The best thing about Burbank is the variety of social, cultural and outdoor options you get in a relatively small city package. Many describe it as a small town or a suburb with all the benefits of a big city but without the drawbacks. While the cost of living is high, the neighbors and community are generally quite friendly (more like a small town), with locals frequently growing up there and never leaving. There are also tons of green spaces and parks, along with many spots for riding and raising horses, so you can get away from it all without having to go too far. 

Additionally, Burbank still has big city amenities, with excellent restaurants, bars, cafes, theaters and museums. Also, as an incorporated city, the local government is highly involved in public life and city beautification efforts. And of course, its location is central to much of the rest of Los Angeles County, meaning Hollywood, West Los Angeles, and the South Bay are only a short drive away. 


Punches Above Its Weight

The Best Thing About Burbank? 

The high amount of traffic Los Angeles is known for can at times also plague Burbank. When you combine an active local population, major movie studio visitors, plenty of tourists, and a booming local airport, the area gets crowded. Burbank can take a toll on those who favor a much more secluded, quieter locale.


Density

The Worst Thing About Burbank?

Burbank’s suburban vibe makes it perfect for families and retirees. Most of the city closes around 9PM, and the general environment is described as safe and clean. While it may not be ideal for those who prefer the nightlife, anyone interested in a quiet and scenic place to live, relative to Los Angeles proper, will find a happy home in Burbank. The studios, parks, farmers markets, and live shows provide plenty of entertainment for the whole family. Additionally, Burbank is called the Media Capital of the World for a very good reason: if you work in the film industry, you’ll find no shortage of work opportunities in Burbank. There are also career prospects in medicine and audio-visual technology, making it suitable for a wide variety of young urban professionals. 


Lifestyle of Burbank

The Burbank Unified School District upholds a high standard of quality and ranks an "A" on [**niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/burbank-unified-school-district-ca/).  It boasts eleven elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. Twenty-two acclaimed private schools also call Burbank home. As for higher education, Woodbury University to the north, as well as the University of Redlands Burbank Campus, CES College, New Gate College, Pacific Career College, the University of La Verne, and the New York Film Academy Los Angeles on the southern edge of the city all provide options. 


Schools of Burbank

If you are a young professional looking to break into the film industry or a family that wants to be close (but not too close) to the industry, Burbank offers a great combination of bigger city amenities and suburban/countryside appeal. The weather is lovely, the city is clean, and there’s lots to do between studio tours, live shows, local breweries, and horseback adventures.


Balance

Why You Should Move Here Now?

Downtown Burbank has exploded in terms of things to do and places to live for those who want to be amidst the social scene of the city. The [**Burbank Town Center**](https://www.burbanktowncenter.com/) is the center of the action Downtown and offers an amusement center, gaming space, bowling/billiards/ping pong/darts/karaoke, tons of movie screens, and 20 or so dining options. Outside the Center are dozens and dozens of upscale and casual restaurants, bars and cafes for more boutique experiences. 

The neighborhood has plenty of condo and apartment buildings integrated into and amidst the retail so expect a short walk to anything you're looking to do at night or on weekends. 

Young Professionals/DINKs

Downtown Disrict

A colorful and quirky neighborhood, with annual events such as “Ladies and Gentlemen’s Night Out” and “Holiday in the Park”, if you’re a creative, artsy, or otherwise nerdy person with a passion for vintage aesthetics, boutique shopping, and great walkability, this could be your new home.

The streets are lined with trees and quaint, classic Los Angeles cottage homes that have a median price of $1.1m. Many of these homes are a short walk to the cities main thoroughfare, Magnolia Blvd. It's the street that makes Burbank a different place than other LA area cities and is the heart of the community. 

The neighborhood does also have plenty of apartment and condo options that surround the Magnolia Blvd commercial district so for young professionals and couples the neighborhood is an option. 


Families/Young Professionals/DINKs

Magnolia Park

[**Burbank Hills**](https://www.burbankhillshoa.com/) is a luxury, gated community, with private estates and palatial homes. These homes sit on the hills of Burbank and as such offer stunning views of the lights of Los Angeles. The hills have a true countryside vibe and deer and even coyotes at times can be found among the massive trees and open green spaces. Amidst the hills are several private tennis courts and lots of open green spaces for walking and hiking. Homes are typically listed well above $3m and do not come up for sale very often. If you can get in here the life is quite nice. 



