Studio City Apartments and Rentals

Studio City - nicknamed the Jewel of the Valley - is a 6.31-square-mile neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, located within the San Fernando Valley. You may not think you've heard of it, but if you're familiar with Universal City - the area that encompasses the property of Universal Studios - then you probably have, as Studio City contains the part of the unincorporated community that falls within the L.A. city limits. Unsurprisingly, Studio City is best known for its connections to the silver screen, although its weekly farmer's market is renowned in its own right.

There are a number of things that may attract those looking for Studio City apartments for rent, ranging from the idea of living in the vicinity of numerous famous faces who call the area home to its solid school district and central location.

Studio City is located at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains and is inhabited by approximately 38,000 people. Its residents enjoy easy access to Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the rest of the San Fernando Valley, and the area's close proximity to the Ventura Freeway and San Diego Freeway facilitates travel throughout Southern California. The neighborhood's adjacent communities include Beverly Crest, Hollywood Hills, Hollywood Hills West, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Toluca Lake, Universal City and Valley Village, and downtown Los Angeles is only approximately a 20-minute drive away.

The origin of Studio City's name shouldn't come as a surprise - the large parcel of rural land began to be developed in the 1920s, when actor and director Mack Sennett constructed sound stages in the area during the silent film era, overseen by the Central Motion Picture District, a corporation in the business of developing sites for film companies. The Mack Sennett Studio became Republic Pictures Studio in 1935. Under that name, the studio gave many big-name actors and actresses their start.

Republic Pictures Studio still exists today, although not under that name. It's now the CBS Studio Center and, along with the other studios that cropped up in the area, employs far more than the 400 workers who were on the Republic Studios payroll in 1935.

Many of those who live in Studio City work in other areas of Los Angeles, but the neighborhood's studios and media-related firms employ thousands of local residents, as well as workers who commute from further afield. That said, there are more employment opportunities to be had than those connected to the entertainment industry. The neighborhood's main thoroughfare, Ventura Boulevard, is home to a number of family businesses, restaurants, boutiques and office buildings.

The largest employers in Los Angeles County include the county itself, the city of Los Angeles, supermarket chain Kroger, healthcare consortium Kaiser Permanente and the Los Angeles Unified School District. Studio City is home to 13 public schools for children in the K-12 grade range - including two charters - 16 private institutions and North Hollywood Poly Community Adult School.

Studio and one-bedroom apartments in Studio City range from approximately $1,100 to $1,300 in price, while larger units tend to rent from between $2,200 to $2,700. The cost of living in Los Angeles County is high (137.4, compared to the national average of 100), although Studio City residents also enjoy a higher than average household income of $143,371.

Many of Los Angeles' biggest attractions aren't in Studio City - the Hollywood sign and Rodeo Drive, for example - but nothing in the city is very far away. That said, Studio City does have a handful of attractions in its own right - the Studio City Golf Course, for instance. The nine-hole par-three public course was built in 1958 and remains a favorite among local golfers.

For fans of fresh produce, the Studio City Farmers Market is the place to be on Sundays. You can pick up everything from organically raised chicken to artisan pastries from the market, but there's a lot more on offer than just food. If you have kids, make the market a family affair by taking advantage of the pony rides, petting zoo and bouncy slide available.

To find your next rental apartment or house in Studio City, take a look at our listings on Rent.com®.