Granada Hills is a residential north San Fernando Valley community known for Granada Hills Charter High School and a mix of flatland and hillside neighborhoods.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,000,000 (site data) |
| Median days on market | ~25 days |
| List-to-sale ratio | 100.1% |
| Year-over-year change | -0.5% |
| Median price per sq ft | $562 |
| Population | ~50,000 (district est.) |
| County | Los Angeles |
| ZIP codes | 91344, 91326 |
| School district | Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); Granada Hills Charter High School (independent charter) |
| Tax authority | Los Angeles County Assessor |
Where it sits and overview
Granada Hills is part of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. Granada Hills sits in the north Valley below the Santa Susana foothills, bordered by Porter Ranch, Northridge, Mission Hills, and Sylmar.
As a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, Granada Hills taxes and records are administered through the Los Angeles County Assessor and the Los Angeles County tax collector.
Home types and price context
Granada Hills offers established mid-century single-family neighborhoods on the flats and larger hillside homes to the north, with some newer construction.
Neighborhood character
Granada Hills is a settled, residential community whose appeal centers heavily on Granada Hills Charter High School, one of the largest charter schools in the state. The community splits between flatter suburban neighborhoods south of the 118 and hillside areas rising toward the foothills.
Schools
Granada Hills is served by Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); Granada Hills Charter High School (independent charter). School attendance is assigned by the home's exact address, not by community name, and boundaries can change — always verify the assigned schools for a specific Granada Hills address with the district before relying on them.
Fire hazard and insurance
Parts of Granada Hills, particularly the hillside and canyon areas, can fall within a CAL FIRE Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), while the flat areas generally do not. If you are considering a hillside home, confirm the parcel's status on the CAL FIRE hazard map and obtain a firm insurance quote during your contingency period, since insurability and premiums can affect both financing and value.
Mello-Roos and HOA
Most established Granada Hills homes do not carry Mello-Roos (CFD) special taxes, since the area predates the special-tax districts common in newer master-planned construction. Some newer tracts, gated communities, or condos may carry a CFD or HOA dues; verify the specific parcel's tax bill and any HOA before writing an offer.
Commute and access
Granada Hills is connected primarily by State Route 118, Interstate 405, and Interstate 5. Drive times swing widely with the time of day, so the honest answer to “how long is the commute” is to test your specific route at the hour you would actually be driving it.
Buyer and seller considerations
For buyers
Before writing an offer in Granada Hills, request the preliminary title report and the property-tax bill so you can see any Mello-Roos special tax and HOA dues separately from the base 1% ad valorem rate. Two similar-looking homes can carry very different monthly costs.
- Get pre-approved with payment scenarios that include any special tax, HOA, and realistic insurance — not just principal, interest, base tax, and a placeholder insurance figure.
- Confirm the school attendance area for the exact address.
- Where relevant, confirm wildfire-hazard-zone status and shop insurance early, before removing contingencies.
For sellers
Pricing in Granada Hills rewards accurate, current comparables and clean disclosure. Buyers are payment-sensitive at today's rates, so presenting transparent carrying costs up front reduces fall-out risk. See our seller guide and buyer guide.
A closer look at Granada Hills
A key nuance for buyers is the Granada Hills Charter High School preference boundary: the school admits by lottery when oversubscribed but gives a grades 9–12 enrollment preference to applicants within its legacy attendance boundary, which follows the old LAUSD map rather than neighborhood lines. Some homes in adjacent areas can fall inside that preference zone, while some 'Granada Hills' homes may not — always verify per address.
Schools serving Granada Hills in depth
Granada Hills is served by Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); Granada Hills Charter High School (independent charter). The most important point for buyers is that attendance is governed by address-based boundaries, not by community or street name — two homes a short distance apart can feed different schools, and districts periodically adjust boundaries as enrollment shifts. If a specific school is a deciding factor, confirm the exact attendance area for any address directly with the district before you write an offer, since the published map is the only authoritative source. Our overview links and the California School Dashboard are good starting points.
Getting around: commute and access from Granada Hills
Granada Hills's position shapes how residents reach the freeways and job centers. Most commuters funnel toward the nearest freeway via local arterials, then head toward their destination; drive times vary widely by time of day. Whatever your destination, verify your own route and timing before committing — a weekday-morning test drive is worth more than any general estimate.
Understanding property tax and special assessments in Granada Hills
California's base property-tax rate is roughly 1% of assessed value under Proposition 13, plus local voter-approved bonds, for a typical effective rate a little above 1%. Most established Granada Hills homes do not carry Mello-Roos (CFD) special taxes, since the area predates the special-tax districts common in newer master-planned construction. Some newer tracts, gated communities, or condos may carry a CFD or HOA dues; verify the specific parcel's tax bill and any HOA before writing an offer. The tax authority of record is the Los Angeles County Assessor; confirm any special assessment or HOA by reading the actual property-tax bill and preliminary title report for the specific parcel, since amounts are parcel-specific and can include scheduled escalations.
