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Cudahy is a small city located in southeastern Los Angeles County. Latinos make up the majority of the population, which in 2010 was 24,000 residents.

Boarded by Bell on the north, Bell Gardens the east, South Gate on the south and Huntington Park on the West, Cudahy is known as having the second smallest amount of space (behind Hawaiian Gardens), thus being one of the most densely populated cities in the United States.

Because Cudahy is small, and quite frankly, not well known, you must travel to the neighboring cities for entertainment, shopping and so forth. Homes are very affordable, yet many are run down and the town looks like it has seen better days.

Unfortunately, the schools are poorly rated. It’s clear that there are some challenges in California school districts due to budget cuts, but the poorer communities really seem to suffer. However, almost 40 percent of Cudahy’s population has not completed the 9th grade. High school, students go to the nearby Bell High School or can apply to Maywood Academy High School.

Cudahy has a few parks and a library but overall, this small community lacks any real atmosphere.

Located in the San Gabriel Valley about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, don’t confuse Covina with the larger West Covina that sits on the other side of the I-10 freeway. Covina is near Azusa, Charter Oak, Glendora and San Dimas right between the 210 and I-10 freeways.

This is a middle to lower middle class community with blue-collar roots, which offers affordable housing but has a mixed reputation as far as schools and safety are concerned. In the last 20 years or so, neighborhoods have changed quite a bit. Many are run down and gang activity has increased quite a bit. Overall, not the most desirable place to live in the San Gabriel Valley and for my money, West Covina is a bit better.

Regarding education, schools are not highly rated and have never been considered very reputable. For anyone considering moving to Covina, with young children, they may want to think about this.

Again, housing is affordable, but most homes are older tract homes. However, Citrus Walk in downtown Covina is a new development offering affordable townhomes all within walking distance to local shops, restaurants, the library and Heritage Park which has recently been restored. Nearby, you will find the Covina Park, the city’s flagship park. This large recreational area is a great place to walk and also offers basketball courts, pools, playground and concerts during the summer.

Public transportation is very popular in Covina. A Metrolink station provides service to downtown Los Angeles (as well as to San Bernardino with many stops in between). Also located here is the Covina Bikestation, which, for a small monthly fee, riders can lock up their bicycles in a module 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Covina has seen better days. Unfortunately, crime and gang activity as well as a below average school district make this a not so inviting place to live.

Compton is located in the southern portion of Los Angeles County and has the reputation as being one of the more violent areas in the city, however, recent statistics claim the murder rate has declined by as much as thirty percent. Regardless, it is not a place you want to walk around at night and some areas are questionable during the day.

Situated between the I-105 and 91 freeway, Compton is approximately 17 miles from downtown Los Angeles. This lower middle class community does offer affordable housing and many question if Compton is really as bad as it is portrayed by the media. Many top Gangsta Rap and Hip Hop groups originated from Compton and have contributed to the city’s dangerous reputation due to their music lyrics and graphic videos. And yes, gangs are here no doubt about it.

The good news is that major businesses have popped up, like Best Buy, Target, Wells Fargo and a few other chain stores. However, to be clear, there are some dangerous areas that really need to be avoided, especially areas in the north section of Compton. Many residents say the area along the 91 is safer.

Education in Compton has improved in recent years, though many years ago test scores were the lowest in the state of California and the school district was 20 million dollars in debt. But even today, test scores are still lower than the national average.

Compton’s police force was disbanded in 2000 because of corruption charges and despite efforts of a few to reinstate the department, the City Council did not offer enough support. Today, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department protects the city. The city government itself has had its share of issues, with salary controversies; recall petitions, city manager firings and large deficits.

All in all, while improvements are noticed in Compton, it has a ways to go to shake its crime ridden reputation.

Commerce, also known and sometimes referred to as The City of Commerce, is more of an industrial/business town and not high on many people’s list as a place to live. It has the reputation, because of its location in the southeast portion of LA County, of being unsafe. Commerce sits between the I-5 and I-710 not far from East LA, which is noted for its gang activity. Yes, gangs do spill into Commerce as well as other surrounding communities like Bell Gardens, South Gate, Bell and others in this section of LA.

As you may expect, home prices are very affordable. A great amount of residents live below the poverty line so many of the neighborhoods are in disarray.

What is here is the Commerce Casino, one of the largest poker and blackjack rooms in the country. You won’t confuse this place with one of the more appealing Las Vegas casinos, however, if you enjoy playing cards then this may fit the bill. The good news is that with the high tax revenue this casino generates, residents of Commerce enjoy some special privileges, like free public bus transportation. A hotel is located here as well which is especially good when staying for tournaments.

