60fit
Westwood
$3K median rent
UCLA at the north edge, a village that still walks, and rentals that outnumber the houses. The westside that still has a bus.
Family streetsWalk 36Safety 100
Los Angeles/Sherman Oaks
50fit
Sherman Oaks
Official neighborhood: Sherman Oaks
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · LAPD Oct 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Valley flats, Ventura Boulevard, and a backyard if you pay for it. The family default north of the hills.
ventura boulevardventura blvd
Best in Los Angeles for familiesWalkable Los AngelesUnder $2,500 rent
Why this score
Safety
67
155 violent · 1342 property · 21.0 per 1k (Oct 2025 – Aug 2026)+17 vs city set
Schools
76
Rating 7.8 / 10 nearby+24 vs city set
Walk
26
OSM: 16 groceries · 10 cafes · 137 transit · 20 parks0 vs city set
Cost
95
$2,321 ACS median vs your rent budget+3 vs city set
Vibe
17
OSM: 10 cafes · 78 restaurants · 2 bars · 20 parks-8 vs city set
Commute to work
From Sherman Oaks, a typical weekday is 74 min to Downtown, 42 min to Westside, 45 min to Hollywood. Not live traffic.
Westside is the fastest of these three job centers from here.
Downtown
74 min
DTLA, Arts District · +37 min vs the city-set median
Westside
42 min
Westwood, Century City · +14 min vs the city-set median · fastest of these three
Hollywood
45 min
Studios, the Boulevard · +20 min vs the city-set median
Minutes are baked from neighborhood geography to three job centers — not Google, not this hour’s traffic.
Cost of living
ACS median gross rent is $2,321 across all occupied rental units — studios through large apartments mixed together, not a live 1-bed or 2-bed quote.
That is 25% of median household income — under the 30% HUD cost-burden line. A household at this area’s median income ($111K) could “afford” about $2,776 a month at 30% of gross pay.
61% of households rent. Median home value is $1,313,232.
ACS median rent
$2,321
30% income budget
$2,776
Rent / income
25%
Median home
$1,313,232
HUD treats 30% of gross household income as the cost-burden line. We do not split ACS median rent into 1-bed vs 2-bed — that table is all occupied rental units. Method.
Within a walk
Inside the official neighborhood or within 800 meters of its centroid, OpenStreetMap maps 16 groceries, 10 cafes, 20 parks, and 137 transit stops.
Daily errands and coffee are realistic on foot. Parks are close — 20 mapped parks in that radius. Transit is dense (137 stops or stations).
10 cafes and 78 restaurants make this one of the busier food pockets in the Los Angeles set.
Counts from OpenStreetMap, 800 m. Not a Walk Score license. Groceries here beat 12 of 21 other areas in this city set.
Population
71,463
Median age
40.6
Median income
$111K
Renters
61%
Bachelor+
64%
Violent / 1k
2.2
Property / 1k
18.8
ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · 20 census tracts · LAPD Oct 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM 2026-09-01
Family streets
Crime is LAPD Part I reports per 1,000 ACS residents — not a judgment of who lives here. Home and rent figures are ACS medians, not live MLS. Read the method.
On the ground
What it is like to live here, beyond the scores.
Sherman Oaks is Valley flats, Ventura Boulevard, and a backyard if you pay for it. The family default north of the hills — schools, a mall, a boulevard of errands, the 405 and the 101 as the walls. It is Los Angeles that admits it is suburban without leaving the city.
You will own a car. The walkable bits are Ventura stretches, not a grid like Palms. Weight family and cost relative to Brentwood. Studio City is the slightly more entertainment-industry twin; the westside is a canyon away on purpose.
Compiled from Zillow neighborhood guides, 5280 Magazine, Chicago and San Francisco resident guides, Mpls With Love, Eastside LA reporting, and local coverage, 2025–2026. Editorial — not part of the fit score.
Common questions
Answers from the same ACS, crime, and OSM figures on this page.
Is Sherman Oaks safe?
On this map Sherman Oaks sits near the middle of the Los Angeles set for crime (safety 67 vs city 50). LAPD logged 2.2 violent and 18.8 property incidents per 1,000 ACS residents — 21.0 combined. Rates mix residents and visitors. They are not a judgment of who lives here.
What is rent in Sherman Oaks?
ACS median rent is $2,321. Median home value is $1,313,232. About 61% of households rent. These are survey medians, not this week's listings.
Is Sherman Oaks walkable?
Walk scores 26 here vs 26 for the Los Angeles set — you will likely drive or ride for daily errands. OpenStreetMap counts within 800 meters: 16 groceries, 10 cafes, 137 transit stops, 20 parks.
Is Sherman Oaks good for families?
The scores lean family-friendly relative to this city set. Nearby school rating is 7.8 / 10. Median age is 40.6.
How long is the commute from Sherman Oaks?
Typical weekday minutes to Downtown: 74. Not live traffic. Open the neighborhood page for the other job centers in Los Angeles.
How many people live in Sherman Oaks?
About 71,463 residents, median income $111K, 64% with a bachelor's or higher. ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · LAPD Oct 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM.
What neighborhoods are next to Sherman Oaks?
Closest on this map: Brentwood, Studio City, Los Feliz. Compare Sherman Oaks vs Brentwood if you are deciding between two official neighborhoods.
Next door
Adjacent on the neighborhood map, ranked with your weights.
Sherman Oaks vs BrentwoodSherman Oaks vs Studio CitySherman Oaks vs Los Feliz
50fit
Brentwood
$3K median rent
San Vicente, school runs, and a median home that assumes you already made it. Quiet westside, on purpose.
Family streetsWalk 17Safety 95
47fit
Sawtelle
$2K median rent
Little Osaka, Sawtelle Boulevard, and the 405 in earshot. Westside food without Brentwood prices.
Walk 32Safety 38
43fit
Los Feliz
$2K median rent
Griffith Park at the north edge, Hillhurst cafes, and a village that still walks after dark. Eastside default for people who want hills and a grocery.
Walk 9Safety 71
41fit
Studio City
$2K median rent
Sound stages, a walkable Ventura strip, and the canyon on the south edge. Valley living that still feels central.
Family streetsWalk 21Safety 29