Los Angeles neighborhood guide
Montecito Heights
Vertical tick marks the LA neighborhood median.
Rent in Montecito Heights
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 Montecito Heights scores for you
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Montecito Heights is a quiet Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood anchored by its proximity to the Metro A Line, which runs directly through it. The area has a residential, tree-lined character with the historic Heritage Square museum and Southwest Museum nearby, giving it a sense of local identity beyond just a transit stop.
The neighborhood sits between Northeast LA's denser urban core and its quieter edges. You'll find a mix of single-family homes and smaller multi-unit buildings, with sidewalk life that feels neighborhood-focused rather than destination-driven. It's the kind of place where people come because they want to live there, not because it's the obvious choice.
Living here
Most errands are walkable if you plan ahead, a coffee shop, grocery store, and several restaurants are within a short walk, along with parks like Lummis Park and Rose Hill Recreation Center. However, you'll want a car for shopping variety and commuting beyond the immediate area. Traffic here runs above average for LA, and the tree canopy is sparse at about 11 percent, so summer heat can feel intense on some streets.
Day-to-day life is low-key and car-dependent. The Metro A Line makes car-free trips possible for specific destinations (downtown, the arts district, Union Station), but your car will be your main tool most days. The neighborhood lacks the amenity density you'd find in more central areas, but it trades that for quieter blocks and lower rent than many LA neighborhoods.
Who it's for
Montecito Heights works best for renters who have a car, value quietness and affordability over walkable amenities, and want real Metro access without living in a denser urban neighborhood. It suits households priced out of more central LA areas, people working along the A Line corridor, or anyone seeking space and calm without a long commute downtown.
Environment & livability
Air quality: below the California median for diesel PM exposure.
Air quality here is better than average for the state. Worth noting if you have respiratory sensitivities.
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: minimal transit access, car strongly recommended.
Very infrequent or no meaningful transit nearby. Car dependency is high in this area.
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 Montecito Heights, but these are close to its edge.
Who lives in Montecito Heights
Population
20,367
Renters
44%
of households rent
Median age
41
Median income
$100k
per household
Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Schools in Montecito Heights
6 public schools sit inside this area · 6 with published results. Figures are the share of students who met or exceeded state standards.
| School | Grades | English | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bushnell Way Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 51% | 32% |
| Glen Alta Elementary Elementary | K-8 | 57% | 37% |
| Hillside Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 40% | 45% |
| Huntington Drive Elementary Elementary | K-6 | 33% | 26% |
| Latona Avenue Elementary Elementary | K-6 | 42% | 31% |
| Los Angeles Leadership Primary AcademyCharter Elementary | K-5 | 31% | 35% |
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 Montecito Heights
Fresco Community Market
Cycleway Coffee
Jack in the Box · Monterey Donut · My Taco · Popeyes
Budd Wiener Park · Greayer's Oak Park · Lummis Park · Rose Hill Recreation Center
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Similar neighborhoods
South San Jose Hills
#225 of 346 for walkability
Windsor Square
~$2,200/mo
#101 of 346 for walkability
Jefferson Park
~$2,469/mo
#189 of 346 for walkability
Valley Village
~$2,625/mo
#22 of 346 for walkability
Next to Montecito Heights
What the census says about Montecito Heights
Facts about the neighborhood from the American Community Survey. These describe Montecito Heights; none of them feed the scores above.
- Typical commute
- 35 min
- one way, residents who work
- Settled households
- 77%
- moved in before 2018
- Housing built
- ~1961
- average year of construction
- Above 1 per room
- 12%
- a measure of housing pressure
- Vacant units
- 4%
- of all housing units
- Broadband
- 90%
- of households subscribe
- Detached houses
- 49%
- the rest are attached or apartments
- Typical size
- 2 bed
- median across all homes here
- Homes here
- 5,256
- total housing units
Averaged across 9 areas of about a kilometre each. ACS 5-year estimates.
Montecito Heights in the regional index
How Montecito Heights places when every neighborhood in LA and Orange County is scored the same way.
- Low rent and clean air together
Ranks #10 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Tree cover, clean air, little traffic
Ranks #19 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Where rent goes furthest
Ranks #41 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
Finding a place in Montecito Heights
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Frequently asked questions
What is rent actually like in Montecito Heights?+
New leases run around $2,513 a month on average, which ranks 32nd of 114 LA neighborhoods, moderately priced. Long-term residents pay less ($1,631 median), but if you're moving in, budget from the current asking rent. A 1-bedroom averages about $1,147 in the resident data, though new-lease pricing will be higher.
Do I need a car here?+
Yes. The Metro A Line is steps away from some parts of the neighborhood, making car-free transit trips to downtown and other A Line stops feasible. But for daily errands, work commutes outside the corridor, and access to shopping beyond what's in walking distance, a car is strongly recommended.
How walkable is the neighborhood for groceries and food?+
You can handle some errands on foot. There's a grocery store (Fresco Community Market), a coffee shop, and a few restaurants within a short walk. But Montecito Heights ranks 75th of 114 neighborhoods in walkability and 106th in overall amenities, so variety is limited and you'll make more trips by car than in denser areas.
What is the air quality and traffic like?+
Air quality is below the California median for diesel PM exposure, though it ranks 33rd of 114 LA neighborhoods. Traffic exposure is above average, the neighborhood sits along a busy corridor. If clean air is a priority, this is a tradeoff worth knowing.
Is there tree cover and green space?+
The neighborhood has limited tree canopy at about 11 percent, leaving many streets feeling open and exposed. There are parks within walking distance, including Lummis Park and Rose Hill Recreation Center, so you can access green space, but the streetscape itself isn't heavily shaded.
Is Montecito Heights walkable?+
Montecito Heights ranks #153 of 346 LA neighborhoods for walkability. In practice, walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
What is the average rent in Montecito Heights?+
A new lease in Montecito Heights typically asks around $2,513 per month (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all unit sizes blended). Current residents pay a median of about $1,631 (Census ACS), which includes long-term and rent-stabilized tenants, so expect asking prices closer to the first number. Among 12 current listings on Saktoo, the median asking rent is $2,795.
Does Montecito Heights have Metro rail access?+
Not within the neighborhood itself, but Heritage Square / Arroyo (Metro A Line) is about 0.1 km from the Montecito Heights boundary.
How is the air quality in Montecito Heights?+
Montecito Heights has below the California median for diesel PM exposure, based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 diesel particulate data (percentile 46 of 100, lower is cleaner).
Which LA neighborhoods are similar to Montecito Heights?+
Based on walkability, rent levels, amenities, and environment, the most similar neighborhoods to Montecito Heights are South San Jose Hills, Windsor Square, Jefferson Park and Valley Village.
How many apartments are available in Montecito Heights?+
Saktoo currently tracks 12 active listings in Montecito Heights, starting at $1,695 per month.