Tarzana spans the flat Valley floor north of Ventura Boulevard and hillside estates to the south — two very different markets sharing one name, named for Tarzan by author Edgar Rice Burroughs.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home price | ~$1.3–$1.4M (ZIP 91356, Redfin/Zillow, mid-2026); south-of-the-boulevard estates above $2M · details |
| Median days on market | Pull live · verify current figure |
| County | Los Angeles |
| ZIP codes | 91356 |
| School district | Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD) |
| Tax authority | Los Angeles County Assessor |
Where it sits and overview
Tarzana is a neighborhood of Los Angeles in the southern San Fernando Valley, in Los Angeles County, straddling Ventura Boulevard with the flat Valley floor to the north and hillside terrain rising into the Santa Monica Mountains to the south. The community famously takes its name from Tarzan: author Edgar Rice Burroughs owned the original ranch here.
As part of the City of Los Angeles, Tarzana's taxes and records are administered through the Los Angeles County Assessor and the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector.
Home types and price context
Tarzana spans a wide range, which is why a single citywide median is misleading. The flat areas north of Ventura Boulevard hold a mix of mid-century single-family homes, newer construction, and condos along the corridor, while the hillside "south of the boulevard" enclaves include large estates on bigger lots. As of mid-2026, ZIP 91356 ran roughly $1.3 to $1.4 million (Redfin/Zillow), but south-of-the-boulevard estate pockets push well above $2 million while flatland homes sit lower. Pull current comparables on our property search for a specific area.
Sub-neighborhoods and tracts
Where a home sits inside Tarzana shapes its character, lot size, price, and even its fire-hazard status:
- South of Ventura Boulevard (the hillside estates) — larger lots, custom and estate homes, gated enclaves rising toward the Santa Monica Mountains; this is the higher-priced, view-oriented side.
- North of Ventura Boulevard (the Valley floor) — flatter, more uniform single-family neighborhoods at more attainable prices, extending toward the Reseda border.
- The El Caballero Country Club area — an established estate enclave around the club (which is in Tarzana).
You may see marketing labels like "Tarzana Estates" applied to pockets; treat those as agent shorthand rather than official neighborhood names, and judge each home on its actual lot, street, and disclosures.
Schools
Tarzana is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Area schools include Tarzana Elementary and Portola Middle School, and the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES), LAUSD's largest magnet (grades 4–12), whose campus is physically in Tarzana despite its name.
For high school, Tarzana is split by address between Reseda Charter High School and Taft Charter High School — the dividing line runs by location, so do not assume a single high school. Attendance is assigned by the home's exact address; verify any specific home with the LAUSD Resident School Finder.
Fire hazard and insurance
The southern hillside portion of Tarzana, rising into the Santa Monica Mountains, lies within a CAL FIRE Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). The flat Valley-floor areas north of Ventura Boulevard generally do not. If you are considering a south-of-the-boulevard home, confirm the parcel's hazard status on the CAL FIRE map and obtain a firm insurance quote during your contingency period — insurability and premiums can affect both financing and value.
Mello-Roos and HOA
Most established Tarzana homes do not carry Mello-Roos (CFD) special taxes, since the area predates the special-tax districts common in newer master-planned construction. Some gated or newer hillside communities may carry HOA dues or, in limited cases, a CFD — verify the specific parcel's tax bill and any HOA before writing an offer.
Commute to the Westside and Valley
Tarzana is connected primarily by U.S. Route 101 (the Ventura Freeway), with Reseda Boulevard and Balboa Boulevard exits. The Westside is reachable over the hill, and the I-405 interchange to the east links toward West Los Angeles and LAX. Drive times swing widely by time of day; test your real route before committing.
Buyer and seller considerations
For buyers
Because Tarzana spans flatland and hillside, the same list price can carry very different risk and cost profiles. Request the preliminary title report and the property-tax bill early, and for hillside homes, confirm VHFHSZ status and shop insurance before removing contingencies.
- Get pre-approved with payment scenarios that include realistic insurance, especially for hillside parcels.
- Confirm the assigned schools (and the Reseda-Charter-vs-Taft-Charter high-school split) for the exact address.
- For estate homes, budget for the higher maintenance and insurance that larger lots and hillside exposure bring.
For sellers
Pricing rewards accurate, sub-area-specific comparables — a south-of-the-boulevard estate comp does not price a flatland home, and vice versa. Transparent disclosure of hazard status and insurance reduces fall-out risk. See our seller guide and buyer guide.
