El Segundo

El Segundo homes for sale sit in a small beach city with its own school district, a walkable downtown and a major aerospace job center. It's also a city with real neighbors: Los Angeles International Airport to the north, the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant on the coast and the Chevron refinery to the south. Buyers who understand all of it make better decisions here.

Where Do People Live in El Segundo?

Most of El Segundo's homes are west of Sepulveda Boulevard, in the neighborhoods between Imperial Highway to the north and El Segundo Boulevard to the south, running toward the coast. Main Street and Center Street, which runs parallel to it, are at the heart of that residential area. Main Street also has great restaurants, and the downtown blocks around Main Street and Richmond Street are walkable from many homes.

What Are the Different Parts of El Segundo Called?

El Segundo is small, and apart from its city planning districts it doesn't have formally named neighborhoods. Locals usually describe areas by location:

• Downtown, sometimes called Old Town: the city's original core around Main Street and Richmond Street. The city's Downtown Specific Plan splits it into four districts: Main Street, Richmond Street, Grand Avenue and Civic Center. It's surrounded by residential streets within walking distance of the restaurants.
• The west side: the residential streets west of Main Street toward the coast. They're closer to the beach and, on the north end, closer to the Hyperion plant.
• The east side: the residential streets east of Main Street toward Sepulveda Boulevard, north of Smoky Hollow.
• Smoky Hollow: the older light-industrial district east of downtown, between downtown and Sepulveda Boulevard and just north of El Segundo Boulevard and the refinery. It's named for smoke from the Standard Oil refinery that opened in 1911, and the city's Smoky Hollow Specific Plan is guiding it toward creative office and light industrial uses.
• East of Sepulveda: mostly commercial and aerospace, with little housing.

Where Should Families Look in El Segundo?

If you have kids, look at how close a home is to Recreation Park, at 401 Sheldon Street, and to the district's two elementary schools, Center Street Elementary and Richmond Street Elementary. Most of the city's homes are on the residential streets west of Sepulveda Boulevard. Confirm the assigned school for the exact address with the district.

Where Is El Segundo's Aerospace Corridor?

East of Sepulveda, the city is mostly commercial, including a major aerospace corridor. Los Angeles Air Force Base, home of the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command, is here, along with companies like Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and The Aerospace Corporation. That job base sits within a short drive of El Segundo's homes.

What Should Buyers Know About LAX Noise?

LAX sits right next to El Segundo, and aircraft noise is part of life in parts of the city. Before you buy, visit the home at different times of day and listen. Homes closest to the airport may qualify for the LAX Residential Sound Insulation Program, run by Los Angeles World Airports with the FAA. To qualify, a home must be inside the FAA-approved 65-decibel noise contour, be zoned residential or mixed-use, have been built before October 1, 1998, and pass an acoustical test showing interior noise of at least 45 decibels. Qualifying homes can get new windows, doors and ventilation at no cost to the homeowner. Ask whether a home has already been treated.

What Is the Hyperion Plant, and Does It Affect El Segundo Homes?

The Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant sits on the coast at El Segundo's northwest edge, just inside the City of Los Angeles, and is Los Angeles' largest wastewater treatment plant. In July 2021, a failure at the plant released about 17 million gallons of raw sewage into the ocean, and residents dealt with lingering odors afterward. The South Coast Air Quality Management District received more than 3,000 odor complaints and issued 49 notices of violation, 47 of them for public nuisance, in the year and a half after the July 2021 incident. Los Angeles has a long-term plan, called Hyperion 2035, to upgrade the plant to recycle its wastewater, though LA Public Press reported in June 2024 that the timeline may slip. If you're looking at homes on the west side of town, ask neighbors about odor and check the latest updates from the air district.

What Else Should Buyers Check?

The Chevron El Segundo Refinery takes up a large area south of El Segundo Boulevard. Just south of it is Manhattan Beach. Know where a home sits relative to the refinery, the airport and the plant, and weigh that alongside the schools and the location.

What Is Changing in Downtown El Segundo?

On May 21, 2024, the City Council adopted a new Downtown Specific Plan, effective June 20, 2024. It organizes downtown into four districts, Main Street, Richmond Street, Grand Avenue and Civic Center, and its environmental review studied two possible new parking structures. Separately, the Smoky Hollow Specific Plan guides the redevelopment of about 120 acres of older industrial land into creative office and light industrial space. These plans could change how downtown feels and functions over the next several years, so they're worth watching if you're buying near Main Street.

Which Schools Serve El Segundo?

El Segundo has its own district, the El Segundo Unified School District. It's a small district, with Center Street Elementary and Richmond Street Elementary, El Segundo Middle School, El Segundo High School and Arena High School, the district's continuation and virtual campus. Confirm the assigned schools for the exact address with the district.

How Do You Get an El Segundo Home Ready to Sell?

The first impression happens at the curb. Fix anything that is broken, add simple color to the landscaping, and clean up the house and outdoor areas. Skip big-ticket items like a new garage door or exterior lighting. Refresh the interior paint, replace burnt-out bulbs and keep the home clean for showings. If your home has been through the LAX sound insulation program, say so in the marketing.

Thinking about selling in El Segundo? Call or text me directly at 310-592-1243 or request a home valuation, and I'll walk you through what buyers will focus on for your home.

El Segundo Questions

Is El Segundo affected by LAX airport noise?

Yes. LAX is right next to El Segundo, and parts of the city hear aircraft noise. Homes inside the FAA-approved 65-decibel noise contour that were built before October 1, 1998 may qualify for the LAX Residential Sound Insulation Program, which can provide new windows, doors and ventilation at no cost to the homeowner.

Does the Hyperion plant cause odors in El Segundo?

Yes, at times. The Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant on El Segundo's coast had a major sewage release in July 2021, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District logged more than 3,000 odor complaints after that incident. Buyers looking on the west side of town should ask neighbors about odor and check the air district's latest updates.

Does El Segundo have named neighborhoods?

No, not formally. Locals usually describe areas by location: Downtown, sometimes called Old Town, around Main Street and Richmond Street; the west side toward the coast; the east side toward Sepulveda Boulevard; and Smoky Hollow, a light-industrial district east of downtown. East of Sepulveda is mostly commercial and aerospace.

What school district serves El Segundo?

The El Segundo Unified School District. It's the city's own small district, with Center Street Elementary, Richmond Street Elementary, El Segundo Middle School, El Segundo High School and Arena High School, the district's continuation and virtual campus.

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