Families

Burbank Hills

Right between [**Griffith Park**](https://www.laparks.org/griffithpark/ and the [**Los Angeles Equestrian Center**](https://thelaec.com/) is the Rancho Equestrian District. It's a horse heaven and shockingly is right near Los Angeles. The Equestrian Center is a buzzing hive of horse shows, polo matches and lessons for those looking to learn to ride. The neighborhood itself is lined with magnificent trees and some of Burbank's most charming homes. The median home price in the Rancho District is $1.15m. It's important to remember if considering this area, that the primary goal of The Rancho, is to protect horsekeeping properties and prevent land use that doesn't support the equestrian nature of the neighborhood. If you're thinking you'll buy here and do something crazy with your land or home, think twice. 

Rancho Equestrian District

Chandler Park is filled with single-family homes that are listed at a median home price of $1.1m. The homes are a mix of older 3 bedroom cottages and newer construction, modern 4+ bedroom homes. Chandler Park is a strong community suburb with an outstanding outdoor activity culture. It has miles of trails for bikers and runners (or just strollers) and is considered an ideal neighborhood for raising a family. 

While there are plenty of parks (not shocking given the neighborhood name), outdoor culture here is most notable for the [**Chandler Bikeway**](https://www.traillink.com/trail/chandler-bikeway/) a beautiful three-mile corridor with orange and lemon trees, and manicured grounds lining the path throughout Burbank and into North Hollywood. Bikers and pedestrians have their own lanes and the Bikeway is for sure a highlight of the community. 

Chandler Park 

Burbank

**How affordable is Burbank? Do you recommend living there?**

I've worked in Burbank for 16 years, met my husband here, and gave birth to our daughter here. I love this area. Burbank has the best breakfast burritos. Corner Cottage and Larry's Chili Dog are both outstanding and very similar, but there's usually a line for Corner Cottage every morning. Sotta is fantastic mediterranean. There's a big food truck thing on Magnolia Blvd. on the last Friday of the month called Magnolia Park Night Out. The AMC 16 theater has both IMAX and Dolby Cinema screens. The LA Zoo is just south of Burbank. Couple of good bars in the area like Tony's Darts Away and Chained Rabbit (I met my husband at The Blue Room, but that's a bit on the dive-y side). The one and only Ikea in all of Los Angeles is here as well. If you like biking or jogging, the Chandler bike path is nice.

**How affordable is Burbank? Do you recommend living there?**

Can't go wrong with Burbank, I grew up there. It has become a lot more expensive over the years, but if you can afford it and don't mind a bit of a dated spot then I'm sure you can come across something in the 1,500ish range for a 1 bedroom. This is a city you can go out at night and feel completely safe. Same with Glendale which is right next to Burbank.

North Hollywood has its good and bad spots, definitely avoid the NoHo arts district and trying to find an apartment that borders Burbank would be your best choice there.

Encino is a great city too, depending on what area it might be a bit more expensive but worth checking out as well. A little further from Burbank and next to Sherman Oaks (which is another good spot, but tends to be more expensive and a busier area).

All areas are dog friendly, but not all apartments. You can probably find a dog friendly park nearby too.

In terms of homes, you mostly likely won't come across anything under that 700-800 range that won't require work.

**Animators is Burbank a nice city to live in your opinion?**

I've lived in Burbank for several years and I like it. As others have said, it's a bit on the quieter/more residential side but I kind of appreciate that? I'm kind of on the southwest end of Burbank (close to the Warner lot), so my apartment is on a quiet, more residential kind of street but is also within 10 mins walk of shops/restaurants on Riverside, which I like.

It's also pretty convenient to get down into Hollywood, or over to Pasadena, Glendale, Los Felis, etc. Griffith Park is close, and there are some mountains with hiking trails nearby as well. The mall in Burbank is definitely a bit underwhelming, but the downtown area around San Fernando can be fun to walk around.

North Hollywood and Glendale are also both really good options, and still convenient for all the animation-related locations. North Hollywood, especially right around the metro station, has a bit more of that "things to do" vibe that you might be looking for.

Burbank, California

Media Capital of the World

Looklyloo Score: 88

Reviews

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