The Community

Close to 63,000 residents from all walks of life and backgrounds call Highland Park home, and many commute to work all across the city from its Metro Station. There are nine public elementary schools, Luther Burbank Middle School, and Benjamin Franklin High School, as well as private schools and Academia Avance charter school that serve students in the community.

Some famous musicians and actors grew up in Highland Park, including Beck, Jackson Browne, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, and Diane Keaton. The Tuesday Farmers Market on Figueroa brings people on foot for fresh produce, delicious treats, and local crafts, and the community comes alive at night with taco trucks and street vendors.

The Highland Park Recreation Center is another hub of activity, with a pool, fitness classes, baseball and soccer fields, a gym, and a running track, and Carlin G. Smith Recreation Center offers after school programs and summer camps for kids. Every October the Highland Park Film Festival screens new and upcoming films with directors, actors, and producers coming to talk about their craft. The Garvanza District at the northern edge of the neighborhood is a Bohemian enclave with historic Victorian and Craftsman homes, and grocery stores like the Tropicana, Cookbook, and Galco’s Old World Grocery epitomize Highland Park’s independent flavor.