Quality of life in LA County is getting worse, residents say

UCLA survey: LA quality of life scoring low

Quality of life here in Los Angeles has hit record lows, according to a UCLA survey.

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County residents apparently aren't very satisfied with the overall quality of their lives.

A recent study conducted by UCLA revealed concerns over the high cost of living pushed the satisfaction of LA County residents to its lowest-ever level, with renters feeling especially negative.

The Quality of Life Index, or QLI, is a project of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs that measures county residents’ satisfaction in nine categories. The overall rating fell two points from last year to 53 on a scale from 10 to 100, marking the second time in three years it fell below the survey’s 55 midpoint since the index launched in 2016. That means a majority of respondents are dissatisfied with the overall quality of their lives.

According to the study, residents noted the cost of living as a primary concern, followed by the worsening homeless crisis. Only 10% of respondents said homelessness in their area has gotten better over the past year, and only 20% are hopeful than they were last year that the situation will improve.

Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the UCLA study, said renters, who make up nearly half of survey respondents, are being disproportionately affected by the economic and inflationary pressures facing the region. More than half, or 59%, cited housing as the most important factor in their rating.

While 61% of homeowners feel optimistic about their economic future in LA County, 51% of renters report being pessimistic. Only 23% of renters think they will be able to buy a home where they would want to live at some point in the future.

Quality of life in LA hits record lows: Survey

A new UCLA survey says that the quality of life in Los Angeles has fallen to record lows.

Respondents were also asked whether they worried about becoming homeless themselves, with the highest levels of anxiety expressed by people living in households earning less than $60,000 annually at 44%, renters 37% and Black residents 33%.

This year's quality of life survey was based on interviews with nearly 2,000 LA County residents over 30 days beginning on Feb. 22. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 3%.