Ask five Angelenos where the Westside ends and the Eastside begins and you may get five answers. Neither has an official boundary, and the names describe broad areas, not cities. Still, the two differ in real, practical ways: the age of the homes, the terrain, the weather and how you get around. Here's a neutral guide to both, plus the areas in between.
East vs West LA: the short answer
The Westside is the part of LA nearest the ocean, and the Eastside is the older, hillier area around and east of Downtown. The Westside generally runs from around Beverly Hills west to the beach. The Eastside, in everyday use, covers neighborhoods like Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz and Northeast LA, and traditionally the areas east of the LA River. Neither has an official boundary. The biggest differences:
- Homes. Eastside housing leans early 1900s to 1930s: Craftsman and Spanish bungalows and hillside modernist houses on modest, often sloped lots. The Westside mixes 1920s to 1940s homes on flatter lots, beach cottages, post-war houses and many newer rebuilds.
- Weather. The Westside sits under the marine layer and stays milder. The Eastside is farther inland, with warmer, sunnier summer afternoons.
- Prices. Among the areas below, Westside medians generally run higher, from about $1.16 million in Culver City to about $3.93 million in Santa Monica's 90402, versus about $1.15 million to $1.95 million on the Eastside (Redfin, March to May 2026, zip-level).
- Getting around. The Westside runs on the 405, the 10 and the Metro E and D lines. The Eastside sits close to Downtown, near the 101, 5, 2 and 110 and the A and B lines.
Two naming notes. "East LA" often refers to East Los Angeles, an unincorporated community governed by the county, which is not the same as the Eastside neighborhoods most people mean (LA County). And "West LA" is also the name of a specific City of LA district around the 405 and Sawtelle, inside the broader Westside.
Where the lines are (roughly)
- The Westside generally runs from around Beverly Hills west to the ocean, and from the Santa Monica Mountains south toward LAX. It includes Brentwood, Westwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Mar Vista, Culver City, Cheviot Hills, Playa Vista, Palms, Sawtelle, Westchester and Pacific Palisades. See all of them on the Westside neighborhoods page.
- The Eastside traditionally meant neighborhoods east of the LA River, such as Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights and El Sereno, and many people still use it that way (LAist). In everyday and real estate use, it also often covers Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Atwater Village, Glassell Park, Mount Washington, Highland Park and Eagle Rock. See all of them on the Eastside neighborhoods page.
- Central LA sits between them: Hancock Park, Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills and West Hollywood.
- The Valley lies north of the Santa Monica Mountains, with Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino and Woodland Hills.
- The South Bay is the string of beach cities south of LAX, like Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.
Some of these places are their own cities, and others are neighborhoods of the City of LA. That affects permits, rent rules and transfer taxes, so see LA's many cities.
The homes and their eras
On the Eastside, much of the housing dates to the early 1900s through the 1930s: Craftsman bungalows, Spanish and Mediterranean homes, and a few surviving Victorians in Highland Park and nearby. The hills around Silver Lake and Los Feliz add modernist houses, including work by Richard Neutra and R.M. Schindler, often on steep, terraced lots with stairs from the street. Lots tend to be modest, and many homes sit on hillsides with city or reservoir views.
The Westside mixes eras. Brentwood, Cheviot Hills and Santa Monica's North of Montana area have 1920s to 1940s Spanish, Traditional and Colonial homes on larger, flatter lots, along with many newer rebuilds. Venice has small beach cottages, canal homes and modern infill. Mar Vista is home to Gregory Ain's post-war Mar Vista Tract, and Playa Vista is largely 2000s and later construction. See our guides to Spanish homes and mid-century modern homes.
Prices
Median sale prices for all home types, from Redfin data for March to May 2026:
- Eastside: Highland Park (90042) about $1.15 million, Silver Lake (90026) about $1.28 million, Eagle Rock (90041) about $1.4 million and Los Feliz (90027) about $1.95 million.
- Westside: Culver City (90230) about $1.16 million, Mar Vista (90066) about $1.78 million, Venice (90291) about $2.05 million, Brentwood (90049) about $2.41 million and Santa Monica's 90402 about $3.93 million.
- For context: Studio City (91604) about $1.88 million in the Valley, and Manhattan Beach (90266) about $3.75 million in the South Bay.
Medians shift with the mix of houses and condos that sold, so each neighborhood guide breaks them out separately.
Terrain and weather
The Westside sits closer to the ocean, so the marine layer keeps it milder. Mornings are often gray in late spring and early summer, and afternoons rarely get hot. The Eastside is farther inland and hillier, with warmer, sunnier summer afternoons, though it's usually cooler than the Valley, which is often the hottest of the three. Both sides have hillside areas in mapped fire zones, which affects insurance. See LA's microclimates and live weather by neighborhood.
Getting around
The Westside runs on the 405, the 10 and Pacific Coast Highway. The Metro E Line reaches Downtown Santa Monica, and the D Line subway under Wilshire Boulevard reached La Cienega in May 2026, with Century City and Westwood stations planned next (Metro). The Eastside is close to Downtown, with the 101, the 5, the 2 and the 110 nearby. The A Line has a stop in Highland Park, and the B Line serves Los Feliz from Vermont and Sunset. Drive times between the two sides vary a lot by hour, so test the drive you'll make most at rush hour before you decide.
The culture, as places
- Eastside parks and landmarks. Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory, the Silver Lake Reservoir, Echo Park Lake, Elysian Park around Dodger Stadium, and the Autry Museum of the American West.
- Eastside music and food streets. The Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, the Echo and Echoplex in Echo Park, the Lodge Room on Figueroa in Highland Park, and dining along Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, York Boulevard in Highland Park and Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock.
- Westside museums and beaches. The Getty Center in Brentwood, the Hammer Museum in Westwood, the Santa Monica Pier, the Venice boardwalk and canals, and miles of beach bike path along the shore.
- Westside shopping and food streets. Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, Main Street and Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Sawtelle Japantown in West LA and downtown Culver City, home to the Kirk Douglas Theatre.
Side by side, one neighborhood at a time
For closer comparisons within each side, see Silver Lake vs Los Feliz, Atwater Village vs Silver Lake and Eagle Rock vs Highland Park on the Eastside, and Venice vs Mar Vista, Westwood vs Brentwood and Culver City vs Mar Vista on the Westside. Every pairing is on the comparisons page.
Choosing between them
Neither side is better. They're different mixes of homes, weather, terrain and drive times, and the right one depends on what you want day to day. If you'd like, I can show you homes on both sides on the same day, or by video if you're still out of state, so you can compare for yourself. See buying in LA from anywhere for how that works.
Questions people ask
Where is the Westside of Los Angeles?
There's no official boundary, but the Westside generally means the area from around Beverly Hills west to the ocean, including Santa Monica, Brentwood, Westwood, Culver City, Mar Vista and Venice. Some of those places are their own cities, and others are neighborhoods of the City of LA.
Is Silver Lake on the Eastside?
It depends who you ask. Traditionally, the Eastside meant neighborhoods east of the LA River, like Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights, and Silver Lake sits west of the river. In everyday and real estate use today, many people also include Silver Lake, Echo Park and Los Feliz.
Is the Westside cooler than the Eastside?
Generally, yes, in summer. The Westside sits closer to the ocean, so the marine layer keeps it milder, especially in late spring and early summer. Eastside neighborhoods are farther inland and usually warmer on summer afternoons, though they're generally cooler than the Valley.