Unfortunately, the Commerce schools are rated below average on the state level with over 90 percent of students qualifying for free lunches. There is nothing really to do here and honestly, it’s a place that many question how safe it is to go out at night.

Calabasas now has the reputation for being the home of the Kardashian clan thanks to their reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians. But they are not the only reality stars that live here: Jessica Simpson, Brittney Spears and LeAnn Rimes also live in Calabasas, which is north of Malibu and west of the San Fernando Valley. While a suburb of Los Angeles, it’s a good 25 miles from Santa Monica and with traffic along the I-101 and I-405 you can be a good hour away.

But this affluent city is popular for a reason. It’s fairly new, having been incorporated in 1991, and it’s very upscale, trendy and a great place to raise children as the population is fairly young. Of course, it’s expensive and you won’t find any low-income families our housing around here. There are great family activities and the Calabasas Tennis Club is a popular place for Mommy and Me type classes, after school programs as well as swimming. Schools are excellent and very highly regarded and you will find lots of parent participation.

You won’t find any crime to speak of here as it is regarded as one of the safest areas in Los Angeles. There is some good shopping and lots of things to do which means you don’t really have to go into LA for entertainment if you don’t want to. Westlake and Thousand Oaks are close by as well and offer more shopping options.

Homes of course are expensive. If you have to ask how much, then you can’t afford it. But let’s say a very average, nondescript home can cost you $500,000 on up with incredible mansions in the several million-dollar price range.

If you are a smoker, then watch out. Calabasas has the strictest anti-smoking laws in the county.

Again, a very nice, albeit very expensive place to live. One of the better places to raise an active family in Los Angeles.

Located just north of Hollywood, Burbank is where the majority of those working in the entertainment industry have their offices. It’s also a great place to live. Homes are generally older with lots of character, crime is low, there’s plenty of good shopping and lots of excellent restaurants. And this being Burbank, there is plenty of entertainment options: You can go and see television show being filmed (The Ellen Show is filmed here though patience is necessary when trying to secure tickets), tour the Warner Brothers and Walt Disney Studios (Disney has the most impressive lot) or enjoy the wonderful entertainment at the Starlight Bowl where you really have a great view of the stars!

But getting back to homes; again, homes are older and there are nicer areas where you will pay more, but overall, by LA standards, this is not an expensive place to live. Apartments on average run $1800 per month or higher, but that is normal. A good home in Burbank can be bought for under a million. I know how this sounds, but remember, this is the Entertainment Capitol of the World so anything under seven figures is reasonable.

Schools in Burbank are rated very well though not surprisingly, the number of private schools is larger than the number of elementary schools. Any body making any significant money in LA sends their children to private school, which can run several thousand dollars per month.

One convenience that I love here is the Bob Hope Airport. I have found the ticket prices are often much lower than LAX and the airport as a whole is very convenient and quick and easy to get in and out.

The jewel of Burbank though is the downtown area. Excellent shopping, amazing restaurants, lots of special events and it is safe and very clean. Actually, there really isn’t an area where I would feel unsafe in Burbank.

Most people drive here, however, public transportation is good as the Burbank Metrolink rail station is located near downtown.

Overall, a great place to live, especially if you want to work in the entertainment industry and looking for a safe environment with plenty of things to do.

For those not familiar with LA County, there is a very good chance you haven’t heard of Bradbury. Yet it is one of the most affluent zip codes you will find in the U.S. In fact, if you have an extra $78 million, you can buy an enormous luxury mansion right here! Wait a minute. I think someone beat you to it.

Bradbury is a small city, just over two square miles with 1,000 residents that sits right in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and boarded by Monrovia and Duarte. In fact, Bradbury belongs to the Duarte Unified School District.

Homes here, as you can imagine, are incredible. Obviously you must have deep pocketbooks to be able to afford the prices that these mansions command as they go into the millions. You won’t find a little starter home here.

What is impressive about Bradbury is that unlike other ritzy LA suburbs, like Beverly Hills or Bel Air, here you can enjoy a very rural atmosphere, as much of the city is zoned for agriculture. If you desire a horse farm, you will have plenty of choices, as this is an equestrian community. But if you are in the market for a home in a gated community, then Bradbury Estates offers amazing properties as well on gorgeous tree lined streets. Simply beautiful.

If you are looking for shopping, then you won’t find it here, but Duarte is three minutes away as well as Monrovia where there is shopping galore.

