Is Santa Monica a Good Place to Live? – An Honest Guide to Living in Santa Monica

Yes, Santa Monica is a good place to live if you want the beach, a walkable neighborhood and a train to downtown Los Angeles, and you have the budget for it. With the ocean at the end of the street and the Pier glowing at night, it’s no wonder so many people dream of living in Santa Monica.

It is also expensive, busy with visitors and short on parking. Below you’ll find the upsides and the real downsides, with sourced numbers, so you can decide if it fits you.

TLDR Quick Guide

• About 90,000 people (2025 estimate) share 8.4 square miles, and roughly 7 in 10 homes are rented (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024).
• Median gross rent is $2,402 a month, and the median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,755,500 (2020-2024).
• You can live car-light: Walk Score 83, Bike Score 88, three Metro E Line stations and the city’s own Big Blue Bus.
• The trade-offs are real: high housing costs, tourist crowds, tight parking and visible homelessness.
• It suits renters, beach lovers and transit commuters best. If you want a big yard for your budget, look elsewhere.

Santa Monica at a Glance

Housing in Santa Monica: A Renter’s City by the Beach

Santa Monica is a city of renters. Only 27.9% of homes are owner-occupied, compared with 36.0% in the City of Los Angeles (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, 2020-2024).

The median gross rent is $2,402 a month, about 24% above the Los Angeles median of $1,933. That figure covers every renter, including long-time tenants in rent-controlled units, so don’t expect every new listing to match it.

Santa Monica has its own Rent Control Board. For the units it covers, the Board set the 2026 general adjustment at 2.6%, effective September 1, 2026 (City of Santa Monica). Ask whether a unit is covered before you sign.

Buying is a bigger step. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,755,500, nearly double the Los Angeles median of $921,200. About three in four housing units are in multi-unit buildings (Census Reporter, 2024 one-year survey), so expect apartments and condos more than big yards.

Getting Around Santa Monica

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to drive for every trip. The average commute is 24.8 minutes, compared with 30.7 for Los Angeles (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024).

Metro E Line

Santa Monica has three E Line stations: Downtown Santa Monica, 17th St/SMC and 26th St/Bergamot. On Metro’s weekday timetable (effective December 14, 2025), midday trains leave every 10 minutes and reach 7th St/Metro Center in downtown Los Angeles in about 45 minutes.

Big Blue Bus

The city runs its own bus system. Big Blue Bus covers more than 58 square miles of greater Los Angeles, and a ride costs $1.25 with a TAP card or contactless payment, or $1.50 in cash (Big Blue Bus, October 2026).

Biking and Walking

Walk Score rates Santa Monica 83 for walking and 88 for biking. The 22-mile Marvin Braude Bike Trail follows the sand through the city on its way from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance Beach.

Parking

Here is the catch. Street parking is tight near the beach and downtown, and the City runs a preferential parking permit program on residential streets. Ask whether your unit comes with a parking space before you commit.

Schools in Santa Monica

Public schools belong to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. It serves 8,700 students from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade across both cities, with eight elementary schools, three middle schools and two comprehensive high schools (district figures, October 2026). Santa Monica College even has its own E Line stop, 17th St/SMC.

We left school ratings out on purpose. Look up the school you’re zoned for on the California School Dashboard before you choose a block.

The Real Downsides of Living in Santa Monica

No city is perfect, and you deserve the honest picture.

• Cost. Rent and home values run well above Los Angeles as a whole.
• Crowds. The Pier, the beach and downtown draw visitors all year, so weekends near the water are busy.
• Homelessness. The 2026 count found 718 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica, 389 of them living outdoors. That is down 11.6% from 812 in 2025 (City of Santa Monica).
• Crime. Police logged 4,194 Part I crimes in 2025, down 12.5% from 4,793 in 2024 (City of Santa Monica). Larceny and theft were the most reported crime in 2024, so lock your bike and keep your car empty.
• Parking. A second car can be a headache.

Who Santa Monica Suits and Who It Doesn’t

You’ll Love It If

• You want to walk or bike to the beach, coffee and errands.
• You rent, travel light and like the idea of a train to downtown.
• You want a small city with its own bus system, school district and college.

Think Twice If

• You need a lot of space for your budget.
• You drive everywhere and need easy parking.
• You want a street full of big families. The average household here is 1.88 people, compared with 2.61 in Los Angeles (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024).

The Main Neighborhoods in Santa Monica

Santa Monica is small, but each pocket has its own feel. Here is how Walk Score rates them (October 2026):

• Ocean Park: the most walkable, with a Walk Score of 93.
• Mid-City: Walk Score 92 and the city’s top Transit Score, 70.
• Wilshire-Montana: Walk Score 86 and Bike Score 91.
• Pico: Walk Score 82 and the city’s top Bike Score, 94.
• Sunset Park and Northeast Santa Monica: both score 79 for walking.
• North of Montana: the most car-dependent, with a Walk Score of 63 and a Transit Score of 40.

Downtown is the transit hub. The E Line ends here, and Metro’s timetable lists 11 Big Blue Bus routes at the station.

Visit your short list on a weekday evening and on a summer weekend before you sign.

Moving to Santa Monica With Pure Moving Company

Found your place? Pure Moving Company would love to help you settle in! Our Santa Monica movers are here from your first call to your last box.

Beach-city moves often mean stairs, tight streets and a long carry from the truck. That’s fine with us. There’s no additional fee for stairs or long walking distance, and no hidden fees. Our hourly rate includes the packing materials that protect your things, such as blankets, wardrobe boxes, shrink wrap and tape.

We wrap your furniture with care because we really do care, about your things and about how your moving day feels. Pure Moving is licensed (MTR0191103) and insured.

One local tip: the City of Santa Monica issues Temporary No Parking signs that reserve curb space for a moving truck for up to 72 hours. They aren’t required for a move within the city, but the City recommends them, so apply early through Public Works. Moving into an apartment building? See how apartment movers handle tight spaces, elevators and parking.

Have ANY questions? Call us! Our number is 800-816-5121.

Key Takeaways

• Santa Monica gives you the beach, walkability and rail in one small city.
• It costs more than Los Angeles as a whole: $2,402 median rent and a $1,755,500 median home value (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024).
• Crime and homelessness counts both fell in the latest city figures, but neither has gone away.
• Parking is the daily trade-off, so check it before you sign.
• When you’re ready, our Santa Monica movers keep the move simple, with no hidden fees.

Frequently Asked Questions