Most descriptions of Manhattan Beach start with three names: the Sand Section, the Tree Section and the Hill Section. Those names are real and people use them every day. This guide explains where they come from. It gives the six formally published market areas the MLS uses for Manhattan Beach, the names attached to each one, the school campuses that serve the city with addresses and grade spans, and the zoning overlay that has two projects under construction on North Sepulveda Boulevard right now.
What Is Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach is a coastal city in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, incorporated on December 7, 1912, the date the City of Manhattan Beach gives as the filing date with the Secretary of State. The U.S. Census Bureau puts the land area of Manhattan Beach at 3.93 square miles, its April 1, 2020 population at 35,506 and its July 1, 2025 population estimate at 33,122. The Census Bureau reports a 2020 population density for Manhattan Beach of 9,025.4 people per square mile.
The name is borrowed. According to the city's own history page, John Merrill and his company named the new resort town after an exclusive beach hotel on Coney Island in New York. The city's history page also records two early marketing names still heard today, North Manhattan Beach and Peck's Manhattan Beach Tract.
The street that organizes the city's geography is Sepulveda Boulevard. The City of Manhattan Beach describes Sepulveda Boulevard as a major north-south transportation corridor in the South Bay that runs through the heart of Manhattan Beach, carrying major commercial tenants, medical facilities, financial institutions and small local businesses. Everything in this guide sits either west of it, on it, or east of it.
What Are the Neighborhoods of Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach is commonly divided into the Sand Section, the Tree Section, the Hill Section, Manhattan Village, Manhattan Heights and Liberty Village, and Mira Costa. Those are everyday and real estate names, and they appear as a formally published, numbered list in the California Regional Multiple Listing Service area table, which assigns Manhattan Beach six market areas numbered 142 through 147.
Two of the six names also turn up in city programs, and both show up on the Manhattan Beach parking permits page rather than in a zoning document. The city runs a Tree Section Residential Permit Parking Program with its own resident permit parking area, and a Mira Costa Area Override Permit covering a Mira Costa Residential Override Zone. A third program on that page, the Downtown Area Override Permit, is named for the commercial district rather than for one of the six areas.
Manhattan Beach Market Areas at a Glance
CRMLS area number | Official CRMLS area name | Name in everyday use | Where the name also appears in a city or state document |
|---|---|---|---|
142 | Manhattan Bch Sand | Sand Section | Not found in the city pages reviewed for this guide |
143 | Manhattan Bch Tree | Tree Section | Tree Section Residential Permit Parking Program, city parking permits page |
144 | Manhattan Bch Hill | Hill Section | Not found in the city pages reviewed for this guide |
145 | Manhattan Village | Manhattan Village | Manhattan Village Field, 1300 Parkview Avenue, city parks and facilities page |
146 | Manhattan Bch Heights/Lib Vlg | Manhattan Heights and Liberty Village | Manhattan Heights Park, 1600 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, city parks and facilities page |
147 | Manhattan Bch Mira Costa | Mira Costa | Mira Costa Area Override Permit, city parking permits page; Mira Costa High, 1401 Artesia Boulevard, California Department of Education |
Source: CRMLS Alphabetical Area List, published June 21, 2016 and updated April 15, 2025, cross-referenced against City of Manhattan Beach and California Department of Education pages accessed November 10, 2026.
What Does Each Manhattan Beach Area Name Refer To?
Sand Section, CRMLS Area 142
The Sand Section is filed by CRMLS as Manhattan Bch Sand, area 142, and it is the beachfront side of Manhattan Beach. One wrinkle is worth knowing: the CRMLS area list files El Porto under its own letter code, PRTO, rather than inside the numbered 142 to 147 block, and it carries no entry for The Strand or North Manhattan Beach. A Manhattan Beach search filtered to area 142 alone will not necessarily pick up everything marketed as El Porto. The City of Manhattan Beach describes The Strand on its visitor page as a beachfront route people walk, run, bike and skate along, and it issues overnight residential parking permits for beach lots including the El Porto Lot and the 26th Street Lot at Bruce's Beach.
