Los Angeles neighborhood guide
Toluca Lake
Vertical tick marks the LA neighborhood median.
Rent in Toluca Lake
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 Toluca Lake scores for you
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Toluca Lake is a quiet, car-oriented neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, about 12 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It's named after a private natural lake maintained by local property owners, a remnant of the area's pre-development landscape when artesian springs fed the water table before the LA River was paved in 1938. The neighborhood sits between major studios and entertainment venues, giving it a somewhat behind-the-scenes feel despite its proximity to Hollywood.
The area is predominantly residential with scattered dining and retail. You'll find a few coffee spots like Coffea and Kreation Organic within walking distance, along with restaurants ranging from Japanese cuisine to Argentine steakhouses. A Trader Joe's provides the main grocery option nearby. The neighborhood ranks in the middle of LA for rent and overall livability, making it a practical choice rather than a destination neighborhood.
Living here
Day-to-day life in Toluca Lake requires a car for most errands. While you can walk to some coffee shops and restaurants, the area is not compact enough to do most shopping on foot. The neighborhood is moderately walkable compared to LA overall, but amenities are spread out enough that driving is the sensible default. Public transit is minimal, with only the Metro B Line (Universal / Studio City Station) about a third of a mile away, but rail access alone won't get you through the valley without a vehicle.
Air quality and traffic are notable drawbacks. The area ranks 97th for air quality among LA neighborhoods due to high diesel PM exposure from surrounding corridors, and traffic is heavy with a 83rd-percentile ranking. The tree canopy is limited at about 12 percent, leaving most streets fairly open and exposed. On the upside, the neighborhood is relatively spacious and residential, with lower density than many LA areas, offering more breathing room if you can accept the car dependency.
Who it's for
Toluca Lake is best for renters who work in the San Fernando Valley or nearby studios and don't mind driving for most needs. It suits people prioritizing a quiet, car-dependent residential setting over walkability or transit access, especially those willing to accept higher air pollution exposure in exchange for space. If you work locally and want a calm neighborhood away from denser, more touristy areas, this is a practical fit, though you should factor in the cost of regular driving and plan for air quality concerns like keeping windows closed on bad days.
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: high traffic corridor exposure.
This area is near major traffic corridors, linked to higher noise levels, diesel PM, and reduced street-level comfort.
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 Toluca Lake, but these are close to its edge.
Who lives in Toluca Lake
Population
4,023
Renters
60%
of households rent
Median age
42
Median income
$112k
per household
Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Schools in Toluca Lake
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toluca Lake Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 62% | 50% |
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 Toluca Lake
Trader Joe's
Coffea · Kreation Organic · The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Amazing Thai Cuisine · Basecamp · Ca Del Sole · Domino's
Check your commute from Toluca Lake
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Similar neighborhoods
Next to Toluca Lake
What the census says about Toluca Lake
Facts about the neighborhood from the American Community Survey. These describe Toluca Lake; none of them feed the scores above.
- Typical commute
- 30 min
- one way, residents who work
- Settled households
- 68%
- moved in before 2018
- Housing built
- ~1965
- average year of construction
- Above 1 per room
- 2%
- a measure of housing pressure
- Vacant units
- 8%
- of all housing units
- Broadband
- 97%
- of households subscribe
- Detached houses
- 35%
- the rest are attached or apartments
- Typical size
- 2 bed
- median across all homes here
- Homes here
- 3,501
- total housing units
Averaged across 5 areas of about a kilometre each. ACS 5-year estimates.
Toluca Lake in the regional index
How Toluca Lake places when every neighborhood in LA and Orange County is scored the same way.
- Plenty nearby, easy to get around
Ranks #65 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
Finding a place in Toluca Lake
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Frequently asked questions
What does a new lease cost in Toluca Lake?+
New leases average about $2,771 per month as of May 2026, which is roughly 37 percent above the LA median. Current residents pay a median of $1,846, but that includes long-term tenants and rent-stabilized units; budget for the higher asking rent if you're moving in.
Is there public transit to Toluca Lake?+
The Metro B Line serves Universal / Studio City Station about a third of a mile away, but overall transit access is minimal and ranks 114th of 114 LA neighborhoods. You will need a car for most trips in and around the area.
How walkable is Toluca Lake?+
The neighborhood is walkable for some errands, particularly near the commercial strips with coffee and restaurants, but a car is useful for others. It ranks 83rd of 114 LA neighborhoods for walkability, so it's below average for the city.
What's the air quality like?+
Air quality is a concern; the area ranks 97th for air quality with high diesel PM exposure from traffic corridors, putting it in California's top quartile for pollution. If you're sensitive to air quality, this may not be the best fit.
Is Toluca Lake walkable?+
Toluca Lake ranks #174 of 346 LA neighborhoods for walkability. In practice, walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
What is the average rent in Toluca Lake?+
A new lease in Toluca Lake typically asks around $2,771 per month (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all unit sizes blended). Current residents pay a median of about $1,846 (Census ACS), which includes long-term and rent-stabilized tenants, so expect asking prices closer to the first number.
Does Toluca Lake have Metro rail access?+
Not within the neighborhood itself, but Universal / Studio City (Metro B Line) is about 0.3 km from the Toluca Lake boundary.
How is the air quality in Toluca Lake?+
Toluca Lake 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 Toluca Lake?+
Based on walkability, rent levels, amenities, and environment, the most similar neighborhoods to Toluca Lake are Echo Park, Santa Ana, North Anaheim and Alhambra.