Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – 2023 Guide for Visiting & Living
What are the similarities and differences between Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills? We put together an in-depth comparison that breaks down all the details.
Both neighborhoods are considered some of the most desirable places to live in the US. They are also popular tourist locations to visit.
Before you pack your bags to visit or live in one of these places, you need to understand all the ways they are the same and how they differ, which our comparison of Beverly Hills vs Hollywood Hills can provide you.
We will focus on several essential categories, such as differences between cultural elements, the main vibe of each area, what you can do there, and so much more.
Our mission is to understand where you may want to live or travel to and tell you why they are worthwhile or not.
So, let’s take a look at our guide on Beverly Hills vs Hollywood Hills.
1. Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Overview
Hollywood Hills is a part of Los Angeles that is located close to the center of the city. Currently, there are 21,588 residents living in the 7 square miles that make up Hollywood Hills.
This means that around 3,000 people live there per square mile, which makes it one of the least dense neighborhoods in the entire county of Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Beverly Hills is also located in Los Angeles and is next to West Hollywood and the rest of Los Angeles. Its population is a bit bigger than Hollywood Hills, as 33,792 people call Beverly Hills home.
This city is well-known for celebrities, luxury homes, hotels, and other related upscale amenities.
Below, you can see the walkability and bikeability score of each neighborhood from Walk Score.
We can see that their walkability scores are similar. Both areas have an excellent score, which means that they are quite easy to navigate by foot.
But, their bikeability ratings are a bit lower as there are fewer bike lanes around each city.
Hollywood Hills – Walkability: 72
Beverly Hills – Walkability: 75
Hollywood Hills – Bikeability: 39
Beverly Hills – Bikeability: 52
2. Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Location
Both Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills are situated in the heart of Los Angeles, which we named as one of California’s top cities to live in 2023.
Hollywood Hills is adjacent to Universal City, Studio City, and Burbank in the north, Hollywood in the south, Griffin Park in the north/east, and Hollywood Hills West on its west side.
Meanwhile, Beverly Hills is pretty much completely surrounded by the rest of Los Angeles.
These two areas are actually very close to each other. They are separated by just 6 miles, which is only an 18 minute drive between them.
Therefore, those who are visiting the area can easily see both neighborhoods in one trip.
3. Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Reputation
One of the major differences of this comparison between Beverly Hills vs Hollywood Hills is their culture and vibe.
Hollywood Hills is much more of a residential neighborhood that is nestled within the Santa Monica Mountains.
It is a quiet, green oasis with a hilly landscape that offers an escape from the hectic life of Los Angeles.
Hollywood Hills also features tons of wildlife, including deer and coyotes, as well as large parks like the Runyon Canyon Park, where you can take advantage of its numerous hiking trails.
Its location perched in the hills also provides its residents with excellent views of the rest of Los Angeles.
But, its secluded nature also means that residents here cannot easily walk to any nearby restaurants or bars. You will have to drive down the winding roads back into LA to get any food or access any entertainment.
Meanwhile, Beverly Hills offers a much more urban environment, where you can walk around and visit countless numbers of restaurants, high-end stores, and cafes.
The fast-paced and opulent atmosphere is highlighted by the legendary Rodeo Drive, where you can find names like Gucci, Prada, Dior, Hermès, and Cartier.
It is definitely not as secluded as Hollywood Hills and residents here like the exposure compared to the greater level of privacy that is granted in Hollywood Hills.
4. Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Things to Do
How does Beverly Hills vs Hollywood Hills compare in terms of things you can do in each neighborhood?
Well, in Hollywood Hills, you really can’t do much as a tourist. But, there are several activities and sights near it. For example, you can take a tour with Hollywood City Tours or visit the nearby World of Illusions, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, or Griffin Observatory.
There are also several parks, such as Runyon Canyon Park, Briar Summit Open Space Preserve, and Griffin Park that are worth your time.
Beverly Hills offers a bit more that you can experience. For instance, you can take an afternoon tea in downtown Beverly Hills, go shopping on Rodeo Drive, drive up the famous Mulholland Drive, or visit the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation.
Many of the things in Beverly Hills are focused on visiting galleries, restaurants, or shops. On the other hand, Hollywood Hills is more about seeing nature and open-air experiences.
Determining the winner between Hollywood Hills or Beverly Hills is almost impossible in this scenario!
But, this section about entertainment is just the tip of the iceberg. In reality, both areas offer all kinds of things you can do, visit, and enjoy. These are both luxurious and elegant parts of Los Angeles County that offer boundless amenities.
It will just depend on your preference between seeing nature or the city life.
5. Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Safety
The overall safety levels in Beverly Hills vs Hollywood Hills can have a huge impact on your choice.
As such, we will explain the crime rates in both areas. Beverly Hills gets a D- score from AreaVibes, with total crime levels that are 71% higher than the national average.
Meanwhile, the overall safety grade in Hollywood Hills is a C+, but crime rates here are only 3% higher than the rest of the nation.
Overall, Hollywood Hills is a bit of a safer place to live. But, both areas are far from being unsafe neighborhoods.
6. Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Cost of Living
Comparing the cost of living between Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills is actually quite interesting.
First of all, both of these places are expensive. You may know that already. You do get a lot and you can enjoy your life here, but it comes at a price.
For example, the cost of living in Beverly Hills is 217% more expensive than the national average. Housing is the most expensive element here, which comes in at an astonishing rate of almost 700% more than the US average.
The typical home in Beverly Hills sells for about $4 million, according to the latest data from Zillow.
On the other hand, the cost of living in Hollywood Hills is 124% higher than the rest of the US.
Specifically, housing costs are 374% more expensive here than the national average.
In Hollywood Hills, the average value of a home is around $2 million.
But, there are also a lot of similarities in the cost of living comparison between Beverly Hills vs Hollywood Hills. Goods and services, groceries, and health care are all generally the same.
The biggest difference is housing and Beverly Hills is far more expensive, at almost 2 times more.
Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills – Summary
What do you have to say about our Hollywood Hills vs Beverly Hills comparison? In general, both areas are wonderful to live in and to visit.
At the end of the day, it comes to what you can afford and if you prefer nature or the city.
If you can afford both places and you like urban areas, then Beverly Hills is the way to go. But, if you want something at a lower price and you prefer nature, then Hollywood Hills may be a better option.
In terms of traveling, it can be easy to visit both and get a feel of their vibe for yourself.