What buyers should know before making an offer in Granada Hills
Granada Hills rewards buyers who do their homework on carrying costs and hazard status before they fall in love with a floor plan.
- Get pre-approved with payment scenarios that include any Mello-Roos special tax and HOA dues.
- Request the preliminary title report and property-tax bill early, and read the special-tax line separately from the base 1% rate.
- Check wildfire-hazard status where relevant and shop insurance before removing contingencies, not after.
- In more rural pockets, confirm whether the home is on a private well or septic system rather than municipal service.
Our buyer guide and first-time buyer guide cover these steps in detail.
What sellers should know in Granada Hills
Pricing a Granada Hills home well starts with current, accurate comparables drawn from the right sub-area, since carrying-cost profiles differ across the community. Because today's buyers are payment-sensitive, the listings that move cleanly are the ones that present transparent costs up front. Clean, decluttered, well-photographed homes with proactive disclosure tend to attract stronger offers and fewer renegotiations. Our seller guide walks through prep, pricing, and timing.
Who Granada Hills tends to fit
Granada Hills fits buyers drawn to the Charter High School and a settled, suburban north-Valley feel, including buyers wanting larger hillside lots.
Local lifestyle in Granada Hills
Granada Hills offers the O'Melveny Park and foothill trails, the Granada Hills recreation scene, a walkable stretch of Chatsworth Street, and a quieter, residential pace.
What drives the north San Fernando Valley market in Granada Hills
Granada Hills sits at the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley, below the Santa Susana foothills, and three forces shape demand here more than anywhere else in the north Valley. The first and largest is the draw of Granada Hills Charter — one of the largest independent charter schools in the nation, serving thousands of students across two campuses (the main Zelzah campus and the Devonshire campus). At the high-school grades, the charter gives an enrollment preference to applicants who live inside its legacy "pre-charter" attendance boundary, so families routinely orient their home search around that zone. Because the preference follows the old LAUSD attendance map rather than tidy neighborhood lines, the Charter draw effectively prices a slice of the housing stock independent of the rest of the north Valley.
The second driver is the contrast between the hills and the flats. North of Rinaldi Street and rising toward the foothills, lots get larger, views open up, and homes skew custom and higher-priced — with the trade-off that wildland-adjacent parcels can sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, raising insurance cost and underwriting scrutiny. South of the 118 the community flattens into established mid-century single-family tracts at more attainable price points, where Charter-zone demand is most intense.
The third is the Knollwood area on the community's northwest side, a settled hillside-adjacent pocket near the Knollwood golf course with its own established, view-influenced character. Together these three forces — the Charter draw, the hills-versus-flats divide, and Knollwood — explain why a single Granada Hills median blends several genuinely different micro-markets. Per regional MLS data, the Granada Hills median is about $1,000,000 as of mid-2026; treat that as a blended snapshot and pull a live, dated MLS set for a specific street or price band.
Granada Hills home values by area (a tiered view)
Where a home sits inside Granada Hills shapes its price, lot size, fire-hazard exposure, and even its Charter preference status. The table below is a qualitative guide to how the sub-areas generally rank against one another — it is not a substitute for a live, dated comp set, and exact figures move with the market.
| Area / tier | Character | Relative price posture |
|---|---|---|
| North of Rinaldi / the hills | Larger lots, custom and view homes rising toward the Santa Susana foothills; some parcels in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone | Highest tier — view and lot premium, higher insurance/carrying cost |
| Knollwood (northwest) | Settled hillside-adjacent pocket near the Knollwood golf course; established, view-influenced character | Upper-middle tier — premium for setting and seclusion |
| South flats (below the 118) | Established mid-century single-family tracts; most intense Charter-zone demand; flatter, lower fire exposure | Core / accessible tier — broadest buyer pool, strongest absorption |
LAUSD and Granada Hills Charter High School: a closer look
Granada Hills sits within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation's second-largest district, so traditional attendance follows LAUSD's address-based boundaries. Layered on top of that is Granada Hills Charter, an independent charter operating two campuses and serving students across the TK–12 span — one of the largest charter schools in the country by enrollment. The point that matters most for buyers is admissions: when the school is oversubscribed it fills seats by lottery, but at the high-school grades it gives an enrollment preference to applicants residing within its legacy pre-charter attendance boundary.
That preference boundary follows the old LAUSD attendance map, not neighborhood or city-sign lines, so some homes in adjacent areas can fall inside the preference zone while some homes that feel like "core" Granada Hills may not. There is no equivalent residence preference at the TK–8 grades. Because the boundary and the admissions rules are set by the school and can change, the only authoritative step is to check the specific address against the school's published boundary map and current enrollment policy before you write an offer. Our overview links and the California School Dashboard are good starting points, but verify per address.
