About Westchester

Up until the early 1900s, Westchester was a primarily agricultural area. In the 1920s, several things happened at once to change this. A boom in the aerospace industry caused the local airport developed and expanded very quickly. (At the time, it was known as Mines Field, but now this airport is known as the Los Angeles International Airport – LAX.) Loyola University moved to the area in 1928, bringing with it a following of students and faculty members. For related and unrelated reasons, the population of Los Angeles was growing rapidly at this time. This combination of factors sparked a boom in residential development in Westchester.

Living in Westchester

Westchester has around 40,000 residents living in an area that covers slightly less than 11 square miles. With a population density of around 3650 people per square mile, Westchester is less dense than many of the other communities in the Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim metro area.

Westchester is best known as the site of the Loyola Marymount University, Pepperdine University, and the Otis College of Art and Design. The public schools in this area are run by the Los Angeles Unified School District, but parents in Westchester also have the option to send their kids to schools in the Wiseburn School District. Over half of the residents of Westchester have a bachelor’s degree or higher, a figure that is high compared to the rest of Los Angeles city and county.

This area is also known for its “Google style architecture.” The best example of this is Pann’s restaurant. Its oversized plate glass windows and angular silhouette are reminiscent of a classic coffee shop. The tiled roof and tropical plants add another layer of character, and the exposed stonewalls that can be found both inside and outside of the restaurant give it a memorable atmosphere. The other prominent example of Google architecture is the Theme Building at the Los Angeles International Airport. This structure resembles a flying saucer and was named a cultural and historical monument by the Los Angeles City Council in 1993.

Real Estate in Westchester

The residential properties in Westchester range from condos and townhomes that sell for around $900,000 to single family homes that, on average, sell for almost $1.3 million. The median home price in this area is just under $1 million and the average price per square foot is slightly less than $200 higher than the Los Angeles average, making it one of the more expensive communities in Southern California.

The single-family homes here typically have between 4 and 6 bedrooms and 2.5 to 5.5 bathrooms. Many of the homes have attached 2 or 3 car garages and stone patios surrounded by palm trees and other plants. The grassy lawns are professionally landscaped and include wide grassy areas as well as taller shade trees. To learn more about the fantastic real estate available in Westchester and the other nearby communities, browse the extensive property listings on our website and be sure to connect with our team.