Quality of life in Los Angeles remains 'lowest ever,' annual survey reveals
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 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.
LOS ANGELES - Growing concerns over the high cost of living, recent wildfires, immigration concerns, and homelessness are taking their toll on the quality of life in Los Angeles County, keeping residents' overall dissatisfaction at its lowest level for the third straight year.
What we know:
The Quality of Life Index, measured in a survey led by the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, ranked the same as last year at 53, which was the lowest-ever score. Despite no change in the overall index score, the survey highlights shifting priorities and challenges facing the county.
The survey, which measures county residents' satisfaction in nine categories, identifies key concerns, including the high cost of living, which is the most significant factor affecting residents' quality of life.
January Wildfires:
The wildfires have had significant physical and psychological impacts across Los Angeles County, the survey found.
More than two-fifths of respondents know someone personally affected, and 14% reported a loss of income due to the fires, according to the survey.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Quality of life in LA County is getting worse, residents say
The hardest-hit groups are disproportionately Latino, younger, and lower-income residents.
In terms of recovery and where the region goes from here, an overwhelming majority of county residents, 89%, believe that homeowners who lost their property to the fires should be allowed to rebuild at the same location. The same question was asked in 2019 after the Woolsey Fire near Simi Valley, and at that time, 76% agreed with allowing for rebuilding in the same
location.
In addition, a slight majority (52%) of county residents are willing to increase taxes to fund efforts to improve wildfire response.
Public Officials:
Attitudes toward public officials, including LA Mayor Karen Bass and the County Board of Supervisors, were also affected by the fire response.
In the case of Bass, 37% of survey respondents view her favorably and 49% unfavorably, while the county Board of Supervisors is viewed favorably by 34% and unfavorably by 37%.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Growing number of LA residents highly 'dissatisfied' with quality of life: survey
Cost Of Living:
The high cost of living is a major concern, with three-quarters of respondents identifying it as the most important factor affecting their quality of life. This issue has consistently been the lowest-rated category in terms of satisfaction over the past decade.
SUGGESTED: Here's how much the 'American Dream' costs in Los Angeles
"The overall satisfaction score on our QLI index is stuck for one main reason -the impact of the high cost of living. Those concerns were the highest in terms of importance of any category we’ve measured in the last decade. And cost of living continues to be the lowest rating category in terms of satisfaction," said Paul Maslin, a public opinion and polling expert with
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3 Research) who has overseen the QLI since its inception.
Immigration and Deportation:
Concerns about immigration and deportation have increased, with 44% of residents worried about potential deportation under the Trump Administration's policies.
Latinos and younger residents are most concerned and support local governments refusing to cooperate with federal policies.
SUGGESTED: Southern California couple deported after 35 years in US
"The new administration in Washington has once again brought the question of immigration and deportation to the fore," said Yaroslavsky. "A significant percentage of county residents (44%) are worried that they, a member of their family, or a friend could be deported by federal authorities, more than expressed the same concern in early 2017, at the onset of President Trump’s first administration (37%). This is very much an issue that is front and center on the minds of a large part of our county’s population.
Homelessness:
While homelessness remains a top concern, there is a slight shift in perception, with fewer residents believing the problem is worsening. Only 10% believe the situation is improving, indicating a small change in the narrative.
SUGGESTED: LA homeless services CEO resigns days after County votes to effectively defund agency
For the first time in recent years, the number of county residents who believe the problem is getting worse declined by nearly 10 points (from 60% in 2024 to 52% in 2025).
Quality Of Life Index:
The QLI survey, conducted from February 23 to March 9, 2025, involved 1,400 Los Angeles County residents.
The QLI features both the overall satisfaction of these residents rating based on nine distinct categories and also ranks the salience of those categories. Funding for the Quality of Life Index is provided by Meyer and Renee Luskin through the Los Angeles Initiative.
The Source: Information for this story is from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs survey published on April 16, 2025.