In this environment of peak housing crisis in Los Angeles, most would-be renters probably want to know where the deals are. But, clearly, there's also demand for soul-crushing rents on the high end of the chart.

Apartment List crunched its mid-May listings data for two-bedroom units to help us come up with a list of the five most expensive rental neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles (below). Nearly all are on the Westside. All have rents pegged at $3,500 or greater.

“One factor that is driving up prices is proximity to the ocean,” Andrew Woo, director of data science at Apartment List, said via email. “Property is expensive in these areas because of their prime location, driving up rental prices particularly for luxury options. Hollywood and Hollywood Hills are also expensive, as they are trendy neighborhoods close to entertainment options.”

5. Westchester. The suburbs near LAX have always been desirable, despite the jet noise. It's a haven for folks who want to live in a white-picket-fence version of Los Angeles that is long gone in other communities. But there aren't a lot of multifamily buildings here, and finding a unit to rent will cost you. The median price of a two-bedroom apartment is $3,593; for a one-bedroom unit it's $2,814, according to Apartment List.

4. Brentwood. This tony community north of Wilshire Boulevard on the Westside has long been a magnet for celebrities. Apartment hunters will want to look near Wilshire Boulevard and along the larger north-south streets like Barrington Avenue and Bundy Drive. Apartment List says the median rate for a two-bedroom is a whopping $4,000; the one-bed median is $2,298.

3. Hollywood Hills. Los Angeles' high life can be found north of Hollywood Boulevard, where stars park their cars at precariously shored-up homes worth millions. This is another community where finding a place to rent is hard because so much of the real estate is single-family homes. But if you must, the two-bedroom median is said to be $4,125; the one-bed median is $2,108.

2. Westwood. This community near UCLA is chock-full of apartment buildings, some of which reach to the sky. But the area south of Bel-Air and adjacent to Holmby Hills has never been cheap, and well-heeled trustafarians have long enjoyed the dense city life of “condo canyon” along Wilshire Boulevard. As a result, students who dare stay close to campus have had to pack in the roommates. The median price for a two-bedroom apartment here is $4,250, according to the site; $2,863 will get you a median one-bedroom for your squad.

1. Venice. Yes, the community once known for its Bohemian living by the sea is now the leader in Los Angeles rents. It seems like gentrification has been rotting the area since the days of Jim Morrison, but today it's off the charts. Proximity to that thick ocean air will do that. But so will century-old bungalows. And the influx of well-paid Silicon Beach brogrammers hasn't helped. The median for a two-bedroom apartment here is an insane $5,448; the one-bed median is $3,419. It's no wonder homelessness continues to thrive by the sea.

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