Key takeaways
- LA County residents are less satisfied with their quality of life than at any time in more than a decade, according to the 11th annual UCLA Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index.
- The overall index dropped to a historic low of 52, with six of the nine categories that comprise the index also falling to their lowest levels on record.
- Education, transportation/traffic and cost of living saw the steepest declines, reinforcing the ongoing strain of affordability and infrastructure challenges.
Los Angeles County residents are less satisfied with their quality of life than at any time in more than a decade, according to the 11th annual UCLA Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index, a project of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs in partnership with the California Community Foundation. The overall index dropped to a historic low of 52, with six of the nine categories that comprise the index also falling to their lowest levels on record.
Topline Numbers
- 52 – Lowest Quality of Life Index score on record
- 40% – Share of voters undecided in LA mayoral race
- 31% – Residents worried about deportation
- 26% – Residents reporting wildfire-related income loss
- 56% – Dissatisfied with wildfire recovery efforts
Declining quality of life
In addition to the drop in the overall index, eight of the nine categories that make up the index declined in satisfaction, with six reaching historic lows. Education, transportation/traffic and cost of living — already the lowest-rated areas — saw the steepest declines, reinforcing the ongoing strain of affordability and infrastructure challenges.
“Los Angeles County residents’ rating of their quality of life has been in decline since the peak of the COVID pandemic,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA Luskin, which conducts the poll. “We’ve been through a lot in the last five years. COVID, increases in the cost of living, immigration sweeps, and the Altadena and Palisades fires have taken their toll on virtually every aspect of our lives.
“Despite the challenges county residents have faced, when asked if they were generally optimistic or pessimistic about their own economic future in Los Angeles County, a majority of survey respondents (53%) said they were optimistic.”
Immigration enforcement driving anxiety
Immigration enforcement actions over the past year have contributed to widespread concern across the county. Nearly one-third of residents (31%) say they are worried that they or someone close to them could be deported.
These concerns are not abstract. Three in 10 residents report knowing someone who lost income or was afraid to leave home due to enforcement activity, and roughly 15% say they know someone who has been detained or deported. The impacts are most pronounced among Latino residents and younger Angelenos.
“The ICE sweeps have cast fear and insecurity in many of our communities,” said Yaroslavsky. “When so many residents are directly touched by these experiences, it’s no wonder that anxiety is widespread.”
Lingering impacts of 2025 wildfires
The economic effects of the 2025 wildfires continue to ripple across Los Angeles County. More than 1 in 4 residents (26%) report losing income due to the fires, and only a small share of those affected say they have fully recovered. Overall, about 1 in 5 residents continues to experience unrecovered financial losses tied to the disaster.
Public sentiment toward recovery efforts is broadly negative. A majority of residents (56%) report dissatisfaction with local government response and rebuilding efforts, including nearly one-third who are very dissatisfied.
Mayoral race remains wide open
The survey also gauged voter sentiment in the upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election, revealing a highly unsettled race. Among 813 likely June primary voters, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass leads with 25% support, followed by Spencer Pratt at 11% and Nithya Raman at 9%. A striking 40% of voters remain undecided — by far the largest bloc.
With no clear second-place candidate emerging, the findings suggest that while Bass is well positioned to advance, the contest for the second spot remains fluid and voter preferences are still taking shape.
The Quality of Life Index
The Quality of Life Index is based on a survey of 1,400 Los Angeles County residents conducted March 15–29, 2026, with a margin of error of 2.6%. The index is a project of the Los Angeles Initiative of the Luskin School, with major funding provided by Meyer and Renee Luskin and the California Community Foundation.
“The QLI captures both the hope and the challenges in Los Angeles,” said Miguel Santana, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation. “Through our partnership with UCLA Luskin over the next decade, we can better understand the region — and what it takes to ensure a good life is within reach for all.”
The full report is being released on April 15 as part of the UCLA Luskin Summit, which will focus on building community resilience through local solutions. In addition to Yaroslavsky and Santana, the event features other public officials, including former U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler, as well as scholars and community leaders.