A closer look at Tarzana sub-areas
South of the boulevard
The hillside neighborhoods south of Ventura Boulevard are Tarzana's higher-priced segment: larger lots, custom architecture, privacy, and views toward the Valley or the mountains. The trade-offs are real and worth understanding before you fall in love with a property — many of these parcels sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which raises insurance cost and underwriting scrutiny, and hillside lots carry their own geological and access considerations. Buyers here are typically trading higher carrying and insurance costs for space, seclusion, and view.
North of the boulevard and the Reseda border
North of Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana flattens into more uniform single-family neighborhoods that extend toward the Reseda border. These areas offer more attainable entry points into Tarzana and the SOCES magnet draw, with the conveniences of the Ventura Boulevard corridor close by. Carrying costs are generally lower than the hillside, and fire-hazard exposure is reduced on the flats.
The El Caballero Country Club area
Around the El Caballero Country Club — which is genuinely in Tarzana — sits an established enclave of larger homes. Proximity to the club, mature landscaping, and a settled feel define the area; as always, confirm any club membership or HOA terms separately from the home purchase.
Schools serving Tarzana in depth
Tarzana sits entirely within LAUSD, the nation's second-largest district, so attendance is governed by LAUSD's address-based boundaries and its substantial charter and magnet ecosystem. Tarzana Elementary and Portola Middle School serve much of the community, and SOCES — a sought-after magnet spanning grades 4 through 12 — draws applicants from across the area, admitting by LAUSD's magnet point system rather than by address.
The most important nuance is high school: Tarzana is divided between Reseda Charter High School and Taft Charter High School depending on the home's location, and the boundary is set by LAUSD, not by neighborhood name. Two homes a short distance apart can feed different high schools. If a specific school is a deciding factor, verify the exact attendance area for the address with the LAUSD Resident School Finder before you write an offer.
Getting around: commute and access from Tarzana
Tarzana's spine is U.S. Route 101, and how quickly you reach it depends on where in the community you live. Flatland neighborhoods north of Ventura Boulevard tend to have quicker freeway access, while hillside homes south of the boulevard trade a longer drive down to the corridor for their privacy and views. From the 101, the I-405 interchange to the east connects toward West Los Angeles, the airport, and the Westside over the Sepulveda Pass — a corridor that can be slow at peak. The honest answer to "how long is the commute" is to drive your specific route at the hour you would actually travel it.
Understanding property tax and special assessments in Tarzana
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%. Unlike newer master-planned areas, most of Tarzana predates Mello-Roos, so special-tax exposure is generally limited — but always confirm by reading the actual tax bill and preliminary title report for the specific parcel, since gated or newer communities can carry HOA dues or, occasionally, a CFD. The tax authority of record is the Los Angeles County Assessor.
What buyers should know before making an offer in Tarzana
Tarzana rewards buyers who match the home to their risk tolerance and budget. The flatland-versus-hillside divide drives most of the differences in price, insurance, and maintenance.
- For hillside (south of the boulevard) homes, confirm VHFHSZ status and obtain a firm insurance quote before removing contingencies; insurability can affect financing.
- Request the preliminary title report and tax bill early; read any special assessment or HOA separately from the base rate.
- Confirm the assigned elementary, middle, and high schools (remembering the Reseda-Charter/Taft-Charter split) for the exact address.
Our buyer guide and first-time buyer guide cover these steps in detail.
What sellers should know in Tarzana
Pricing a Tarzana home starts with comparables drawn from the right sub-area: an estate south of the boulevard and a flatland home north of it are different markets with different buyers. Proactive disclosure — hazard status for hillside parcels, any HOA, and a realistic insurance picture — tends to attract stronger offers and fewer renegotiations. Our seller guide walks through prep, pricing, and timing.
Who Tarzana tends to fit
Tarzana fits buyers who want San Fernando Valley convenience with a spectrum of options — from attainable flatland single-family homes and the SOCES magnet draw to private hillside estates south of the boulevard. Those prioritizing space, views, and seclusion (and comfortable with higher insurance) gravitate to the hills; those prioritizing value and lower carrying costs favor the flats.
Local lifestyle in Tarzana
Day to day, Tarzana centers on its Ventura Boulevard corridor of dining and shopping, with the El Caballero Country Club, hillside trails, and the open space of the Santa Monica Mountains and Topanga State Park to the south. It offers a quieter, residential feel than the busier parts of the Valley while keeping the corridor's conveniences close.
