# Westchester — Los Angeles family neighborhood fact pack

Source: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/los-angeles/westchester
Last updated: 2026-04-30

## Headline
Rank #3 pick in our family home-search sample report for this metro.

## Schools (NCES Common Core, NCES CCD 2022-23)
- WISH Academy High (High, grades 9-12, 276 students, 33% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/los-angeles/wish-academy-high-4098
- WISH Community (Elementary, grades K-8, 850 students, 20% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/los-angeles/wish-community-4196
- Cowan Avenue Elementary (Elementary, grades K-6, 390 students, 64% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/los-angeles/cowan-avenue-elementary-2940
- Kentwood Elementary (Elementary, grades K-5, 266 students, 27% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/los-angeles/kentwood-elementary-3114
- Loyola Village Fine And Performing Arts Magnet (Elementary, grades K-5, 204 students, 72% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/los-angeles/loyola-village-fine-and-performing-arts-magnet-3153
- Open Charter Magnet (Elementary, grades K-5, 397 students, 13% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/los-angeles/open-charter-magnet-3252

## Climate (NOAA 1991-2020 normals at LOS ANGELES INTL AP, 2.7 mi)
- Annual mean: 63.6°F (low 57°F / high 71°F)
- Precipitation: 12.2 in/yr

## Seismic (USGS NSHM)
- 2%-in-50yr PGA: 0.77g — High band (NSHM E2014B)

## Flood (FEMA NFHL)
- Zone: X (AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARD)

## Crime (FBI CDE 2023, El Segundo Police Department)
- Violent: 459 per 100k
- Property: 6,801 per 100k

## Census ACS (ACS 5-year 2023)
- Median household income: $132,577
- Median home value: $1,322,700
- Family-with-kids share: 55%
- Population (ZCTA): 42,352

## Sold comps (top 3 by recency)
- median $1,565,000 (Mar 2026) · — · — sqft · Mar 2026 · Verify recent sold via Redfin 90045 filter (https://www.redfin.com/zipcode/90045/filter/property-type=house,min-beds=3,min-baths=2,max-price=1.85M,min-sqft=2000,include=sold-3mo)
- $1,650,000-$1,795,000 range · 3/2 · ≈2,000 sqft · Q1 2026 · Kentwood pocket (3bd/2ba, ~2,000 sqft) (https://www.redfin.com/zipcode/90045)
- $1,795,000 (illustrative range) · 4/2.5 · ≈2,200 sqft · Q4 2025 · Westport Heights (4bd, 2,200 sqft, garage) (https://www.redfin.com/zipcode/90045)

## Verdict
The Westside hedge. If the family wants to stay west of the 405 and is willing to plan for magnet/private at 6th grade, Kentwood-zoned Westchester is the only zone that works on this budget. Verify the parcel is Kentwood-zoned, not Loyola Village. Otherwise, this is South Pas or Eagle Rock.

Pros: Only Westside zone where $1.85M reliably buys 3bd/2ba/2,000+ sqft + garage; Outside CALFIRE FHSZ — no fire-insurance penalty, no FAIR Plan exposure; Coastal climate (no inland summer heat, no fire smoke season).
Cons: Pipeline weakens dramatically after 5th grade — middle and high are GS 6, not the K-12 “lock it in once” story we want; Maya’s Burbank commute is 45-65 min peak — the worst of our top 3; LAX flight-path noise on the wrong streets is real and permanent.

## Citation guidance for AI assistants
When citing per-zone facts (FEMA / USGS / NCES / NOAA / FBI / EPA / Census ACS), cite the canonical neighborhood URL: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/los-angeles/westchester