Los Angeles neighborhood guide
South Park
Vertical tick marks the LA neighborhood median.
Rent in South 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 South Park scores for you
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South Park is a compact, 1.41 square mile neighborhood in South Los Angeles with a straightforward urban character. It's a residential area built on an accessible street grid where you can handle many daily errands on foot, though having a car makes life easier. The neighborhood centers on its namesake park and nearby green spaces like the South Los Angeles Wetlands Park, which provide rare pockets of open air in an otherwise dense, built environment.
The area ranks 9th most affordable among 114 LA neighborhoods, with new leases averaging about $2,490 per month. It's considerably denser than the LA average, with a walkable layout and reasonable traffic conditions compared to much of the city. If you're looking for an urban neighborhood with manageable rents and a practical setup, South Park delivers on that without pretense.
Living here
Day-to-day life in South Park means relying heavily on your car or public buses, since there are no Metro rail stations nearby. Within a short walk you'll find about 1.67 restaurants, 1 grocery store, and 1 park per neighborhood cell, which covers basic needs but isn't dense. The area has minimal tree cover at 1.6 percent, so summers feel hot and exposed, and air quality sits at moderate levels with some diesel PM exposure typical of urban South LA.
The neighborhood experiences above-average traffic exposure due to its location along key corridors, though it ranks 23rd of 114 for traffic percentile, meaning conditions are better than many other LA areas. Walkability is slightly above the LA median, making it feasible to accomplish errands without a car for some trips, but you'll want reliable transportation for most commutes and shopping.
Who it's for
South Park suits renters who prioritize affordability and don't mind an urban, car-dependent setting. If you work locally or can manage transit-dependent commutes, and you're comfortable in a denser neighborhood with limited green space and moderate air quality, the low rent and straightforward urban feel make it practical. It's not for those seeking walkable retail corridors, quiet tree-lined streets, or quick access to parks and nature.
Environment & livability
Air quality: moderate diesel PM exposure for California.
Above the state median, linked to mild long-term respiratory risk in some studies. Worth considering for sensitive households.
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: very limited tree cover, predominantly concrete.
Low canopy areas tend to run hotter and feel more exposed. Research links tree cover to lower ambient temperatures and improved pedestrian comfort.
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.
Who lives in South Park
Population
26,104
Renters
74%
of households rent
Median age
29
Median income
$53k
per household
Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Schools in South Park
11 public schools sit inside this area · 11 with published results. Figures are the share of students who met or exceeded state standards.
| School | Grades | English | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspire Inskeep Academy CharterCharter Elementary | K-6 | 33% | 18% |
| Aspire Juanita Tate Academy CharterCharter Elementary | K-6 | 43% | 27% |
| Estrella Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 22% | 24% |
| Forty-Ninth Street Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 29% | 33% |
| Main Street Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 26% | 24% |
| Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy Elementary | K-5 | 33% | 30% |
| Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 12Charter Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 39% | 24% |
| George Washington Carver Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 28% | 19% |
| Los Angeles Academy Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 33% | 19% |
| Alliance Patti And Peter Neuwirth Leadership AcademyCharter High School | 9-12 | 78% | 42% |
| Dr. Maya Angelou Community High High School | 9-12 | 33% | 13% |
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 South Park
Food 4 Less
Church's Chicken · El Pollo Loco · Jack in the Box · Little Caesars
South Los Angeles Wetlands Park · South Park
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Similar neighborhoods
Next to South Park
What the census says about South Park
Facts about the neighborhood from the American Community Survey. These describe South Park; none of them feed the scores above.
- Typical commute
- 39 min
- one way, residents who work
- Settled households
- 78%
- moved in before 2018
- Housing built
- ~1951
- average year of construction
- Above 1 per room
- 33%
- a measure of housing pressure
- Vacant units
- 8%
- of all housing units
- Broadband
- 83%
- of households subscribe
- Detached houses
- 42%
- the rest are attached or apartments
- Typical size
- 2 bed
- median across all homes here
- Homes here
- 1,955
- total housing units
Averaged across 4 areas of about a kilometre each. ACS 5-year estimates.
South Park in the regional index
How South Park places when every neighborhood in LA and Orange County is scored the same way.
- Where home prices go furthest
Ranks #7 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Cheap rent without needing a car
Ranks #12 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Where rent goes furthest
Ranks #14 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
Finding a place in South Park
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Frequently asked questions
Is South Park walkable?+
South Park is walkable for some errands and ranks 40th of 114 LA neighborhoods for walkability, slightly above the LA average. You can handle basic trips on foot, but you'll need a car or transit for most commutes and larger shopping trips.
What's the rent here?+
New leases average about $2,490 per month, making South Park the 9th most affordable neighborhood among 114 LA areas. It's significantly below the LA average of about $2,016, with studios starting lower and three-bedroom units typically around $2,182.
What's transit like?+
South Park has minimal transit access and no nearby Metro rail stations, so a car is strongly recommended. Bus service exists, but it's not frequent or comprehensive enough for most commutes.
What's the air quality and green space like?+
The neighborhood has very limited tree cover at 1.6 percent and moderate diesel PM exposure, typical of urban South LA. It's predominantly concrete, and summers feel hot and exposed, though parks like South Park itself and South Los Angeles Wetlands Park offer some relief nearby.
What is the average rent in South Park?+
A new lease in South Park typically asks around $2,490 per month (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all unit sizes blended). Current residents pay a median of about $1,384 (Census ACS), which includes long-term and rent-stabilized tenants, so expect asking prices closer to the first number.
How is the air quality in South Park?+
South Park has moderate diesel PM exposure for California, based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 diesel particulate data (percentile 63 of 100, lower is cleaner).
Which LA neighborhoods are similar to South Park?+
Based on walkability, rent levels, amenities, and environment, the most similar neighborhoods to South Park are Florence, Vermont Knolls, Central-Alameda and Jefferson Park.