Living in Lancaster CA — The Honest Truth From Someone Who Grew Up Here
- Brian Watters
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
If you're thinking about moving to Lancaster, California, let me give you the real breakdown — not the sanitized version you'll find on a relocation website, but the honest truth from someone who grew up out here and has been selling homes in the Antelope Valley for almost 20 years.
The BLVD — A Comeback Story
Let me take you back. In the late '80s and early '90s, Lancaster Boulevard was the place to be on a Friday or Saturday night. Kids would cruise up and down the strip — windows down, music up. It was the heartbeat of the town. Then the city shut down cruising, and slowly but surely, businesses started closing. Main Street in Lancaster basically went away. For a while there, it felt like downtown Lancaster was forgotten.
Then something happened. I honestly can't tell you the exact year, but there was a real revitalization effort that completely changed how the boulevard works. They restructured traffic to one lane each way, put angled parking in the middle of the street, added trees, public art, restaurants, and gathering spaces. They did a genuinely good job. Businesses started coming back — local restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, event spaces. It feels like a real downtown again.
That said, let me be honest. Like everywhere else, there are still some issues with homelessness in the downtown area. It's not something I'm going to pretend doesn't exist. But the trajectory is positive, and Lancaster has put real investment into making the BLVD work. If you haven't been down there in a few years, it's worth another look.
Jobs — Aerospace, Defense, and More
One of the biggest advantages of living in Lancaster is the job market, and most of it ties back to aerospace and defense. Now, most of the major aerospace facilities — Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin — are technically in Palmdale city limits (Plant 42 is over there), but a huge number of Lancaster residents work those jobs. Good paying careers, and you're not fighting an hour-long commute to get there.
Edwards Air Force Base is just up the road in Rosamond, and here's something people don't realize — about 80% of the workforce at Edwards is civilian. These are well-paying government and contractor jobs, and Lancaster is a straight shot up the 14 to get there.
Up in Mojave, you've got Scaled Composites and the Mojave Air and Space Port — that's home to Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. The private space industry is real, it's growing, and it's right here in our backyard.
Between Plant 42, Edwards, and Mojave, there's a concentration of aerospace and defense work in this area that most people outside of California don't even know about. If you're in that industry, the Antelope Valley is one of the best places in the country to build a career — and Lancaster gives you the most affordable housing to go with it.
Breaking Down the Zip Codes — The Honest Version
This is where most agents won't go. I will.
93534 — Central Lancaster
This is the core of the city, including the downtown BLVD area. There are some properties in 93534 that I really like — established neighborhoods, mature trees, close to everything. But I'll be straight with you: there are good areas and not-so-good areas, just like every other town. You need someone who knows which streets to look at and which ones to drive past. That's what I'm here for.
93536 — West Lancaster / Quartz Hill Border
The 93536 zip pushes west toward Quartz Hill, and some of it sits right on that edge. Nice areas, good properties. But here's something I'm going to tell you that most agents won't mention — there's a California state prison on 60th Street West between Avenue I and Avenue J. The facility is secure, and honestly as far as safety goes, it's not something you need to worry about day-to-day. But personally? I wouldn't want to look at it from my backyard. Some of the price points in that immediate area try to push the envelope because of the Quartz Hill-adjacent location, but you need to know what's there. Once in a blue moon, that siren has gone off. Just saying.
93535 — East Lancaster
Here's the thing about 93535 — this zip code stretches all the way out to Lake Los Angeles, which in my opinion makes it a little weird. You can have two properties in the same zip code that are 20 miles apart and feel like completely different worlds. There are some genuinely nice properties on the east side of town, and there are some that aren't so nice. Location is what you pay for, and that's as true in the 93535 as anywhere else. You need to know the specific neighborhoods, not just the zip code.
Antelope Valley College — A Hidden Gem
AV College doesn't get enough credit. This is a phenomenal community college with programs that directly feed into the careers that drive this area. Their firefighting program is outstanding. The EMT program, the nursing programs — both LVN and RN — are all wonderful. They've got aeronautics programs specifically geared toward careers with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.
And here's something most people don't know — AVC actually offers a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care and also in Airframe Manufacturing Technology. These are the only two bachelor's degree programs the college offers, part of California's program that allows select community colleges to offer applied bachelor's degrees. A four-year degree at community college pricing, right here in Lancaster. If you've got kids heading toward college or you're looking to change careers, AVC is a serious asset that comes with living here.
The Small Town That Got Big
Lancaster still has that small-town feel in a lot of ways. The AV Fair is a great example — it's a real community event, especially for the kids in 4H programs at the high schools. You see people you know, you run into your neighbors, it feels like a real community.
But let's be real — we've gotten pretty large out here. We have most of the stores we need now, and we're still adding more. The restaurant scene has grown a lot, and they're building a Texas Roadhouse, which is a great addition. We still need a few more things, but we're not the isolated desert outpost people picture when they hear "Antelope Valley."
The Bottom Line on Living in Lancaster CA
As someone who grew up out here and has watched this area change over decades, here's what I'll tell you: Lancaster is one of the last affordable places to live and work in Los Angeles County. That's not a sales pitch — that's a fact. The home prices still blow me away when I compare them to what you'd pay 45 minutes south in the San Fernando Valley.
There's still room to grow, and they are growing — more manufacturing, more business, more development. The downfall to that growth is more traffic, and if you've been on the 14 freeway during rush hour, you already know. But Lancaster isn't going anywhere. The jobs are here, the affordability is here, and the community is here.
You just need the right agent to show you which parts of town match what you're looking for. That's what I do.
Thinking about moving to Lancaster or anywhere in the Antelope Valley? I offer free consultations — no pressure, no pitch. Call me at (661) 400-3990 or visit ByOurRep.com.
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