Topanga Summit 1922, 1922
Topanga’s story
118 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1922 and 8 maps from 1903 on.
- 1908Topanga is settled
TopangaCA
A town of 8,885, settled in 1908.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Rneches · CC BY 2.5
Population
8,885
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$1.39M
−3.4% in a year
Household income
$157K
median
Median age
46.5
years
Jobs based here
1,200
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#275 of 841 in CA
Is Topanga a good place to live?
Topanga's standout: it has 52 miles of trail and 44% conserved land. Overall it grades C+, 275th of 841 graded towns in California. Residents are healthier than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and the median household earns $157K. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.4 million, 14.5 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income. 64% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Topanga, above both California’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). On hazard risk, just 48 of California’s 1,064 towns do worse. The biggest place to walk is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 12,039 acres with 14 miles of trail.
What makes Topanga stand out
Where Topanga beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Get outside
52 miles of trails in Topanga
44.1% of the town is conserved land, across 22 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Topanga grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Topanga is from typical.
Cost of livingD−Open →Hazard riskwildfire tops the listD−Open →HealthProvidence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center 6.6 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.6 of 20; 0.8% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 87° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market32 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.5–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 260 attractions →SoFi Stadium and 206 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Topanga. Close and well known come first.
Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaSoFi Stadium
Big draw15 mi LandmarkHollywood Walk of Fame10.0M visitors a year
Big draw19 mi MuseumLucas Museum of Narrative Art
Big draw19 mi Stadium & arenaLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Big draw15 mi MuseumLa Brea Tar Pits
Big draw17 mi LandmarkHollywood SignSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
SoFi Stadium: Thank You (21 Millions+) views, CC BY 2.0 · Hollywood Walk of Fame: BenSherman, Public domain · Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Kriddl, CC0 · Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: CanonStarGal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · La Brea Tar Pits: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Hollywood Sign: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Topanga: who provides what
Topanga is unincorporated, so Los Angeles County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLos Angeles Cwwd 29 & 80-Malibu water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles County provides services here
SchoolsLos Angeles Unified School DistrictSanta Monica-Malibu Unified School District2 districts serve Topanga; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLos Angeles Registrar-Recorder County ClerkLos Angeles County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes90290, 90265, 9136490290 76% · 90265 15% · 91364 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Topanga.
Topanga has less no health insurance than most of California, keeps more of its land conserved than most of California and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.
HousingCost of living grade D−
For cost of living, Topanga earns a D−
At 14.5 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income, the typical home (about $1.39M) costs more against local pay than in 91% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. The typical value, about $1.39M, is 9% below its December 2023 peak.
Topanga’s median rent is $3,501 a month. The typical Topanga home is worth about $1,390,000, down 3.4% in a year, 82% above the California typical home.
$1.39MZillow home value
| Topanga | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,501 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Topanga$1.39M
California$762K
Market temperature
32
days on market
97.2%
sale-to-list price
−3.4%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
Topanga’s public schools outperform 51% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Las Virgenes Unified school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
51%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice C. Stelle MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 760 | A− |
| Manzanita School and Institute PrivateLargest high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 139 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsA+
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Topanga
Its 5,384 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 97% of California towns. Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #3 of 847 in California.
52 miles of trail in 22 parks and preserves. The trail density in Topanga is 2.7 miles per square mile.
#101for trails in CA
44.1%
conserved · 5,384 of 12,196 acres
52 mi
of trails · 2.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area | 14 mi | 12,039 |
| 2. Topanga State Park | 13.2 mi | 2,527 |
| 3. Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park | 8.6 mi | 660 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA
For health, Topanga earns an A
Its widest gap with California is no health insurance: 3.3% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 10.6% statewide. Against the 2,344 U.S. towns with household incomes like Topanga’s, it is healthier than 71%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
23% of Topanga adults have obesity. Topanga beats the California average on 21 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 15% of Topanga adults get no exercise outside work.
95%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Topanga | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 29% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 24% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 17% |
32 measures vs. California
21 better8 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Topanga | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 3.3% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.2% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 6.4% |
Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center
6.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
90th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Wildfire leads a very high hazard risk in Topanga
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 99% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Topanga since 2024.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireEarthquakesInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 2024
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Topanga stands out in California and nationally, with more of its workers who work from home
40.7% of workers work from home, against 17.2% across California.
41% of workers work from home in Topanga. Jobs based in Topanga grew to 1,200 in 2023, 214 more than in 2013. 6% of residents live below the poverty line in Topanga.
5%work in town
| Topanga | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 41% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $157,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Topanga5%
Los Angeles41%
Burbank8%
Santa Monica5%
Culver City2%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,200
jobs based in Topanga
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 55% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Topanga has mild winters and pleasant summers
January nights average 47.8°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 84.1°.
Topanga has warm winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
87°summer high
| Topanga | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 48°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 84°F | 89°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter47–66°
Spring50–70°
Summer60–83°
Fall57–78°
+2.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
87°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Topanga
17pages on Topanga
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
23 within 15 miles of the center of Topanga
Los Angeles Pierce CollegeCommunity college · Public · Woodland Hills6.3 mi$1,238 in-state tuitionCalifornia Career CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Canoga Park7 miUniversity of California-Los AngelesUniversity or college · Public · Los Angeles9.5 mi$15,203 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Topanga residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Topanga for work
Where Topanga’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,200jobs based in Topanga
5%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Topanga
Census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, US
Topanga (Tongva: Topaa'nga) is an unincorporated community in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow southern portion of Topanga at the coast is between the city of Malibu and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Topanga as a census-designated place (CDP). As of the 2020 census the population of the Topanga CDP was 8,560. The ZIP Code is 90290 and the area code is primarily 310, with 818 only at the north end of the canyon. It is in the 3rd County Supervisorial district. Topanga…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 19 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,084 ft
- ZIP code
- 90290
Topanga’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Topanga.
CalabasasLos AngelesMalibuTopanga
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topanga | #275 | C+ | D− | — | B− | A |
| Calabasas | #145 | B | D− | B− | A | A+ |
| Los Angeles | #613 | D | D− | D | B− | B− |
| Malibu | #318 | C+ | D− | D | A | A |
Topanga reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Topanga with a neighbor →
Questions about Topanga
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Topanga, CA a good place to live?
Topanga grades C+ overall, better than 41% of U.S. towns and #275 of 841 in California. It grades A for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Topanga, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.