Tree Section, CRMLS Area 143
The Tree Section is filed by CRMLS as Manhattan Bch Tree, area 143, and it is the one section name that turned up as a formal city program area in the pages reviewed for this guide. The city's parking permits page runs a Tree Section Residential Permit Parking Program with a defined Tree Section Resident Permit Parking Area. Of the three classic section names, the Tree Section is the only one that appears as a named program area in the city pages reviewed for this guide, and that boundary was drawn for parking rather than for real estate.
Hill Section, CRMLS Area 144
The Hill Section is filed by CRMLS as Manhattan Bch Hill, area 144, and the CRMLS area entry is the clearest published definition found in the sources reviewed for this guide. Of the six Manhattan Beach area names, this is the one that turned up in the fewest city documents during the research for this guide. If you are comparing listings across the Hill Section, the CRMLS area number is the dependable filter.
Manhattan Village, CRMLS Area 145
Manhattan Village is filed by CRMLS under that exact name as area 145, and it is one of the two area names that carries a matching city facility. The City of Manhattan Beach lists Manhattan Village Field at 1300 Parkview Avenue, west of Manhattan Country Club. The Manhattan Village Shopping Center, which the city's Sepulveda Corridor page lists among the corridor's major tenants, sits in the same part of the city and shares the name.
Manhattan Heights and Liberty Village, CRMLS Area 146
Manhattan Heights and Liberty Village share a single CRMLS market area, filed as Manhattan Bch Heights/Lib Vlg, area 146. This matters practically: a buyer searching one of those two names in the MLS is searching both at once, because CRMLS does not split them. Manhattan Heights is the name with the stronger civic footing, since the City of Manhattan Beach operates Manhattan Heights Park at 1600 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, which houses the Manhattan Heights Community Center.
Mira Costa, CRMLS Area 147
Mira Costa is filed by CRMLS as Manhattan Bch Mira Costa, area 147, and it takes its name from Mira Costa High, which the California Department of Education lists at 1401 Artesia Boulevard. The City of Manhattan Beach also runs a Mira Costa Area Override Permit covering a Mira Costa Residential Override Zone, so Mira Costa joins the Tree Section as a name the city uses for a program area.
Where Are the Parks and Civic Anchors in Manhattan Beach?
Outside the two parking program areas, the city pages reviewed for this guide publish facility addresses rather than neighborhood boundaries, so a civic address is often the most practical way to place yourself in Manhattan Beach. Polliwog Park is at 1601 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, at the corner of Redondo Avenue and Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Live Oak Park, which contains the Joslyn Community Center, is at 1601 North Valley Drive. Manhattan Heights Park is at 1600 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Marine Avenue Park is at 1625 Marine Avenue, and Manhattan Village Field is at 1300 Parkview Avenue west of Manhattan Country Club. Bruce's Beach is at Highland Avenue and 27th Street.
Sand Dune Park, at 33rd Street and Bell Avenue, runs on a reservation system that catches most newcomers out. The City of Manhattan Beach requires every patron aged 13 and over to hold a reservation to use the Dune, limits each person to one one-hour reservation per day, takes reservations online only up to seven days in advance, and accepts no phone-in or walk-in reservations. Children 12 and under need no reservation, and monthly passholders and adults 55 and over may walk up without a reservation if there is capacity once a session has begun.
What Schools Serve Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach Unified School District serves the city of Manhattan Beach, and the California Department of Education lists seven K-12 campuses in the district. Five are elementary schools serving kindergarten through grade five, one is a middle school serving grades six through eight, and one is a high school serving grades nine through twelve. In Manhattan Beach the state directory places Grand View Elementary at 455 24th Street, Meadows Avenue Elementary at 1200 Meadows Avenue, Pacific Elementary at 1200 Pacific Avenue, Aurelia Pennekamp Elementary at 110 South Rowell, Opal Robinson Elementary at 80 Morningside Drive, Manhattan Beach Middle at 1501 North Redondo Avenue and Mira Costa High at 1401 Artesia Boulevard.
