Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Provo leads 13 of 22 categories
Long Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $21,052 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 41°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Provo
Provo, UT
Pros
Homes cost $318k less ($391,500 vs $709,700)
69% less violent crime than Long Beach
Rent averages $609/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,698)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (4.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $21,052/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$21,052
$78,995 vs $57,943/yr
Provo
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
69% lower
206.6 vs 676.4 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$318k less
$391,500 vs $709,700
Provo
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Provo
Summer Heat
13.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 20.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% | 44.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 41.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% ✓ More | 18.9% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Provo leads 13 of 22 categories. Long Beach wins 9 and Provo 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 Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $391,500 median home), income ($78,995 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Provo, UT are about 573 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.