What drives the Tarzana market: Ventura Boulevard and the south-of-the-boulevard estates
More than almost any neighborhood in the Valley, Tarzana's market is defined by a single line on the map: Ventura Boulevard. The boulevard is both the community's commercial spine — its dining, shopping, and services corridor — and the dividing line between two genuinely different housing markets. North of it lies the flat Valley floor; south of it, the land rises into the Santa Monica Mountains, and with that elevation come the south-of-the-boulevard estates that anchor the top of Tarzana's price range.
The estate market is the primary driver of Tarzana's reputation and its highest values. South-of-the-boulevard pockets offer larger lots, custom and gated architecture, privacy, and views toward the Valley or the mountains, and they include the established enclave around the El Caballero Country Club. These homes trade on land, seclusion, and prestige rather than on the metrics that price a flatland tract, and they routinely push well above the community-wide figure. The trade-off is concrete: many south-of-the-boulevard parcels sit in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which raises insurance cost and underwriting scrutiny, and hillside lots carry their own geological and access considerations.
Because the estate segment and the flatland segment are so different, a single Tarzana median is genuinely misleading. Public sources (Redfin/Zillow) put ZIP 91356 at roughly $1.3–$1.4 million in mid-2026, with south-of-the-boulevard estates running well above $2 million while flatland homes sit lower; treat any single figure as an approximate, source-dependent blend and pull a live, dated comp set for the specific pocket.
Tarzana home values by area (a tiered view)
Where a home sits relative to Ventura Boulevard shapes its price, lot size, and fire-hazard status more than any other factor. 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 vary widely by source and over time.
| Area / tier | Character | Relative price posture |
|---|---|---|
| South of Ventura Boulevard (hillside estates) | Larger lots, custom and gated estate homes with views, including the El Caballero Country Club enclave; many parcels in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone | Highest tier — estate premium, often well above $2M; higher insurance/carrying cost |
| North of the boulevard (Valley floor) | Flatter, more uniform single-family neighborhoods extending toward the Reseda border; SOCES magnet draw nearby | Core / accessible tier — broadest buyer pool, lower fire exposure |
| Corridor condos & attached homes | Condos and townhomes along the Ventura Boulevard corridor | Entry tier — the most attainable way into Tarzana |
LAUSD in Tarzana: an overview
Tarzana sits entirely within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation's second-largest district, so attendance is governed by LAUSD's address-based boundaries layered with its substantial charter and magnet ecosystem. Tarzana Elementary and Portola Middle School serve much of the community, and the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES) — LAUSD's largest magnet, spanning grades 4 through 12, whose campus is physically in Tarzana despite its name — admits by LAUSD's magnet point system rather than by address.
The single most important nuance is high school: Tarzana is split by address between Reseda Charter High School and Taft Charter High School, with the boundary set by LAUSD, not by neighborhood name. Two homes a short distance apart can feed different high schools. Because attendance and boundaries are the district's to set and can change, the only authoritative step is to verify the exact assignment for a specific address with the LAUSD Resident School Finder before you write an offer. The California School Dashboard is a useful starting point for performance context, but confirm assignment per address.
Commuting from Tarzana: the US-101 corridor
Tarzana's commute spine is U.S. Route 101 (the Ventura Freeway), which runs along the southern Valley with Reseda Boulevard and Balboa Boulevard exits serving the community. How quickly you reach it depends on where you live: flatland neighborhoods north of Ventura Boulevard tend to have quicker freeway access, while hillside homes south of the boulevard trade a longer drive down to the corridor for their privacy and views.
From the 101, the I-405 interchange to the east connects toward West Los Angeles, the airport, and the Westside over the Sepulveda Pass — a corridor that can be slow at peak. The Westside is also reachable directly over the hill from the south-of-the-boulevard pockets. Drive times swing widely with the time of day, so the honest answer to "how long is the commute" is to drive your specific route at the hour you would actually travel it.
Buyer and seller takeaways for Tarzana
Buyer takeaways
- Pick your side of the boulevard first. South-of-the-boulevard estates and north-of-the-boulevard flats are different markets with different prices, insurance, and maintenance — match the tier to your budget and risk tolerance.
