Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Costa Mesa, CA
VS
Long Beach, CA
🏆 Costa Mesa leads 13 of 21 categories
Costa Mesa
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,981 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
111,490
Long Beach
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Costa Mesa, CA
Pros
Households earn $25,986 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (5.0%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 42.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 18.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $959,800
Higher rents — median is $2,268/mo
Violent crime (737.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Homes cost $250k less ($709,700 vs $959,800)
Rent averages $570/mo less ($1,698 vs $2,268)
8% less violent crime than Costa Mesa
Cons
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Costa Mesa by $25,986/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (3478.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Costa Mesa
Median Income
$25,986
$104,981 vs $78,995/yr
Costa Mesa
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.6% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Long Beach
Violent Crime
8% lower
676.4 vs 737.6 per 100k
Long Beach
Median Home Value
$250k less
$709,700 vs $959,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Long Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $959,800⚠ High | $709,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,268⚠ High | $1,698⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,981 ✓ Higher | $78,995 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter | 30.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer | 166⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.5% ✓ Higher | 33.7% |
| High School or Higher | 87.9% ✓ Higher | 81.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport-Mesa Unified | Long Beach Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 81.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 12.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,490 | 462,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.4 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.7% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | 20.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa Mesa's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Long Beach's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Costa Mesa leads 13 of 21 categories. Costa Mesa wins 13 and Long Beach wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Costa Mesa to Long Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($959,800 vs $709,700 median home), income ($104,981 vs $78,995), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Costa Mesa, CA and Long Beach, CA are about 17 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.