What to Know Before Moving to West Covina

As a suburb of LA, West Covina offers access to world-famous attractions and amenities while still giving you a breather from the less desirable elements of metropolitan life.

Attractions and Amenities

From shopping to golfing to outdoor adventures, West Covina offers plenty of fun stuff to do! As a large retail center – it’s home to medical offices, clothing stores, delis, and more – Plaza West Covina is the place to be for retail therapy. Looking to get out on the greens? Industrial Hills Golf Club is home to 36 holes and 650 acres of pristine golfing. If nature adventures are more your level, Galster Wilderness Park consists of many acres that preserve the local species of California. Of course, Los Angeles is just to the west for good times!

Cost of Living

If you’re coming from another part of the country, prepare yourself for sticker shock. Southern California offers a plethora of desirable selling points – gorgeous weather, close proximity to beaches, beautiful homes, bottomless list of fun things to do – but all of it comes at a price. Living in West Covina is typically 40% higher than the national average. But when compared to Los Angeles, the cost of living here is actually about 10% cheaper. In search of your first home? Done with rental life? When it comes to median home value, West Covina is more than 15% lower than that of LA. That’s some serious potential savings!

Walkscore Info

Whether you’re coming from another part of California or the country, you might be curious about being able to get around West Covina. We’ve all heard the horror stories of traffic jams in this region, but when it comes to being able to get around on foot, this particular suburb is actually surprisingly walkable. This allows residents to perform any number of errands without the use of a car. However, do keep in mind that you’ll need access to a vehicle in order to take advantage of all the amazing opportunities surrounding the smaller city. As for bikeability, it’s not terrible but definitely has room for improvement.

Lifestyle

In search of a break from metro life? Still want all the benefits of an urban area? West Covina definitely checks those boxes. Providing a nice mix of urban and suburban, the community is friendly, diverse, and more affordable than the City of Angels. Plus, with a population hovering around 100,000, it’s far less congested than surrounding areas. Though it’s not as exciting as LA, West Covina is the perfect place to call home for those wanting to build a life away from the chaos of more urban regions. Overall, this is a great small city!

Job Opportunities

From medical to education to retail, West Covina offers a multitude of job and career choices. Are you a medical professional? Check out Citrus Valley Medical Center (as well as Kaiser Permanente and City of Hope National Medical Center). In higher education? How about UCLA, the University of Southern California (USC), and UC Irvine? The city offers easy access to these acclaimed schools. Looking for something in finance? Two top picks are Starwood Capital Group and CIT Group. And as with more attractions, Los Angeles is less than 20 miles to the west, offering world-renowned opportunities.