Santa Monica is an independently incorporated city - not a neighborhood of Los Angeles - which gives it its own city government, police department, fire department, and critically, its own school district (Santa Monica-Malibu Unified). This independence translates to well-maintained streets, responsive city services, and a strong local identity that residents are fiercely proud of.
The city stretches from the Pacific Ocean on the west to the 405 freeway on the east, and from the border with Pacific Palisades on the north to Venice on the south. Within those boundaries, several distinct neighborhoods offer very different living experiences.
North of Montana Avenue is one of the most prestigious residential areas on the Westside - wide, tree-lined streets with large single-family homes, many with ocean views. Homes here regularly sell for $3 million to $10 million and above.
The Montana Avenue shopping district offers a more curated, local-boutique alternative to the busier Third Street Promenade. It's where residents do their daily shopping, grab coffee, and run into neighbors.
Sunset Park, in Santa Monica's southern section, offers more accessible pricing while still providing the benefits of Santa Monica's school district and city services. It's popular with young families.
Ocean Park, near the Venice border, has an artsy, relaxed vibe with a growing restaurant scene along Main Street. It's walkable to the beach and has a mix of older homes and newer construction.
Downtown Santa Monica centers on the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place, with abundant dining, shopping, and entertainment. The Expo Line terminus at Downtown Santa Monica provides Metro rail access to the rest of LA.
Santa Monica's housing market spans a wide range. Condos start around $700,000, while single-family homes range from approximately $1.8 million in Sunset Park to $5 million and well above north of Montana. The market is consistently competitive, with limited inventory and strong demand driven by the school district, beach proximity, and overall quality of life.
Santa Monica has some of the strongest rent control protections in California, which affects the investment calculus for multi-unit properties and can influence single-family pricing as well.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is one of the top-performing public school districts in Los Angeles County. Schools like Franklin Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Grant Elementary are highly sought after. Lincoln Middle School and Santa Monica High School serve the secondary level. The quality of the school district is one of the primary reasons families choose Santa Monica over neighboring LA neighborhoods.
Bianca Boey is Associate Director of The Grady Group at The Agency, serving buyers and sellers in Santa Monica and across the Westside. Contact Bianca at (213) 551-7844 or visit grady-group.com/
91,535 people live in Santa Monica, where the median age is 42.9 and the average individual income is $90,657. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Population
Median Age
Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.
Average individual Income
There's plenty to do around Santa Monica, including shopping, dining, nightlife, parks, and more. Data provided by Walk Score and Yelp.
Explore popular things to do in the area, including Fruit Cart, El Chamecla Mariscos Truck, and CC Swim Academy.
| Name | Category | Distance | Reviews |
Ratings by
Yelp
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dining · $ | 2.59 miles | 12 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Dining · $ | 1.79 miles | 12 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 3.41 miles | 7 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 0.99 miles | 7 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 0.7 miles | 6 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 1.28 miles | 11 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 3.16 miles | 42 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 2.05 miles | 10 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 0.77 miles | 5 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 0.74 miles | 6 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 0.21 miles | 5 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 3.59 miles | 6 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 0.83 miles | 17 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 0.86 miles | 13 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 2.41 miles | 7 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 0.83 miles | 12 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 1.02 miles | 11 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 0.65 miles | 10 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 1.14 miles | 20 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 0.85 miles | 8 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 1.24 miles | 15 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 2.26 miles | 22 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Beauty | 0.71 miles | 42 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
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Santa Monica has 46,457 households, with an average household size of 1.92. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s what the people living in Santa Monica do for work — and how long it takes them to get there. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. 91,535 people call Santa Monica home. The population density is 10,883.9 and the largest age group is Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Population
Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.
Median Age
Men vs Women
Population by Age Group
0-9 Years
10-17 Years
18-24 Years
25-64 Years
65-74 Years
75+ Years
Education Level
Total Households
Average Household Size
Average individual Income
Households with Children
With Children:
Without Children:
Marital Status
Blue vs White Collar Workers
Blue Collar:
White Collar:
With an authentic love for meeting new people and building meaningful connections, Bianca readily makes herself available to problem-solve with clients as they work towards achieving their real estate goals.
