| Atwater Village | Silver Lake | |
|---|---|---|
| Home styles | 1920s to 1940s Spanish Colonial Revival bungalows, storybook cottages and modest Traditional homes; duplexes and small multi-unit buildings | 1920s Spanish, Craftsman bungalows and landmark mid-century modern (Neutra, Schindler, Lautner); duplexes, courtyard buildings and small-lot homes |
| Typical lots and terrain | Flat streets, lots often around 5,000 square feet with detached garages; a horse-zoned pocket in North Atwater | Mostly hillside, smaller sloped lots, homes stacked up the hill |
| City | City of Los Angeles | City of Los Angeles |
| Signature streets and anchors | Glendale Boulevard, the LA River path, the North Atwater bridge to Griffith Park, the Sunday farmers market | Silver Lake Reservoir and the Meadow, Sunset Junction, historic public stairways |
| Getting around | The 5 on the west side, the 2 to the east; Metrolink's Glendale station nearby | Between the 101, the 5 and the 2; no rail station of its own |
| Drive times (rough, off-peak) | Downtown often about 15 minutes; Glendale and Burbank 10 to 15 | Downtown often 15 to 20 minutes |
| Weather | Warmer than the coast, cooler than the Valley | Warmer than the coast, cooler than the Valley |
| Eat drink shop highlights | Proof Bakery, Holy Basil, Spina, Tacos Villa Corona, Bigfoot Lodge | Café Tropical, Night + Market Song, Pine & Crane, Ceviche Project |
Median prices: Redfin Data Center, zip codes n/a and 90026, March to May 2026. Zip codes don't match neighborhood borders exactly.
The homes
Atwater Village is small and flat, and most of it was built out in the 1920s to 1940s. Streets are lined with Spanish Colonial Revival bungalows with tile roofs and arched windows, storybook cottages with steep rooflines and rounded doors, and modest Traditional homes, often two or three bedrooms on lots around 5,000 square feet with detached garages. Duplexes and small multi-unit buildings are mixed in throughout, ADUs are common on deeper lots, and North Atwater has a pocket of horse-zoned properties near the river.
Silver Lake is built on hills, so most homes sit on sloped lots with views of the reservoir, the Griffith Park ridge or Downtown. The mix runs from 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival homes and Craftsman bungalows to some of the most important mid-century modern houses in the country, by Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler and John Lautner. Floor plans often stack up the hill with the garage at the street, and duplexes, courtyard buildings and small-lot homes sit on the flatter streets near Sunset.
Prices
There are no zip figures shown for Atwater Village on this page, since it shares its zip code with other neighborhoods. The Silver Lake figures use 90026, which also covers Echo Park, and parts of Silver Lake fall in 90039 and 90029. In Atwater, bedroom count, a second unit or ADU and lot depth tend to drive the price. In Silver Lake, architecture, views and slope move prices as much as square footage.
The feel
Atwater's main street is Glendale Boulevard, with independent bakeries, cafes, restaurants, wine shops and boutiques in low, older storefronts, and a Sunday farmers market just off the boulevard. The LA River runs along the west edge, with a paved bike path and an equestrian trail, and a cable-stayed bridge in North Atwater carries bikes and horses across to Griffith Park and its golf courses, the LA Zoo and the Autry Museum.
Silver Lake centers on its reservoir, with a path around the water and the Meadow, a big lawn on the east side. Sunset Junction, the stretch of Sunset Boulevard around Sanborn, is packed with coffee shops, restaurants, record stores, vintage shops and bars, and historic public stairways connect many of the hillside streets. Small music venues line Sunset here and in neighboring Echo Park.
Getting around
The two are about 10 minutes apart, with the 5 between them. Atwater has the 5 along the river on its west side and the 2 just east, so Downtown is often about 15 minutes off-peak, and Glendale and Burbank are 10 to 15. Metrolink's Glendale station is just over the city line. Silver Lake sits between the 101, the 5 and the 2, with Downtown often 15 to 20 minutes and Hollywood close. Silver Lake's hillside streets can be narrow and winding with tight parking, while Atwater's flat grid is simpler to get around.
City and rules
Both are in the City of Los Angeles, with City of LA permits, rent stabilization on many pre-1978 multi-unit buildings (relevant for duplexes in either) and the City's transfer tax rules on higher-priced sales. Silver Lake's hillside lots fall under the city's hillside regulations, which can limit home size and additions, and some hillside streets sit in fire hazard severity zones, so check the address on CAL FIRE maps. In Atwater, some blocks near the river may sit in a mapped flood zone; check FEMA's flood map for the address. For older homes in either, add a sewer line scope.
Weather
The weather is nearly the same. Both sit a few miles inland, so summers run warmer than at the beach and milder than in the Valley, with mild winters.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Atwater Village and Silver Lake?
Atwater Village is flat, with 1920s to 1940s Spanish bungalows, storybook cottages and duplexes on regular lots between the LA River and Glendale. Silver Lake is hillside, with Spanish, Craftsman and mid-century modern homes on smaller sloped lots around its reservoir.
How far is Atwater Village from Silver Lake?
Often about 10 minutes by car outside rush hour. Atwater Village sits just northeast of Silver Lake, across the 5 and along the LA River, with Glendale Boulevard connecting the two.
Are Atwater Village and Silver Lake in the City of Los Angeles?
Yes. Both are City of LA neighborhoods, so rent stabilization on many pre-1978 multi-unit buildings and the City's transfer tax rules on higher-priced sales apply in each. Silver Lake's hillside lots also fall under the city's hillside regulations.
