Los Angeles/Compare
Palms vs Sawtelle
Palms and Sawtelle are two official neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Palms is the calmer Part I map (86 vs 38). Sawtelle wins the errand count. Palms has the lower ACS median ($2,316).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · LAPD Oct 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Los Angeles neighborhoods.
| Axis | Palms | Sawtelle |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 86 | 38 |
| Schools | 67 | 57 |
| Walk | 22 | 32 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 17 | 31 |
| Median rent | $2,316 | $2,444 |
| Median home | $1,208,580 | $1,185,629 |
| Population | 43,219 | 39,428 |
| Commute to Downtown | 36 min | 49 min |
| Commute to Westside | 15 min | 14 min |
| Commute to Hollywood | 20 min | 25 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Palms | Sawtelle |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 87% | 78% |
| Median age | 34 | 34.6 |
| Median income | $105K | $104K |
| Part I per 1k | 14.0 | 25.9 |
| Groceries / 800m | 23 | 26 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 93 | 123 |
| Parks / 800m | 9 | 16 |
| 311 last 14 days | 854 | 754 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Los Angeles city. Up 62% since 2014. Palms is 20% above the 2024 city median. Sawt is 26% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Palms if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. Safety is 86 vs 38. 36 vs 49 minutes to Downtown. Schools score 67 vs 57. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Sawtelle if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 31 vs 17. Walk is 32 vs 22. Read both pages before you decide.
Palms
Rentals, the Expo Line, and a westside zip that still has a grocery you can walk to. The practical neighbor of Mar Vista.
$2,316 median rent · safety 86 · walk 22
Sawtelle
Little Osaka, Sawtelle Boulevard, and the 405 in earshot. Westside food without Brentwood prices.
$2,444 median rent · safety 38 · walk 32
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Palms or Sawtelle?
Palms is the lower ACS median: $2,316 vs $2,444. About 87% rent in Palms vs 78% in Sawtelle. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Palms more walkable than Sawtelle?
Sawtelle wins the errand count (walk 22 vs 32). Groceries inside 800 meters: 23 vs 26. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Palms or Sawtelle?
Palms is the calmer Part I read (86 vs 38). Combined rate 14.0 vs 25.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Palms or Sawtelle?
Palms leads the school axis (67 vs 57). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 7.0 / 10. Median age 34 vs 34.6. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
36 minutes from Palms to Downtown, 49 from Sawtelle. Palms is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Palms or Sawtelle: Mar Vista. Bungalows, a farmers’ market, and the beach ten minutes south. Family westside that is not trying to be Santa Monica.
Scores are relative among official Los Angeles neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.