Living in Calabasas: A 2026 Guide to Neighborhoods, Schools, Trails and Fire Risk
Calabasas gets a lot of attention for the wrong reasons. Buyers who actually live here tend to talk about other things: the Las Virgenes schools, the trailheads ten minutes from the driveway, gate guards, fire insurance, and how long the 101 takes in the morning. This guide covers what I walk buyers through before they start writing offers in Calabasas, starting with the question that trips up the most people: whether the house is in Calabasas at all.
The city of Calabasas vs. the 91302 address
The City of Calabasas incorporated on April 5, 1991, which makes it the newest city in Los Angeles County. It covers roughly 13.7 square miles and about 23,000 residents. The 91302 ZIP code, though, is much bigger than the city. A "Calabasas, CA 91302" address can belong to any of three very different places:
- The City of Calabasas itself, which handles planning, building permits, local roads, parks and its own library.
- Unincorporated Los Angeles County, including Monte Nido off Malibu Canyon Road, the Cold Creek and Stunt Road area, and stretches along Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Canyon Road. Here the county is the land-use authority, and permits run through county departments.
- The City of Hidden Hills, a separate gated city north of the 101 that incorporated in 1961, with large lots, no sidewalks and no streetlights by design.
Mailing address tells you none of this. The parcel's jurisdiction is listed on the county assessor's records and the preliminary title report, and it is worth checking before you get attached to a house. It affects what you can build, which rules apply to a remodel or a guest house, and, occasionally, which school district the property sits in.
| City of Calabasas | Unincorporated 91302 (e.g. Monte Nido) | Hidden Hills | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land use and permits | City of Calabasas | Los Angeles County | City of Hidden Hills |
| Typical setting | Planned tracts, gated communities, Old Town | Canyon lots, custom homes, private roads | Gated, mostly lots of around two acres, many with horse facilities |
| Schools | Las Virgenes Unified | Usually Las Virgenes Unified; confirm by parcel | Las Virgenes Unified |
| Things to check | HOA rules, city landscape/lighting assessments | Road maintenance agreements, septic, well or water service, access | City and association rules on building and animals |
The main neighborhoods
Inside the gates: The Oaks, Calabasas Park Estates, Calabasas Hills
Several of the best-known communities sit off Parkway Calabasas. The Oaks of Calabasas climbs into the hills with some of the largest homes in the city and staffed gates. Calabasas Park Estates is a bit older, set around the golf course at the center of Calabasas Park, which was once a Warner Bros. movie ranch where westerns and musicals were filmed in the 1950s. Calabasas Hills is another gated community reached from the Parkway, and it is worth touring alongside the other two because the dues, rules and home sizes differ from one community to the next. Gated living here comes with HOA dues that cover the gate staff, private streets and common landscaping, and with architectural rules that can shape a remodel.
Calabasas Park, Mulwood and the older streets
Outside the gates, Calabasas Park and Mulwood hold many of the city's older tract homes, the most common entry point for families who want the Calabasas schools without gate dues. Park Moderne, known locally as the Bird Streets, sits behind Calabasas High School and began as an artists' colony; it is one of the oldest neighborhoods in town, with an eclectic mix of houses. In the hills off Old Topanga Canyon Road, Calabasas Highlands is a rustic canyon neighborhood inside the city, home to the city's only Frank Gehry building, the Benson House.
Las Virgenes and Lost Hills roads
West of the Parkway, the neighborhoods along Las Virgenes Road and Lost Hills Road are generally newer. Mont Calabasas, on Las Virgenes Road, was annexed into the city in 2011. The Saratoga Hills and Saratoga Ranch tracts and Calabasas View sit off Lost Hills Road, and several apartment and condo communities line Las Virgenes near the freeway, which gives renters and first-time buyers a way into the area.
Hidden Hills, next door
Hidden Hills is often shopped alongside Calabasas, and it shares the ZIP code and the school district, but it is its own city. It was laid out in the 1950s by landscape architect A.E. Hanson, lots are mostly around two acres, and it has a strongly rural feel by design. If you are looking there, the city's own rules and the association's rules both apply.
Schools: Las Virgenes Unified
Calabasas is served by the Las Virgenes Unified School District, which also covers Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Bell Canyon and the Los Angeles County side of Westlake Village. Within Calabasas the main public schools are:
- Calabasas High School
- A.E. Wright Middle School on Las Virgenes Road, which generally serves the west side
- Alice C. Stelle Middle School at Mulholland Highway and Paul Revere Road, opened in 2004 and serving the east side
- Elementary schools including Bay Laurel, Lupin Hill and Round Meadow (the last one is inside Hidden Hills)
Attendance areas are set by address and can change. Before you rely on a particular elementary or middle school, confirm the assignment with the district for the specific address. Viewpoint School, a private K–12 school, is also in Calabasas and is one of the city's larger employers.
Old Town, The Commons and everyday errands
Old Town Calabasas runs along Calabasas Road just south of the 101. Its centerpiece is the Leonis Adobe, dating to 1844 and one of the oldest buildings still standing in greater Los Angeles. It is now a museum with a small working farm, and the city protects the surrounding stretch as a historic district. The Saturday morning farmers market sets up on Calabasas Road.
A few blocks away, The Commons at Calabasas opened in November 1998 and handles most of the daily routine: groceries, coffee, a bookstore, restaurants and the fountain where kids end up on summer evenings. Its six-screen movie theater closed at the end of 2025, and the owner has plans to add housing as part of a redevelopment. City Hall, the library and the senior center sit together on Civic Center Way, and the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center on Park Sorrento is a hub for families. The city also runs its own shuttle and trolley in addition to Metro service.
