Living in Redondo Beach, CA: North vs. South, Schools, Homes and Costs

By Frank Kenny, REALTOR® (DRE #01250123) · Frank Kenny Real Estate Team, eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles · Updated October 2026

Redondo Beach is really two cities in one: a beach-and-harbor town in South Redondo, around the pier, King Harbor and Riviera Village, and a quieter suburban North Redondo, set inland near the 405 and the Metro K Line. Both are served by the same A+ rated school district, and together they make Redondo the largest and usually the least expensive of the three Beach Cities.

I've helped buyers and sellers in the South Bay since 1998, and the most common Redondo question I hear is "North or South?" This guide answers that. It also covers what homes cost, how the schools work, and the things buyers should know first, from the closed AES power plant on the harbor to the city's own transfer tax.

Redondo Beach at a Glance

Fact	Redondo Beach
Population	71,576 (2020 Census)
Incorporated	1892 (charter city)
Land area	About 6.2 square miles
ZIP codes	90277 (mostly South Redondo), 90278 (mostly North Redondo)
School district	Redondo Beach Unified (RBUSD): Niche grade A+, ranked #10 in California (Niche 2026 rankings)
High school	Redondo Union High School
Distance to LAX	About 7–8 miles
Distance to downtown LA	About 16–20 miles, depending on where you start
Housing mix	54% single-family, 46% multi-family; 53% owner-occupied (ACS 2023)
Home types	Townhomes and condos, 1950s–70s houses, newer two-story homes, view homes
Market snapshot	Typical home value about $1.47 million (Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026)

What Is It Like to Live in Redondo Beach?

Living in Redondo Beach means living by the water without the tight lots and late-night crowds of the smaller Beach Cities, and with more housing choices than its neighbors. At 71,576 residents in the 2020 Census, Redondo has more than three times as many people as Hermosa Beach and about twice as many as Manhattan Beach, spread over roughly 6.2 square miles.

The city's character changes as you move inland. South Redondo is about the ocean: the horseshoe-shaped Redondo Beach Pier, the boats in King Harbor and the shops in Riviera Village. North Redondo has no beach of its own. It feels more like a classic South Bay suburb, with parks, schools and quick access to the 405 and to the Redondo Beach (Marine) station on the Metro K Line.

Redondo is also one of the three cities served by the Beach Cities Health District, which is based in Redondo and runs community health programs shared with Hermosa and Manhattan Beach.

What Are the Neighborhoods in Redondo Beach?

Redondo Beach splits into North Redondo and South Redondo, roughly matching the 90278 and 90277 ZIP codes. Within each, a few areas have their own reputations:

• The Esplanade (South Redondo): the oceanfront street south of the pier, lined with condos and homes that look straight at the water.
• The Avenues (South Redondo): lettered streets (Avenue A and on up) between Pacific Coast Highway and the beach, known for larger single-family homes on tree-lined blocks.
• Riviera Village (South Redondo): the walkable shopping and dining district at the city's southern tip, along Catalina Avenue and Avenue I. It borders Torrance's Hollywood Riviera.
• The pier and King Harbor area: condos, apartments and a few homes close to the marina, the restaurants and Seaside Lagoon.
• Golden Hills, also called the TRW Tract (North Redondo): developed in the 1950s on sloping streets, with homes many locals describe as "tall and skinny," built to catch views.
• The rest of North Redondo: a mix of single-family homes, newer two-story houses and multi-unit lots, near the Galleria, Aviation Boulevard and the K Line station.

The short version: South Redondo is for buyers who want to walk to the water. North Redondo is for buyers who want Redondo schools and a yard at a lower price, and who don't mind driving a few minutes to the beach.

What Kind of Homes Are in Redondo Beach, and What Do They Cost?

Redondo Beach's typical home value was about $1.47 million in September 2026, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Redfin's figure for actual sales was a median sale price of $1,533,500 in May 2026, with homes taking a median of 39 days to sell. Prices for a specific home can be well above or below these numbers. In general, South Redondo (90277) costs more than North Redondo (90278).

Redondo has more multi-unit housing than most South Bay cities. The Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey counts 54.1% of homes as single-family and 45.8% as multi-family, and the median home was built in 1972. Owners hold 53.4% of homes and renters 46.6%. In practice, buyers here are choosing among:

• Condos and townhomes, common near the harbor, along Pacific Coast Highway and in parts of North Redondo. These are often the entry point to the city.
• Mid-century houses from the 1950s through the 1970s, many of them remodeled or expanded.
• Newer two-story homes and "duplex-style" townhomes, built where older single homes or small apartment buildings used to be.
• View homes, in the hilly blocks of South Redondo and in Golden Hills.

