Featured image credit: City of La Cañada Flintridge
Perched in the rustic foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, La Cañada Flintridge (frequently shortened to La Cañada by the locals) is a city beloved by those who want seclusion without giving up the conveniences of the city. You can feel like you’re in a wooded resort in La Cañada, even though you’re still firmly in Los Angeles County. Considering a move? We’ve collected all your must-know information right here in our Neighborhood Watch. So, before you start perusing the active La Cañada homes for sale, get the details here!
The Sprawling City of La Cañada Flintridge
With the 2020 census reporting just 20,573 residents, La Cañada isn’t a very densely populated city, though part of this is due to its rugged foothill terrain. In the periods when the land belonged to Spain and then Mexico, the city’s name was established as Rancho La Cañada, with the Spanish word cañada meaning “canyon”. Fittingly, La Cañada is situated in the Crescenta Valley.
La Cañada is bordered to the north by the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains with the city’s official boundaries extending some distance into the mountains. La Crescenta-Montrose borders La Cañada to the west and the San Gabriel Valley extends to the east with La Cañada making the valley’s westernmost end. To the south, the city finds the San Rafael Hills as its boundary. At its lowest point (just beneath the notorious Devil’s Gate Dam), La Cañada is still 970 feet above sea level. Due to its northern border extending into the mountains, its highest point stands at 3,440 feet.
Until November 30, 1976, La Cañada and Flintridge were distinct cities. As part of the incorporation process, the cities combined to form La Cañada Flintridge. The newly formed city refused the traditional hyphen to show a lack of division between the cities and promote a homogeneous community. Flintridge’s portion comprises the southern portion of the city extending into the San Rafael Hills.
From Schooling to Safety
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The majority of the city is served by the La Cañada Unified School District (LCUSD), bringing us to one of the first major reasons why there’s so much interest in La Cañada homes for sale. LCUSD is one of the top school districts in California. In 2010, LCUSD scored the second-highest test results in the state for the California Standards Tests (CSTs). However, portions of La Cañada fall under the jurisdiction of the Glendale Unified School District. In addition, the city boasts numerous private schools independent of LCUSD.
Crime is relatively low in La Cañada, marking yet another reason why La Cañada homes for sale are always in high demand. However, the city is considered in a “very high fire hazard severity zone”. Despite having an accommodating fire safety response initiative, ensuring homes against fire in the area can be challenging and costly. In the rainy months, the city’s close proximity to the San Gabriel Mountains can also result in heavy deluges of storm runoff. However, many homes are built or renovated to withstand the surging elements.
What to Consider When Browsing La Cañada Homes for Sale
Economy
Like so many of the cities within Los Angeles County, La Cañada’s residents frequently commute out of the area for work. However, according to the 2020 census, the city’s leading industry is Professional, Scientific & Technical Services. This no doubt ties into the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) being one of La Cañada’s major employers. We’ll return to them in a moment. Health Care & Social Assistance is the second-highest industry of employment.
Transportation
Fortunately for those commuting out of the area, La Cañada’s proximity to the 210 and 2 freeways makes travel by car simple enough. Foothill Boulevard provides the major avenue of transit, bisecting the city through its commercial core. For those reliant on public transportation considering La Cañada homes for sale, it’s worth noting that LA’s Metro system does not directly connect to the area. However, it can be accessed by using either the free LCF Shuttle or Route 3 of the Glendale Beeline which services the La Cañada community.
Shopping and Recreation
Local shopping got a big boost in the summer of 2008 when the 60 million dollar La Cañada Flintridge Town Center opened for business. Anchored by Target, the conveniently located shopping center offers a slew of retail and dining options. The region is also bountiful with hiking trails and parks, allowing opportunities to reconnect with Mother Nature in virtually every direction. Nature enthusiasts also have Descanso Gardens to scratch that itch, but we’ll explore that in more depth in a moment. Rest assured that whether you blow off stress through shopping or with pastoral hikes, La Cañada is very accommodating.
La Cañada’s Local Attractions
Several points of interest serve to further distinguish La Cañada Flintridge from the surrounding neighborhoods. If you’re interested in culture, community, and nature, these attractions will continue to fuel your interest in La Cañada homes for sale.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Though its mailing address denotes Pasadena, the pioneering rocket research and space exploration center Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is located at the eastern edge of La Cañada. It has a mysterious history owing to its controversial founder, Jack Parsons, who held an obsession with the occult. However, JPL tries to distance itself from this history, preferring to focus on its work as a federally funded innovative facility. Unless you work at JPL, you likely won’t be seeing much of the lab. However, they do tend to open for guided public tours on occasion. Science enthusiasts should take note as a two-hour tour of JPL offers a unique, unparalleled educational experience.
Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is probably more of an influence on perusers of La Cañada homes for sale. Who doesn’t adore the opportunity to unwind in a 150-acre wonderland garden that’s virtually in your backyard? You can easily spend hours wandering the trails, paths, and forested thickets of Descanso Gardens, appreciating the budding groves and tasteful orchestration of flora. There’s even a contemporary art gallery to further stir the soul, not to mention seasonal events. While Descanso Gardens isn’t free, most would agree its modest 15-dollar adult admission is a bargain.
The Lanterman House and Museum
History and culture connect in a lovely but unassuming bungalow-style Craftsman home that serves as the Lanterman House museum and archive. Built in 1915, the historical landmark provides an example of early architecture in the La Cañada area. Much of the home has been preserved over the subsequent decades right down to the furniture. A collection of documents and photographs provides rare insight into life in the early days of La Cañada.
Disc Golf at Hahamongna Watershed Park
Looking for something a little more active from your La Cañada experience? Then you may be interested in visiting Hahamongna Watershed Park where you’ll find the world’s first permanently established disc golf course. For the unfamiliar, disc golf is a sport involving artfully throwing a frisbee-like discus focused on a challenging target. By its very nature, the sport is intended for spontaneous guerilla activity. But when Ed Headrick, the developer of disc golf, approached La Cañada officials with an idea for the first official disc golf course, the city jumped at the opportunity. Completed in 1974, the course would quickly become influential in the design of courses across the country.
Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Parade
If you’re considering the community experience when searching for La Cañada homes for sale, it’s worth noting that neighboring Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Parade serves as a call to collaboration for the general area. Traditionally, La Cañada Flintridge is heavily involved in the festivities, assembling a group of volunteers each year to help design the city’s representative float. Leaning into its natural strengths, La Cañada’s float is often festooned in an assortment of flowers and botanical curiosities.
Competition for La Cañada Homes
Finally, you may have realized that La Cañada Flintridge is a competitive market. Especially if you’ve already been looking through La Cañada homes for sale. In 2023, Forbes highlighted that the city held the 98th most expensive zip code in the country. But this also underscores that the area is truly something special. We’re helping people find homes in La Cañada all the time, so if your heart is in this community, reach out to one of our agents who specializes in La Cañada listings. One may already have the good news you need!
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