Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
New York, NY
🏆 New York leads 13 of 23 categories
Long Beach
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293
New York
New York
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$76,607
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (6.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 40°F
Homes cost $22k less ($709,700 vs $732,100)
Cons
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (3478.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 3% higher than New York
New York, NY
Pros
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Cons
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (7.6% vs 6.6%)
Longer commutes — 41.1 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$2,388
$78,995 vs $76,607/yr
Long Beach
Median Home Value
$22k less
$709,700 vs $732,100
Long Beach
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
6.6% vs 7.6% unemployment
New York
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New York
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 84.8°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | New York, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $732,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,714⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $76,607 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 41.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% | 13.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 177⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% | 40.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 83.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 47.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 24.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% ✓ More | 20.6% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs New York's 112.5 (US average = 100).
New York is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New York leads 13 of 23 categories. Long Beach wins 10 and New York wins 13. 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 Long Beach to New York or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $732,100 median home), income ($78,995 vs $76,607), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and New York, NY are about 2,453 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.