Thinking of selling a Redondo home? Get a free home value estimate based on recent sales near you.

What Are the Schools Like in Redondo Beach?

Redondo Beach is served by one district, Redondo Beach Unified (RBUSD), which Niche grades A+ and ranks #10 among California school districts in its 2026 rankings. According to Niche, the district has 13 schools and about 9,400 students. Students from both North and South Redondo attend Redondo Union High School, which had 2,895 students in 2025-26, according to Ed-Data.

Below high school, the district runs eight elementary schools and two middle schools, Adams Middle School and Parras Middle School. Which elementary and middle school a home feeds into depends on the address, so check the district's school locator before you buy.

Two school bonds are on Redondo property tax bills: Measure Q, approved in 2012 at an estimated $24 per $100,000 of assessed value, and Measure S, a $278 million facilities bond approved in November 2024 at an estimated $29 per $100,000.

What Is There to Do in Redondo Beach?

Most of Redondo's free time happens along the water, from the pier to Riviera Village. Here are the places locals use most:

The Redondo Beach Pier reaching into the Pacific. Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

• Redondo Beach Pier: the horseshoe-shaped pier with seafood restaurants, fishing and arcades. The 1929 wooden pier was battered by storms and mostly destroyed by fire in 1988. Today's concrete pier opened in 1995.
• King Harbor: the marina north of the pier, home to sailing, paddleboarding, sportfishing and harbor restaurants. Its breakwater was finished in 1958, and its first boat slips opened by 1963.
• Seaside Lagoon: the protected swimming area inside the harbor. It is also the main stage for the BeachLife Festival, held May 1–3 in 2026.
• Riviera Village: boutiques, cafes and restaurants a block from the beach. The Riviera Village Summer Festival held its 48th year in June 2026.
• The Strand bike path: it starts at Torrance Beach and runs north about 20 miles through Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach to Santa Monica.
• Hopkins Wilderness Park: a hilltop nature park on a former Nike missile site, one of the few wild green spaces in the Beach Cities.
• South Bay Galleria: the indoor mall on the North Redondo–Lawndale border, which is also the site of a planned K Line station.

How Is the Commute from Redondo Beach?

Redondo Beach is about 7–8 miles from LAX and about 16–20 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and the drive time depends almost entirely on the 405. North Redondo sits right next to the freeway. From South Redondo, many drivers use Pacific Coast Highway or Aviation Boulevard to get there first.

Beach Cities Transit buses at the Redondo Beach Pier (2012). Photo: Oran Viriyincy, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Redondo is the only one of the three Beach Cities with a Metro rail station. The Redondo Beach (Marine) station in North Redondo is the southern end of the Metro K Line, which runs north to the E Line. Since June 2025, the K Line has stopped at the new LAX/Metro Transit Center on its way north to Inglewood and Expo/Crenshaw, which makes a train-plus-shuttle trip to the airport possible. In January 2026, the Metro Board approved the K Line Extension to Torrance, which adds a station at the South Bay Galleria. Metro's estimated completion is late 2036, pending funding.

Redondo also has major employers within the city, so some residents don't commute far at all. The largest is Northrop Grumman's Space Park campus. The school district, the city and The Cheesecake Factory are also among the principal employers in the city's financial reports.

What Should Buyers Know Before Buying in Redondo Beach?

Redondo Beach has three costs and risks that its neighbors don't share in the same way: a city transfer tax, an unsettled power plant site, and a harbor that takes big winter surf. Here's what to check.

1. Redondo has its own transfer tax

When a home sells, Redondo Beach charges a city documentary transfer tax of $2.20 per $1,000 of the sale price, on top of Los Angeles County's $1.10 per $1,000, according to the LA County Registrar-Recorder. On a $1.5 million sale, that's $3,300 to the city plus $1,650 to the county. Who pays it is negotiable, but sellers usually do, so build it into your net sheet.

