A Portrait of Los Angeles County 2026

New Report on Los Angeles County finds a person’s neighborhood is a strong predictor of their life outcomes 

A new report, “A Portrait of Los Angeles County 2026,” examines the quality of life in one of the most diverse places in the nation. The report, funded in part by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, is a follow-up to the 2017 portrait of the county by Measure of America, a nonpartisan project of the Social Science Research Council. 

To understand how Angelenos are faring, Measure of America uses the American Human Development Index (HDI), a composite measure that examines three elements of well-being—a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living.  

This report presents HDI scores for 115 cities and unincorporated areas in L.A. County—as well as for the 34 community plan areas within the City of Los Angeles—for major racial and ethnic groups, for women and men, and for US- and foreign-born residents.  

As part of the Hilton Foundation’s Strategy, Learning and Evaluation division, we invest in research and data to guide evidence-based decisions and inform how we target investments. Using the analysis from our partners at Measure of America, we can see that for Opportunity Youth, or young people ages 16–24 who are disconnected from school and work, place matters: where a young person lives significantly shapes their chances to graduate, secure employment and thrive. These insights help funders focus resources where they can most effectively support young people across Los Angeles County. 

The project also explores a range of critical issues, including health, education, living standards, youth disconnection, immigration, housing, homelessness and inequality. 

Among key findings on health, education and living standards: 

• A person’s neighborhood is a strong predictor of their life outcomes. The highest average well-being scores are found in Brentwood-Pacific Palisades, at 9.58, with Southeast Los Angeles scoring the lowest at 3.03 out of 10.  
• In the years since the 2017 report, L.A. County has made considerable progress on education. The Education Index, which combines data on enrollment and educational attainment, increased by roughly 10 percent. However, large racial and ethnic disparities remain. 
• The youth disconnection rate (the share of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither working nor in school) is 11.9 percent: 133,900 young people. 
• The typical worker in Los Angeles County earns about $44,600, $3,500 less than the California median. While median personal earnings have risen since the 2017 report, the costs of basic needs including housing, child care, food and transportation have outpaced the increase in earnings. 
• White workers in Los Angeles County earn $70,200 per year—the highest earnings of any racial or ethnic group—while Latino Angelenos earn the least at $35,900. 

Inclusion of Community “Voice” 

This latest iteration of the report has an interactive element that brings community feedback to life with voice recordings. The online portal includes perspectives and feedback from hundreds of county residents, allowing people to listen to residents’ insights and experiences in their own words—including concerns around escalating housing costs, child care affordability, mental health and health care, unreliable public transportation, and pathways to educational and career opportunities for young people. 

Report includes recommendations to improve well-being and access to opportunity for Angelenos 

The report “makes it clear that while some Angelenos are thriving, others are falling further behind,” said Kristen Lewis, Director of Measure of America.   

Authors identified nine recommendations for action to improve well-being and access to opportunity in Los Angeles:  

1. Address premature mortality,  
2. Improve access to mental health and substance-use prevention and treatment, 
3. Invest in high-quality early care for children from birth to age five,  
4. Support young people as they transition to thriving adulthood,  
5. Expand economic opportunity and security,  
6. Keep people housed and increase access to affordable housing,  
7. Strengthen protections for threatened communities,  
8. Reduce justice involvement and support community reentry,  
9. And bolster disaster recovery and climate resiliency. 

By supporting this research, we hope that communities, policymakers, grantmakers and businesses, along with other stakeholders, will use the findings to target resources to address disparities and work toward a healthier and more equitable future for all Angelenos. 

Read the full report and access the portal with community perspectives here:

• A Portrait of Los Angeles County 2026 – Measure of America: A Program of the Social Science Research Council