Three of LA’s Friendliest Neighborhoods Are Right in Our Backyard

Three of LA's Friendliest Neighborhoods Are Right in Our Backyard

There's no shortage of data on where to find the best schools, the lowest crime rates, or the strongest home values in Los Angeles. But one thing that's harder to quantify — until now — is something buyers ask about constantly: What are the neighbors actually like?

Nextdoor just answered that question. The platform, which connects more than 105 million neighbors nationwide, released its 2026 Friendliest Neighborhoods rankings this week, scoring communities based on real interactions between residents — not surveys, not algorithms, but actual neighbor-to-neighbor behavior. Think welcome messages for new arrivals, requests for help that get fulfilled, free items shared with the block, neighbors recommending local businesses to each other. The data paints a street-level picture of what community really looks like.

Three neighborhoods we serve landed on the LA list.

Westport Heights — #4 on the LA List

Nestled in the Westchester area near Westport Heights Elementary School, this community earned its ranking the old-fashioned way: people actually show up for each other here. Nextdoor describes it as "a quiet residential neighborhood known for its family-friendly atmosphere, well-kept homes and close proximity to LAX," adding that it's a peaceful area with a strong sense of community and local pride.

For buyers, that translates to something real. Westport Heights has the kind of tree-canopied, low-traffic streets where kids ride bikes and neighbors wave from driveways — but it's still minutes from the beach, the freeway, and everything the Westside has to offer. If the combination of accessibility and genuine neighborhood feel is what you're after, this one belongs on your list. You can read more about the broader area in our Westchester neighborhood guide or our deeper dive on living in Westchester.

Kentwood North — #5 on the LA List

Just down the road, Kentwood North claimed the fifth spot. Nextdoor describes it as "a peaceful, residential neighborhood in Los Angeles known for its tree-lined streets and family-friendly atmosphere" with "a mix of old and new homes, a strong sense of community, and close proximity to local amenities."

That mix of old and new is worth noting from a real estate perspective. Kentwood has seen meaningful reinvestment over the past several years — renovated mid-century homes sitting alongside newer construction — which gives buyers options across a range of price points without sacrificing the neighborhood's character. Kentwood Elementary is a neighborhood anchor, and the pocket's walkability to Westchester's Lincoln and Sepulveda corridors makes it more practical than it might look on a map. Kentwood falls within the Westchester community; if you're exploring the area, our Westchester page is a good place to start.

Playa Vista — Also on the List

Playa Vista has been one of the most talked-about neighborhoods on the Westside for the better part of a decade, and the Nextdoor ranking is just the latest validation. What began as a planned community has grown into one of the more genuinely livable pockets in LA — 29 parks, a weekly farmers market, walkable retail at Runway, and a resident base that skews young, tech-forward, and engaged.

The community's design — where streets are built for people rather than just cars — naturally encourages the kind of neighbor interaction that Nextdoor's rankings reward. It's hard to be anonymous in Playa Vista, which is either exactly what you're looking for or not at all what you want. Most people who land here don't end up leaving. We've written extensively about what makes this community tick in our Playa Vista neighborhood spotlight, and we round up some of the area's best hidden gems in our post on the coolest points of interest in Westchester, Playa del Rey, and Playa Vista.

Why This Actually Matters When You're Buying

We spend a lot of time in this business talking about comps, square footage, and interest rates. Those things matter. But a house in a neighborhood where people look out for each other — where someone will grab your package off the porch, post a heads-up about a coyote sighting, or organize a block cleanup after a storm — is worth something that doesn't show up in a listing price.

The Nextdoor data is useful precisely because it's behavioral. Nobody self-reported how friendly they are. The rankings reflect what people actually did.

All three of these neighborhoods have been part of our world for a long time. We're not surprised to see them on this list. If you're curious about what it's like to live in any of them — the real day-to-day of it, not just the stats — reach out to the Stephanie Younger Group. We're happy to walk you through it, or help you search current listings in these communities right now.

The Stephanie Younger Group | Compass | Los Angeles