What it's like to live in Calabasas
Calabasas is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Calabasas deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, county unemployment above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
How Calabasas compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Calabasas
Based on Calabasas's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$6,178
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $123,560 a year
- 68% of Calabasas renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$300,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $150,450
- Homes cost 9.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 119% above US
$3,089/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $3,089 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $1,504,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $1,504,500 · 68% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Los Angeles County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Los Angeles County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 53% below US
154 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 1067/100k · Calabasas Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 31% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 34.1 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 94°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 43°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 104% above US
73% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 26:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (6 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Calabasas's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($3,089/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Calabasas
All California guides →Moving to Agoura Hills →
5 mi away · pop. 19,721
Rent $3,218/mo · Income $171,302
Compare with Calabasas →Moving to Simi Valley →
10 mi away · pop. 125,634
Rent $2,579/mo · Income $122,081
Compare with Calabasas →Not sure Calabasas is the one?
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