Culver City

When I was young, Culver City was not a place that you wanted to live. It was known as high crime neighborhood. Then, in the 1990’s I had a friend who moved there. It thought that it was so that her dad could be closer to the LAX than in the Valley and I remember that I was worried about visiting her—I had just gotten my first real car and was worried not only about getting carjacked but about the traffic getting there (I was a very sheltered girl back then). But when I went to visit her, I remembered being surprised by how rather bland it was—not at all the run down crime haven I had been lead to believe. Now Culver City is the latest example of gentrification.

It has a spanking new Downtown, with nice restaurants and art galleries. It also has a refurbished mall, the Westfield. It has museums and cemeteries and colleges there. In short, it really is a city deserving of being thought of as separate from Los Angeles. If you picked it up and dropped into completely new location it would hold its own as minor city in the area.

Culver City also is a good place to raise a family with nice residential neighborhoods and with several parks. Many of the schools in the area also have a proven track record when it comes to educating the varied students who call Culver City home. The diverse population also means that you have a variety of religious institutions to choose from—everything from churches to synagogues to mosques.

It is a safe neighborhood, relative to its location, averaging only one murder per year. It, of course, does not escape property crime, especially along its major thoroughfares, but overall it is not a major worry for most residents and most times of the day.

Prices for rents in the area are a touch inflated but it is possible to find more reasonable housing if you take enough.

Culver City is also close to just about every part of LA from Venice and Santa Monica to Downtown LA. This makes it a great spot for couples who work at separate companies and want a place that is sort of in between.

Overall, Culver City is great choice for almost anyone.