Commuting is manageable as downtown LA is approximately 25 miles however, you will suffer from the expected traffic. And you may want to consider that it’s almost an hour to travel to the Westwood section of LA (UCLA) and that’s without traffic.

Yes, the schools are not the most highly regarded in Los Angeles, but for most Bradbury residents of school aged children, that’s not a concern as they all go to private schools any way.

Great little city if you can afford it.

This is the city that most everyone asks about. Everyone wants to know if movie stars are abundant, the streets filled with luxury cars and chauffeured limos and the homes magnificent and opulent. With the exception of seeing actors roaming the streets (though keep your eyes open, you never know) the answer to these questions is usually yes.

This very affluent city is located just north of Hollywood and surrounded by Bel-Air and Westwood (from the west) Santa Monica Mountains and West Hollywood (from the north) and West L.A. and Century City (from the south). It boasts some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment in the county. Of course, Rodeo Road is here and is probably one of the best known and wealthiest shopping street in the world. Also located nearby are two famous hotels: The Beverly Hills Hotel (which features the well known Polo Lounge where Hollywood elite often dine) and the Beverly Wilshire (where Pretty Woman was filmed).

Homes in Beverly Hills are, you guessed it, expensive and beautiful yet you will find modest homes as well. The tree-lined streets have a very traditional feel to them and homes sit back from the roads on well maintained landscaping yet surprisingly most homes are very approachable. But don’t dare. If you don’t look familiar, you will be viewed suspiciously.

Most movie stars don’t live in these neighborhoods today, but years ago, this is where most of the big names in Hollywood lived, particularly on Roxbury Drive. Here, all at one time, lived James Stewart, Lucille Ball, Jack Benny and Rosemary Clooney. Stewart and Ball’s home have since been raised and rebuilt (and they look horrible by the way, so out of character with this charming neighborhood), but this was the place to live many years ago.

Some of the best restaurants are all here as well, including Spago, Crustacean and the already mentioned Polo Lounge. Restaurants from long ago such as Chasen’s and Trader Vic’s were located at one time here.

Beverly Hills is home to excellent schools, but also to many private schools as well. Beverly Hills High School is the only major public high school here and its famous alumni include Angelina Jolie, Rob Reiner, Betty White and Nora Ephron. The school’s one of a kind “swim-gym” where the gymnasium opens up to a swimming pool, was featured in the movie, “Its A Wonderful Life.”

Needless to say, Beverly Hills is an amazing place to call home if you can afford it. It truly is unlike any other community in LA. Gorgeous but not over the top residential areas, magnificent, mature trees, landscaping like no other, beautiful people everywhere, zero crime, it is perfect if this sort of lifestyle is important to you.

I have been driving through and visiting Azusa for many, many years and like everything else in Los Angeles County, I can’t believe how much this city has grown. But it’s a nice place to live and I can understand its popularity.

Located along the I-210 freeway, Azusa is approximately 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles. As always, those that live in Azusa and commute to LA face horrible traffic. Unfortunately, public transportation in regards to rail service has been lacking and only now is the city playing catch-up. Construction is starting for Metro stops to make commuting into Pasadena (11 miles away) much easier.

However, Azusa is a popular community for families as it has an excellent school district, good shopping, plenty of dining experiences and nice homes at LA reasonable prices.

The best thing about Azusa is the close proximity to some of the areas best hiking trails in LA if not Southern California. The San Gabriel Canyon offers the challenging Bridge to Nowhere hike that is full of streams, wildlife and some fairly intimidating moments that make you realize this trail is not for the weak. There are other hikes nearby that make this area very popular, especially on nice weekends. When walking along these serene trails, it’s hard to believe that you are only moments from congested freeways and smog.

Azusa also has some very nice parks including Slauson Park and the James Slauson Community Pool. With it’s two story slide and splash zone this is a popular destination for families for those scorcher summer days. I especially like that they offer a recycling incentive for children where you turn in a certain amount of aluminum cans for free admission. Most of the parks offer picnic facilities, sports courts and play areas.

Avalon is a beautiful little town located on Catalina Island, 22 miles south of Los Angeles Harbor. Resembling a mixture of Monaco and a quaint seaport village, Avalon is hugely popular with tourists who travel here mostly by ferry, as it is only an hour from any of the five ports scattered around Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

This small island is home to approximately 3,000 residents, yet the population swells to over 1 million throughout the year due to tourism, which is year round. Once here, there is quite a bit to do, despite its size, which is only about 3 square miles though the entire island is approximately 75 square miles. Plan on traveling by foot, taxi, trolley, shuttle bus or rent bikes or golf carts. Cars require permits and are strictly limited.

