Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California - Definition and Overview

Silver Lake is a Los Angeles neighborhood east of Hollywood. Inhabited by a wide variety of ethnicities and socioeconomic groups, it is best known as a major center of the gay community in Los Angeles. Since the 1990s it has become the center of the alternative rock scene in Los Angeles. The Sunset Junction Street Fair, a major event in August, is held there.

It is quite large, and has a fair share of businesses but is better known for its peaceful residential areas. It is very varied in ethnicities and subcultures.

As of the census of 2000, there are 44,351 people in the neighborhood. The racial makeup of the neighborhood is 40.53% White (21.24% non-Latino white), 2.74% African American, 1.10% Native American, 16.58% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 33.25% from other races, and 5.65% from two or more races. 57.35% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Silver Lake is an area of Los Angeles that is completing gentrification.