If you are thinking about visiting West Hollywood and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.
We are going to deep dive into the statistics, look at some maps, graphs and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe West Hollywood really is.
Is West Hollywood Safe To Visit?
Statistically speaking, West Hollywood is a safe place to visit. It’s violent crime rate is slightly elevated but not a cause for concern. In 2020, West Hollywood had a violent crime rate of 573.31 incidents per 100,000 residents. It has a similar violent crime rate to Fresno, Fort Worth and New York City.
West Hollywood’s Population
The population for the West Hollywood in 2020 was 35,757
West Hollywood Crime Stats
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in West Hollywood for 2019 and 2020.
West Hollywood Crime Stats In 2021 (JANUARY 1 – OCTOBER 31, 2020 vs. 2021)
2020
2021
PERCENT CHANGE
Homicide
0
2
N/C
Rape
24
23
-4.17%
Robbery
70
82
17.14%
Aggravated Assault
79
121
53.16%
Violent Crimes Total
173
228
31.79%
Burglary
229
261
13.97%
Theft-Larceny
696
727
4.45%
Motor Vehicle Theft
86
128
48.84%
Arson
6
12
100.00%
Property Crimes Total
1,017
1,128
10.91%
TOTAL
1,190
1,356
13.95%
West Hollywood’s Violent Crime Rate
In 2020 West Hollywood reported 205 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 573.31 per 100,000 people.
The national average for violent crime is 398.5 per 100,000 residents. West Hollywood’s violent crime rate is 1.4 times greater than the national average.
California’s violent crime rate is 442 per 100,000. West Hollywood’s violent crime rate is 1.3 times greater than the state national average.
Here’s a map showing you how violent crime has trended in West Hollywood over a 30 year period. Violent crime peaked in 1991 when there were 962 violent crimes reported and the city had a violent crime rate of roughly 2,663.49 per 100,000 people. Violent crime has decreased over 78% from it’s 30-year high in 1991.
*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults and the violent crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
West Hollywood’s Property Crime Rate
In 2020 West Hollywood reported 1,205 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 3,369.97 per 100,000 people.
The national average for property crime is 1958.2 per 100,000 residents. West Hollywood’s property crime rate is 1.72 times greater the national average.
California’s property crime rate is 2138.9 per 100,000. West Hollywood’s property crime rate is 1.58 times greater than the state national average.
Year over year property crime in West Hollywood has decreased by 26%.
Here’s a map showing you how property crime has trended in West Hollywood over a 30 year period. Property crime peaked in 1991 when there were 3,716 property crimes reported and the city had a property crime rate of roughly 10,288.50 per 100,000 people. Property crime has decreased over 68% from it’s 30-year high in 1991.
**Property crimes include; arson, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft are classified as property crimes. The property crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
West Hollywood’s Murder Stats
In 2019 and 2020 West Hollywood reported 0 homicides. As of October 31, 2021, there have been 2 homicides reported in the city.
Is There Any Truth That West Hollywood Is The 4th Most Dangerous City In California?
The article used stats released by Safewise and their methodology is questionable at best. They ranked Oakland, San Bernardino and Stockton and then West Hollywood as the top 4 most dangerous cities in California.
What about Compton, San Francisco, Lancaster, North Hollywood, Hawthorne, Watts, Victorville, Fresno or Modesto? All these places are statistically more dangerous than West Hollywood.
If you talk to anyone who live in Los Angeles, West Holllywood would be on the bottom of their list for most dangerous cities in the area.
The methodology that Safewise used to come up with their findings are vague and questionable and was brought up to debate by Edward C. Ramirez, Captain of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood station, during a city council meeting.
“It is not clear what period the security used to collect these statistics,” he said. “It also appears the security company may have used a method where they compared the number of crimes for a population of 100,000. To achieve this comparison for West Hollywood, they seem to just triple the population and triple the number of crimes.
West Hollywood vs The Most Dangerous Cities In The United States
Here’s a list of the top 17 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. West Hollywood’s violent crime rate is 4.2 times less than Memphis, the most dangerous city in the United States.
What do residents of West Hollywood say about its safety
"West Hollywood is one of the safer neighborhoods in LA"
"Most crimes that do occur in WeHo are property crimes and not crimes against people."
West Hollywood is one of the better areas in LA. It is Boys Town, a gay Mecca and it is very upscale too."
"If Beverly Hills is a 10 on a scale of safety , and Skid Row is a 1, WeHo is probably an 8."
"West Hollywood is not a bad area, but Hollywood can be seedy."
"WeHo is a very nice and affluent neighborhood. It has a vibrant nightlife so the biggest thing you would have to worry about are drunk people."
"WeHo is one of the nicest and one of the most desirable neighborhoods in LA. There are some homeless people here and there but they are usually harmeless."
Tips to stay safe while visiting West Hollywood
Don’t wander around in deserted or desolate areas at night. Stay in areas crowded with people.
Don’t go to the West Hollywood park before dawn or when it gets dark.
Don’t engage or make eye contact with homeless people or erratic people. Cross the street or leave the area if you feel uncomfortable.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t get distracted by your phone while walking down the street.
Always watch your drink. Don’t let anyone give you a drink besides the bartender. Don’t drink in excess.
Don’t leave valuables in your car or in plain sight in your car.
Is West Hollywood safe for a woman?
West Hollywood is safe for women and women traveling alone. We suggest at night that you do not walk outside the West Hollywood area. Things can get sketchier when you move outside of the area, especially east of West Hollywood.
Final Thoughts
West Hollywood is a safe place to visit. It’s violent crime rate and property crime rate is not indicative of an unsafe city. It’s violent crime rate is not alarming and although its property crime rate is elevated, it shouldn’t be too much of a concern if you follow the safety tips posted above.
Keep in mind that West Hollywood is still a bustling city in the heart of Los Angeles, so don’t expect suburban levels of safety, cleanliness and sterility when you visit.
Quick Facts About West Hollywood
Fact
West Hollywood, California
United States
Population, Census, April 1, 2020
35,757
331,449,281
Population, Census, April 1, 2010
34,399
308,745,538
Black or African American alone, percent
3.6%
13.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent
0.3%
1.3%
Asian alone, percent
5.7%
5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent
0.3%
0.2%
Two or More Races, percent
5.8%
2.8%
Hispanic or Latino, percent
10.3%
18.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent
75.4%
60.1%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2015-2019
24.7%
13.6%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019
$755,400.00
$217,500.00
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2015-2019
$2,998.00
$1,595.00
Median gross rent, 2015-2019
$1,664.00
$1,062.00
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2015-2019
27.2%
21.6%
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019
97.6%
88.0%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019
62.2%
32.1%
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019
78.6%
63.0%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019
76.1%
58.3%
Median household income (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019
$74,044.00
$62,843.00
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019
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