Avalon really has something for everyone. Obviously, tourism is what drives this town. There are several boutique hotels including some charming bed and breakfasts. You won’t find any chain hotels here. Camping is also popular.

Like other Southern California beach communities, Avalon has mild temperatures. You rarely will find a summer day that gets into the 90’s and evenings can be quite chilly. Winters average around 50 degrees. The beach is nice, though small and you will see some amazing boats in the harbor.

Home prices are naturally on the expensive side and premium homes can go quickly, though the recent real estate slump has affected Avalon as well. There are several condos, yet good luck trying to find any property rentals. They usually go quick when they come up on the market.

Avalon Schools fall under the Long Beach Unified School District. There is one school and it is separated into primary, middle and high school. Private education is also available. The schools are very active within the community and play a regular sports schedule with visiting teams traveling by boat.

Avalon is home to a couple of grocery stores, a hospital and plenty of shopping, which are primarily stores geared toward the tourists. You won’t need to look too hard for a tee shirt or souvenir to take home.

The most popular landmark in Avalon is the Catalina Casino, though don’t expect to do any gambling here, as there is none. Built under the careful guidance of William Wrigley in 1929, today it serves as a theatre, ballroom and museum. Some of Hollywood’s biggest names at the time entertained here, including Gene Autry.

While Avalon is a great place to visit, it does take a certain mindset to live in a very small community and not get island fever.

Avocado Heights is situated in the San Gabriel region along the 60 (Pomona) and 605 freeways approximately 15 miles from downtown Los Angeles. A culturally diverse community, here you will find fairly affordable homes, by LA standards, in a rural like atmosphere. Nearby communities are Baldwin Park, Hacienda Heights, Industry, South El Monte and West Puente Valley. Whittier is also is close proximity.

Located near the center of town is Avocado Heights Park inside an equestrian suburb. This hidden gem has plenty of things for every member of the family to enjoy, including a play area, picnic facilities, basketball court and baseball diamond. Grab your horse because there is even a full size horse arena and trails to ride. It’s very quiet, well maintained and you have the feeling that you are in the country, despite the fact that you are not far from two very busy freeways. This is the jewel of Avocado Heights.

Schools are only so-so here and feeds into the Basset Unified School District. None of the schools are highly rated by the State of California, though test scores do seem to be improving.

Public transportation is average in this suburb and not very convenient. Traffic along the 605 and 60 can be brutal during the peak commute hours. However, on weekends, it doesn’t seem to be so bad and you can easily get into downtown LA in a reasonable amount of time.

Don’t look for any great shopping or dining experiences in Avocado Heights. It’s just not here. However, you will find what you need in regards to groceries and chain stores.

Artesia is a diverse community located along the 91 and 605 freeways approximately 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles. This is a fairly affordable area of LA but quite frankly, there isn’t much to do here in the town per se, though you are not far from beaches and attractions like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.

Bordering Orange County, Artesia is actually quite small and is basically known for the Artesian wells in the area. You know you are in Artesia because of the huge water tower a well-known landmark. Other than that, you may drive right past.

There are plenty of apartments and housing, yet they are fairly nondescript and include your basic tract homes as well as older properties that have some appealing characteristics. But frankly, this is not a town known for its charm.

Of course, it wouldn’t be LA without traffic. The 91 freeway literally becomes a parking spot during the commute hours. A great number of those who live here take public transportation and who can blame them? The bus service (Long Beach Transit) is reliable and connects to the Metro, which makes going into LA convenient.

Schools in Artesia fall under the ABC Unified School District, which also serves the neighboring towns of Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens and portions of Lakewood, Norwalk and La Mirada, so it’s a fairly large school district with over 20,000, enrolled children. There is active volunteer participation and the schools rate above average.

Don’t expect to find great shopping or dining options. The major franchises are here or close by so you won't want for anything, but don't count on much.

Located east of Lawndale and west of Gardena, near the I-405, Alondra Park is frankly, uninspiring. Not much has changed in this community in the past 50 years and it is true, it’s very dated but you certainly don’t get nostalgic when you drive through here.

This year, the highly anticipated pool, skate park and splash pad opened in Alondra Park. This $16.5 million facility has been hugely popular since it opened in August. They have a large pool, a 3,000 square foot splash pad as well as a pool house and recreation building. A skate park, restrooms and picnic shelters are also new and very popular, particularly on the weekends. In a town where there is nothing to do for our youth, this is a welcome addition to the community.

