Westwood is part of one of the most affluent sections of California. Surrounded by Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Century City, it is also the home of the uber-affluent Holmby Hills, where the Playboy Mansion and both the late Aaron Spelling and Michael Jackson once lived. With a population of just under 50,000, Westwood is comprised of single family homes and luxury high and low-rise apartment complexes. Major thoroughfares include Sepulveda, Olympic, Wilshire, Sunset, Santa Monica and Westwood Boulevards, all of which contribute to the historically heavy traffic in the area. Along with the traffic issues, finding a parking space in the heart of Westwood is also a challenge.

UCLA’s main campus takes up much of Westwood, as do several vintage movie theaters,such as the Mann Village, Bruin Theater and the Art Deco Crest. Many movie premieres take place in these theaters. The Hammer, one of the trendiest museums in Los Angeles is also located in Westwood, and has a large collection of Impressionist art and modern art exhibits. The second largest Mormon temple is located on Santa Monica Boulevard, and it is the home of Westwood Village, one of the oldest shopping areas in Los Angeles.

Housing prices are driven by the high-priced homes in Holmby Hills, but rent for the luxury apartments are also higher than in other parts of Los Angeles. This equates to higher insurance costs. Outside of Holmby Hills, the average listing price for a single-family home is $155,427, while the average sales price is $84,404.

To see a map of Westwood, click here.