Long Beach is a large city of 462,293 in California, with a median household income of $78,995
and a 6.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is
16% above the national average.
Strengths:
Long Beach stands out for solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Long Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Long Beach city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 115.5
Long Beach's overall cost of living index is 115.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Long Beach costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
Metric
Long Beach, CA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$709,700
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,698
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
40.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$78,995
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Long Beach's violent crime rate is 676.4 per 100,000 residents
— 78% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
676.4 /100k
Property Crime
3478.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Long Beach is served primarily by Long Beach Unified.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.7:1
(slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Long Beach, CA
National Avg
School District
Long Beach Unified
—
Elementary Schools
53
—
Middle Schools
15
—
High Schools
13
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.7:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
33.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
81.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Long Beach sees average highs of 67.4°F in January
and 81.4°F in July,
with 12.0 inches of annual precipitation
.
Long Beach's cost of living index is 116, where 100 is the national average.
That puts Long Beach roughly 16% above the national average in cost.
The median home price is $709,700 and median rent is $1,698/month.
Long Beach's violent crime rate is 676.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3478.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Long Beach are operated by Long Beach Unified.
The district has 53 elementary, 15 middle, and 13 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.7:1. 33.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Long Beach, CA has a population of 462,293, a median household income of $78,995, and an unemployment rate of 6.6%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Long Beach averages 67.4°F in January and 81.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.0 inches
.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Long Beach, CA is covered by 13 ZIP codes: 90805, 90815, 90808, 90802, 90806, 90807, 90803, 90813, 90804, 90814, 90822, 90840, 90831.
The population of Long Beach, California is 462,293 with a median age of 36.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Long Beach: cost of living index 116 (100 = US average), median home $709,700, median household income $78,995, crime index 173 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Long Beach side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
