Imagine starting your morning on Brentwood’s San Vicente Boulevard, coffee in hand, cycling past rows of jacarandas, then ending the day watching the sunset slip behind Malibu’s hills from a Calabasas trail.
These two corners of Los Angeles County share the same bright sky but invite different daily rhythms. One buzzes near landmark art museums and boutique cafés, the other leans into canyon hikes and wide front yards.
Whether you crave patio brunches minutes from Santa Monica or a quieter evening under star-filled foothill skies, the details that follow will help you see which neighborhood matches your picture of home.
Where Are They Located?
Brentwood sits on the Westside of Los Angeles, tucked between the Santa Monica city line and the base of the Santa Monica Mountains. It feels immediately West Los Angeles and is minutes from Pacific Palisades, the Getty Center, and Sunset Boulevard, which makes trips to Santa Monica or Beverly Hills straightforward when traffic cooperates.
Calabasas sits northwest of the San Fernando Valley in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, west of Woodland Hills and just inland from Malibu and the Pacific Ocean. Driving from Calabasas to Malibu or the beach is commonly a 15–25 minute trip depending on route and traffic, and the city is a short drive along the 101 to Westwood or the 405 corridors.
How Do the Housing Markets Compare?
Brentwood’s housing stock is a Westside mix: tree-lined streets with single-family homes, architect-designed midcentury houses, gated enclaves, and pocket neighborhoods with luxury estates and large footprints. Median list and sale prices on the Brentwood side of Los Angeles sit roughly between $2.8M and $3.8M.
That reflects a high-end, centrally located Los Angeles neighborhood where luxury homes, estate lots, and boutique enclaves are common.
Calabasas skews toward suburban luxury with gated communities, larger lots, and many single-family homes that trade below the top Westside prices but above most Valley averages.
By early summer 2025, a typical Calabasas closing landed between about $1.5 million and $2 million, covering everything from polished master-planned lanes to custom hillside retreats and the gated golf-course circles just off Mulholland.
What Is The Lifestyle And Community?
Brentwood’s lifestyle reads as polished suburban with urban convenience.
You get boutique shopping at the Brentwood Country Mart, Italian and neighborhood cuisine peppered across the village, access to cultural anchors like the Getty, and quick runs to beachside Santa Monica when you want coastal air. The neighborhood attracts residents who prize proximity to Los Angeles cultural nodes while keeping a relatively calm, tree-lined residential feel.
Calabasas offers a more suburban, hillside way of life with an emphasis on outdoor recreation and a quieter community rhythm.
The Santa Monica Mountains and nearby state parks shape weekend plans: hiking, canyon drives, and occasional trips to the coast. The city programs and community centers give Calabasas a small-city feel, with country-club amenities, neighborhood parks, and a stronger sense of suburban enclosure than central Los Angeles neighborhoods.
What Is The Cost Of Living?
Overall, the cost of living in Brentwood is higher because of the Westside location, higher average home values, and proximity to high-end retail and services. Expect elevated property tax bills, homeowner insurance on hillside properties, and neighborhood prices for dining and groceries that track with other affluent Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Calabasas tends to be relatively more affordable on a per-square-foot basis compared with core Westside neighborhoods, while still ranking among the more expensive Los Angeles-area suburbs. Property taxes follow state rules but are moderated by the lower baseline home price compared with Brentwood’s top-end estates.
How Do the Schools Compare?
Brentwood is served by the Los Angeles Unified and by several high-profile private schools nearby, including Brentwood School and The Archer School for Girls, both of which are well regarded and draw families across the Westside. Public options include charter and magnet programs at local elementary and middle schools; if private schooling is a consideration, Brentwood is unusually well supplied for an in-city neighborhood.
Calabasas is served by the Las Virgenes Unified School District, which receives strong regional ratings and consistently ranks highly in statewide school listings; residents often cite the district’s mix of programs and extracurriculars as an advantage.
Both towns offer good options, but the character differs: Brentwood mixes top private schools and LAUSD magnet offerings; Calabasas leans on a high-performing suburban public district.
Which Town Should You Choose?
Choose Brentwood if you want an address that keeps you inside Los Angeles proper with immediate access to Westside cultural institutions, upscale shopping and dining, and a neighborhood that reads like an urban village with polished, high-value housing. Expect smaller yards on average and a premium for proximity to the Getty, Sunset, and Santa Monica.
Choose Calabasas if you want more yard, more lot, and a quieter foothills lifestyle with easier access to hiking, Malibu beaches, and gated communities that prioritize privacy and larger square feet for the money. Calabasas gives suburban breathing room and a community cadence distinct from core Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Both offer luxurious living and strong neighborhood amenities; the decision often comes down to whether you value central Westside access or a more private, suburban hilltop life.
FAQs About Brentwood vs Calabasas, CA
How long does it take to reach downtown Los Angeles from each town?
Brentwood drivers can often reach the Civic Center in 30 – 45 minutes outside peak rush hours, while Calabasas commuters usually budget 40 – 60 minutes via the 101 or canyon routes.
Weekend traffic swings can narrow or widen that gap, so extra time helps when concerts or beach weather pull cars toward the Westside.
What size yards are common in Brentwood and Calabasas?
Brentwood’s lots trend modest for Los Angeles luxury, often under a quarter acre, though estate circles near Mandeville Canyon stretch larger.
Calabasas subdivisions were platted later and typically offer a third acre or more, giving gardeners, pool builders, and dog owners extra elbow room.
Which neighborhood offers better public transit options?
Brentwood makes ditching the car easier: Big Blue Bus coaches roll along San Vicente, Metro Rapid routes hug Wilshire, and the E Line light-rail station sits just over the Santa Monica border for trips toward downtown.
In Calabasas, options drop off; aside from a commuter bus or the city’s small trolley, most residents rely on their own wheels or a rideshare to get around.
How close are the nearest major airports?
Brentwood sits about 10–12 miles from LAX, roughly a 20- to 30-minute drive in light traffic.
Calabasas travelers often choose Hollywood Burbank Airport, 22 miles east or LAX at 28 miles; drive times range from 25 minutes to more than an hour, depending on freeway flow.
What weekend recreation stands out in each area?
Brentwood locals might jog the San Vicente median, browse the Sunday farmers market, and wind down at the Getty Center.
Calabasas weekends lean toward outdoor mileage with hikes in Malibu Creek State Park, mountain-bike loops on Las Virgenes trails, and patio concerts at local hangouts like Sagebrush Cantina.
Sources
Redfin — Brentwood housing market (Brentwood, Los Angeles)