Commuting from Granada Hills: the SR-118 and I-405 corridors
Granada Hills is framed by two main freeway corridors. State Route 118 (the Ronald Reagan Freeway) runs east–west across the community's south side, linking westward toward Porter Ranch, Chatsworth, and Simi Valley and eastward toward the I-405 and I-5 interchanges. Interstate 405, reached just east of the community, is the primary north–south artery toward the Westside and, over the Sepulveda Pass, West Los Angeles, UCLA, and LAX — a stretch that can be slow at peak. Interstate 5 to the east adds a route toward Santa Clarita and downtown.
How quickly you reach the freeway depends on where in Granada Hills you live: flatland homes south of the 118 generally have quicker on-ramp access, while hillside homes to the north trade a longer drive down to the corridor for their lots and views. Drive times swing widely with the time of day, so the honest answer to "how long is the commute" is to test your specific route at the hour you would actually be driving it — a weekday-morning trial run is worth more than any general estimate.
Buyer and seller takeaways for Granada Hills
Buyer takeaways
- Anchor on the Charter preference zone. If Granada Hills Charter at the high-school level matters to you, confirm the exact address against the school's published boundary map and current policy before writing — do not assume by neighborhood name.
- Match the tier to your budget and risk. Hillside and Knollwood homes carry view and lot premiums plus higher insurance; south-flat homes offer the broadest, most competitive accessible band.
- Underwrite hillside fire risk early. For north-of-Rinaldi parcels, confirm Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone status on the CAL FIRE map and get a firm insurance quote before removing contingencies.
- Pull a live, dated MLS set. The ~$1,000,000 median blends very different sub-areas; price your target band off current, like-for-like comps.
Seller takeaways
- Price from the right sub-area. A hillside or Knollwood comp does not price a south-flat home, and vice versa — draw comparables from the matching tier.
- Lead with the Charter story where it applies. If the home sits in the preference zone, make that verifiable and prominent; it widens your buyer pool.
- Disclose hazard and insurance up front. For hillside listings, transparent fire-zone and insurance information reduces fall-out and renegotiation.
- Present clean and current. Decluttered, well-photographed homes with accurate, current pricing move best in a payment-sensitive market. Pull a live, dated MLS set before setting list price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Granada Hills Charter High School boundary work?
Granada Hills Charter admits by lottery when oversubscribed but gives a grades 9–12 enrollment preference to applicants within its legacy 'pre-charter' attendance boundary, which follows the old LAUSD map rather than neighborhood lines. Verify a specific address against the school's boundary map.
Can a home outside Granada Hills be in the Charter preference zone?
Possibly. Because the preference boundary follows the legacy attendance map, some homes in adjacent areas can fall inside it, while some 'Granada Hills' homes may not. Confirm the specific address against the school's published boundary.
Is Granada Hills in a fire zone?
Hillside and foothill parcels to the north can fall within a CAL FIRE Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone; the flatter areas generally do not. Confirm the parcel on the CAL FIRE map and get an insurance quote early.
What schools serve Granada Hills?
Granada Hills is served by LAUSD, with Granada Hills Charter High School (an independent charter) a major draw. Verify the assigned and preference schools per address.
What county is Granada Hills in?
Granada Hills is in Los Angeles County, California, part of the San Fernando Valley.
Does the Brian Cooper team have a San Fernando Valley office?
No. The Brian Cooper Real Estate Team serves the San Fernando Valley from our Simi Valley headquarters; we do not maintain a local office.
What is the median home price in Granada Hills in 2026?
Per regional MLS data, the Granada Hills median is about $1,000,000 as of mid-2026. A median is a snapshot that blends north-of-Rinaldi hillside homes, the Knollwood area, and the south flats — pull a live, dated MLS set for a specific street, price band, or period before relying on it.
How many days are Granada Hills homes on the market?
Days on market is time-sensitive and varies by price band and sub-area; well-priced, move-in-ready homes in the Charter preference zone tend to move faster than higher-priced hillside listings. Pull a live, dated MLS set for the current figure.
Is Granada Hills a seller's market or a buyer's market?
Granada Hills has generally favored sellers in the accessible price bands where Charter-zone demand is strongest, while higher-priced hillside homes can take longer and negotiate more. Conditions shift by month and price point — confirm with a current, dated MLS set.
Where does the Granada Hills market data come from?
Market figures are drawn from regional MLS data and public records, are approximate, and are time-sensitive. See our data sources and methodology page, and verify any number against a live, dated MLS set.
How has the Granada Hills market changed versus a year ago?
Year-over-year, Granada Hills pricing has been broadly flat to modestly changed at the median, with the accessible Charter-zone bands holding up better than higher-priced hillside homes. Because a median blends very different sub-areas, compare like-for-like comps and pull a live, dated MLS set.
What should buyers and sellers do in the current Granada Hills market?
Buyers should get pre-approved with realistic insurance and tax scenarios, confirm the Charter preference zone and school assignment by exact address, and move decisively on well-priced Charter-zone homes. Sellers should price from current sub-area comps, disclose hillside fire-hazard and insurance status up front, and present clean, well-photographed homes. Pull a live, dated MLS set first.
