h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Isn't that where lots of moderately wealthy people live?

Um, no, not when you consider that EVERYTHING in the LA area is extremely expensive. Living in Santa Monica can be reasonably cheap, although that may change as rent control ends. My own apartment in West LA is not markedly more expensive than an equivalent one in Santa Monica, and I do not consider myself to be a person of means, particularly.

Which is not to say that wealthy people SHOULDN'T want to live there, merely that they don't.

The wealthy folks (for reasons best known to themselves) all seem to want to live in Beverly Hills.

OK, so if LA is so expensive, why does anyone who doesn't have lots of money want to live there? Seems like a similar phenomenon to London and the Home Counties if you ask me.

Who knows? The Russians report that everyone there wants to live in Moscow, and I hear rents in New York aren't particlarly cheap either.

The only thing I can think of is that it must be WORTH a premium price to live in an area with high crime, smog, dirt, and crappy schools.