Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Pomona, CA
🏆 Long Beach leads 11 of 21 categories
Long Beach
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Pomona
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$73,515
Violent Crime Index
188⚠ High
Population
149,831
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
6% less violent crime than Pomona
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 90°F
Households earn $5,480 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
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
Pomona, CA
Pros
Homes cost $185k less ($524,700 vs $709,700)
Smaller class sizes — 21.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (715.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2753.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Long Beach by $5,480/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$5,480
$78,995 vs $73,515/yr
Long Beach
Violent Crime
6% lower
676.4 vs 715.9 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Pomona
Median Home Value
$185k less
$524,700 vs $709,700
Pomona
Summer Heat
8.9°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Pomona, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $524,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,631⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $73,515 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 165⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer | 188⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 131⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 21.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 18.2% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 72.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Pomona Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F | 67.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 14.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 149,831 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 53.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 24.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% ✓ More | 12.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Pomona's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Long Beach leads 11 of 21 categories. Long Beach wins 11 and Pomona wins 10. 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 Pomona or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $524,700 median home), income ($78,995 vs $73,515), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Pomona, CA are about 30 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.