Campus, as the California Department of Education names it | Address | Grades |
|---|---|---|
Grand View Elementary | 455 24th St., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | K to 5 |
Meadows Avenue Elementary | 1200 Meadows Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | K to 5 |
Pacific Elementary | 1200 Pacific Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | K to 5 |
Aurelia Pennekamp Elementary | 110 South Rowell, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | K to 5 |
Opal Robinson Elementary | 80 Morningside Dr., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | K to 5 |
Manhattan Beach Middle | 1501 North Redondo Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | 6 to 8 |
Mira Costa High | 1401 Artesia Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 | 9 to 12 |
Source: California Department of Education School Directory, Manhattan Beach Unified roster, accessed November 10, 2026. Note the official names: the directory records Meadows Avenue Elementary, Aurelia Pennekamp Elementary and Opal Robinson Elementary, not the shortened versions in common use.
On how a Manhattan Beach address maps to an elementary campus, the district's own enrollment page directs families to contact their "school of residence," language that points to residence-based assignment. The district's new-student enrollment page is the place to confirm which campus applies to a specific address before you write an offer.
What Is the Residential Overlay District Building in Manhattan Beach?
The Residential Overlay District is a Manhattan Beach zoning overlay that allows qualifying multifamily and mixed-use projects on specified commercial properties by right, without a public hearing. The City of Manhattan Beach established it in March 2023 through Ordinance No. 23-0006 in order to get its state-mandated 6th Cycle Housing Element certified, and the city states that the overlay applies to 34 sites comprising 75 parcels totaling roughly 43 acres, most of them along Sepulveda Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue.
To qualify, a project must sit on a parcel zoned Residential Overlay District, dedicate at least half its total floor area to residential use, and restrict at least a fifth of its units to lower-income households. The city ties the overlay to a Regional Housing Needs Allocation target of 774 units for the 2021 to 2029 planning period.
As of November 10, 2026, the city's Residential Overlay District page lists two Manhattan Beach sites under construction, with demolition, shoring or building permits issued: 2301 North Sepulveda Boulevard and 201 to 207 North Sepulveda Boulevard. Three more are in building permit review at 3600 North Sepulveda Boulevard, 1440 Rosecrans Avenue and 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, and a 48-unit project at 2705 North Sepulveda Boulevard is in preliminary planning review. If you are buying near the Sepulveda or Rosecrans corridors, that list is the page to check first.
There are protections attached. On September 16, 2025 the Manhattan Beach City Council adopted Ordinance No. 25-0008, which requires most large projects, including Residential Overlay District projects, to provide a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, to build a 12-foot sound barrier rated at sound transmission class 32 or better along any property line shared with residentially zoned property, and to file a Construction Management and Parking Plan.
Housing policy was also on the Manhattan Beach ballot in substance this month. The Daily Breeze reported on November 3, 2026, in an article by Tyler Shaun Evains, that incumbent Amy Howorth and former councilmember Richard Montgomery led the semi-official results for the two open Manhattan Beach City Council seats, and that former councilmember Mark Burton campaigned on developing criteria to oppose projects proposed under California's density bonus law. The Los Angeles County registrar was tentatively scheduled to certify those results on November 27, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About Manhattan Beach
What are the neighborhoods in Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach is commonly divided into the Sand Section, the Tree Section, the Hill Section, Manhattan Village, Manhattan Heights and Liberty Village, and Mira Costa. The California Regional Multiple Listing Service publishes these as six numbered market areas, 142 through 147, which is the numbered list the MLS itself maintains for the city. Two of the names, Tree Section and Mira Costa, also appear as city parking permit program areas.
What is the difference between the Sand Section, the Tree Section and the Hill Section in Manhattan Beach?
