Los Angeles Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (39/100)
Is Los Angeles safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Los Angeles scores 39/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise normal security precautions. The US State Department does not issue advice for United States. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Political instability (score 20)
Environmental quality (score 55)
September 27, 2026
Los Angeles, United States has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 39 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is environmental quality at 55/100; the lowest-rated category is political instability at 20/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the United States travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Los Angeles to visit in 2026?
Los Angeles currently sits at 39/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Los Angeles is environmental quality (55/100), and the lowest is political instability (20/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: natural hazards (74/100) and security (35/100).
A score of 39 is higher than 40% of the cities we score.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 16, 2026
Los Angeles maintains a moderate risk level with a baseline composite score of 39 out of 100, alongside a Level 1 global dengue health notice from the CDC. Recent safety alerts include a green earthquake event, as well as high surf advisories and coastal flood warnings for the Malibu Coast and Los Angeles extending through Sunday.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 17:23 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Environmental quality (score 55/100): Check air-quality forecasts. If sensitive, pack a mask and adjust outdoor activity. Hydration is critical in heat.
- Natural disasters (score 50/100): Check seasonal hazard (hurricane, monsoon, earthquake) for your dates. Identify hotel evacuation routes on arrival.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Los Angeles
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in Los Angeles
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Los Angeles for solo travelers (Crime 45/100 · Transport 45/100), women traveling solo (Crime 45/100), older travelers (Health 40/100 · Transport 45/100), business travelers (Digital 30/100 · Money 35/100 · Transport 45/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 25/100 · Political 20/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
View complete category score breakdown & baseline metrics
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Los Angeles
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
The US State Department does not issue advice for United States.
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
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Green earthquake (Magnitude 5.6M, Depth:1km) in United States 15/10/2026 11:07 UTC, 9 thousand in MMI>=III. GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-15
On 10/15/2026 11:07:01 AM, an earthquake occurred in United States potentially affecting 9 thousand in MMI>=III. The earthquake had Magnitude 5.6M, Depth:1km.
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Green flood alert in Mexico GREEN · ~287 km away · 2026-08-18
On 17/08/2026, a flood started in Mexico, lasting until 12/10/2026 (last update). The flood caused 21 deaths and 1663 displaced .
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Green flood alert in United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-05-21
On 19/05/2026, a flood started in United States, lasting until 13/10/2026 (last update). The flood caused 29 deaths and 2292 displaced .
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Drought is on going in Mexico, United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-04-30
The Drought notification level is Green.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 17:23:17 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Wildfires | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Most wildfire events within 100 km of Los Angeles happened in January (3 of 6 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the United States travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the United States entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-16 07:26:45 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Los Angeles
The most weather-stable two-month window for Los Angeles is April–May, when typical daily temperatures run from about 10°C to 27°C and monthly rain averages 16 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include hurricane season in June–November. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 5, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 4 embassies, 8 pharmacies and 4 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Barlow Respiratory Hospital
- Hospital: California Hospital Medical Center
- Hospital: Good Samaritan Hospital
- Hospital: Joshua House Health Center
- Hospital: Kaiser Foundation Hospital Mental Health Center
- Hospital: Los Angeles General Medical Center
- Hospital: Norris Cancer Center and Hospital
- Hospital: Saint Vincent Medical Center
- Hospital: Silver Lake Medical Center
- Hospital: White Memorial Medical Center
- Police: California Highway Patrol
- Police: California Highway Patrol
- Police: Central Community Police Station
- Police: Hollenbeck Community Police Station
- Police: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
- Police: Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters
- Police: Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Station
- Police: Newton Community Police Station
- Police: Olympic Community Police Station
- Police: Rampart Community Police Station
- Embassy: Consulate General of Mexico
- Embassy: Consulate General of Peru
- Embassy: Consulate of the Republic of Korea
- Embassy: The Consulate General of The People's Republic of China in Los Angeles
- Pharmacy: Chinatown Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Columbus Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: MedMen Los Angeles - Downtown (DTLA)
- Pharmacy: Thanh's Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Fire station: Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Station 10
- Fire station: Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Station 3
- Fire station: Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Station 4
- Fire station: Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Station 9
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (United States)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | high |
| Emergency response | high |
| English-speaking care | high |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
Los Angeles features world-class medical facilities and highly responsive emergency services distributed throughout the metropolitan area. Travelers have seamless access to English-speaking medical professionals and comprehensive pharmaceutical care without language barriers.
Common scam patterns
- Hollywood Walk of Fame Costume Character Photo Scam. Costumed characters on the Hollywood Walk of Fame pose for photos without being asked and then aggressively demand cash. They expect between $5 and $20 and may follow tourists who try to walk away. Tip: Refuse unrequested photos and avoid engaging with costumed street performers.
- CD Promotion Scam. Individuals in areas like Hollywood and Venice Beach hand out a CD or bracelet claiming it is "free," then aggressively demand payment once it is in your hands. Tip: Do not accept unsolicited items handed to you on the street.
- Overpriced LAX Taxi to Hotels. Taxis waiting outside LAX terminal doors may charge flat rates that are significantly above the standard meter rate. Tip: Use app-based ride services like Uber and Lyft instead of hailing airport taxis at the terminal.
Area notes
- Santa Monica. Affluent western areas like Santa Monica are much safer for tourists.
- Beverly Hills. Popular spots like Beverly Hills are enjoyed by millions of tourists without issues.
- Skid Row. Skid Row and southern districts require heightened caution and are generally avoided.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in United States for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
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Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 49 → 39 | moderate | Data update scoring v2 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 39 → 49 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Jul 27, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 35 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) |
Every editorial change to Los Angeles's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
View full data sources, coverage scope, and registry notes
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Los Angeles
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Los Angeles, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.