have inflated rates when it comes to this stat, especially when homelessness is prevalent in the area.
Keep in mind that certain neighborhoods in Los Angeles have a much better outlook when it comes to the job market and that because of its massive size, finding a job can be much easier if you’re willing to commute, especially with the diverse range of businesses that operate out of LA.
9. Big Industries Love Los Angeles
A city driven by international trade, entertainment, technology, petroleum, fashion, and tourism, Los Angeles has it all. Los Angeles is also the largest manufacturing center in the western part of the United States and has the third largest economy amongst metropolitans around the world.
A few Fortune 500 companies are even headquartered in Los Angeles, including Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Health Net, Inc. and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., with several other large companies like American Apparel, Farmers Insurance Group, and Sunkist also calling LA their home.
With an economy that’s this diverse, you can bet that it will be a strong one capable of supporting your family for years to come.
10. There’s Traffic But It’s Not As Bad As You’ve Heard
Whenever an American thinks rush hour traffic, there’s a good chance images of cars slowly creeping down the many lanes of Los Angeles’ Interstate 5 come to mind. Despite the horror stories you’ve heard, the average commute time in this city is still less than half an hour at 29 minutes. Even Chicago has a higher commute time, averaging 33 minutes per trip.
Plus, consider that most of the bad traffic in Los Angeles is when you’re trying to make a trip across town on some of the busiest roads during the highly trafficked hours of the day. If you avoid certain times and certain areas, you won’t have to worry about hearing “Are we there yet?” from the backseat more than a couple times during your trip to dinner.
11. Los Angeles Is Pretty Expensive, But You Can Still Find Good Deals
The cost of living in Los Angeles is one of the highest in the country, scoring 142 points compared to the 100 that average America scores. While this seems like this is super expensive, it’s actually only 2 points pricier than the rest of California, meaning that with all of the amenities you’ll get from living there compared to elsewhere, it might be worth it.
It’s also important to keep in mind that Los Angeles is extremely diverse, with a lot of wealthy people buying expensive houses and doing rich person things. This may attribute to a little inflation when you look at the average amount people spend and the average price of a home, which happens to be well over $400,000.
Obviously there’s a huge difference in how much you’ll be paying if you’re looking for a home in Beverly Hills versus one of Los Angeles’ many other more affordable neighborhoods, especially if you’re willing to check out areas further from downtown.
12. Families Flock To Los Angeles
Not only is nearly 12 percent of the population is under the age of 9, nearly 60 percent of the population lives in family households. This means that there will be a ton of people in Los Angeles in a similar stage of life as your own family. This makes it easy to find playdates for your kids and ensures that kid-friendly activities will remain very popular in the local area.
13. You Can’t Beat The Weather Here
Famous for the plentiful amount of California sunshine that hits Los Angeles and the very few rainy days residents are forced to endure, few places can top this city when it comes to climate.
The average high in July is a perfect 73 degrees, while the average high in January is a manageable 58.
If you think your kids will miss out on the winter months with all of this sun, several ski hills are within driving distance and they’ll have plenty of snow.
14. Los Angeles Is Getting Safer Every Day
The most recent study showed that the current crime rate in Los Angeles is at 2,639 crimes per 100,000 residents, much lower than many large American cities. This rate has also been on the decline since the 1990s, nearly one third today of what it used to be when it was at its highest.
15. Beach Vacations Can Happen On A Weekly Basis
One of the most popular family vacations to take in America is a “trip to the beach.” Imagine how much you’ll save when that beach is practically in your own backyard.
Los Angeles is home to an entire coastline of awesome, family-friendly beaches that never get old. It’s just one more special feature that makes this city a great place to raise a family.
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