- Underwrite hillside fire risk before you fall in love. For south-of-the-boulevard homes, confirm Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone status on the CAL FIRE map and get a firm insurance quote before removing contingencies; insurability can affect financing.
- Confirm the high-school split by address. Verify Reseda-Charter versus Taft-Charter assignment (and any SOCES magnet interest) with the LAUSD Resident School Finder for the exact address.
- Pull a live, dated comp set. A single Tarzana median blends very different segments; price your target pocket off current, like-for-like comps.
Seller takeaways
- Price from the right sub-area. An estate south of the boulevard does not price a flatland home north of it, and vice versa — draw comparables from the matching segment and buyer pool.
- Lead with what your tier offers. Land, views, and seclusion for the estates; value, lower carrying cost, and the SOCES draw for the flats.
- 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
Is Tarzana in a fire zone?
The southern hillside portion of Tarzana, rising into the Santa Monica Mountains, lies within a CAL FIRE Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone; the flat areas north of Ventura Boulevard generally do not. Confirm the parcel on the CAL FIRE map and get an insurance quote early.
What high school serves Tarzana?
Tarzana is split by address between Reseda Charter High School and Taft Charter High School - it is not a single school. Verify the assignment for a specific address with the LAUSD Resident School Finder.
Is the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana?
Yes. The El Caballero Country Club is in Tarzana, and the area around it is an established estate enclave.
What is the median home price in Tarzana?
As of mid-2026, ZIP 91356 ran roughly $1.3 to $1.4 million (Redfin/Zillow), but south-of-the-boulevard estates push well above $2 million while flatland homes sit lower. Pull a live comp set for a specific area.
What county is Tarzana in?
Tarzana is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County.
Does Tarzana have Mello-Roos?
Most established Tarzana homes do not carry Mello-Roos, since the area predates the special-tax districts common in newer construction. Verify any gated or newer community's tax bill and HOA.
What is SOCES and is it in Tarzana?
The Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES) is LAUSD's largest magnet, grades 4-12; despite its name, its campus is physically in Tarzana. It admits by LAUSD's magnet point system, not by address.
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 San Fernando Valley office.
How many days are Tarzana homes on the market?
Days on market is time-sensitive and varies sharply by sub-area: flatland homes north of Ventura Boulevard generally absorb faster than higher-priced hillside estates south of the boulevard. Pull a live, dated MLS set for the current figure.
Is Tarzana a seller's market or a buyer's market?
It splits by segment. The accessible flatland north of Ventura Boulevard tends to favor sellers, while the higher-priced south-of-the-boulevard estate market is thinner and can be more negotiable. Conditions shift by month and price point — confirm with a current, dated MLS set.
Where does the Tarzana market data come from?
Public sources (Redfin/Zillow) and regional MLS data inform these figures; they are approximate, vary by source, and are time-sensitive. See our data sources and methodology page, and verify any number against a live, dated MLS set.
How has the Tarzana market changed versus a year ago?
Year-over-year, Tarzana pricing has been broadly steady at the blended level, but the flatland and the south-of-the-boulevard estate segments move on their own dynamics, so a single year-over-year figure is misleading. Compare like-for-like comps and pull a live, dated MLS set.
What should buyers and sellers do in the current Tarzana market?
Buyers should match the home to their budget and risk — confirming VHFHSZ status and insurance for hillside homes and the Reseda-Charter/Taft-Charter high-school split by address. Sellers should price from the correct sub-area comps and disclose hazard and insurance up front. Pull a live, dated MLS set first.
Local restaurants & things to do in Tarzana
Tarzana's dining runs along Ventura Boulevard, with a strong showing of Mediterranean, Italian, and Mexican spots, plus a community recreation center and cultural center just off the boulevard.
Where to eat
- Hummus Bar and Grill — Mediterranean and Israeli on Ventura Blvd
- Sol y Luna — Mexican on Ventura Blvd
- Greystoke Grill — American on Ventura Blvd
- Fabrocini's Italian Kitchen — Italian on Ventura Blvd
- Gio Cucina Napoletana — Neapolitan Italian on Ventura Blvd
- TLV Tapas Bar — Mediterranean small plates
Things to do
- Tarzana Recreation Center — city park with sports courts, fields, and a jogging trail
- Tarzana Community & Cultural Center — venue for community classes, art, and music
Local spots change hands and hours — please confirm directly before visiting. These are popular local picks for orientation, not paid endorsements.
