Los Angeles neighborhood guide
Elysian Park
Vertical tick marks the LA neighborhood median.
Rent in Elysian Park
Why two numbers? Long-term tenants (often in rent-stabilized units) pay less than today's asking prices. Budget from the asking rent, not the resident median.
Rent control: City of Los Angeleshas a Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). Most buildings first occupied before October 1978 limit annual increases for sitting tenants; newer buildings at least 15 years old fall under California's statewide cap (AB 1482). Check a specific address with the LA Housing Department's ZIMAS tool before signing.
General information, not legal advice.
How Elysian Park scores for you
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Elysian Park sits just north of downtown LA, anchored by Dodger Stadium and the 600-acre Elysian Park, one of the city's oldest green spaces. The neighborhood has a quiet, residential feel with tree-lined streets and a mix of older single-family homes and apartment buildings. Despite its proximity to downtown, it remains off the radar for most renters, giving it a more neighborhood-oriented character than the busier adjacent areas.
The area has real transit access, with Chinatown Station (Metro A Line) just 0.3 km away and Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park Station at 0.6 km, plus Union Station within reach at 1.2 km. This puts you close enough to downtown employment without living in the downtown core. The trade-off is that the neighborhood itself is car-useful for daily life: walkability is limited compared to LA overall, and many errands require a car.
Living here
Day-to-day life in Elysian Park is quieter and less urban than nearby Chinatown or downtown. You will find restaurants within a short walk (about 12 within a typical walking radius), but coffee shops and grocery stores are sparse in the immediate area, so running errands often means driving. There is one gym nearby and direct access to Elysian Park itself, which offers trails and open space that locals use regularly. The neighborhood ranks 27th of 114 LA neighborhoods for tree canopy, meaning shade is limited on most streets.
Air quality is a real consideration here. Elysian Park ranks 96th of 114 neighborhoods for air quality, with above-average exposure to diesel particulate matter from the freeways and traffic corridors that border and run through the area. Traffic noise and congestion are above average as well. If air quality and road noise are concerns for you, this may not be the best fit.
Who it's for
Elysian Park works best for renters who want proximity to downtown transit and employment but prefer a quieter, less dense neighborhood feel. It suits people who have a car, don't mind limited walkable amenities, and value access to green space and a residential atmosphere over being in the thick of urban neighborhoods. If you work downtown, attend Dodger games regularly, or are drawn to the park itself, the trade-offs here make sense.
Environment & livability
Air quality: high diesel PM exposure, top quartile in California.
Linked to elevated respiratory and cardiovascular risk in long-term residents. See the air quality flag for more detail.
Traffic exposure: above-average traffic corridor exposure.
Higher traffic proximity correlates with elevated noise, diesel emissions, and reduced pedestrian comfort on nearby streets.
Tree cover: limited tree cover, mostly open streetscape.
Less canopy means more heat exposure and less visual greenery on daily walks. LA County median is around 14% canopy coverage.
Walkability: walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
A mixed walkability area. Good for quick trips on foot, but some destinations will require driving or transit.
Transit: limited transit, infrequent service in this area.
Transit exists but headways are long enough that a car or bike is more practical for most daily trips.
Environmental data from CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and the EPA Smart Location Database. Informational only, not professional advice for a housing decision.
Metro rail
No stations inside Elysian Park, but these are close to its edge.
Who lives in Elysian Park
Population
2,688
Renters
89%
of households rent
Median age
42
Median income
$90k
per household
Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Schools in Elysian Park
1 public school sit inside this area · 1 with published results. Figures are the share of students who met or exceeded state standards.
| School | Grades | English | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solano Avenue Elementary Elementary | K-6 | 71% | 60% |
Source: California Dept. of Education (directory) and CAASPP Smarter Balanced, 2025. We publish these figures as the state reports them and show the same table for every neighborhood. Saktoo does not rate schools, and school data is never part of a neighborhood match score. Attendance boundaries change — confirm the assigned school with the district before relying on it.
Around Elysian Park
Blossom · Burgerlords · Cargo Snack Shack · Empress Pavilion
Los Angeles State Historic Park
Fit Body Boot Camp
Check your commute from Elysian Park
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Similar neighborhoods
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Downtown LA
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University Park
~$2,119/mo
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University Park
~$2,119/mo
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Next to Elysian Park
What the census says about Elysian Park
Facts about the neighborhood from the American Community Survey. These describe Elysian Park; none of them feed the scores above.
- Typical commute
- 32 min
- one way, residents who work
- Settled households
- 72%
- moved in before 2018
- Housing built
- ~1959
- average year of construction
- Above 1 per room
- 10%
- a measure of housing pressure
- Vacant units
- 5%
- of all housing units
- Broadband
- 91%
- of households subscribe
- Detached houses
- 31%
- the rest are attached or apartments
- Typical size
- 2 bed
- median across all homes here
- Homes here
- 1,886
- total housing units
Averaged across 3 areas of about a kilometre each. ACS 5-year estimates.
Elysian Park in the regional index
How Elysian Park places when every neighborhood in LA and Orange County is scored the same way.
- The areas with no affordable escape from pollution
Ranks #49 of 262 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Where rent goes furthest
Ranks #50 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Cheap rent without needing a car
Ranks #55 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
Finding a place in Elysian Park
Found a place you like? Score it against your priorities to see how well any address fits your budget and commute.
Frequently asked questions
How much does rent actually cost in Elysian Park?+
New leases are asking about $2,517 per month as of May 2026, with rents up 0.5% year-over-year. That is about $500 above the LA median, placing it 36th of 114 neighborhoods for cost. Studio units run around $1,184 and 3-bedroom units around $2,539 currently.
Can I get to downtown LA easily from here?+
Yes. Chinatown Station is just three blocks away with Metro A Line service, and Union Station (with B and D lines) is about 1.2 km away. For downtown commutes, transit is reliable, though service frequency is limited compared to denser neighborhoods.
Is this neighborhood walkable for groceries and errands?+
Partially. You can walk to restaurants and some services, but groceries and coffee are not readily available on foot. Most residents drive for these tasks. Walkability ranks near the bottom of LA neighborhoods because the neighborhood is low-density and spread out.
What is the air quality like here?+
Air quality is a concern. Elysian Park ranks 96th of 114 LA neighborhoods for air quality, with exposure to diesel pollution from nearby freeways and traffic corridors. If air quality is important to you, this is one of the weaker areas in the city.
Is Elysian Park walkable?+
Elysian Park ranks #264 of 346 LA neighborhoods for walkability. In practice, walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
What is the average rent in Elysian Park?+
A new lease in Elysian Park typically asks around $2,517 per month (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all unit sizes blended). Current residents pay a median of about $1,665 (Census ACS), which includes long-term and rent-stabilized tenants, so expect asking prices closer to the first number. Among 8 current listings on Saktoo, the median asking rent is $2,811.
Does Elysian Park have Metro rail access?+
Not within the neighborhood itself, but Chinatown (Metro A Line, Metro B Line, Metro D Line) is about 0.3 km from the Elysian Park boundary.
How is the air quality in Elysian Park?+
Elysian Park has high diesel PM exposure, top quartile in California, based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 diesel particulate data (percentile 80 of 100, lower is cleaner).
Which LA neighborhoods are similar to Elysian Park?+
Based on walkability, rent levels, amenities, and environment, the most similar neighborhoods to Elysian Park are Avalon, Downtown LA, University Park and University Park.
How many apartments are available in Elysian Park?+
Saktoo currently tracks 8 active listings in Elysian Park, starting at $2,217 per month.