Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 14 of 23 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
San Antonio
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $19,402 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 94°F
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
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 22% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $512k less ($198,000 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $509/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,698)
12% less violent crime than Long Beach
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.9%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Long Beach by $19,402/yr
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$19,402
$78,995 vs $59,593/yr
San Antonio
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Violent Crime
12% lower
594.1 vs 676.4 per 100k
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$512k less
$198,000 vs $709,700
San Antonio
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.6% unemployment
San Antonio
Summer Heat
12.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B (97) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 83.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 34.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 51.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 14 of 23 categories. Long Beach wins 9 and San Antonio wins 14. 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 San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $198,000 median home), income ($78,995 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and San Antonio, TX are about 1,192 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.