The Sand Section, Tree Section and Hill Section are three separate CRMLS market areas in Manhattan Beach, numbered 142, 143 and 144 respectively, with the Sand Section covering the beachfront side of the city. Of the three, the Tree Section is the only one that appears as a named city program area in the pages reviewed for this guide, through the Tree Section Residential Permit Parking Program.
What school district serves Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach Unified School District serves the city of Manhattan Beach. The California Department of Education lists seven K-12 campuses in the district: Grand View, Meadows Avenue, Pacific, Aurelia Pennekamp and Opal Robinson elementary schools, all serving kindergarten through grade five, plus Manhattan Beach Middle for grades six through eight and Mira Costa High for grades nine through twelve.
How does Manhattan Beach assign elementary schools?
Manhattan Beach Unified School District directs families to their "school of residence" for enrollment questions, language that points to residence-based assignment. The district's new-student enrollment page sends enrollment questions to that school of residence, so the practical step for a Manhattan Beach buyer is to confirm with the district which campus serves a specific address before making an offer.
What is the Residential Overlay District in Manhattan Beach?
The Residential Overlay District is a Manhattan Beach zoning overlay, established in March 2023 by Ordinance No. 23-0006, that permits qualifying multifamily and mixed-use projects on specified commercial properties by right without a public hearing. The City of Manhattan Beach applies it to 34 sites, comprising 75 parcels across about 43 acres, with most sites along Sepulveda Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue.
Is anything being built under the Residential Overlay District in Manhattan Beach?
Yes, two Manhattan Beach sites are under construction under the Residential Overlay District as of November 10, 2026: 2301 North Sepulveda Boulevard and 201 to 207 North Sepulveda Boulevard, both with demolition, shoring or building permits issued. The city also lists three sites in building permit review and a 48-unit project at 2705 North Sepulveda Boulevard in preliminary planning review.
Do you need a reservation for Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach?
Yes, Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach requires a reservation for every patron aged 13 and over. The City of Manhattan Beach limits each person to one one-hour reservation per day and takes bookings online only, up to seven days in advance. Children 12 and under need no reservation, and monthly passholders and adults 55 and over may walk up if there is capacity.
How big is Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach covers 3.93 square miles of land, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Bureau recorded a population of 35,506 for Manhattan Beach at the April 1, 2020 census and estimated 33,122 as of July 1, 2025, and it reports a 2020 population density for the city of 9,025.4 people per square mile.
Buying or Selling in a Manhattan Beach Area? Know Which One You Are In
Which of the six Manhattan Beach market areas a property sits in changes the comparable sales it gets measured against, and whether it sits near a Sepulveda or Rosecrans parcel in the Residential Overlay District changes what can go up next door without a hearing. Both are answerable before you write an offer or set a list price, and both are worth answering. If you are weighing a Manhattan Beach purchase or sale, send me the address and I will tell you its CRMLS area, its MBUSD campus and whether any Residential Overlay District site sits near it.
Before you Buy or Sell, Get the Intel.
Sources
- CRMLS Alphabetical Area List, California Regional Multiple Listing Service, published June 21, 2016, updated April 15, 2025.
- Residential Overlay District (ROD), City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- Parking Permits, City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- Parks and Facilities, City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- Parks and Recreation, City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- Discover Manhattan Beach, City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- History, City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- Sepulveda Corridor, City of Manhattan Beach, accessed November 10, 2026.
- School Directory, Manhattan Beach Unified, California Department of Education, accessed November 10, 2026.
- TK, Kindergarten and New Elementary Enrollment, Manhattan Beach Unified School District, accessed November 10, 2026.
- QuickFacts: Manhattan Beach city, California, U.S. Census Bureau, accessed November 10, 2026.
- Tyler Shaun Evains, "Election results: Howorth, Montgomery lead in semi-official results for Manhattan Beach City Council," Daily Breeze, November 3, 2026.
Area names and numbers in this guide come from the published CRMLS area table. No MLS listing data is reproduced in this post.
