Welcome to Thousand Oaks

Thousand Oaks is the largest city in the Conejo Valley with a population of over 100k and routinely makes the list as one of the safest cities in the country. It offers all the major conveniences that you’d expect in a large community but escapes the traffic and stress of other large towns.

Thousand Oaks Lifestyle

Thousand Oaks provides a safe and laidback lifestyle reminiscent of an easier time. With so much to offer, day to day activities are often spent here, but many make the short drive to Westlake Village for a night out to dinner and a movie. The Lakes at Thousand Oaks is a popular spot with tons of kid-friendly activities. The Civic Arts Plaza is right next door adding all sorts of events and entertainment.

The Thousand Oaks Mall is another fun spot, home to the AMC Theater, several restaurants, and of course countless retail stores. With the adjacent Janss Mall, you’ll find many of the known big box stores and Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are around the corner.

Thousand Oaks Housing

As the largest geographic area of the Conejo Valley, Thousand Oaks has quite a bit of variety in housing style. The neighborhoods range from condo & townhome communities to sprawling guard gated estates. A “typical” Thousand Oaks home is more affordable than you would find in the Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, or Oak Park neighborhoods. The homes are often older and the lots are bigger.

Homeowner Associations are less common in Thousand Oaks than other areas which can have both positives and negatives. Some find the lack of rules appealing allowing for more freedom with your house, but others prefer to have an HOA to help keep eye sores off the streets and enforce a cleaner looking neighborhood. You’ll likely notice quickly if a neighborhood doesn’t have an HOA; this can be a bit of a turnoff in some neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Highlights

Lang Ranch

Lang Ranch is a section of Thousand Oaks consisting of several neighborhoods (including 3 gated) that many consider the most desirable community in Thousand Oaks. Most of the homes are newer (1980s-2000s) and Lang Ranch Elementary is one of the highest ranking elementary schools in the Conejo Valley. It’s also the only area of Thousand Oaks that’s in the district for the nationally recognized Westlake High School.

Rancho Conejo

Rancho Conejo is a large guard gated community with about 1000 homes that’s a common landing spot for Thousand Oaks families. It’s a sprawling community with homes built from the mid 90s to today with two lively community pools. The newer construction layout offers expansive kitchens and family rooms and high ceilings with lots of natural light.

Lynn Ranch

Lynn Ranch offers the charm and character of the founding days of Thousand Oaks. Grand lots provide room for horses and all types of other animals. Most of the homes date back to the late 50 to 70s and many have gone through major renovations over the years.

Thousand Oaks Schools

Conejo Valley Unified is the largest school district in the area and covers Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, and the Ventura County section of Westlake Village. There are 17 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Most schools rank very good to excellent, but with 17 elementary schools you can imagine that scores range depending on the neighborhood.

See Conejo Valley Schools

Who Should Look Here

The draw to Thousand Oaks usually starts with its lifestyle and set of conveniences, but often comes down to affordability and job location. If you’re not finding homes in your price range in surrounding towns, you’ll definitely have more selection in Thousand Oaks.

Those who work for Amgen and other large employers in the Thousand Oaks area tend to land on this side of the valley for a shorter commute. However, those who commute to the L.A. area may choose to look in Westlake Village and Agoura Hills to save on drive time.

Things to Keep in Mind

Thousand Oaks can be a bit hit and miss. Some neighborhoods are on par with the very best of the Conejo Valley and others are in desperate need of a makeover. There are definitely neighborhoods to avoid; not because of crime (that’s a very minor issue here) but because it’s on the decline. Your dollar definitely stretches further in Thousand Oaks compared to many other areas in the Conejo Valley, but you may give up some of the luxury. It all comes down to preference.

Explore More of The Conejo Valley

Westlake Village Agoura Hills Oak Park Thousand Oaks Newbury Park

Just Outside The Conejo Valley

Calabasas Moorpark Simi Valley Wood Ranch

Conejo Valley on the Map

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