Lakewood

Lakewood is its own city, not a Long Beach neighborhood. It borders Long Beach on the west, northwest, and south, and it has its own city hall, parks system, and identity. Built as a post-World War II planned community beginning in 1949 and incorporated in 1954, it still delivers what drew those first families: tidy tree-lined blocks, a park close to every home, and an easy, practical pace of daily life. Housing is mostly single-family, led by classic post-war tract homes that owners have expanded and updated over the decades. Lakewood is a smart place to right-size, settle an inherited family home, or hold a well-located property for the long term. When a house has been in the family for decades, a clear plan for pricing, repairs, and timing makes all the difference. Errands center on Lakewood Center, the regional mall that opened in 1951. Mayfair Park and Bolivar Park anchor local recreation, and a nature trail follows the west side of the San Gabriel River. Schools depend on the address, since parts of the city are served by Long Beach Unified, Bellflower Unified, ABC Unified, or Paramount Unified. One more note: Lakewood Village is a separate Long Beach neighborhood with its own story.