City Information on West Hollywood
West Hollywood is known for everything from celebrity controversy to a glamorous Californian lifestyle, to making movies and the entertainment industry, to the beautiful scenery, famous landmarks and more. Find out everything you need to know about WeHo right here, including the history of the city, shopping and dining, real estate, population and geography and more.
History of WeHo
The history of WeHo dates back hundreds of years, although the city itself was only incorporated in 1984. At first, what would go on to become the Sunset Strip was merely a major road which was connecting Los Angeles to the Pacific.
As it began to become developed and the population increased, West Hollywood became a hotspot for individuals seeking a good, fun time. That meant drinking, during Prohibition, most of all, but also gambling and partying, and a more hands-free style of governing and law enforcement. Building on this, the area wanted to be glamorous, and so instead of becoming a part of the city of Los Angeles, the officials declared its new name to be the City of West Hollywood.
WeHo City Stats, Demographics and Geography
West Hollywood currently has an official population of just over 34,000, which is down a little bit from its peak of over 36,000 in 1990. It might not seem like very much, but of course the area is tiny! Its total size is just 1.9 square miles, making it a condensed “all-city” city, as opposed to a sprawling suburb or anything else. All of this makes it one of the most densely populated cities in the entire country.
From there, the “population” more than doubles over the weekends, as everyone mingles in WeHo for relaxation, shopping, dining, nightlife and more. There are actually many more males than females, at a ratio of about 1:1.25. In other words, for every 4 females, there are 5 males living in the city. The population is fairly evenly distributed from young to old.
The city is bordered by Hollywood Hills on the north, the Fairfax District on the south, Hollywood District on the east, and Beverly Hills on the west. Zip codes for WeHo include 90038, 90046, 90048 and 90069, and area codes are 310, 323 and 424.
West Hollywood Real Estate
West Hollywood real estate is, of course, at a premium. If your city is less than 2 square miles, and its already one of the most densely populated cities in the country, then there simply isn’t going to be much room to add new houses or developments, for example. In fact, there won’t be any new houses! However, at any given time you can expect to find several hundred homes for sale, taking into account the roughly 24,000 housing units in the city.
The main neighborhoods of WeHo include West Hollywood North, West Hollywood West, West Hollywood East, West Hollywood Heights and the Norma Triangle, amongst a handful of others. All of the neighborhoods are very walkable, and have shopping and dining close by, thanks to the size and grid layout of the city.
West Hollywood Economy
The economy of WeHo is thriving and diverse, and clearly there is a focus on tourism and lifestyle industries, ranging from hotels to restaurants and retailers. The largest employer though is Ticketmaster, which is headquartered in West Hollywood, and employs 1,300 individuals.
Many of the other largest employers though fall into that first focus, such as the Mondrian Hotel, the London West Hollywood, the House of Blues, the Standard Hotel, the Hyatt West Hollywood Hotel, and on down the line. Of course, the film industry and television and music production are also prominent pieces of the WeHo economy.
Celebrities and their contingents in many ways make WeHo run. Many famous, and infamous, celebrity hangouts are located in WeHo, and many Academy Award parties are focused on these locales, while the tails of celebrity debauchery and controversy from WeHo are legendary.
West Hollywood Shopping and Dining
There is no shortage of shopping and dining in WeHo, that much is certain. While Beverly Hills might get more of the hype, make no mistake about it, West Hollywood is a “celebrity shopping” haven. There are scores of high end retailers and intimate, luxury boutiques in the area. Melrose Avenue, in particular, is known as one of the high end boutique areas.
Another area that WeHo is particularly known for is its high end and exclusive furniture stores, surely outfitting the homes and offices of A-Listers and the powerbrokers behind the scenes. Santa Monica Boulevard offers a diverse and eclectic range of shops, and the Sunset Plaza mall offers a wide range of stores, from affordable retail outlets to luxury and upscale offerings.
In terms of restaurants, there are all sorts of options, and there are well over 100 right in WeHo. Spago is located on Sunset Strip, and it was really the first “celebrity chef” outlet, brought on by Wolfgang Puck. Robert De Niro owns Ago, and another upscale, celebrity destination is Cecconi’s. Establishments like The Abbey and Palm Restaurant bring in tons of celebrities, and tourists looking to spot celebrities, but there are many other more casual establishments, chains, local cafes and more to choose from.
West Hollywood Gay Population & Pride
WeHo is known to be a very progressive destination, and it has a thriving LGBT community. The city holds the Christopher Street West gay pride parade and festival on the second weekend in June, a tradition that dates back to 1970 when it was held in Hollywood. There is also the Frontrunners LGBT Pride Run, a 5k and 10k run and walk. Pride Month is in June, and many businesses ranging from art galleries and theaters to restaurants showcase LGBT events or themes.
There are many gay-friendly or gay-exclusive bars and nightclubs as well. WeHo is also home to the West Hollywood Halloween Carneval, which is the largest Halloween street party in the United States, attracting 350,000+ annually. Clearly that is not an LGBT event but it certainly features a strong showing of support for that community.
City Landmarks
There is no shortage of landmarks and famous locations and sights around WeHo. It all starts with Sunset Strip, of course. Sunset Strip is actually a stretch of Sunset Boulevard, connecting Hollywood to Beverly Hills as it passes through 1.5 miles of West Hollywood. Filled with busy advertisements, and packed with notable restaurants, bars and nightclubs, Sunset Strip is a can’t miss destination.
Some of the famous nightclubs, music venues, lounges and more are also notable city landmarks. Places like the House of Blues, Viper Room, Whisky a Go Go, The Troubadour, Whisky Bar, The Abbey and Palm Restaurant, for example, are see and be seen hot spots, celebrity hangouts and also tourist destinations. Famous hotels include the Mondrian, Standard, Chateau Marmont, and Andaz West Hollywood and other famous businesses which have become attractions include the Westlake Recording Studios and the Comedy Store.
The unique architecture of the “blue whale” building, the Pacific Design Center, attracts tourists, whereas many homes and apartment buildings showcase Art Deco architecture. Considered to be the first home built in the “Modern Style” is the Schindler House or Kings Road House, which dates back to the early 1920s and was designed by Rudolf Schindler.
West Hollywood is more diverse in many ways than some people expect. Hopefully by now you have a good grasp of what WeHo is all about. It’s small and dense, but filled with life and excitement, from the celebrity culture to its luxurious hotels, and much more, West Hollywood is a unique place all to its own.