2. The AES power plant site is still undecided

The AES Redondo Beach Generating Station, the large plant on Harbor Drive across from King Harbor, shut down on December 31, 2023. Its roughly 51-acre site, which includes designated wetlands, has been tied up in bankruptcy and legal disputes between the current owner and AES for about three years. The city turned down the owner's 2023 mixed-use plan, and the state has given Redondo $5 million toward possible parkland there. As of October 2026, nobody knows what will be built. If you're buying near Harbor Drive or Herondo Street, follow city council agendas, because the outcome could be a park, new housing, or something else.

3. Property taxes include school bonds

California's base property tax is 1% of your purchase price. Redondo bills also include voter-approved bonds such as RBUSD's Measures Q and S. Look up the exact tax rate for a specific parcel on the LA County property tax portal, and plan for a supplemental tax bill after closing.

4. The harbor and low blocks take winter surf

During winter storms and king tides, waves have washed over the King Harbor breakwater near the King Harbor Yacht Club, flooding the nearby parking lot and damaging docks. If you're looking at a home or boat slip near the harbor, ask about past storm damage, check the state's tsunami hazard map for that address, and get an insurance quote during your inspection period.

5. North vs. South is a real price and lifestyle choice

A North Redondo home often has more space for the money, while a South Redondo home lets you walk to the water. Spend a Saturday in both before you decide. Our South Bay buyer's guide walks through the rest of the process.

Pros and Cons of Living in Redondo Beach

Pros

• A beach city with a working harbor, a pier and Riviera Village, all in one place.
• An A+ rated school district (Niche) covering the whole city, with one shared high school.
• The only Metro rail station in the Beach Cities, with a K Line extension approved.
• Typical home values below Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
• More condo and townhome options, which gives first-time buyers a way in.

Cons

• A city transfer tax of $2.20 per $1,000 that Hermosa and Manhattan Beach sellers don't pay.
• The AES power plant site's future is still unknown.
• Heavy 405 traffic at rush hour, especially for North Redondo.
• Many homes from the 1950s–70s, which may need updating.
• North Redondo doesn't have a beach of its own.

Who Is Redondo Beach Best For?

Redondo Beach is best for buyers who want Beach City schools and lifestyle at a lower typical price than Hermosa or Manhattan Beach. It also works for boaters and paddlers who want to live near King Harbor, first-time buyers who are open to a townhome, and commuters who will use the K Line. Families often choose North Redondo for more space. Downsizers and walkers often choose South Redondo, near the Esplanade or Riviera Village.

Ready to look? Search homes for sale in Redondo Beach, see homes our team has sold, or talk with our team about North vs. South Redondo for your budget.

This guide is general information, not tax, legal or insurance advice. Tax rates, bond amounts and insurance availability change. Confirm the details for a specific property with the county, your escrow officer and your insurance agent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Redondo Beach a good place to live?

For many people, yes. Redondo Beach offers a pier, a marina and Riviera Village, and its school district, Redondo Beach Unified, is graded A+ by Niche. Its typical home value, about $1.47 million in September 2026 according to Zillow, is lower than in Hermosa Beach or Manhattan Beach.

What is the difference between North Redondo and South Redondo?

South Redondo, mostly ZIP code 90277, is the oceanfront side, with the pier, King Harbor, the Esplanade and Riviera Village. North Redondo, mostly 90278, is inland, with no beach of its own, and usually offers more space for the money. Both are in the Redondo Beach Unified School District and feed into Redondo Union High School.

What school district is Redondo Beach in?

All of Redondo Beach is in the Redondo Beach Unified School District, which Niche grades A+ and ranks #10 in California in its 2026 rankings. The district has 13 schools, and its one comprehensive high school is Redondo Union High School.

Does Redondo Beach have a transfer tax?

Yes. Redondo Beach charges a city documentary transfer tax of $2.20 per $1,000 of the sale price, in addition to Los Angeles County's $1.10 per $1,000. On a $1.5 million sale, that's about $4,950 in total transfer tax.

What is happening with the AES power plant in Redondo Beach?

The AES Redondo Beach Generating Station shut down on December 31, 2023. As of October 2026, its roughly 51-acre site is still tied up in bankruptcy and legal disputes, and its future use hasn't been decided. The state has given the city $5 million toward possible parkland on the site.

Can you take the train from Redondo Beach to LAX?

Yes, with a connection. The Metro K Line starts at the Redondo Beach (Marine) station in North Redondo and stops at the LAX/Metro Transit Center, which opened in June 2025. From there, riders take an airport shuttle to the terminals. LAX is about 7–8 miles from Redondo by car.

Featured image photo: Accipitre, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped and edited with added text.