Nearby is the Alondra Golf Course, a massive 18-hole golf course that is very affordable. The greens are not in very good condition, the layout is a little annoying at times and keep in mind they don’t take credit cards.

There is not much in the way here of shopping or good restaurants, but homes, while generic and mostly nondescript, are affordable. The community is quiet and its hometown vide is often promoted, yet crime can be an issue.

For me, the best part of this small town is El Camino College. Commonly referred to as “ECC,” the grounds are very nice and overall they have excellent courses, some 2500 in all. In fact, their forensics program is very highly regarded and has won several national awards.

Alhambra is located just ten miles east or so from downtown LA along the busy I-10 freeway. This is a nice community with a predominately Chinese population. If you are looking for some of the best authentic Asian food or grocery stores in the area, here you will find it.

Like most of LA, there are some beautiful, expensive homes here, but overall, Alhambra is considered an affordable area. The most famous house here is also the most infamous. Phil Spector shot and killed the actress Lana Clarkson at his home, Pyreness Castle. Quite frankly, it’s a creepy looking house and has always had the reputation of being frightening. But other homes in the area are nice and many are in historical neighborhoods as well.

Entertainment is fairly predictable with not much in originality, unless you go to Valley Blvd and enjoy the Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Korean restaurants. There are other good restaurants and The Hat is a popular town favorite known for their pastrami sandwiches. Almost anything you need is here so you don’t have to travel far if you don’t want to.

Public transportation is good but, as LA is well known for, plan on lots of traffic if you hop on the I-10. I don’t care when you travel, it just always seems busy and you always need to give yourself extra time to get anywhere. But again, that’s LA.

While I don’t have any experience with the Alhambra school district, I do understand they have a good reputation as well as some good private schools

Agoura Hills was once a very popular place to live outside of LA. Today, it's population has decreased in recent years but it still is an affluent community though it's no longer the "it" spot that it was in the 70's and 80's. About 30 minutes northwest of downtown LA, this city sits on the 101 freeway not far from the Santa Monica mountains and Malibu State Creek Park. At one point in its life, many years ago Agoura Hills was a popular destination for filiming westerns, but those days are long gone now that housing is everywhere.

Speaking of housing, there are some pretty incredible homes here with the usual hefty LA price tags, but you can find some nice homes in good areas for a decent price thanks to a real estate market that is just now beginning to show some life after a few rough years.

Entertainment in Agoura Hills is average. The restaurants are fine but surprisingly nothing out of the ordinary. You won't find any exciting night life or shopping here either. Most travel to nearby Westlake or Santa Monica for fun and trendy stores. Schools are considered very good and get high ratings from parents and excellent private schools are here as well. Crime is fairly low and overall viewed as a safe place to raise a family.

Agoura Hills is a very nice place to live if you prefer to reside in the outskirts of LA. Commuting is never fun and the short 30 mile drive to downtown can take over an hour depending on the time of day. And while Agoura Hills has been overshadowed by Calabasa as a popular place to live, it still offers a very nice lifestyle, though a tad boring.

Acton is approximately 50 miles north of downtown Los Angeles not far from Palmdale. It has a cute western vibe since this is a town founded by gold miners in the late 1800's. In fact, many buildings have a historical flair that is really quite charming.

Acton is a small town, and frankly the perfect place to live if you like a quiet lifestyle. There isn't much to do here and for any big time entertainment, you will need to travel south to the San Fernando Valley or into LA. But then, that's probably why people live in Acton, to get away from it all. There are some very nice homes here and beautiful horse ranches. What is nice about Acton is that they actually experience the four seasons which is uncommon for Southern California. Because of its location in the mountain valley, you can experience winter snow on the mountaintops several times each winter, usually anywhere from 2 - 4 inches so it's very manageable. Spring and fall are beautiful as well with lots of colors and summers can actually be decent though temperatures can stay in the low 100's.

Most people commute to Los Angele which can take well over an hour depending on traffic, especially on the I-5. But with affordable housing in Acton and the easy going lifestyle, the commute might be worth it for some. Schools have a good reputation and and the area is considered ideal for raising young, active children. The first saloon in the area, the 49er, was first opened in 1891 and still operates today and includes a popular restaurant.

The nearest airport would be the Bob Hope in Burbank which is approximately 40 miles. LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) is about 60 miles.

If you desire to live in a community that is full of western charm, safe, has lots of space and homes with desirable, affordable lots, then you may want to consider Acton.