The San Fernando Valley isn’t a single market — it’s a chain of distinct communities strung along Ventura Boulevard, each with its own price ceiling, school reputation and personality. What they share: all six of the areas below are neighborhoods within the City of Los Angeles, all served by LAUSD, all backed against the Santa Monica Mountains that separate the Valley from the Westside. The defining local rule cuts across every one of them — “south of the Boulevard,” in the hills, carries a premium over the flats to the north. Here’s how the core Valley markets compare right now.
The Valley markets at a glance
| City | Median (first half 2026) | vs. first half 2025 | Homes sold (H1 2026) | For sale now | Approx. months supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman Oaks | $1,650,000 | up 12.6% | 254 | 427 | 9.7 |
| Encino | $1,700,000 | up 6.2% | 244 | 416 | 9.6 |
| Studio City | $1,950,000 | up 20.0% | 167 | 261 | 9.0 |
| Tarzana | $1,290,000 | down 9.1% | 143 | 227 | 9.2 |
| Woodland Hills | $1,249,000 | down 0.9% | 393 | 573 | 8.3 |
| Van Nuys | $910,000 | down 4.2% | 440 | 577 | 7.8 |
Read that top to bottom and the Valley’s price ladder is clear: Encino and Studio City at the top, anchored by estate pockets and studio-driven demand; Sherman Oaks close behind with its hills-versus-flats split; Tarzana and Woodland Hills in the solid middle; and Van Nuys as the dense, central, most-affordable entry point. The “over the hill” factor matters too — the closer a community sits to a canyon pass, the shorter the reach to Hollywood and the Westside, and the more buyers will pay for it.
South of the Boulevard: the Valley’s golden rule
In Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City and Tarzana, “south of Ventura Boulevard” means the hillside streets climbing toward the Santa Monica Mountains, and it consistently commands more than the flats to the north. Same city, same schools, very different price per foot. If you see two similar homes in one of these communities with a surprising price gap, the Boulevard is usually the reason.
Schools
All six are LAUSD, but the sought-after campuses vary by community — Carpenter Charter in Studio City, the highly rated pocket elementaries in Sherman Oaks and Encino, El Camino Real and Taft charters in Woodland Hills, and the SOCES magnet physically located in Tarzana. Because LAUSD attendance boundaries and magnet/charter admissions don’t always follow neighborhood lines, always confirm the assignment for a specific address.
Start with a community
Dive into any of them: Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Tarzana, Woodland Hills and Van Nuys.
Frequently asked questions
Which San Fernando Valley neighborhood is the most expensive?
Among these six, Encino and Studio City post the highest recent medians, driven by estate pockets and, in Studio City’s case, steady demand from the nearby studios. See the comparison table for current figures.
What does “south of the Boulevard” mean?
It refers to the hillside streets south of Ventura Boulevard, climbing toward the Santa Monica Mountains. Those homes generally sell for more than comparable homes in the flats north of the Boulevard.
Are all these areas in LAUSD?
Yes — all six are communities within the City of Los Angeles and are served by the Los Angeles Unified School District, though the specific schools and magnets vary by pocket.
Browse every home for sale across the San Fernando Valley, or pick a community above.
Source: recorded single-family, condo and townhome sales from this site’s live MLS/public-record IDX feed, covering January 1–June 30, 2026, with the same period in 2025 for comparison. County recording lags the closing table by several weeks, so first-half figures may firm up slightly as late-June sales finish recording; days-on-market is not carried in this feed. Small markets swing on a handful of sales — read price alongside count. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
