90210, Meet 34465

Although Beverly Hills, Calif., touts Cannes, France, as its official sister city, a truer twin rests a coast away: the village of Beverly Hills, “Florida’s Retirement Hometown.” Both cities have invested heavily in marketing themselves: Beverly Hills, Calif., boasts a glossy 60-page visitors guide with advertising that would do Vanity Fair proud, and Beverly Hills, Fla., shows itself off with a 15-minute, fast-paced video. What follows is a comparison of the two cities. (Don’t worry, Wolverine fans, we took due note of Beverly Hills, Mich., population 10,610, but its promotional material only consists of a calendar.)

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Beverly Hills, Calif.

Founded: 1914

Population: 34,000

Median Household Income: $98,932

Median Home Price: $514,300

Major Stores: Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus

Sleepovers*: Standard double at the Beverly Hills Hotel, $335 plus tax

One-Carat Diamond: Cartier, $13,000

How Do People Tip?*: “We get a maximum 10%, or sometimes they don’t tip at all. That’s why they are rich.”--Sherwin, general manager, Beverly Hills Cab Co.

Stargazing: Think Polo Lounge, The Grill and Jimmy’s.

Haute Cuisine: Filet mignon dinner (with potato gratin and French green beans) at Maple Drive, $29

Number of Starbucks: 2

Sheer Fantasies: Haircut at Christophe Salon, starts at $70

Civic Sales Pitch: “Beverly Hills is an oasis from the ordinary, and indeed European in its unabashed emphasis on beauty in all things.”--Visitors Bureau “1997 Guide to Beverly Hills”

Beverly Hills, Fla.

Founded: 1959

Population: 12,000

Median Household Income: $14,496

Median Home Price: $45,500

Major Stores: Winn Dixie

Sleepovers*: Standard double at the Beverly Hills Motel, $40 plus tax

One-Carat Diamond: Beverly Hills Gold & Diamond Exchange, $2,000

How Do People Tip?*: “They’ve never heard of that word. They just want to go down to Winn Dixie.”--Alex, owner, Beverly Hills Taxi

Stargazing: Singer Michael Bolton performed at 1995 dedication of the Ted Williams Retrospective Museum and Hitters Fall of Fame.

Haute Cuisine: Filet mignon dinner (with mashed, fried or baked potato, vegetable and roll) at the Village Inn, $9.95

Number of Starbucks: 0

Sheer Fantasies: Haircut at The Nu-Yu, starts at $7.50

Civic Sales Pitch: “Discover Beverly Hills, a lifestyle expressly created to show active adults why these are called the ‘golden years.’ “--Citrus County Chamber of Commerce pamphlet