The neighborhood of Northridge is located in the City of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Northridge extends to the following areas: Lake Balboa and Reseda to the south; Winnetka and Chatsworth to the west; Porter Ranch and Granada Hills to the north; North Hills to the east; Van Nuys to the southeast.

Short, hot, and dry summers and long, chilly, and rainy winters are characteristics of the climate in Northridge. Temperatures typically range from 45°F to 91°F throughout the year, with very few days falling below 38°F or rising over 101°F. During the summer, which lasts for 2.9 months from June to September, daily high temperatures regularly rise beyond 86°F. With an average high temperature of 90°F, August is the hottest month. On the other hand, the 3.8-month chilly season, which runs from November to March, sees daily highs that stay below 70°F. The coldest month, December, had average highs and lows of 66°F and 46°F, respectively.

The well-known Brent's Deli, the CSUN Botanic Garden, and the fascinating Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) are just a few of the recreational options available in Northridge. While the Northridge Hospital Medical destination serves as one of the Valley's trauma hospitals and meets medical needs, the Northridge Fashion Center is a regional destination for shopping. The Northridge Recreation Center offers a children's play area, baseball and basketball courts, an indoor gymnasium, and other amenities for sports and recreation. In addition, there are basketball courts at Dearborn Park for locals to enjoy, as well as picnic spots and a jogging trail at Vanalden Park for residents to find leisure and recreation.

By 2000, a sizable 34 percent of Northridge's citizens who were 25 years of age or older had completed a four-year degree; the percentages of inhabitants who had completed a bachelor's or master's degree were higher than those of the county. Numerous public and private elementary and secondary institutions, such as Nobel Middle School, Andasol Avenue Elementary, and Northridge Academy High School, are located inside the city. Additionally, the neighborhood is home to the prestigious California State University, Northridge (CSUN), which provides a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. CSUN is a significant employer in the community, employing thousands of people, and offers substantial educational opportunities in a variety of fields, including business, engineering, film studies, and K–12 teacher preparation. The number of students enrolled at CSUN had increased to about 40,000 by 2016.