Calabasas Creek, trails and open space
Calabasas sits where the Santa Monica Mountains meet the western end of the San Fernando Valley, and the open space is the reason many buyers choose it. Arroyo Calabasas, the creek that runs east through town, is one of the two streams that join in Canoga Park to start the Los Angeles River. The city's voters have protected open space aggressively; Measure D, passed in 2005, requires a two-thirds vote to redesignate it.
- Calabasas Peak: The Calabasas Peak Motorway leaves Stunt Road for a roughly 3.6-mile round trip with about 900 feet of climbing, sandstone outcrops near the top, and views over Red Rock Canyon and, on a clear day, a sliver of the Pacific.
- Malibu Creek State Park: Entered from Malibu Canyon Road just south of Mulholland Highway, with the rock pool, Century Lake and the old M*A*S*H filming site. King Gillette Ranch, at Mulholland and Las Virgenes, is part of the park and home to a visitor center for the Santa Monica Mountains.
- Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve: North of the city, on the land once planned as the Ahmanson Ranch development, with wide fire roads popular with hikers and mountain bikers.
- City parks: Juan Bautista de Anza Park on Lost Hills Road, Wild Walnut Park on Mulholland Highway, and Brandon's Village at Gates Canyon Park, an accessible playground designed so children of all abilities can play together.
The wildlife crossing
A few miles west, at Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing spans the 101 and Agoura Road. It is a planted bridge meant to let mountain lions and other animals move between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills. Construction began in 2022, and Caltrans scheduled completion for fall 2026. For Calabasas residents it mainly means occasional overnight freeway closures during construction, and a landmark you will drive under often.
Fire history and insurance
Most of Calabasas borders brush-covered hillsides, and much of the area is mapped in high or very high fire hazard severity zones. The Woolsey Fire in November 2018 started in the Simi Hills near the county line and burned south to the ocean. The heaviest losses were in Malibu, Agoura Hills, Oak Park and the Westlake area, but Calabasas saw homes damaged and Grape Arbor Park had to be rebuilt. In January 2025, the Kenneth Fire burned about 1,050 acres near Victory Boulevard in West Hills, along the edge of Calabasas and Hidden Hills, and prompted evacuations here before crews stopped it.
For buyers, the practical steps are:
- Request insurance quotes in the first days of escrow, not the last. Several major carriers have limited new policies in California, and some hillside homes end up on the California FAIR Plan with a separate policy to fill the gaps.
- Read the Natural Hazard Disclosure report closely, including the fire hazard zone.
- Ask about defensible-space inspections, roof age and material, ember-resistant vents, and any past fire claims on the property.
- For canyon properties, look at road access and the evacuation route, not just the house.
HOAs and assessments
Many Calabasas homes belong to at least one homeowners association, and in the gated communities there can be a master association plus a sub-association. Ask for the budget, reserve study, rules, recent minutes and any pending special assessments. The city also runs landscape and lighting assessment districts, including ones for the Calabasas Park area, Lost Hills and the Saratogas, and Las Virgenes Road, which show up as line items on the property tax bill. Review the most recent tax bill for any direct charges before you finalize your budget.
Getting around
The 101 runs east and west through the city, with exits at Parkway Calabasas, Mulholland Drive/Valley Circle, Las Virgenes Road and Lost Hills Road. Heading east, it connects to the 405 and the rest of Los Angeles; peak-hour traffic can make that trip far longer than the mileage suggests, so drive it at commute time before you buy. Malibu Canyon Road takes you south through the mountains to Pacific Coast Highway and Pepperdine, roughly a half hour to the beach depending on traffic. Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks are a short drive west for errands, medical offices and jobs along the 101.
Who tends to buy in Calabasas
Most of the buyers I meet here are deciding between Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Woodland Hills and Westlake Village. The deciding factors tend to be the school district, whether they want a gate, how much land they need, and how far east they have to drive each day. Sellers usually benefit from understanding that comparison, since the buyer touring their home has often seen a similar house in one of those other towns that same weekend.
If you are weighing Calabasas against its neighbors, you can browse current Calabasas listings, read about Agoura Hills and Westlake Village, or see the Calabasas area page. If you own in Calabasas and are thinking about a move, a home valuation is a good place to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monte Nido part of the City of Calabasas?
No. Monte Nido uses Calabasas 91302 addresses but is unincorporated Los Angeles County, so the county handles land use and permits. The same is true for other canyon areas with Calabasas addresses. Check the parcel's jurisdiction on the title report or assessor records.
Is Hidden Hills the same as Calabasas?
No. Hidden Hills is a separate city, incorporated in 1961. It shares the 91302 ZIP code and the Las Virgenes Unified School District, but it has its own city government and its own rules.
Which school district serves Calabasas?
Las Virgenes Unified serves Calabasas, with Calabasas High School, A.E. Wright and Alice C. Stelle middle schools, and several elementary schools. Confirm the assignment for the specific address with the district, especially for properties near the edges of the city.
Are there gated communities in Calabasas?
Yes. The Oaks of Calabasas, Calabasas Park Estates and Calabasas Hills are among the best known, all reached from Parkway Calabasas. Expect HOA dues and architectural rules.
How much did the Woolsey Fire affect Calabasas?
Calabasas was evacuated and saw some damage, including to homes and Grape Arbor Park, though losses were much heavier in Malibu, Agoura Hills, Oak Park and Westlake. Fire risk does affect insurance availability and cost here, so get quotes early.
Can I walk to anything?
From parts of Calabasas Park, Old Town and the neighborhoods near The Commons, yes: restaurants, groceries, the library and parks are reachable on foot or by the city shuttle. Most hillside and gated neighborhoods are car-dependent.
If you want to compare specific Calabasas neighborhoods, or check a property's jurisdiction, HOA and insurance picture before you write an offer, get in touch and Lisa and I will pull it together for you.